Mrs Finch is visited by her unpleasant sister, Mrs Allway, and the absurd Miss Mallows. Mrs Allway has intercepted a letter to her daughter Elspeth, planning an elopement that very afternoon; it is signed J.F. and so after locking Elspeth into her room, she has come to warn Mrs Finch that young Joe, her son, is no match for the girl. Grandma Finch enters and lets it be known that she has drawn up a will leaving everything to Joe. Mrs Allway now changes her tune but it turns out Elspeth has actually eloped with Jim Fiddler, the son of the Allway's gardener.