George Rouncewell has given up the shooting gallery and is now a constant companion to Sir Leicester. One day, however, he rides north to "the iron country" and visits his brother. He also meets his nephew, Watt Rouncewell, and Watt's bride-to-be, Rosa. George is offered a job, turns it down, but agrees to give Rosa away at the wedding. Then he writes to Esther, telling her (in order to put her mind to rest) that the letter written to him long ago by Captain Hawdon, the one taken by Detective Bucket, was a note of no particular consequence.
