Welcome back all Middlemarch fans. I hope you have enjoyed these chapters. Lets get down to the good stuff, gossip....I mean discussion ;)

SUMMARY

Rosamund's miscarriage is attributed to horseback riding with Captain Lydgate against Mr. Lydgate's advice. Rosamund is proud of her wealthy in-laws and her elevated station by association. Mr. Lydgate thinks Captain is a dull fool, and is rather bad at hiding this, which creates tension between husband and wife. Rosamund is sure it wasn't riding that caused the miscarriage. The couple aren't connecting and the growing debt is weighing heavily on Mr. Lydgate. He resigns to tell Rosamund the truth only to find Will with her, which only serves to annoy him further. Later Mr. Lydgate confesses the extent of their debt, and tells her he refuses to ask his friends, or her father, for help. They must return some things of value and change the way they live. Rosamund is feeling regretful of her decision to marry Mr. Lydgate and wants some space. Mr. Lydgate convinces her to save face and stay at home. She agrees, but she is not happy about it. Mr. Lydgate is dreading the future.

The news of the codicil spreads from the ladies of Lowick Parsonage and Mary Garth via Fred to Rosamund. Mr. Lydgate advises her to keep this news to herself, but at the 1st opportunity she tells Will. He leaves in a dazed state. Rosamund has also gone behind her husband's back and asked her father for money. He refused.

REFERENCES - Mary Garth said that the codicil had perhaps "got mixed up with the habits of spiders". I was looking for a reference for the meaning behind this saying, but could not find one. Does anyone know what this means?

• Somnambulist; reference to Will after he learned of the codicil. Basically sleep walking.

• Ennui: description of Rosamund meaning a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.