The Delivery of the Letter
- It's "the next Sunday," and Adam has to find a way to get the letter to Hetty (30.1).
- The Bedes aren't a family of connivers or schemers, but sometimes a Bede's got to do what a Bede's got to do. So Adam goes home with the Poysers after church, falls into step alongside Hetty, and pigeonholes her with "something partic'lar to talk to you about" (30.3). Mission accomplished.
- Hetty is afraid that Adam will "be very angry with her" (30.4). You know, with him seeing her kissing Arthur and all that. But she also wants to "encourage Adam, lest her uncle and aunt should be angry and suspect her of having some secret lover" (30.4). Soon everyone arrives home, and Adam and Hetty go for a walk in the garden.
- By this time, poor little Hetty's feelings are going haywire. And they only go more haywire when Adam, meaning well, warns Hetty that she's "being made love to by a gentleman as can never marry you, and doesna think o' marrying you" (30.7).
- Adam keeps harping on the "he'll never marry you" theme. Finally, Hetty snaps. She hits Adam with a "Yes, he does care for me; I know better nor you" (30.13). Does this make Adam let up? Nope. Instead, he produces the infamous Letter from Arthur and encourages Hetty to "read it when you're by yourself" (30.20).
- Then Totty appears on the scene and the subject is dropped. They all head back to chez Poyser for an evening of small talk and pleasantries and remarkable "self-command" on Hetty's part (30.25).
- The Adam leaves, wondering if Hetty will ever learn to love him. Arthur is a fine gentleman, not a hardworking carpenter, and Adam fears that "now I shall belike be hateful to her because I'm so different from him" (30.26).
- Ah, but the evening has just begun! Adam now runs into Seth, "returning from an evening preaching" and on his way to the afterparty (30.27).
- Anyway, Adam asks if Seth has had any news from Dinah. In fact, he's had a letter, which he lends Adam.
- The boys return home and find their mother sitting in the dark. (Not a candle wasted. That's our Lisbeth.) But Adam is going to need a candle to read that letter. He goes up to his room and gives it (the letter, not the candle) a good hard look.
- Dinah writes that it is "a time of great need and sickness" in her community (30.48). She hasn't forgotten Seth, Adam, or their grieving mother. But she isn't going to up and move into Hayslope, much less marry Seth. Yeah, she's Seth's "faithful Sister and fellow-worker in Christ," but that's it. (30.54). Boundaries, people, boundaries.
- Once Adam is done with his reading, Seth peeks in. So…? Adam thinks that Dinah has a pleasant way of delivering tough truths about religion.
- He also thinks "it might be a great happiness to us all if she'd have thee" (30.62). Um, boundaries? Anyone?
- With that, the brothers bid each other good night.