Our Mutual Friend

When Boffin reaches his house, he talks to his wife about the meeting with the lawyer. She would like to offer their current house for rent and move somewhere nicer, possibly taking Bella Wilfer to live with them. They believe that they should “act up” to the fortune that they have inherited. The Boffins have discussed the option of adopting a parentless child as a way to pay tribute to the now-deceased John Harmon. Acting on this idea, they visit a clergyman named Frank Milvey and explain their plan. He offers to put together a list of suitable children. Afterward, the Boffins visit the Wilfer house and discuss their plans with Bella. They invite her to move into a new house with them, and she accepts. They also talk about their “mutual friend,” Rokesmith.

Sophronia Akershem and Alfred Lammle, both recent guests of the Veneerings, have gotten engaged. To talk about this wedding, Twemlow dines with the Veneerings and Podsnap.

The wedding itself is a lavish affair, but during the honeymoon, the couple discovers that neither of them actually has any money. They are horrified, having been tricked by the Veneerings into believing that they would each be benefiting financially from the marriage.