Next day, Jack talks a bit to Ben, who is still trying to convince himself that his father will return, but very afraid that if he does not, the factory awaits him. He tells Jack that he works around the stables of the area and loves horses. He also admits that he has a friend Mr Chirke who has a mare who does tricks.
Jack says he will stay for a day or 2 until Ned Brean turns up. Later that day, however, he has a shock when he meets a young woman. Nell is a very tall girl, not a beauty but striking looking and she is on her way to church. She is plainly a lady and Ben tells Jack that her grandfather is the squire but that Nell now runs the estate as the old man is ill and frail. John is completely smitten with Nell, and decides that he will stay in the area, and try to court her.
He and Ben agree that he will claim to be a cousin of the Breans, and that he used to be an officer's batman in the army, but now has inherited a bit of money from his father's family. He realises that there will be some discomfort, living in the Toll House, and pretending to be relatively poor but he is so taken by Nell that he is willing to do it.
Jack finds that there is a lot of mystery swirling around the Toll House. Ben admits that while his father rarely goes away, there is a man who comes to see him sometimes and he's afraid of him. Jack learns that Nell's grandfather is in very poor health and that his heir, Henry, who is a very unpleasant individual, has turned up at the manor house, recently and she is upset by this.
He manages to spend some time with Nell, talking to her about her problems... and telling her about his own life. He then meets Ben's friend Mr Chirke who is a highwayman... who tells him that he has enjoyed his career but would like to give up life on the road and become an honest farmer.
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