When the Claim Arrives the Same Night — Wuthering Heights

A black-edged letter announces Isabella's death and Edgar's return with her son Linton. Catherine, in mourning dress without real grief for an aunt she never knew, runs wild with joy and builds sanguine hopes for her real cousin from a lock of his hair. She chattered all the way to the gate that Linton would be her playfellow.

The carriage arrives at last. Linton proves a pale, peevish boy who shrinks from her greeting, cries that he cannot sit on a chair, and only softens when Cathy pets him like a baby on the sofa. Edgar warns her he is frail and newly motherless, yet tells Nelly the lad will do well if they can keep him and a child his own age will give him spirit.

That night Joseph bursts in from Heathcliff demanding the boy at once. Edgar, grieving Isabella's wishes yet seeing no escape if he shows desire to keep Linton, refuses to wake the exhausted child and sends Joseph away with word he may go to the Heights tomorrow. Joseph shouts that Heathcliff will come himself and thrust him out before dawn.

Edgar has bought one evening of companionship while Nelly already pictures the weakling between Hareton and his father. Cathy's fantasy cousin lasted hours before adult claim and revenge turned guardianship into a countdown.