Mrs. Warren's Profession

Vivie Warren, a thoroughly modern young woman, has just graduated from the University of Cambridge with high honours in Mathematics (equal Third Wrangler). Her mother, Mrs Warren, who has been a distant figure during Vivie's childhood in boarding schools and college, arranges for her to meet her friend Mr Praed, a middle-aged, handsome architect, at the house where Vivie is staying. Mrs Warren arrives with her business partner, Sir George Crofts, who is attracted to Vivie despite their 25-year age difference. Vivie flirts with the youthful waster Frank Gardner. Frank's father, the Reverend Samuel Gardner, has a past history with Vivie's mother; indeed, he may be Vivie's out-of-wedlock father, making Vivie and Frank half-siblings.

Mrs Warren tells her daughter that following a destitute childhood she had gone into her profession due to absolute economic necessity. Having eventually saved enough money to buy into a business, she helped develop and run a chain of brothels across Europe. By her self-respect and self-control, she says, she pulled herself out of the gutter and lived a life of independence, able to provide her daughter with a first-rate education. Vivie is at first repulsed by the revelation of her mother's past, but then lauds her as a wonderful woman, "stronger than all England".

However, her opinion changes when Vivie discovers that her mother continues to own and operate the business with Sir George Crofts, despite now being wealthy and no longer in financial need. She is appalled to learn that her mother takes pleasure in her work and has no intention of giving it up. Vivie takes an office job in the city and breaks off her relationship with Frank, vowing she will never marry. She disowns her mother, leaving Mrs Warren heartbroken.