Stephen is deeply affected by her father’s death and realizes that she is alone as she has never been before. In addition to inheriting Morton Hall once her mother dies, Stephen finds out that her father has left her a private income, to start when she is 21. Anna loses all pretense of happiness after her husband dies, although she continues to try to be “gentle” to Stephen. Stephen gives up the dream of going to Oxford and throws all her passion into Morton Hall’s upkeep. Puddle tries to convince Stephen otherwise, promising herself that she won’t give up on her. Stephen refuses to study, write, or ride horseback as the year following Sir Philip’s death drags on. Finally, Williams begs her to go hunting, insisting that her father would want it. Stephen agrees, though apathetically.

Upon arriving at the hunt, Stephen feels everyone is talking about her. Once the hunt gets under way, Stephen feels like she is being chased and drives Raferty to run ever faster and harder until she spots the wounded fox. She dismounts and tries to help the fox, but the fox runs away. She hears the dogs kill the fox, and it bothers her.