Taken in by her grandparents to ease the pressure on her family, Katie Benfield dreams of pursuing a nursing career. Despite many hardships, Katie achieves her goal, but tragedy strikes when her grandfather and her childhood sweetheart are killed in a mining accident. Distraught, Katie succumbs to the advances of the married owner of the mine, Matthew Hamilton. Thrown out by her grandmother, her reputation and career in tatters, Katie faces a home for unmarried mothers. Then Matthew Hamilton offers her a way to keep her baby, but only if she becomes his mistress...