The story takes place in London in 1763. The low status of women and the backward economy make it impossible for women to choose their own lives. If they want to survive, they can only become prostitutes except marrying a rich man. Margaret (Samantha Morton) and Lydia (Lesley Manville) are the two most famous brothel madams in the area. In order to attract business, Margaret even auctioned the first nights of her two daughters. Margaret wants to move the brothel to Soho and shift her target to the wealthy people living there. This move threatens Lydia's interests. In order to stop Margaret's plan, Lydia secretly reports Margaret's movements to a religious fanatic. The angry Margaret wants to retaliate against Lydia, but she knows that once the two have a head-on conflict, it will cause irreparable damage to her family and career.