In which Mr Whittlestaff seeks counsel from his faithful housekeeper Mrs Baggett, who fortifies his resolve by urging him to maintain his authority and dismiss the young suitor of Mary, despite the stirrings of romance and doubt within his own breast. As evening falls, he wrestles alone with the weighty questions of love, honour, and selfishness beneath the quiet shade of the downs, while Mary awaits his final decision with a patient yet aching heart.