Jules mentally accuses Nel of making up stories about people to serve her own goals, saying: “You don’t know what happened to Libby Seeton, and you certainly don’t know what was going through Katie’s head when she died” (176). Jules finds a threatening note from Louise among Nel’s papers. Lena comes home to find Jules going through Nel’s notes and has another violent outburst at Jules. 

Triggered by the opening line of Nel’s book, Jules recalls the aftermath of her rape by Robbie:

Drunk, she wanders to the Drowning Pool and climbs in. Nel eventually rescues her there. Nel demands to know what Jules was thinking, claiming, “To spite me, is that it? […] Jesus, Julia, what have I ever done to you?” (183). Nel makes Jules promise never to tell anyone what happened. 

Helen worries about Patrick’s deteriorating mental state and her own, since “lately she had not been herself” (186). In the wake of Sean cheating on her, Helen stays with Patrick in the converted barn. Patrick tells Helen stories about the Drowning Pool, insisting Nel is a liar and blaming Nel for Sean’s self-doubt. Helen sees Louise at the supermarket and runs from her.