Civil Contract Part II

 Adam meets Jenny formally, and she seems pleasant and intelligent.  They talk and she says that she would be agreeable to the marriage....He tells her that he will try to make her happy. They become engaged and Mr Chawleigh takes over, telling Adam that they will need to marry soon as his financial affairs are in urgent need of attention. 

Adam is kept busy with the arrangements for his marriage, and tries to tell himself that he is doing the right thing.. but he feels that he has let Julia down, although he knows that he could not marry her, when he had such financial problems.  He feels a bit better to know that his marriage will make it possible for his sister Charlotte to marry her suitor, Lambert Ryde, a country squire, who lives near them.  Lady Lynton wanted Charlotte to marry a rich man, to save the family fortunes, and now she will be able to resist her mother's pressure, and marry the man she loves.

Lydia is very young and upset at the idea of Adam's making a marriage of convenience.  She feels it is very unfair that he has to give up Julia, and undertake the responsibilities of saving the estate.. and giving up his army career which he loved. 

Lady Lynton does not take to Jenny nor to Mr Chawleigh, but she does want Adam to save the situation. However Lord Lynton's sister, Lady Nassington, a rather domineering lady, supports the marriage.  The couple marry in April, very soon after they have formally met, and spend their honeymoon at Rushleigh Manor, a home belonging to Lord and Lady Nassington. Julia, very upset, leaves London to visit her grandmother for a time. 

Adam finds his honeymoon a bit embarrassing, but he and Jenny manage to start off married life without too much trouble. He gets to know his father-in-law and begins to like him though he finds him overwhelming at times.  Mr Chawleigh does not understand the upper-class obsession with landed life.  He lives for his work but does still enjoy a social life with his City friends. Adam admires his shrewdness, but he cannot understand him all that well.  Mr. Chawleigh has no interest in art, or books but he does collect China and instinctively chooses good pieces. 

Jenny starts going to parties and mixing with society but secretly finds it rather boring.