In 1886, Clara, a young peasant girl and prostitute, steals a baby from a rich family in the hope that Henry, the man she lives with will believe the baby his and marry her. He doesn't believe her and leaves. Stuck with the stolen child Nellie, Clara has two more children with unknown fathers and spends all her money on drink. One day while Nellie is out looking for food, the police arrest her "mother" because of her neglect of the children, and her "siblings" are taken to the workhouse. Nellie runs away from her hometown and settles in Ulverston, Cumbria, making a makeshift bed near the...