In a flashback to before 1955, young Beth wanders onto private land while daydreaming in the romantic language of the novels she loves. Lost in her imagination and looking for a pretty place to sit and read, Beth accidentally collides with Gabriel Wolfe.

Gabriel reacts sharply, telling Beth she is on private land. Beth finds his upper-class manner ridiculous in the empty meadow and pushes back instead of apologizing. Her amusement unsettles Gabriel, and when Beth points out that no one else is there, Gabriel quickly recognizes that he is being foolish.

Trying to repair the awkward start, Gabriel introduces himself and offers Beth his hand. Beth already knows his name from local talk about the handsome boy from the big house, but she withholds her own for a moment and studies him, noting both his striking looks and his unfashionable tweed fishing clothes. Their exchange turns playful as Beth teases Gabriel about seeming like an upper-class idiot, and Gabriel laughs and explains that the clothes are his father’s old fishing things.

Because Gabriel wants to make up for his rudeness, he invites Beth to come and see where he is fishing. Beth hesitates, sensing that accepting might draw her into something significant, but Gabriel’s charm and his offer of custard creams win her over. Beth agrees to go with him, and the chapter ends by marking this meeting as the true beginning of their story.