Lorna Doone

After ruminating on Fry’s story, as well as the information about sentiments against the king, John considers whether it is all connected. He wonders whether Uncle Ben is involved in the local rebellion. Before he can figure it out, Uncle Ben leaves again, leaving behind a delighted Ruth.

 At John’s request, Annie tells Sally Snowe that his heart someone has captured his heart and he will not propose to Sally. Hopeful that Lorna will accept his love and ring, John brings fish and eggs to their meeting spot, but she never appears. Instead, Carver Doone hauls away the gifts when he discovers them, providing John with an up-close look at Carver. He judges Carver to be mirthless with cold, dead eyes. Carver attributes the food to Charlie, another Doone enamored with Lorna.

On another visit, Carver Doone nearly shoots John. Carver sees John’s hat in the water and believes he has been victorious, having reportedly hunted him three times so far. At home, Betty Muxworthy whispers Lorna’s name to John. She forces him to do some chores, then advises him to marry Sally Snowe instead of breaking his mother’s heart by chasing after Lorna Doone, which is likely to result in his death. John dramatically answers that he will be with her or die. Betty finally gives him the message: Lorna can no longer meet in the evenings, so he must visit in the mornings. John kisses her out of gratitude and relief.

John rushes to the glen and sees Lorna. She confirms that the Doones hold her captive in the evenings and brings him to her bower. Lorna is shy and trembling, but John directly confesses his love once more. She states that she must reward him for his faithfulness, but he insists that he requires all of her love, freely and completely given. Lorna throws her arms around his neck and declares that he has won her love completely. She childishly tilts her lips up towards his, awaiting a chaste kiss, but receives a passionate one instead. Lorna pulls away, saying that the kiss was quite enough for the moment. She reminds him that he must be distant from her except upon her invitation, but she invites him to kiss her hands. He places the ring upon her finger once more, and when she cries, he says that he will take her tears as an invitation for kisses. Despite his promises that no one will upset her again, Lorna believes that his promises will not come true.

John is thrilled to have secured the love of Lorna. He hurries home to tell his mother of the developments at Lorna’s request. He is delayed by the appearance of Squire Faggus, who behaves oddly. He returns to the house to find Tom missing, Annie crying, and his mother clearly disapproving of her Tom’s suit for her daughter. Annie begs John to make a case for her and not to mention Lorna. John insists on telling his mother of both cases and outlines her likely reaction, startling Annie with its accuracy. Her reaction is largely as he expects, though she suggests that Lorna only claims to love John out of gratitude and pity. Mrs. Ridd goes on to suggest that John bring Lorna to meet his mother. When he is outraged at the idea of Lorna eating common sausages, his mother points out that if she aspires to be a farmer’s wife, she should be comfortable enough with farmer’s fare. 

Mrs. Ridd has given her begrudging consent to the romantic connections of her children, though she insists John not risk his life with frequent visits to Doone Glen. She also wants to rescue Lorna and then teach her the ins and outs of being a farmer’s wife for at least a year before they marry. John wonders whether Lorna would agree to leave her grandfather and, even if she did, if he could keep her safe from an army of angry Doones searching for her. When John points this issue out to his mother, she suggests that he continue as he has for the present and see if he happens to fall in love with Ruth instead.

When John reminds her that she would not appreciate his fickleness, she states that it would serve his Uncle Ben right given how he had once called John a coward. She states that he should not marry “for all her miserable money, that little dwarfish granddaughter of the insolent old miser” (225). Ruth, having overheard the cruel description, answers the statement directly and boldly before leaving the house. While the ladies of the house are astonished by Ruth’s manner, John admits that he appreciates the rarity of her audacity and would likely have married her were it not for Lorna. Ruth leaves the next day, bidding a tearful goodbye to John.

When John visits Lorna, she agrees that learning the quiet life of farming is a fantasy. However, she acknowledges that she cannot leave while her grandfather lives and that living with the Ridds would endanger them. She offers him a gold thumb ring with mysterious markings, which he considers too fancy for him. Lorna insists that he either take it or take back her ring. She explains that she has taken the gold ring from a glass necklace she had as a girl, which her grandfather had insisted on taking for safekeeping. She had worn it around her neck for years before giving to John. Mrs. Ridd agrees that the ring is fancy, but she insists that John is good enough to wear it, as he has won the love of the girl whose ancestors wore it. 

Jeremy Stickles returns and makes the Ridd house his base of operations for his mysterious work on behalf of the king. Eventually, he confides that he is there to subvert treasonous plots against the rightful succession of the throne. John accidentally mentions Lorna, then threatens Stickles not to investigate John’s personal matters on pain of a beating. He later apologizes, but the breach in companionable comradery between the men remains noticeable.

Lorna’s signals cease, and John goes to look for her on three occasions, but he never finds her. He eventually goes further into the valley and creeps behind Carver Doone’s house. To his relief, Lorna is not there. He observes the village and considers spying further but leaves when he hears the men returning.

John goes to Porlock to make a will due to the danger of his plans to invade Doone Glen to rescue Lorna. John journeys into the valley on foot to retain his stealth. One of the drunken sentries announces plans to visit Carver’s house, so John follows him, hoping to find Lorna. John quickly learns the tune that the sentry, Charlie, whistles.

