Tom Jones Book 10, Chapter 7

In Which Are Concluded the Adventures That Happened at the Inn at Upton

• The gentleman who has just arrived at the inn is Squire Western himself.
• His daughter leaves just before he can get her.
• He also just misses his niece, because it turns out that somehow, Mrs. Fitzpatrick is actually originally a Western.
• (This book is like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Somehow, everyone is connected to everyone else.)
• The inn is full of confusion, as Squire Western is searching for Sophia and Mr. Fitzpatrick is searching for his wife.
• And then, Squire Western spots Tom.
• And Tom happens to be carrying Sophia's muff.
• Tom swears that he has not seen Sophia, but no one believes him.
• Squire Western tries to get Tom convicted on a charge of "stealing daughters" (10.7.11).
• But Mr. Fitzpatrick says the real crime here is the stolen muff, since they have the physical evidence right there.
• Partridge swears that he is the one who found the muff and Susan tells how Sophia bribed her to leave it in Tom's room.
• So all the charges of theft against Tom are dismissed.
• Squire Western is so angry that he rides off at once looking for his daughter.
• Tom also leaves with Partridge.
• And Mrs. Waters takes the coach to Bath along with Misters Maclachlan and Fitzpatrick.
• In fact, she and Mr. Fitzpatrick take to each other, and she comforts him over the loss of his wife.