News was continually arriving in England of the terrible casualties of the Battle of Waterloo. The Osborne family learned of George's death. Old Mr Osborne was grief- stricken but he carried on his business as usual. He never mentioned George's name to anyone.

One day Dobbin's father, Sir William Dobbin, called at Mr Osborne's house.

'My son has sent me a letter for you,' he explained.

Mr Osborne looked at the letter, and his heart began to beat quickly. The writing was his son's. It was the letter George had written before leaving Amelia in Brussels.

Mr Osborne suffered greatly in this period. He travelled to Belgium to visit the site of the historic battlefield, and he saw George's burial-place.

One evening, as he was coming back into Brussels, Mr Osborne saw a carriage driving towards him. An officer was riding by the side of it. Mr Osborne was surprised to see that one of the occupants of the carriage was his son's widow Amelia, and that the officer on horseback was his son's friend Dobbin. Amelia was pale and withdrawn, and did not notice her father-in-law. He, however, gazed at her in fury and hatred.

A few minutes later Dobbin rode up to Mr Osborne's carriage. He held out his hand but Mr Osborne refused to take it.

'I have a message for you,' Dobbin said quietly. 'I am the executor of George's will, and am therefore responsible for his widow's welfare. Are you aware how little money he left her?'

Dobbin explained that Amelia was expecting a child. He tried to persuade Mr Osborne that the time for hatred and bitterness was gone, and that Amelia needed his support.

'I have promised to have nothing to do with that woman, sir,' Mr Osborne commented angrily. 'I shall not change my mind.'

Months now passed, and Amelia gave birth to a son. The loyal Major Dobbin was constantly in attendance upon her, and brought her back to her parents' house in England. He became the baby's godfather. The poor girl was so depressed by the death of George that she did not seem to notice the Major's kindness to her. Dobbin, however, never dared to mention his love to her. He knew that Amelia was loyal to her husband's memory.

One day the Major came to Amelia's house looking particularly serious.

'I'm going away,' he told her. 'I shall be gone a long time. You'll write to me, won't you, my dear?'

'I'll write to you about little Georgy,' Amelia replied with a smile. 'How kind you've been to us, dear William!'