▁Sol ness ▁is ▁visited ▁by ▁H ilda ▁W angel , ▁a ▁young ▁woman ▁of ▁ 2 3 , ▁whom ▁Doctor ▁H erd al ▁recogn izes ▁from ▁a ▁recent ▁trip ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁taken . ▁The ▁doctor ▁leaves , ▁Sol ness ▁is ▁alone ▁with ▁H ilda , ▁and ▁she ▁rem inds ▁him ▁that ▁they ▁are ▁not ▁str angers ▁– ▁they ▁have ▁previously ▁met ▁in ▁her ▁home ▁town ▁ 1 0 ▁years ▁ago ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁ 1 3 ▁years ▁old . ▁When ▁Sol ness ▁does ▁not ▁respond ▁immediately , ▁she ▁rem inds ▁him ▁that ▁at ▁one ▁point ▁during ▁their ▁encounter ▁he ▁had ▁made ▁adv ances ▁to ▁her , ▁had ▁offered ▁her ▁a ▁rom antic ▁inter l ude , ▁and ▁promised ▁her ▁" a ▁kingdom ", ▁all ▁of ▁which ▁she ▁believed . ▁He ▁den ies ▁this . ▁She ▁gradually ▁convin ces ▁him , ▁however , ▁that ▁she ▁can ▁assist ▁him ▁with ▁his ▁household ▁duties , ▁and ▁so ▁he ▁takes ▁her ▁into ▁his ▁home . ▁ ▁Sol ness ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁manager ▁of ▁an ▁architect ural ▁office ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁emp lo ys ▁Kn ut ▁Bro vik , ▁his ▁son ▁R agn ar ▁Bro vik , ▁and ▁Ka ia ▁F os li . ▁Ka ia ▁and ▁R agn ar ▁are ▁rom ant ically ▁linked , ▁and ▁R agn ar ▁has ▁amb itions ▁to ▁become ▁promoted ▁in ▁his ▁architect ural ▁voc ation , ▁which ▁Sol ness ▁is ▁rel uct ant ▁to ▁grant ▁or ▁support . ▁Sol ness ▁also ▁has ▁a ▁complicated ▁relationship ▁with ▁his ▁wife ▁Al ine