- As promised, William comes to call on Kit. Aunt Rachel puts a fire in the company room; however, the two young lovers find nothing to talk about. Kit is saved, fortunately, by the arrival of John Holbrook.
- Aunt Rachel calls William and Kit to join the rest of the group and everyone munches on freshly-popped popcorn.
- Uncle Matthew begins chatting with William about his father’s fields and William begins talking a little. He also mentions that he will begin building his house once autumn arrives.
- The conversation turns to property and then to the charter, a subject which Uncle Matthew has opinions about.
- William argues in favor of submission to the king. Kit finds it impressive that William stands up to Uncle Matthew.
- John Holbrook believes that the charter should be kept, but that Connecticut is perhaps misinterpreting the charter (at least, that’s what Dr. Bulkeley thinks).
- Matthew is angered by all this Royalist nonsense and rants and raves about justice, about how hard he has fought for his land, and how “the only rights worth all that toil and sacrifice are the rights of free men, free and equal under God to decide their own justice” (7.23).
- Matthew stomps off up the stairs and William and John Holbrook leave soon after.
- Alone at last, the women discuss the evening’s events. Kit doesn’t think William will call again, since the two didn’t have very stimulating conversation.
- Judith points out that he mentioned building a house – which is a sure sign he wants to marry her. Kit is perplexed.
- The weeks pass and William continues his visits. He also continues to be boring and not much of a conversationalist, so Kit takes up a hobby: knitting!
- Kit begins to seriously ponder her situation: she works like a slave in the Wood household. A life with William would be boring, but it would bring rest from all of the hardship she’s endured with the Woods. What to do?