Provis is in Danger - Summary

• Wemmick's Warning: Pip visits Wemmick and learns that his chambers are being watched and that Provis’ disappearance from New South Wales has caused a stir. Crucially, it is confirmed that the villainous Compeyson is alive and in London.
• A New Hiding Place: To ensure Provis' safety, Herbert moves him to a secluded house at Mill Pond Bank, where Herbert’s fiancée, Clara, lives with her bedridden father. This riverside location is chosen to make it easier to eventually sneak Provis onto a foreign steamer.
• Meeting Clara: Pip visits the new hideout and meets Clara, describing her as a charming and winning young woman. He finds Provis settled comfortably in the upper rooms of the house.
• The Rowing Plan: To avoid suspicion when the time comes to flee, Herbert suggests they do not hire boatmen. Instead, Pip begins a habit of rowing a boat regularly on the river to make it appear as a normal routine, even practicing in poor weather to escape notice.
• Personal Anxieties: As weeks pass without word from Wemmick regarding a steamer, Pip’s financial situation worsens, and he feels a constant, heavy anxiety regarding the safety of his benefactor.
• Estella’s Marriage: During a dinner with Mr. Jaggers and Wemmick, Pip is devastated to learn that Estella has officially married the cruel Bentley Drummle.
• A Startling Realization: While watching Jaggers’ housekeeper, Molly, Pip notices the movement of her fingers and her facial features. He becomes absolutely certain that Molly is Estella’s biological mother.
• Molly’s Dark Past: Wemmick reveals Molly’s history, explaining that she was once tried for a violent murder. Jaggers defended her by cleverly disguising her strength and attributing the scratches on her hands to brambles, ultimately winning her acquittal.
• The Lost Child: Wemmick confirms that Molly had a young daughter at the time of her trial, providing Pip with further evidence linking her to Estella as he heads home with much to contemplate.