(Joan lives with her mother and sister, and works nights at a supermarket, where the manager forces himself on his female staff. When she is kidnapped by a mentally ill stranger, despite being traumatised she is flattered by the attention and, once rescued, finds herself defending him to the police)
Glory is the epitome of elegance, starkly contrasting with her blacksmith sister, Ann. Renowned for her beauty, she thrives as a theatre designer, working in various settings from dilapidated urban areas to the prestigious Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford. Despite her success, Glory is haunted by past traumas of perversion and abuse that have deeply affected her psyche. When Ann faces threats from the same type of men who have harmed Glory, she is willing to sacrifice everything to protect her sister. Glory, favored and spoiled by their mother, learned about men through her mother's experiences, while Ann struggled to conform to feminine ideals. As a student, Glory resorts to prostitution to support herself, all the while clinging to her family values. When Ann's safety is compromised, Glory rushes to her aid, viewing the violence directed at her sister as a deserved consequence of her own past. Throughout her life, Glory has been both cosseted and burdened by her beauty, ultimately leading to her exploitation and blackmail. Yet, she maintains a sense of familial loyalty, believing that facing danger for Ann might offer her a chance at redemption for her own misdeeds. As she confronts her past, Glory embodies the complexities of love, sacrifice, and the quest for forgiveness.
When Henry Mayall buys a forge, he also claims the right of the blacksmith to ride over Gorsedown Manor. His niece, Ann, finds sanctuary here and becomes a successful blacksmith. But a religious sect try to stop Ann riding over the park, reverting to brutal means to overturn her rights.