▁him ▁the ▁me ag re ▁position ▁of ▁French ▁teacher ▁to ▁the ▁children ▁of ▁his ▁neighb ours , ▁the ▁Ken wig s ▁family , ▁and ▁Nicholas ▁is ▁h ired ▁under ▁the ▁assumed ▁name ▁of ▁" John son " ▁to ▁teach ▁the ▁children ▁French . ▁ ▁Ralph ▁asks ▁Kate ▁to ▁attend ▁a ▁dinner ▁he ▁is ▁hosting ▁for ▁some ▁business ▁associ ates . ▁When ▁she ▁arriv es ▁she ▁disco vers ▁she ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁woman ▁in ▁attend ance , ▁and ▁it ▁becomes ▁clear ▁Ralph ▁is ▁using ▁her ▁as ▁b ait ▁to ▁ent ice ▁the ▁fool ish ▁no blem an ▁Lord ▁Frederick ▁Ver is op ht ▁to ▁do ▁business ▁with ▁him . ▁The ▁other ▁guests ▁include ▁Ver is op ht ' s ▁ment or ▁and ▁friend , ▁the ▁dis re put able ▁no blem an ▁Sir ▁Mul berry ▁Haw k , ▁who ▁hum ili ates ▁Kate ▁at ▁dinner ▁by ▁making ▁her ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁an ▁off ensive ▁bet . ▁She ▁fle es ▁the ▁table , ▁but ▁is ▁later ▁acc ost ed ▁by ▁Haw k . ▁He ▁attempts ▁to ▁force ▁himself ▁on ▁her ▁but ▁is ▁stopped ▁by ▁Ralph . ▁Ralph ▁shows ▁some ▁unexpected ▁tend ern ess ▁towards ▁Kate ▁but ▁ins inu ates ▁that ▁he ▁will ▁withdraw ▁his ▁financial ▁help ▁if ▁she ▁tells ▁her ▁mother ▁about ▁what ▁happened . ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁day , ▁Nicholas ▁disco vers ▁that ▁his ▁uncle ▁has ▁returned . ▁He ▁vis its ▁his ▁mother ▁and ▁sister ▁just ▁as ▁Ralph ▁is ▁reading ▁them ▁F anny ▁S que ers ' ▁letter ▁and ▁s land ering ▁Nicholas .