Chapters 7 and 8 Summary

Calpurnia is dismayed when Harry gets a girlfriend, Minerva Goodacre, who is visiting some relatives in the area. In addition to their age difference — he is 17 and she is 23 — Minerva attends the Independent Church, which Callie's parents look down on. In an attempt to destroy the relationship, Callie deviously brings this up at dinner, and her parents are very upset, as she hoped they would be. However, this causes Harry to become furious with Callie and when he begins treating her coldly, she realizes she has made a terrible mistake. Margaret invites Minerva and her family to dinner. When they arrive, Minerva is very friendly and polite, but is shallow, interested only in clothes and fashion. Grandfather takes her into his library to show her some of his specimens, and when they come out, Minerva seems upset and leaves...