Mrs De Winter finds it hard to fit into her life at Manderley. She tries to befriend Mrs Danvers but the housekeeper is cool and distant. She begins to worry that Maxim is less and less interested in her, and that he is preoccupied with running his estate and remembering Rebecca. She tries awkwardly to "talk naturally" to people about her husband's first wife, but only succeeds in feeling more uncomfortable. People tell her how beautiful and charming Rebecca was, and even the shy Frank Crawley says that she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.
She is not used to country life and doesn't care for the sort of horsey sporty lifestyle that Beatrice seems to enjoy.. and she feels excluded from managing the house.. Maxim doesn't seem to care if she leaves the housekeeping to Mrs. Danvers, but he does seem irritated by his new wife's shyness.
When Maxim is away in London for a couple of days, Beatrice calls to invite her to drive to see Maxim's elderly grandmother who lives in a house not too far away. Mrs. De Winter finds the elderly lady hard to talk to.... She is forgetful and has a full time nurse. The visit ends in disaster when the old lady becomes confused and asks for Rebecca and is unable to recognise her new granddaughter in law. Beatrice is embarrased and upset at the scene... and both are relieved to escape from the house. But it leaves Mrs De Winter wondering if she will ever fit into the family.
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