Middlemarch Book 8, Chapter 86 Summary

  • Caleb comes into his house and asks his wife where Mary is.
  • He goes outside to have a serious chat with his daughter.
  • He asks her if she's really sure about Fred, and willing to wait a long while to be married.
  • Of course she is, and she's cheerful about it.
  • Then her father tells her that Fred is going to live at Stone Court and manage the estate there.
  • Mary is, of course, delighted.
  • Fred arrives shortly afterwards, and she goes to tell him the good news.
  • They're about to smooch when one of Mary's little brothers comes running out of the house and interrupts.