Summary

Alva’s maid, Mary, has been fired against her wishes at the request of William. Alva is livid and instructs Mary to stop packing her things. Mary leaves anyway, believing it is best not to upset William. Alva confronts William at dinner before she leaves him sitting at the table alone. She fears that William dismissed Mary because she spurned his advances more than her status as a black woman.

William and Alva talk about her upcoming fortieth birthday and the new plot of land he bought her. They are spending a few weeks in Newport. Oliver is also there, news which dismays Alva. She runs into Oliver in town and is struck by how attractive he still is. Alva fishes for information to find out if Oliver is seeing any women. He tells her he is single.

Alva and William spend...