Estella is more friendlier than she has ever been before, and Pip thinks Miss Havisham is the one who encouraged it. Estella tells Pip he has been charged in taking care of her and making sure she reaches her destination at Richmond. She is going there to meet a lady who will introduce her into society.
Estella asks how Pip is doing at Mr. Pocket’s. She asks if the rumors about him are true—that he is disinterested in indulging jealousy and spite. Pip says yes. She tells him that Miss Havisham’s relatives often write nasty letters about Pip and how much they hate him. Estella finds it amusing because they fail and are tortured by the whole thing. She finds pleasure in this because she was raised with these people. They fawned on her even as they conspired against her.
Estella assures Pip these people will never succeed in their intrigues against him. She tells Pip that she is the true cause of their maliciousness. She allows him to kiss her cheek. Estella causes him pain, for he cannot put any hope in establishing something with her.
They talk about Mr. Jaggers. Estella has seen him plenty of times, but his distrustful nature makes him an impossible man to know.
Pip knows Estella is trying to attract him, but he also knows she doesn’t feel anything for him. He shows her Matthew Pocket’s home. She tells Pip he is to come when he is ready to see her in Richmond. She sounds tired when she tells Pip it is all part of Miss Havisham’s plan.
Pip arrives back at Matthew Pocket’s home in the middle of a crisis. Mrs. Pocket gave the baby a needle case to play with, and now some of the needles are missing. She decides just to put the baby to bed.