In which Vronsky and Anna arrive in Petersburg and endeavour to navigate the rigid and unforgiving social circles that seem to close firmly against her, despite his hopes for progress and acceptance. Their awkward visits and strained encounters with family and acquaintances reveal the isolating effects of society’s judgement, whilst Anna herself appears troubled and distant, adding to Vronsky’s growing sense of unease.

In which a mother's tender reunion with her child is shadowed by an unspoken tension that pervades the household, as the servants become conspirators in their own uneasy way, guarding against an impending encounter. The fragile moments of love and farewell are marked by quiet despair and guarded glances, revealing the complex emotions that bind them all together.

In which Alexey Alexandrovitch visits Countess Lidia Ivanovna and receives a letter that stirs within him a deep unrest about forgiveness, love, and the consequences of past actions. As he wrestles with remorse and spiritual doubt, the uneasy balance between earthly suffering and the hope for eternal peace quietly restores itself.

In which the youthful Seryozha, innocent and full of bright fancies, finds himself enchanted by the small kindnesses and honours surrounding his father's day, pondering the grand orders and decorations with a child's earnest imagination. Yet amid these dreams, he struggles to grasp the grammar lessons set before him, feeling a gentle melancholy as he senses a distance in the grown-ups' world of reason and duty.

In which young Seryozha sits dreaming of his mother’s return as he awaits a lesson from his father, whose stern instruction contrasts with the boy’s restless spirit and tender imaginings. The boy’s heart is both burdened and brightened by his struggle between imposed duty and the secret longings of his soul, as evening falls and gentle dreams of love offer reprieve.

In which Countess Lidia Ivanovna, a woman of past entanglements and many ardent affections, becomes singularly engrossed in the welfare of Alexey Alexandrovitch, seeking to shield him from distress amidst the presence of certain notorious figures in Petersburg. Her anxieties culminate upon receiving a bold letter from Anna Karenina herself, prompting careful manoeuvres to arrange a discreet and delicate meeting.

In which the world of Petersburg society unfolds with the quiet murmurings of official honours and whispered intrigues, revealing the subtle complexities of men and women bound by duty, ambition, and unspoken affections. Amidst this backdrop, Alexey Alexandrovitch navigates the waning of his career and the newfound commitment to his son’s education, while seeking solace and counsel in the steadfast presence of Countess Lidia Ivanovna.

In which the troubled Alexey Alexandrovitch receives an unexpected visit from Countess Lidia Ivanovna, whose fervent faith and compassionate assistance offer him a measure of solace amid his overwhelming solitude and domestic burdens. Together they navigate the practicalities of his new circumstances, while Alexey Alexandrovitch gradually embraces a spiritual fervour that lends him a fragile sense of redemption and strength.

In which Nikolay Levin tends to his grievously ill brother, witnessing moments of hope and despair amidst the agonies of suffering that bring the family face to face with the inexorable approach of death. Through these dark hours, Levin grapples with the mysteries of faith, love, and the silent enigma that death imposes upon all, while quiet intimations of new life at last emerge.

In which Alexey Alexandrovitch finds himself cast into an agonising solitude, wrestling with the inscrutable gulf between his past tenderness and present isolation, while the cool and indifferent world around him offers no solace. His once orderly existence, marked by political ambition and social routine, reveals itself as a barren landscape devoid of true friendship, leaving him painfully aware of his solitary burden.