Follow the epic life and times of the Moorhouse family as they rise from the obscurity of an Ayrshire farm to wealth and prosperity in Victorian Glasgow

In 1870s Glasgow, Arthur Moorhouse, a savvy businessman, and his wife Bel, driven by ruthless social ambition, lay the foundation of their family empire. Though their situation is precarious, Bel insists they take in Phoebe, Arthur's newly orphaned half-sister, never imagining how this decision will change the course of the family's fortunes.

From tragedy to triumph, the Moorhouses are determined to rise above their humble beginnings. But they higher they rise, the further they have to fall.