He finds Ensor Doone’s house and feels encouraged that Lorna must not have married Carver if she is in her grandfather’s house. As he stands by her house, whispering her name, another sentry sees John. John whistles the tune he has just learned, causing the sentry to lower his gun and salute him. John quickly realizes that the tune is Carver Doone’s identification, which Charlie had been practicing to trick Lorna. Lorna appears from behind the barred window and insists that they can never be together. She tells John to forget her, but John refuses. Lorna explains that her grandfather is ill and, as such, the Counsellor has taken over the valley. She tells John that he will have to watch constantly to find a way to break her out. She introduces him to Gwenny Carfax and instructs John that, even in the case it may appear otherwise, Gwenny is always loyal to her.

They determine a new set of signals—in the nearby trees, Gwenny will signal him of danger—six rook’s nests for danger, five if Carver has stolen Lorna. John is horrified at the prospect, but Lorna assures him that she has plans in place to protect her. She says that if he could get her back within a day, all would be well, but if it took longer, she may be injured or dead.

Though he is benefitting from his wages and living situation, John Fry isn’t content. After John Ridd’s threats over Stickles’s interest in his affairs, John Fry became Stickles’s right-hand man and told him the story of going to Wizard’s Slough, despite his previous promises never to speak of it.

Tom Faggus visits, having recently purchased a large swath of land. He declares that his pardon awaits if he sues for it. John goes to cut bundles of wood to give Annie and Tom time together and to check for Lorna’s signals. While he is working and fantasizing about their life together, Carver Doone, Charlie Doone, and Marwood de Whichehalse arrive, plotting to kill Jeremy Stickles. John also overhears Carver mentioning his desire to kill John and Marwood’s objections based on their shared school years and Annie’s beauty. He mentions that Tom is an acceptable target for murder.

John sprints to find Stickles before he goes across his usual route, where the men lie in wait. When telling the story and giving his warning, John leaves out the identities of the men. Stickles thanks John and mentions that the Doones’s attempt on his life will result in his attack on them occurring sooner than planned.

Stickles tells John everything about his plans and duties with the understanding that John will do what he feels is right with the knowledge, but not thwart the plans. The political situation is tense, as the Whigs are discontented, but have not yet attacked. The Tories are lying in wait for them to strike, at which point they plan to retaliate severely. Stickles has three assignments: to collect taxes (which also serves as his cover), to monitor the Doones, and to observe the gentlemen and trained bands for any evidence of involvement in the treasonous conspiracies. Since he is investigating the trained bands, he cannot use the local musketeers in any operation without dire need or in addressing the Doones as criminals. Because of this, Stickles says that his only option is to burn down the village in Doone Glen—with the Doones inside it. John protests, partly out of fear of change and partly out of fear for Lorna’s safety.

John asserts that he will have no part in such an act, and Stickles accepts his position. He shares that Uncle Ben will be included, giving him the opportunity to reclaim his losses and prove his loyalty to the crown. John asks when the attack will happen, but Stickles does not have a clear date in mind, as he needs to make preparations with musketeers in surrounding towns. John considers how dangerous this will be for Lorna, how the outside musketeers will negatively impact local society, and how his reputation will be tarnished if he refuses to participate.

Meanwhile, Tom Faggus returns from London with his pardon. John Ridd recounts the story as told by John Fry because he is still too angry about the events to tell it himself. John Fry had gone to Exford and discovered a mob, led by a blacksmith, intending to arrest Tom Faggus. John Fry attributed the motive to the blacksmith’s fear that if Tom took up blacksmithing again, he may put the current blacksmith out of business with his skill. As the group waited for Tom to arrive, a gentleman came out of the fog, stating that he had a warrant for Tom Faggus. The provincial magistrates were eager to assist the fancy gentleman, who pointed out that the gunpowder in their guns has rusted. He suggested that they fire their weapons, then reload so that they will be ready when Tom arrives. The men fired their weapons. The gentleman then revealed himself to be Tom Faggus and robbed them of their money and warrants at gunpoint. He challenged them to arrest him, tossed handfuls of money to the poor folk, and rode away before they could reload their weapons.

John expresses anger at Tom for risking his life and Annie’s future by tricking the mob for his own amusement and pride rather than showing his pardon.

John later sees the signal indicating that Lorna needs him. He waits for dark, watching the glen. Eventually, Gwenny Carfax arrives and brings him through a secret passage to Sir Ensor’s house. After briefly comforting Lorna, John meets Sir Ensor Doone. Sir Ensor first points out that Lorna is of the highest birth, and John is of the lower class. He is further irreverent, saying that there is nothing in life worthy of fear, reverence, trust, hope, or love. While John disputes this, Sir Ensor continues, stating that marriage is always a farce, but would be far worse in the case of class disparity. He insists that John fetch Lorna and swears never to see Lorna again in his presence. John and Lorna do not speak, but re-enter the room together, embracing. Sir Ensor is surprised by their gumption, but gives them something that passes for both a blessing and a condemnation: “Fools you are; be fools forever […] it is the best thing I can wish you; boy and girl; be boy and girl until you have grandchildren” (271).