When their letter arrives, Cynthia is surprisingly reluctant to accept...she says that she has nothing suitable to wear, and no money to buy new clothes. This surprises her mother, since Cynthia receives an adequate if not luxurious allowance and should be able to get herself new things. Cynthia says that she doesn't have any of the money left, but tight-lipped, refuses to disclose what she spent it on. Dr Gibson, tired of the fussing over clothes, and thinking that Cynthia should keep up this family connection, gives her the money to buy new clothes and so the visit is a go.
Dr. Gibson and Molly thoroughly enjoy having their house to themselves again, if only for a few days, though Molly is not entirely carefree. While visiting the Brownings, the sisters tell her that Cynthia was seen out walking with Mr. Preston, and that Preston says that he is engaged. Molly states emphatically that if he is, it isn't to Cynthia, but she can't explain why since Roger's and Cynthia's engagement is secret. Unfortunately, her heated denial makes the Browning sisters suspect that Molly is interested in Mr. Preston herself. They also begin to suspect that it was Molly out walking with Preston because the two girls have similar shawls. Alarmed, the sisters vow to save Molly from herself.
As Molly steps forward protectively, Preston informs her that he and Cynthia have been engaged for years. Cynthia bursts into tears, sobbing hysterically. She denies being engaged, but Mr. Preston says that he has letters from her which will prove otherwise. It comes out that when Cynthia was sixteen, believing Preston to be a friend she borrowed money from him, after which he extracted a promise of marriage from her. She has saved all her money to pay him back, but he refuses to accept it, insisting that she honour her promise, and saying that he can make her love him. Cynthia tells him that she hates him, but he stubbornly refuses to accept this, and takes his leave of them. Molly helps the weeping Cynthia home, and her sister asks her to come to her room that night, and she will tell everything.
Molly asks her how she could get engaged to Roger under the circumstances, and Cynthia says she considers herself free to do as she likes. But this is why she insisted on keeping her engagement to Roger a secret: because Preston has threatened to give her letters to anyone whom she attaches herself to. She begins to cry again, and Molly begins trying to think of a way to get the letters back, since she knows they can hurt not only Cynthia but Roger as well.