The Foundling

London, 18th century. Bess Bright lives with her father Aboe and brother Ned in a poor London neighborhood. Bess works with her father in the fish market, while Ned sweeps the streets and cleans stables. When Bess becomes pregnant by a prosperous merchant, her life splits into “before” and “after.” From her child’s father, who dies under unclear circumstances, she is left with only the name Daniel and something like a locket — half a heart made from whale bone. Bess is forced to give her daughter to a “hospital for newborns,” from where she will be able to take her back after saving enough money. Bess leaves a keepsake with the newborn daughter — the other half of Daniel’s heart. A few years later, Bess manages to gather the money, and she wants to return for her child. But this path is thorny. Bess’s road through London’s foggy streets will pass through alleys where street torch sellers work, past the homes of wealthy people who hide their madness, and the dwellings of doctors. This is a story about a city of legend, about acceptance, and about motherly feelings — the most selfless feelings on earth.