Mr. Thornton comes to tea at the Hales' while Mr. Bell is there, but it is not a successful visit. He is on edge due to the Margaret's presence in the room, and is in no mood for Bell's teasing comments. He is goaded into speaking sharply, which he immediately regrets but can't take back. After he leaves, Mr. Bell comments that Thornton has changed and is a lot more unpleasant and humourless than he used to be. Margaret says quietly that something must have been bothering Mr. Thornton, because he was not himself during his visit. Later when Mr. Bell and Mr. Hale are talking, Bell asks his friend if there is anything between Margaret and Thornton. The oblivious Mr. Hale is shocked by the idea, saying he can't imagine such a thing, certainly not on Margaret's part: she has always seemed to dislike Thornton. Mr. Bell lets the matter drop, then tells Hale how fond he's become of Margaret. He tries to talk his friend into moving to Oxford to be near him, jesting that Margaret can care for them when they are both crotchety old men. Mr. Hale says that he will never leave Milton, where his wife is buried.
As the winter drags drearily on, Margaret feels depressed and heart-heavy. She endeavours to fill her empty days by teaching the younger Boucher children, and struggles to keep her father's spirits up. A letter arrives in March from Frederick, telling them that he and Dolores are married and that he is doing well financially, working for her father's company. Soon after, a letter comes from Henry Lennox in London, where he has been working on Frederick's case. The news is not good: after so many years, the chances of finding creditable witnesses to testify on Frederick's behalf are virtually nil. It is becoming clear to Margaret that her brother will never be able- and no longer wishes- to return to England.
During this time of respite, Margaret hears from their maid Martha that Fanny Thornton is engaged to be married. Her fiance is a much older, wealthy millowner who lives in another town. Margaret catches herself wondering what Mr. Thornton thinks of the match. The next day, she goes to the Higgins' for the children's lessons and afterwards lingers, talking to Mary. Nicholas comes in from work and comments on Mr. Hale visiting Oxford; he says that Mr. Thornton is also traveling, away on business. Margaret again feels a pang of regret over the loss of his good opinion.