Morning Calls
- Back at the Thorntons' house, John Thornton is having a tough time convincing his mother to visit the Hales's. She's not all that big into house calls, and she isn't inclined to like the Hales after hearing how haughtily their daughter Margaret has treated her son.
- After some bickering, John calls for some horses and packs his mother into a carriage.
- We learn a little bit about John's sister Fanny in this scene. Fanny is a lazy young woman who doesn't really want anything more from life than pleasure.
- She's younger than John and doesn't remember the family's time of hardship as vividly as he does. She decides not to join her mother on the visit to the Hales's because she doesn't feel up to it.
- John isn't having any of this, though. He orders Fanny to accompany their mother on her visit.
- When the Thornton women get to the Hales's, they begin an awkward and forced conversation. Margaret and Mrs. Thornton seemingly have a "who is the proudest" competition with one another. And of course, they both get annoyed. One of the biggest points of contention is whether Milton is a good town or not.
- When the Thorntons leave, Mrs. Thornton orders her daughter Fanny to be polite to the Hales, but not to form any new friendship with Margaret.