Tess of the d'Urbervilles Phase V: The Woman Pays Chapter 39

In which Angel Clare returns to his parental home burdened by the complexities of his recent marriage and contemplates a future far from familiar shores, whilst his parents greet him with both curiosity and restrained hope regarding the wife they have yet to meet. The evening is marked by prayers and maternal concern, as Clare wrestles with his own misgivings and the delicate balance between personal affection and societal expectation.