Whitstable, 1890's. Nan Astley is a naive young oyster maid, working in her parents' bustling oyster parlor. On a family outing to the local music hall, she is mesmerized by Kitty Butler, a charismatic male impersonator. This is the start of an exotic adventure which takes her into a magical and sexually charged world.

After her betrayal by Kitty, Nan is distraught and abandoned. Forced to leave the theatre, she cannot return to her family in Whitstable. Instead she discovers a new way to earn a living - one that takes her into the world of London's dark underbelly - into a seductive and dangerous world she never knew existed.

Nan and Blake are thrown out by Diana and when Blake disappears with the little money they have, Nan is totally destitute. The only person she can think of who might help her is the idealistic young charity worker Florence, who she met briefly (and was attracted to) before Diana.