- Miss Overmore starts to go by Mrs. Beale (using her husband's first name as her last name, for reasons that are never explained).
- Maisie realizes that she now has four parents in total.
- Maisie's studies are neglected; "untutored and unclaimed," she spends most of her time at home, listening to grown-ups live it up downstairs (VIII.11).
- A maid named Susan Ash starts taking Maisie out for walks.
- Returning from one of these walks, Maisie finds Sir Claude waiting for her at her father's place.
- Maisie thinks, meeting Sir Claude, that he is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen.
- Sir Claude and Mrs. Beale get along swimmingly—which is odd, given that their spouses are bitter enemies.
- Mrs. Beale, Sir Claude, and Maisie all agree that Maisie has brought the two stepparents together. Here, James uses still more foreshadowing.
- Maisie goes home to her mother's with Sir Claude.