In a cave on the wild side of St James Park live two ragged children; young Nick and his nine-year-old sister Jubilee. Once they had a father, but now they are alone -- and Nick knows it is his responsibility to find Jubilee a husband. But who would want to wed a girl who can neither cook nor sew, read nor write?

An opportune meeting with a pickpocket and a pupil from a charity school sets events in motion that drastically and irrevocably change their lives as they exist by their wits in the streets of London.