 In rural 1840 s Scotland, Gavin Dishart arrives to become the new "little minister" of Thrums s Auld Licht church. He meets a mysterious young gypsy girl in the dens and to his horror Babbie draws him into her escape from the soldiers after she incites a Luddite riot. But unknown to Gavin, Babbie is more than she seems. And they must overcome her secret, the villagers  fears of her, and worst of all, Gavin s devotion to his mother s sensibilities, before they can openly declare their love.