mrs graham does not want to talk about her life with her new neighbours, so they decided that she did something wrong in her past. gilbert then becomes close to her, and falls in love with her. eliza then spreads rumours about when she realises gilbert is interested in mrs graham. the rumor is that she is having an affair with her landlord, frederick lawrence (who is actually her brother). at a chance meeting on a road, gilbert strikes lawrence, who was on a horse, with a whip handle, causing him to fall from his horse. though she is unaware of this attack, helen graham still refuses to marry gilbert, but when he accuses her of loving lawrence she gives him her diaries.