The two brothers; vol. 3 [of 3]

In the waning days of the London season, Mr Gresham finds his carefully plotted ambitions delayed, yet he meets the setback with a calm that borders on reflective philosophy. He spends the summer contemplating his own character, drawing comfort from the steadiness he believes he has cultivated, and begins to draft a second, more intimate plan for his family’s future.

That plan centers on his daughter Angela, whose bright yet shy nature has long been tempered by her father's measured guidance. He proposes inviting the modest Miss Price—a woman of gentle sympathy but little worldly wit—to spend weeks at the family estate of Underwood, hoping her maternal spirit will ease Angela’s transition into society. The prospect elicits a flush of embarrassment and unexpected gratitude from Angela, while Miss Price, humbled by the invitation, prepares to enter a world far beyond her usual surroundings.