Shrines of Gaiety

Edith is recovering from her “botched” abortion at the Coker’s home in Hanover Terrace. Ramsay is trying to work on his book. Nellie is troubled by Edith’s brush with death: “Nellie’s first thought was that Edith’s close call was due to Maud trying to exact her revenge. Now that Edith was on the mend Nellie worried what the dead girl would try next” (355).

Frobisher meets Gwendolen at Paddington Station. They have to be careful that nobody sees them meeting, or the Cokers will know that Gwendolen works for Frobisher. In fact, the reader will later learn that Nellie is well aware of the link between Gwendolen and Frobisher; Nellie’s hired man Landor follows Gwendolen and witnesses her meeting with Frobisher. During their meeting, Frobisher invites Gwendolen on an outing in his new motor car—she agrees. Frobisher is delighted.

Nellie has a secret meeting with Oakes in the park. Oakes approached Nellie after she was released from Holloway, offering to be her informant: “For a regular sum of money he would ‘keep an eye’ on his new Chief Inspector for her. Frobisher was a menace” (371). This is just a front. Nellie knows the truth: Oakes is a spy for Maddox.