- Marian is happy to be with Laura again, but Laura seems a bit different now.
- The two women never discuss her marriage, and Laura tries to pretend it's just like old times when she's with Marian.
- Marian is less than impressed with the Foscos.
- Eleanor Fosco is really changed. She used to be vivacious, but now she's stonily silent and scary.
- Count Fosco is pompous, fat, and totally full of it. He's also infuriatingly charming.
- Marian is bizarrely drawn to him and spends pages describing his complex character.
- After all this set-up, we get back to the action.
- Mr. Merriman, the lawyer, arrives, alarming Fosco and Percival.