1855. When Doctor Thorne’s penniless niece, Mary, is excluded from the wedding preparations of her childhood playmate, she probes her uncle for the truth of her birth.
It’s Election Day, and while Sir Roger Scatcherd wins the respect of the voters, he succumbs to ill health at the hustings. Meanwhile, Miss Dunstable urges Frank to follow his heart and stay true to Mary, despite mounting pressure from his family.
Frank and Mary make plans for their upcoming wedding, whilst Lady Arabella is determined not to give up without a fight. She is able to persuade Mary that marrying Frank would be a selfish act, and that if she truly loves him she should set him loose.