In which the Gresham family congregates at Greshamsbury to celebrate young Frank's coming of age amid whispered worries over the squire's financial difficulties and the pressures for advantageous marriages, while the doctor quietly observes the strained relationships and social ambitions in play. Amidst preparations for an impending wedding and the delicate dance of social rank, Mary Thorne navigates the subtle hostilities of the de Courcy ladies, steadfast in her own quiet defiance and loyalty.