The Crimson Petal and the White

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.