Wives and Daughters Part III

Molly is shocked at Cynthia's getting herself entangled with a man at such a young age, and realises that Mrs Gibson's neglect and Cynthia's own flirtatious nature have left her vulnerable to problems and scandals. But she's also shocked to find that Preston is such a stalker, chasing after Cynthia and averring that he wont let her go. He tells Molly that he has Cynthia's love letters that she wrote him and that he'll use them to get her back. Molly rather reluctantly agrees to act as a go between and get back the letters, but things go awry. She is seen with him on the common, and people begin to talk about her and Preston meeting secretly, rather than having an open courtshp. Because of Cynthia's involvement with Roger, and her promise to her sister to keep the secret, Molly cannot tell her father what has been happening. He is very upset, but believes her when she says that she has not done anything wrong but that she can't explain things to him. She finds that their friends in the town snub her, because she is seen as sneaking around meeting a man - and this was considered scandalous behaviour. However, when Lady Harriet finds out about this, she takes Molly out and calls to the Brownings' house with her, and the locals change their tune. Molly gets invited to Cumnor Towers, and enjoys an increasing friendship with Lady Harriet, but Osborne's health is declining. Dr GIbson is worried about him, because there's nothing much he can do. Osborne feels increasingly ill and one day visits Molly and tells her that as she knows he is married, he wants to give her some information. He tells her that his wife lives in another town and he is able, with Roger's help to provide her with a small allowance.. and that she has a baby son. He says that she used to be a nursemaid and is French and that he loves her. So he gives Molly her address in case anything happens to him. Soon after this, Osborne collapses and dies. HIs father is horrified, as the 2 of them had not been on the best of terms. Molly and her father come to the house and she tells them how she found out about his marriage and how she has the young woman's address. When she explains that Osborne met his wife while travelling in France, and that she used to be a servant, the squire is angry and doesn't want to believe his son could make such a bad marriage. But in the meantime, Aimee has not seen Osborn for a while and decides to come and find him at Hollingford. When she arrives, she finds that he's dead.. and the squire, while pleased to find that his son has a son, is not too happy at the arrival of a humbly born girl who is his widow. Mrs Gibson hears the news and is not happy as Cynthia is still engaged to Roger, but now there is an heir, Osborne's son. Cynthia writes to Roger to say that she wants to officially end their engagement, realising that she made a mistake. She toys with the idea of going abroad to work as a governess.