Tom Jones Book 16, Chapter 4

In Which Sophia Is Delivered From Her Confinement

• As soon as Mrs. Western arrives, Squire Western welcomes her and sits her down.
• Mrs. Western asks what happened with Lady Bellaston.
• Squire Western explains that he rescued Sophia, and now she is locked up upstairs.
• Mrs. Western is shocked: she thought Squire Western had promised not to take violent steps.
• Mrs. Western and Mr. Supple (the curate, still hanging around in the background) both insist that Mrs. Western has to be in charge of the let's-get-Sophia-married mission.
• Squire Western accepts this (though he's not happy about it).
• The two Westerns fight briefly over whose fault this whole business is, as they so enjoy doing.
• As soon as Mrs. Western leaves the room to grab Sophia, Squire Western starts complaining about his sister to Mr. Supple.
• He tells Mr. Supple point blank that he just has to hang on to Mrs. Western until she dies, and then he'll get her money.
• Mrs. Western and Sophia come back into the room.
• Squire Western compliments his sister on taking over Sophia's marriage plans.
• Squire Western tells Sophia to be a good girl while she is staying at her aunt's inn.
• Mrs. Western mentions in passing that she got a visit from her nephew-in-law Mr. Fitzpatrick, though she refused to speak to him.
• She did show him Mrs. Fitzpatrick's letter (see Book 15, Chapter 6 for the letter).
• Mrs. Western absolutely will not talk to Mrs. Fitzpatrick under any circumstances.
• Squire Western also will not talk to Mrs. Fitzpatrick.
• The Western siblings unite in hating their niece, Harriet Fitzpatrick.