Life's a daily struggle for Demelza Cotton and Jago Quinn in the hellhole that is Victorian London's Old Nichol slum. They didn't think it could get any worse - until they find a hypnotic, rainbow-coloured lizard and attract the attention not only of the vicious Cray Twins but also of the mysterious Adamina Wollondilly and her bizarre Eyeballers. Suddenly everyone's out for their blood, but they're not giving their beautiful creature back, not for all the tea in China - and a Happy Ever After is looking increasingly unlikely.