In which young Hetta Carbury, moved by contrition, seeks to reconcile with her estranged lover though fate and misdirected letters impede their communication, while her cousin Roger struggles nobly with his own disappointed affections and resolves to support her happiness at whatever cost to himself. There is much reflection upon constancy, forgiveness, and the shifts of familial allegiance as Roger ventures to London to engage with Hetta and Paul Montague, intent on smoothing the path for their future despite the opposition that surrounds them.