Even while travelling on the Continent and staying in places such as Venice, Louis remains unable to free himself from thoughts of Emily and Colonel Osborne, and his suspicions gradually develop from jealousy into an obsession so extreme that those around him increasingly question the soundness of his mind. Emily and Nora receive support from relatives and friends in London, but Louis continues to believe that his authority and honour have been violated, while Nora herself resists family pressure to choose a wealthy marriage and remains loyal to Hugh despite the uncertain financial future he offers. In Exeter, the comic rivalry surrounding Mr. Gibson, Camilla, and Arabella moves toward humiliation and collapse, while Brooke and Dorothy grow closer and Miss Stanbury's serious illness begins to soften some of the rigid judgments through which she has attempted to control the lives of those around her.
