The Crimson Petal and the White

In the violent world of 1874 London Sugar is a spirited prostitute in the brothel of grasping Mrs. Castaway. After her friend Elizabeth dies from injuries inflicted by two drunken clients Sugar starts writing a book to expose Mrs. Castaway's customers. Another would-be writer is William Rackham,an accountant for his father's soap factory and in debt to Dr. Curlew for the care of his unstable wife Agnes. He visits the brothel on the recommendation of friends and is impressed by Sugar's literary erudition,as well as her bedside manner.She even encourages him to do more in the family business and he becomes her regular patron. Ironically his brother Henry is smitten by Dr. Curlew's widowed sister,philanthropic Mrs. Fox,who is trying to help prostitutes to better lives. Out of interest Sugar comes to look at William's house and waves to Agnes whom she sees at a window.

William moves Sugar into her own apartments,where she continues to write and advise him on the running of the factory. Whilst he is in Glasgow on business,she goes alone to the opera,where she meets Agnes and comforts her after one of her fits,arranging to send her home. Agnes calls her her 'guardian angel'. Henry visits Mrs. Fox,who is ill with,according to Dr. Curlew,terminal consumption so he carries on her work helping prostitutes. He meets Sugar's friend Caroline,who prefers to stay on the game with all its risks than take a lower paid factory job. William tells his brother to satisfy Mrs. Fox sexually but Henry has a fatal mishap during a sexual fantasy in which the flames of passion are only too literal. Sugar suggests to William that she becomes a tutor to his little daughter Sophie.

Sugar becomes Sophie's tutor,immediately giving the little girl a happier,less austere life,whilst continuing to sleep with William,who tells her that Agnes has always refused to acknowledge her daughter. Sugar finds Agnes's diaries,which she has left in her room and starts to read them. When Agnes tries to flee the house Sugar finds her and promises to help. William's attempts to be tender and loving with Agnes backfire and he reluctantly agrees to Curlew putting her in an asylum,convincing himself that she will be cured. The night before Curlew comes for Agnes Sugar gives her money and puts her on a train to Cornwall,instructing her to seek out the nearest convent.

Sugar denies any part in helping Agnes escape but soon afterwards a body is discovered which William identifies as having been his wife. Mrs. Fox,now fully recovered,guesses that Sugar is a former prostitute and keeps her secret, telling her that Mrs. Castaway has died. Sugar visits the brothel but her old friends have all left and it is being run by lesbians.Sugar falls pregnant but William tells her that he does not want a child with her and she throws herself downstairs to induce a miscarriage. William grows distant from her,initially obsessed with Agnes but later visiting brothels and courting Agnes's friend Constance. Finally he sacks her,despite the great bond she has with Sophie so she and the little girl run away together. As they leave Sugar drops her manuscript and the pages are scattered down the street.