Betty Higden continues on her journey, though the Boffins receive no news of her. Her life has not been easy, and she struggles to maintain her independence. She travels up along the River Thames, fearful of “falling into the hands of Charity.” One day, sitting on a bench in a village marketplace, she faints. The villagers try to help her, asking her if she has anyone nearby to care for her. Betty tells them she does and escapes as quickly as she can. Another incident involves her seeing her dead children and grandchildren riding on a canal barge. The canal attendant questions her, believing her to be a vagrant. She shows him the Boffins’ letter, but he cannot read. He talks her into giving him all her money in exchange for letting her go, rather than turning her into the Charity authorities. She continues on, feeling that her life is slowly slipping away. She checks to see that the money to pay for her funeral is still sewn inside her gown. She sits under a tree and waits to die. She is found near death by Lizzie Hexam.

Betty Higden is buried, attended by the Reverend Frank Milvey. The mourners consist of Mrs. Milvey, John Rokesmith, Bella Wilfer, Lizzie Hexam, and Sloppy. Lizzie had contacted Rokesmith on Betty’s death, and arranged for the funeral with the help of Riah. Mrs. Milvey is concerned that Riah might convert her. Lizzie tells her that Riah and his wife have never questioned her about her religion and never talked about their own. Bella and Rokesmith talk together, sharing their observations of the sadness of Lizzie Hexam as well as their promise to keep her location a secret. Bella confesses her feeling of uselessness, but Rokesmith tells her that no one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else. They speak of the change in Mr. Boffin brought about by his financial success and the suffering of Mrs. Boffin because of it. Bella and Lizzie speak of the secrecy of the person who caused the accusation against Gaffer to be dropped. Deciding to become friends with Bella, Lizzie tells her about her fear of Bradley Headstone, specifically, his threat against Eugene Wrayburn. On the way back to London, Bella tells Rokesmith that she has changed since meeting Lizzie.

Eugene Wrayburn comes to Jenny Wren under the pretense of wanting to buy a doll for his goddaughter, but Jenny know he really wants to find out where Lizzie is. Wrayburn returns home, where Lightwood tells him that Riah is pressing Wrayburn to pay his debt. Wrayburn says that he thinks that Riah had a part in Lizzie’s disappearance, but Lightwood is tired of the everything Wrayburn does comes back to Lizzie Hexam. Jenny Wren’s father (whom Wrayburn calls “Mr. Dolls”) offers to find Lizzie in exchange for rum. Lightwood is horrified that Wrayburn agrees to do business with such a person. Wrayburn and Lightwood go for a walk, followed by Bradley Headstone, who is hoping to find Lizzie’s location. Knowing this, Wrayburn wanders all over the city. Lightwood is haunted by the expression on Headstone’s face.