Harriet has always been a shy girl, and while she has accepted that it is her duty to marry Gilly, she feels nervous. She tells her mother that she knows Gilly is not in love with her, but Lady Ampleforth, her mother, tells her firmly that she is lucky that she has been allowed to get to know her future husband, over the years before marrying him.
Meanwhile, Gilly is staying at one of his many homes in London, and goes to visit Gideon, who is in the army and based in London. He is clearly rather depressed, in spite of his engagement. Gideon jollies him along, but he also meets his cousin Matthew who is visiting London. Matt is at Oxford and only 19, and his family are not that well off... He tells Gilly, while they are on their way home, that he is in a mess. He fell in love with a beautiful girl, who seemed ladylike and innocent, but now, he finds that she has a guardian who is claiming that they are engaged and that if he does not marry Belinda, he will be sued for breach of promise. Matt tells Gilly that while he might have promised marriage to Belinda in a moment of madness, she is not quite suitable to marry someone of his class and he does not want to go through with it.. besides he has no money to support a wife.
Gilly talks it over with Matt and tells him that he believes that this man who is claiming to be Belinda's guardian is a con man, and that he is hoping to persuade Matt to go to his rich cousin, who is a Duke, and who will buy back his love letters and pay him off. He tells Matt not to worry, he will see this man and sort him out. He has never had an adventure of this sort before and he wants to try and see if he can manage to do something practical for once.
Matthew is not sure if he should hand over the problem to Gilly but his cousin insists.. and tells Matt he will go to Oxford and confront the man Liversedge.
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