Young Tess Trent works at Emerson's department store in London's West End, its affluence a far remove from her own ordinary, respectable home in Briar Park in Hammersmith. But unlike her parents, Tess does not believe the fine and beautiful things she sells each day will be beyond her reach for ever.

The son of a Sheffield miner, Max Bentley wants to earn his living as a musician in a dance band in London. His parents are horrified. Meeting at a dance one Saturday night, Tess and Max are instantly attracted, and soon discover they share the same dreams. But Max's ambitions drive them apart. Feeling betrayed and desperate, Tess does her best to find fulfillment in marriage and her dream of opening a shop. Years later, Tess's nineteen-year-old daughter Judy falls in love with a musician. His name is Max Bentley...