The Countess finally comes into the drawing room and, seeing the crimson roses, becomes angry and asks her maid to take them to Ned Winsett's wife, who is ill. Her aunt is also sent on to Mrs. Struthers' salon and, finally, Newland and Madame Olenska are alone.
He hurts the Countess' feelings by asserting that her aunt thinks she will go back to the Count. She cannot believe that Newland gives credence to this, and she turns the conversation to his wedding. Newland tells her that May thinks he wants to hurry the wedding in order to forget about someone he loves more. When Madame Olenska asks if he does indeed care more for someone else, he sidesteps the question, saying he will not marry anyone else. A long pause follows.
The carriage comes and the Countess should be leaving, but Newland takes her hand and says there is another woman that he would have been with if it had been possible. This angers Madame Olenska because he was the one who made it impossible by talking her out of a divorce. Her words make him realize that the "scandal" she worried about was not her own; she was worried about the scandal of divorce for the Mingott family.
Newland tells her that he loves her. She cries and he explains that they can still have each other because he is still free and she soon could be. Recklessly, he says he will not marry May. But Ellen Olenska, unable to hurt May, says, "I can't love you unless I give you up." Irrationally, Newland snaps that Beaufort will probably replace him. Nastasia, the maid, comes back with a telegram. It is for Ellen from May, who says that old Mrs. Mingott's arguments worked, and they will move the wedding to right after Easter.
When Newland arrives at his home, a second telegram is waiting and Janey has stayed up to find out what it says. He asks her the date of Easter and when she replies, he laughs ironically, and realizes he will be married in a month.
