It's 1858. Lucas Russell is a young writer from Leyburn, the youngest child to a moderately wealthy family. His brother and sister are highly respected in their father's eyes, whereas Lucas has had a fairly miserable life due to the fact that his father blames him for his mother's death. Lucas spends his days in a shop, and his nights stashed away in the attic, writing. He expects nothing from his life but sadness, until he meets David Meyer, another aspiring writer, and they discover the captivating world of Mr Charles Dickens.