Part 2, Chapter 2 Summary

Hugh has been depressed since the incident with Maisie but he has been busy at the bank working on the merger and will soon become a partner. He has taken comfort with a woman he met named Nora Dempster and she agrees to marry him when he asks.

While this is going on, the rest of London society is preparing for the Duchess of Tenbigh's costume ball. Augusta is not invited and is trying to figure out a way to wrangle an invitation. Since Lady Morte's account at the bank is overdrawn, she basically blackmails her way into an invitation. She and Joseph attend the ball with Edward and Emily. Micky is at the ball with his wife Rachel.

Augusta, out to discredit Nora in an attempt to hinder Hugh's career, tries to arrange an incident at the ball between Nora...