In 1969, Beth sits in the gallery at the Old Bailey and is overwhelmed by the sight of the man she loves in the dock between two prison officers, waiting for a verdict. The chapter immediately establishes the scale of the crisis: he is not facing scandal or disgrace alone, but a charge of murder.

As proceedings are about to begin, Beth studies the jury member by member, trying to guess who might believe in his innocence and who might condemn him. Eleanor sits beside Beth and offers the small comfort that several women are on the jury, hoping they may show compassion. Beth clings to that hope because she believes the jurors may need to understand the reckless passion that led Beth and the accused man to risk everything.

Beth then takes in the courtroom itself, and its grandeur makes the danger feel even more severe. The judge, barristers, clerk, press bench, and curious spectators all turn the case into a public spectacle. When the clerk announces the murder charge, Beth feels the full horror of what has happened and how far events have moved beyond private sorrow into formal judgment.

Sitting among the crowd, Beth reflects on how differently public trials look when the accused is someone she loves. She remembers once following famous scandals with interest, but now the press attention feels cruel and diminishing. Beth silently begs the accused man to look up at her, yet he keeps staring ahead; only his clenched jaw reveals the strain he is under, and Beth understands that his rigid expression is the only way he can stop himself from breaking down.