- Are you ready for another Fielding diversion from the plot? Let's talk about deceit, ladies and gents.
- Specifically, let's talk about why Lady Booby is all messed up with her approach to love.
- Basically, a proper lady isn't allowed to show affection toward a man she likes. Instead, she should use all sorts of strategies to keep him at bay. Make sense? No? Not even a little?
- Lady Booby has a new strategy now: she'll convince Joseph that Fanny is too lowborn for him to marry.
- Even Pamela (Pamela!) tries to prevent the match from happening. After all, she's the exception to the rule, a maid who married her master, and there should apparently only be one exception.
- In the meantime, someone else has his eye on Fanny. He spots her as she's out walking.
- The next thing Fanny knows, some random dude is trying to ravish her.
- It's Joseph to the rescue once again. He takes a couple of knocks to the face but successfully defends his lady friend.
- Joseph and Fanny arrive back at the Adams household just as Mrs. Adams ends a long argument with Parson Adams. This can't be good.
- The truth is that Mrs. Adams has motive to want Fanny gone: she wants Lady Booby to make her own eldest daughter the head maid when Slipslop leaves.
- Adams couldn't really care less. He loves his friends and wants the best for them. Aww.
- Joseph is sick and tired of it all. He just wants to marry Fanny ASAP.
- Adams has a speech for that: Joseph needs to be patient and submit to Providence, just like Abraham did… Snore.
- Some bad news arrives at the Adams house: Adams's eldest son, Dick, has been drowned.
- Adams is totally distraught. He practically goes crazy in grief.
- But wait. The peddler from Book 1 reappears with Dick. He saved him from drowning. Random much?
- Adams is practically over the moon. He can't really lecture Joseph about keeping his emotions in check anymore.