Jean Louise Finch leaves New York for her annual visit to her hometown of Maycomb, Alabama. She expects her father, Atticus, to pick her up from the train station, but the 72-year-old lawyer’s rheumatoid arthritis has prevented him from driving. Instead, she is greeted with a kiss by his protégé, Henry “Hank” Clinton. Hank is also Jean Louise’s suitor during her annual two-week visits. In the car, Hank proposes. Louise internally acknowledges that she cares for him and that he would give her an easy life, but she also believes that marriage to him would lead to an eventual affair with the man she would one day find that she “should have” married. Jean Louise is unwilling to cause Hank the heartache of putting them in such a position and therefore rejects his proposal. Despite his frustrations with her refusal, Hank continues to appreciate her sense of humor. The two engage in friendly banter.

Jean Louise makes it to her father’s home, where he lives with his sister, Alexandra. The two welcome her warmly, but her aunt chides her for her clothing choices. Jean Louise points out that whether she dresses nicely or poorly, the townsfolk will find a way to use it as a reason to have a bad opinion of her.