A spoilt child learns the lessons of life the hard way, in this warm family saga set in Wigan from 1920s to 1950s. Our heroine is brought to live with her maiden aunts as a young child. They are formidable sisters, counting themselves a cut above the neighbours, because they run a genteel hairdressing salon. They dote on their pretty niece, although they're also devoted to their brother - something not right with him, but nobody likes to talk about it. The girl grows into a beautiful woman, who knows how to make the most of her charms. But when tragedy, family shame and betrayal force her to confront the real world, she shows everyone that there's more to her than a pretty face after all.