It is September of 1802. Mr. Lockwood was passing near Gimmerton on his way to a friend's house. Impulsively, he decided to visit the Grange. When he gets there he asks for Nelly, but she is at the Heights. The servants are frantic to have the master show up without calling, and while a room is being prepared, he walks to Wuthering Heights. When he arrives, the gate is unlocked, and there are sweet flowers growing along the house. Mr. Lockwood could see a girl and boy inside, the girl giving him a reading lesson. The boy was handsome and well dressed, and the beautiful girl was Catherine. Hareton received many kisses in return for his lesson, and Mr. Lockwood slunk into the house when the lovers left the house for a walk. Inside he found Nelly singing, and Joseph cursing her for it. She is happy and surprised to see him. He tells her he came to settle the rent with Heathcliff, but Nelly tells him that he died three months ago, and she continues her story.
Two weeks after Mr. Lockwood left, Nelly was ordered to Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff wanted Nelly to keep Cathy out of his sight. Nelly brought her books, and spent time with her, but Catherine was restless.
She complained of being kept within the garden's bounds, and she quarreled often with Joseph. She also harassed Hareton, calling him ignorant and shallow. But she seemed to regret that he discontinued his lessons, and she tried to give him a book. He would not take it, and none of her other schemes could make him pick up a book. Hareton injured himself hunting, and therefore had to stay inside all day with Cathy and Nelly. She told Hareton that she was glad that he is her cousin, but he gave only a gruff reply. She took his pipe from him, apologized for her previous harsh words, and urged Hareton to pay attention to her. He got angry, and was confused when Cathy said that he hated her. He always took her side against Heathcliff, at great risk. She tried again to make friends, and when he would not shake her hand, she kissed him. Hareton hid his face.
Cathy decided to try and give Hareton a book again, and he reluctantly accepted it. He feared a friendship was doomed, because of how ashamed she is of him. But he gave in nonetheless, and the two pore over his new book. When Joseph returned, he was angry to see Hareton, who is his favorite, so close with a woman he despised. Everyone went to bed without any trouble, and Cathy was quite happy. As the days went by, the two became closer, though not without quarrel. Nelly expected they would get married.
