The scene shifts briefly to the Carolinas, where Jon and Irene are guests of young Ann Wilmot and her brother Francis. A gentle romance blooms, and Jon marries Ann. Back in London, Michael is now a member of Parliament and is anxious to advance a new social program called Fogartism. Fleur busies herself throwing fashionable parties and entertaining the visiting Francis Wilmot. At one such affair, society flapper Marjorie Ferrar’s catty remarks about her hostess are overheard by Soames, who causes a scene by ejecting her from the house. The incident snowballs into a libel threat against Fleur.