In which the villagers of Wolf’s Hope eagerly welcome the Marquis of A—— and the Master of Ravenswood with hearty hospitality amidst rumours of a great fire at Ravenswood Castle, only to discover the blaze was a cleverly contrived stratagem by the faithful butler Caleb to preserve the family’s honour. The guests are well accommodated with rustic fare and ancient customs, while the Master contemplates the shifting fortunes of his house and bids farewell to the good folk, leaving behind a mingling of pride and disorder in the village.