When her mother dies in childbirth Pearl Edwards is left in the care of her aunt Annie Grafton. Annie loves Pearl like her own daughter but it isn't easy to keep a roof over their heads. Annie knows the best way to supplement their meagre income is to walk the pit lanes at night looking for men willing to pay for her company. But when Pearl finds herself unexpectedly without work Annie is forced to ask Pearl the unthinkable. Rather than submit to life on the pit lanes Pearl runs away. She has nothing and nowhere to go but Pearl is determined to survive on her own terms…