Frank's seduction by Lizzie continues. Lizzie playfully -- but pointedly -- belittles her rival Lucy: "she is tame and quiet,-- a cat that will sleep on the rug before the fire, and you think she will never scratch."
Lucy continually spoken of as being "as good as gold," but that kind of intrinsic value has little worth in exchange, as her economic status makes her unworthy in people's eyes of marriage to a rising young man such as Frank Greystock and also unworthy to voice her opinions to those above her station, as in her contretemps with the status-obsessed Lord Fawn.
Phrase from a Tennyson poem summarizes, in phony Scots dialect, the "proper" way to pursue a mercenary marriage: "Doan't thou marry for munny, but goa where munny is."
Frank's mother hopes to derail her son's marriage to Lucy, who she blames for allowing herself to be loved: "Lucy had behaved badly in allowing herself to be loved by a man who ought to have loved money."
Frank's mother acknowledges to herself that their wealthy cousin is not "good as gold" the way Lucy is, but excuses her: "Of course, Lizzie Eustace was not just all that she should be; -- but then who is?"
Frank's mother sees signs that her son is willing to abandon his "very imprudent match" and reflects: "there was no doubt about Lucy being as good as gold; -- only that real gold, vile as it was, was the one thing Frank so much needed."
Wordlessly acceding to his mother's maneuver to delay formalizing his commitment to Lucy, Frank sends his "beloved" to live as unpaid companion to the vulturess Lady Lithlingow.
Frank returns to Lizzie at Portray Castle. Seeing a ring he was given by Lucy on his hand, she unlocks and flaunts the famous diamonds at him.
Frank: "I am so poor a man that this string of stones, which you throw about the room like a child's toy, would be the making of me."
Lucy: "Take it and be made."
Frank advises Lizzie to release Lord Fawn from his commitment. But Lizzie is revenge minded: "men have become so soft themselves, that they no longer think even of punishing those who behave badly, and they expect women to be softer and more faineant than themselves."
Lizzie, who dreams of being swept up by a Byronic corsair, on Fawn: "Is he not a poor social stick; -- a bit of half-dead wood, good to make a post of, if one wants a post?" While certainly livlier than Fawn, one could hardly consider Frank byronic.
Lizzie renews her sarcastic attack on Frank's betrothed, "that prim morsel of feminine propriety who has been clever enough to make you believe that her morality would suffice to make you happy."
Lizzie enacts a passionate declaration of love to the befuddled Frank, who is entranced by her even as he also recalls that her wealth would be useful.
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