Jedrington is approached by Harmswell Grimstone, who takes him on board as his partner and gets him to sign a contract which brings instant wealth. This enables him to send Victor to a grim boarding school and engage a fierce governess for Victoria. Conceptiva, however, is suspicious and unhappy with her new riches, which she wants to use to help the poor. To make things worse an anonymous letter forces her to tell Jedrington her secret - she is a French orphan adopted by an English officer after Waterloo. Jedrington is prepared to forgive but by this time Grimstone has pushed her into the docks to make it look like suicide.
—don @ minifie-1