Tom Jones Book 11, Chapter 5

In Which the History of Mrs. Fitzpatrick Is Continued

• Mr. and Mrs. Fitzpatrick only spend two weeks in Bath before heading back to Mr. Fitzpatrick's home in Ireland.
• They can't touch her inheritance for another two years, so money is a problem.
• The day before they are supposed to leave, Mrs. Fitzpatrick finds a letter from someone Mr. Fitzpatrick owes.
• In this letter, Mr. Fitzpatrick's creditor blames him for making false promises about his debts.
• Apparently, Mr. Fitzpatrick has been holding off his creditors by saying that soon, he'll be married "to this lady, and t'other lady; but [the creditor] can neither live on hopes or promises" (11.5.2).
• When Mr. Fitzpatrick comes home, she shows the letter to him.
• He sweet-talks her into thinking that he didn't marry her for her money.
• And the two of them travel to Ireland the next day.
• Mr. Fitzpatrick's mansion is a huge pile, mostly empty of furniture.
• The whole place is so depressing that Mrs. Fitzpatrick doesn't know what to do.
• It doesn't help that Mr. Fitzpatrick has turned cold and scornful.
• He actively gets annoyed when Mrs. Fitzpatrick is happy, and he cheers up when she's sad.
• Mr. Fitzpatrick's open contempt towards his wife soon makes her hate him.
• In the middle of this dark situation, Mrs. Fitzpatrick has a child.