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'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's in bed, and comes home very late. His behavior is upsetting, giving Lizzie second thoughts about their marriage.