Paul D, one of the enslaved men from Sweet Home, the plantation where Sethe, Halle, Baby Suggs, and several others were once enslaved, arrives at Sethe's home. He tries to dismiss what he thinks are superstitions. He tries to help the family forget the bitter past and forces out the spirit. He seems successful at first; he persuades Denver to leave the house for the first time in years. But when they return home, Sethe, Denver, and Paul D encounter a young woman sitting in front of the house, calling herself Beloved. Paul D is suspicious and warns Sethe, but she is charmed by the young woman and ignores him.