During the funeral of Mrs Shaw tempers flare between the atttendees. Her brother-in-law, Josiah, voices his hostility and disapproval of Dr Shaw because he is for freedom of thought. Josiah also admires the late bishop, and Dr Shaw has no problem in saying that the bishop was a hypocrite. Charlotte realises that Dr Shaw is someone who two women find attractive: one is Miss Flora Lutterworth and the other one is the vicar's wife, Lally Clitheridge.
A few days later Thomas is sleeping when he hears someone thumping on the front door. When he opens, it is Munro to tell him that there is another fire, this time in Amos Linday's house. They rush to the place, which has become an inferno. The servants have been able to leave, but Mr Lindsay and Dr Shaw, who was stayed in the house, are still inside. It is to late to save the men, and then they discover that the doctor's horse and trap are gone. He appears shortly afterwards. He has been out, treating a patient, and when he learns that Amos is dead, he is devastated.
Now Thomas and Munro have to question the neighbours again. They go to the Lutterworths, and Munro is clearly smitten with Flora. They witness how father and daughter have a terrible row; the father accusing him of having relations with Dr Shaw, and Flora getting very upset.
Now that there has been a second fire the logical assumption is that the docctor is the intended victim, but he was lucky to be out both times. Dr Shaw is not short of enemies, but who hates him so much that he would go as far as to set fire to two houses, risking killing more people?
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