Summer 1968 England

Jacqueline Winwar: graduate student, interested in snails & physiology of learning
Luk Peacock: professor of biology
Lucy Nighby: owner of the land that Jacquie & Luk studied
Gunner Nighby: Lucy's husband

Jacquie & Luk are cataloging snails on Lucy's land (for Jacquie's thesis) when they notice that a fire has destroyed a large area that they had been studying. Lucy comes by and indicates that Gunner and her had done that to make room for some new chicken pens.

Luk is clearly attracted to Jacquie but she has made it very clear that she is not interested in Luk. Luk is aware that she appears to be attracted to Marcus Potter, Frederica's brother.

Two new characters are introduced to the story. The connection between this pair and Frederica is that Jacquie likes Frederica's brother.

There is only the one scene in this chapter.