In which the news of Gwendolen’s engagement to Grandcourt spreads to the Gascoigne household, revealing the complex interplay of social expectations, personal ambition, and uneasy reckonings with past actions, whilst she wrestles privately with the gravity of her decision and forthcoming change in life. Meanwhile, preparations and subtle negotiations proceed, as Deronda contemplates a visit prompted by Sir Hugo, exposing the varied shades of character and intention that surround the approaching marriage.