Meanwhile, Talbot is in love with her poor cousin, the free-and-easy Mary. Old Middlewick has taken a great dislike to Violet, whom he considers 'stuck-up,' and he desires his son to wed Mary. Needless to say, Sir Geoffrey is also displeased, and the fathers disown their sons.
The passage describes a conflict arising from romantic desires and familial expectations. Talbot's love for Mary clashes with Old Middlewick's preference for his son marrying Mary. Sir Geoffrey's disapproval further complicates matters, resulting in the fathers disowning their sons.