Chapter 42 Summary

Mr. John Osborne has not been well these last seven years. He lives an oppressively boring life, rejected by Miss Swartz, whom he tried to marry himself after George's elopement. He puts all his furious anger into trying to marry off his daughters. He barters aggressively over Maria's marriage to Mr. Bullock. She becomes scornful of her father and does not really welcome him to her new home. He grows angry with her, and the two become estranged.

Jane Osborne, the elder daughter, is practically a servant to her father at this point. They rarely speak, except when John yells or is rude. Jane has a secret, though. This secret is a man named Mr. Smee, a former student of the late Mr. Sharpe. He has an elicit affair with Jane during supposed art lessons. Mr. Osborne discovers the affair and kicks the...