Through the long summer and into October, Vianne keeps Le Jardin running with constant chores, bartering laundry work to feed animals and expand the garden. Captain Beck is often away, and Vianne clings to brief normalcy on Sunday mornings with Rachel, while quietly fearing the silence from Antoine and noticing Isabelle’s early-morning absences and elaborate excuses.

Walking home from school with Sophie, Vianne spots Isabelle emerging from an alley looking suspicious. Sophie runs to her aunt’s basket and Isabelle slaps Sophie’s hand, then apologizes and claims exhaustion from food lines. Captain Beck stops them in the street and, after an awkward exchange, reveals he “checked” on Antoine: Antoine Mauriac has been captured and is in a prisoner-of-war camp, and Beck gives Vianne a list of names and official postcards.

Shaken, Vianne is guided home by Isabelle, who insists Vianne must endure for Sophie. Vianne tries to grieve but feels emptied; she clings to Antoine’s sweater, then ties a small strand of its yarn to an apple-tree branch as a daily marker of prayer and hope for his return.

Vianne goes to Rachel’s cottage because Marc de Champlain is also on the prisoner list. In private, Vianne gives Rachel the news that their husbands are POWs and “won’t be coming home.” Three days later, Vianne gathers Carriveau’s women at school to share the list and distribute the official postcards so they can write to their men, but suspicion flares that Vianne is receiving favors from her German lodger; Rachel defends her, and Vianne writes Antoine a careful, loving message through tears.

Back at Le Jardin, Beck’s motorcycle is outside, and Vianne brings him the bundle of postcards, asking for help mailing them. Beck agrees but then demands a list of teachers who are Jewish or communist, insisting it is “clerical,” while implying he can find Antoine’s address and even send a package if Vianne cooperates. Cornered by fear and dependence, Vianne writes the names; when Beck presses for completeness, Vianne finally adds the last name: Rachel de Champlain.