When some of the younger women are taken away by the guards there is fear that they will be raped but instead they are made to chop down trees. Sister Ulrica is appointed the spokesperson for the Dutch,who have more possessions and money than the British. Married traders Jo and Lia come to the camp and Sylvia softens,giving Dorothy money for food for her baby Violet. Dorothy offers to work for the wealthy Dutch prisoner Mrs. Van Leyden and,with the money earned,sneaks out at night to get milk for Violet from Lia. However Yamauchi finds out and bans the trading. Lia is staked out in the camp and,despite Dorothy's efforts to save her,dies.

Baby Violet dies and morale is low amongst the prisoners,especially when Judith Bowen,Christina and others go down with malaria,necessitating that sleeping arrangements are switched around to allow for a sick bay. The upheaval leads to Marian overhearing criticism of the quality of her leadership,which she herself begins to doubt. However,at a meeting she rallies all the women into organizing improvements to their lives. Then two Japanese secret policemen arrive and ask to see her.

Marion is released after being quizzed about the British troop strength in Singapore and Yamauchi goes off to headquarters,leaving Sato in charge. Christina recovers from malaria but a Dutch woman dies and Judith is weakening so that,when they hear that Red Cross parcels have arrived, Dorothy,Rose and Blanche,fearing that Sato will keep it for himself,steal some quinine. They are caught by guards who try to rape them. Whilst Rose and Blanche protest to Yamauchi on his return,Dorothy claims they were all willing and Blanche and Rose are to be punished as liars but Sylvia overhears Dorothy tell a guard that she lied and informs Yamauchi,who releases Rose and Blanche and gives Dorothy extra work duties. The incident splits opinion among the British women.