A Sorceress Comes to Call

Evangeline scolds Cordelia for falling in love with Jacob but laughs when Cordelia admits that she was only distracted by his pimple. Cordelia reluctantly accepts a hug from her mother, unsettled by the scent of wormwood. A small part of her hopes for change, but she knows it won’t happen. Evangeline urges Cordelia to charm Richard, saying that it will be good practice. Cordelia mentions her commitment to helping Hester with the embroidery, and Evangeline approves, encouraging her to keep Hester distracted.

On her way to find Hester, Cordelia worries about unwittingly aiding her mother’s schemes and imagines what life would be like if Evangeline married the Squire. While she would love to stay at the Squire’s home, she fears her mother’s potential to harm others. Unsure if Hester would believe her, Cordelia considers revealing Evangeline’s sorcery but decides to start small by asking about magic. As she calms herself in the hallway, she notices a bubble in the wallpaper and reflects that the Chathams can afford flaws that poorer people cannot.

In the solar, Cordelia joins Imogene and Hester, who ask about her background. Cordelia says that she is expected to marry a wealthy man.