After her library job is secured again, Charity disciplines herself to remain in attendance for the entire workday; nevertheless, she finds it “[…] more than ever irksome…after her vivid hours of liberty” (46). Harney, meanwhile, works with a local carpenter to install an improved ventilation system within the building and appears at the library in the company of the local minister, who serves as a consultant on the plan. Charity imagines Harney to be somewhat distant and formal in his manner toward her. She concocts an elaborate fantasy about her archenemy, Anabelle Balch, having stolen his attention. He fails to appear at the Royall home for his midday meal; Lawyer Royall makes no comment upon this, which disquiets the young woman; however, she refuses to give Royall the satisfaction of asking if he knows the reason for Harney’s absence.

Beset with curiosity, Charity leaves the house later that evening in order to ascertain Harney’s activities. Unwilling to approach him directly, she spies on him through the windows of the Hatchard house and observes him to be in a state of melancholic frustration. He is packing to leave, and Charity realizes that this will be the end of their relationship; nonetheless, she refrains from approaching the young man, who is alone in his cousin’s house, due to her fear of a sexual liaison: “It was the thing that did happen between young men and girls…that North Dormer ignored in public and snickered over on the sly” (54).