A Woman Killed With Kindness

Charles sits in jail in chains, crying because Susan told him how his friends and family have abandoned him. The jailkeeper arrives and tells Charles he is free, which makes Charles think he is about to be executed. The keeper clarifies that Charles’s debts are paid and the suit is dropped. Charles rejoices, and Susan arrives. Charles asks which of Charles’s friends and family changed their mind, but Susan insists that their uncle, Sandy, Roder, and Tidy all abandoned him. They call back the keeper, who says Francis paid the debt and dropped the suit. Charles tells the keeper to put the chains back on and re-imprison him, thinking Francis intends to extort him somehow. Susan explains that Francis is in love with her, even though she has rejected all his gifts and letters. This gives Charles an idea as to how to repay Francis.

Frankford gets the copied keys from Nick, instructing him to deliver a letter to him during dinner. Frankford then greets Wendoll, Cranwell, and Anne, who are just returning from hunting. They ask why Frankford has not involved himself in the dispute between Charles and Francis, and Frankford says he has been too busy.