As the summer wears on, many guests come to Dragonwyck and are entertained with parties and picnics. Miranda accidentally catches a glimpse of Nicholas swimming early in the morning, and it is a picture she finds hard to forget. She is upset because Nicholas has avoided her since the ball, and he has also stopped defending her when Johanna becomes unpleasant, At this point, she spends most of her time with Katrine and seldom meets any of the people who visit the manor.
Miranda is also convinced that Nicholas hasn't really become unaware of her, and she is gratified when her presents her with a rose and a popular novel for her birthday. One evening, when the Van Ryns get into their carriage and are on their way to dinner, she notices that Nicholas.....
