Home from their honeymoon, the Kirbridges settle into their home in Greenwich. Their staff will consist of Rose as maid, on loan from Eaton Place, a crabby Mrs. Fellows as cook, and a Welshman named Thomas Watkins as manservant/everything else. Thomas has an unsettling gaze and seems a bit suspicious, but Rose fancies him anyway.
The newlyweds don#39;t seem very happy and their personalities are changing, getting their marriage off to a rocky start. Lawrence displays bouts of immaturity with a nasty, even cruel, demeanor. He prefers to socialize without Elizabeth, sometimes sneaking out after she#39;s in bed, and comes home very late. His behavior is upsetting, giving Lizzie second thoughts about their marriage.