Tom Jones Book 11, Chapter 2

The Adventures Which Sophia Met With, After Her Leaving Upton

• Sophia asks her guide to take her across small country roads (instead of the main roads) as she and Mrs. Honour ride away from Upton.
• As they cross the River Severn, Sophia spots horsemen riding fast towards them.
• It's too dark for her to see who they are.
• A voice addresses Sophia; it belongs to a woman.
• Sophia is relieved to hear that the other group of travelers includes two women and one guide, just like Sophia's.
• As the sun begins to rise, Sophia and her new traveling companions get a look at each other.
• Sophia immediately recognizes her cousin Harriet, now Mrs. Fitzpatrick.
• It makes sense that they bumped into each other, since they both left the inn at Upton at around the same time.
• They travel for hours before stopping at an inn.
• The ladies are all exhausted, so Sophia and Mrs. Fitzpatrick share a bed, and Mrs. Honour and Mrs. Abigail (Mrs. Fitzpatrick's maid) share another bed.
• Meanwhile, the landlord jumps to the totally bizarre conclusion that they are Jacobite rebel women fleeing from the forces of King George II.
• (Wondering who these "rebel" fellows might be? Check out our "Detailed Summary" of Book 7, Chapter 11 for an answer.)
• A local Jacobite comes by the inn saying that, "ten thousand French" (11.2.22) have arrived to help the rebels.
• So the landlord decides to suck up to Sophia, in the hopes that she'll reward him when the Jacobites win.