Summary Chp. 8

Hindley’s wife Frances was giving birth and dying from it. The baby, Hareton, was to go under Nelly’s care. Frances’s death upset Hindley very much that he became even more tyrannical. All the servants except for Nelly and Joseph couldn’t stand him anymore and left.

Fifteen-year-old Catherine was now a haughty two-face. She was wild and spoiled as ever at home but acted polite and graceful where she needed to be. Nelly had come to dislike her. Heathcliff, too, had less affection toward her, she was that disagreeable. By then Edgar Linton had become her good acquaintance. To her credit, she knew enough not to let Edgar and Heathcliff meet.

One rainy day during her brother’s absence, Cathy planned to invite Edgar for tea. At the same time, Heathcliff wanted to spend some time with her. The two had a little argument. Edgar arrived right after Heathcliff left, which didn’t give Cathy’s temper enough time to wane, and so she couldn’t stop herself from showing her true nature and struck Edgar. Consequently he wanted to leave, but Cathy pleaded for him to excuse her temper, to which he finally gave in. Nelly thought to herself that he was basically doomed and couldn’t be saved.

Edgar and Cathy talked until they heard Hindley came home. Then Edgar rushed home while Cathy to her room.