Wives and Daughters: Chapter 31 Summary & Analysis

Preston’s encounter with Roger and Squire Hamley adds to Preston’s already significant dislike of the Hamley family. On the one hand, Preston has heard Cynthia and Molly speak highly of the Hamley family, and Preston has an instinctive dislike for anyone whom he perceives as a potential threat. On the other hand, while Preston is not especially politically involved, he knows that his employers (the Cumnors) are Whigs, while the Hamleys are Tories. Out of loyalty to his employer, Preston feels that he must also dislike the Hamleys for their political affiliation.

While Preston’s predecessor, Mr. Sheepshanks, had studiously avoided almost all social engagements, Preston takes the opposite approach. He goes wherever his presence is requested and makes a charming impression throughout town. Around that time, Molly begins to feel sorrowful, while Cynthia becomes ever more cheerful. Molly is unhappy because Roger and Cynthia seem to be becoming closer and closer. Clare has seemingly renounced her previous dislike of Roger and tries to arrange situations that bring him and Cynthia together, hoping the two might become engaged.

Molly knows that an engagement isn’t likely to come anytime soon, as getting married would cause Roger to lose his Fellowship at Cambridge, and, at this point, Roger has no other source of income other than the Fellowship, so he’s not going to be married anytime soon. Roger’s expenses are also piling up. He regularly gives much of his Fellowship stipend to Osborne. And Squire Hamley then approaches Roger about the construction—draining part of their property—that he (Squire Hamley) hired people to begin before running out of money. Roger promises Squire Hamley that he’ll try and get the money to finish the project.

Squire Hamley asks Roger how he’ll get the money, and Roger assures him that he’ll find a way, as he’s a Fellow at Cambridge and a promising young writer. Or at least that’s what people said in response to his recent article in a scientific journal, Roger says. Squire Hamley says he knows. He read the article as well as the responses. He couldn’t very well understand the article, but he wrote down the commendations other people wrote about Roger. Often, Squire Hamley says, when he’s disappointed about something Osborne has done, he’ll go back and read the accolades Roger has received, finding this activity comforting.