The two are close, but not romantically involved - Cathy is married to Neil Mitchell, the son of the wealthy household where her mother Lizzie used to scrub floors, and Tom is in a relationship with beautiful Marcella, who dreams of being a model.

Neil's mother Hannah, against the marriage of her son to the cleaner's daughter, makes life hard for Cathy, while Marcella's ambitions come between her and Tom.

A key subplot is the arrival of Neil's twin nephew and niece Simon and Maud, whose alcoholic mother and errant father have virtually abandoned them.

The twins' older brother Walter reappears in their lives periodically, usually causing trouble, including robbing and vandalizing the Scarlet Feather premises.

The pair's battle for survival, and its impact on their respective relationships, is the key theme for the second half of the novel.