Tipping the Velvet

Zena and Nan talk about their next steps. Zena upbraids Nan, blaming her for their exile and Zena’s loss of employment. Zena asks if Nan has family. After hearing she doesn’t, Zena proposes they sell Nan’s men’s clothes that she brought to Diana’s. They don’t get much from the clothing seller, but they buy baked potatoes and some weak tea. With the money that remains, they rent a bed in a boarding house, recommended by a sex worker. When Nan wakes up in the morning, Zena has left with the money.

Nan walks to Ms. Milne’s house to beg for a place to live but finds out from a neighbor that she and Gracie have left. Nan asks him about Florence, and he remembers her companion, Ms. Derby. He gives Nan Ms. Derby and Florence’s approximate work address. Presenting herself as a friend of Florence, Nan asks to see Ms. Derby, who has taken off work for a few days. The woman who speaks to Nan doesn’t remember Florence, but, after some convincing, the woman finds Ms. Derby has left Florence’s new work address. Nan inadvertently sees Florence’s home address and decides to go there. Taking pity on Nan, the woman gives her fare money for the journey, but Nan chooses to get tea and then visit Florence.