Season 1 Episode 2

When an old friend arrives in town, Margaret’s hopes for the Soho move rest on whether she can tempt him to invest. But Nathaniel Lennox seems interested in a lot more than Margaret’s business nouse. With her days as a harlot long behind her, just how far will Margaret be willing to go?

Nancy’s discovery of the once famous courtesan Mary Cooper offers Margaret a glorious opportunity to destroy Lydia Quigley’s reputation. But hitting back against Lydia is a dangerous manoeuvre, one that threatens to disrupt all her plans with Nathaniel Lennox.

Justice Cunliffe makes Lydia an intriguing but potentially perilous offer. Is it worth her while?

Meanwhile Emily is adjusting to the constraints of life in the Quigley household, and she’s going to need an ally in her confinement – but befriending Lydia’s son Charles could be a very risky move.

After Howard’s bid for Lucy, both Wells sisters are left reeling. Can Charlotte use Howard’s contrition to suit her own aims? And how will Lucy cope now she has been launched into the trade?

Synopsis
Inspired by the stories of real women, the series follows Margaret Wells (Morton) and her daughters, as she struggles to reconcile her roles as mother and brothel owner.

When her business comes under attack from Lydia Quigley (Manville), a rival madam with a ruthless streak, Margaret fights back, even if it means putting her family at risk. Brown Findlay stars as Charlotte, Margaret’s eldest daughter and the city’s most coveted courtesan who begins to grapple with her position in both society and her immediate family.