Parallel Lives

Prematurely widowed, Hannah learns of her husband 's duplicity and its repercussions for her future. Obliged to support herself she moves from the affluence of her Berkshire country home to a Kent seaside cottage. Though deceased, her husband remains a domineering presence. Separated from her living family, she embarks on a hunt for her 19th century ancestors. Her genealogical research uncovers the gritty story of Margaret Harte, her great-great-grandmother whose life was far more harrowing than Hannah 's own. Discoveries concerning her ancestor influence Hannah 's own life and her relationship with Paul, her lover.