Bathsheba appears in the corn market at Casterbridge, signaling her intent to be a hands-on farmer; she is the only woman present at the market, causing some surprise among the other shoppers. Out of earshot, they criticize her decision to do everything herself, but presume she will soon be married, anyway.

However, Bathsheba takes note of the one man in the market who does not take note of her. Bathsheba later asks Liddy who the man is; at first, she is confused, but then tells Bathsheba that she is referring to Farmer Boldwood, who had visited her house the other day. She tells her that people say he was jilted by a woman when he was younger and has remained standoffish ever since.

In February, the day before Valentine’s Day, Liddy and Bathsheba are sitting together when the topic of conversation turns to marriage. Liddy asks Bathsheba if she has ever tried to divine her future partner by a method using a Bible and a key; Bathsheba dismisses the idea, but then agrees to give it a shot. The Bible moves, indicating that she will marry the person she thought of; however, Bathsheba refuses to tell Liddy who that was.