Back in the present, Lyman has recently hired a housekeeper/assistant, and she's awful. He can't help but think about how good of an assistant his grandma would have been.
So, Lyman has fired the assistant and hired Ada's daughter, Shelly Rasmussen, instead. Shelly seems like she'll do a good job, but Lyman is a little unsettled by her confidence and "boldness" (1.3.48).