- Autumn comes to New England and transforms the countryside with beautiful leaves. One day Kit sees Uncle Matthew out in the garden, passionately clutching some earth in his hand with defiance. Kit is thoughtful and wonders why she feared her uncle for so long.
- Judith announces that a ship has come to town and, sure enough, it’s the Dolphin. Down at the docks, Nat greets Kit formally and asks her to deliver some woolen cloth to Hannah.
- He also mentions an interesting piece of cargo the Dolphin carried: “sixteen diamond-paned windows ordered from England” for William Ashby and his Barbados bride (14.17).
- Kit is stunned and says nothing is definite, but Nat says the order is definite enough. He mockingly congratulates her, makes a joke about the little bird having found a fat partridge to gobble up, and stalks off.
- Back at home, there is a sense of urgency in the air. Uncle Matthew arrives home late and announces that Sir Edmond Andros is arriving to take over as royal governor in Connecticut.
- Uncle Matthew says there will be company tonight to discuss the situation – and the fate of the charter.