Princess Kitty Shtcherbatsky is eighteen years old, and nearly every man in society is in love with her after her first winter among them. Two suitors have expressed serious interest in her. The first to do so was Levin, but immediately after Levin left abruptly for the country, Vronsky made his intentions known. Even though he left, Levin’s attentions caused Kitty’s parents to have their first serious discussion about their daughter’s future.

Kitty’s father prefers Levin, but Kitty’s mother does not understand Levin and thinks her daughter can do much better. She does not understand how Levin could have spent six weeks in constant attendance on Kitty without offering for her hand, as most men would have done. When he left suddenly, she was vindicated in her belief that he is not the man for her daughter.

Vronsky, on the other hand, is everything Kitty’s mother wants for her and would be a brilliant match. Despite his consistent flirtation with Kitty, however, he has not made an official offer. Princess Shtcherbatsky had already been married three years at her daughter’s age, and the marriage was arranged by her parents. Things have changed since then, and she is slightly confused by it. She knows parents must protect their daughters’ reputations, but that was much easier to do with their older daughters. Girls today pursue interests in clubs and programs, mix freely with men in society, and often drive around unaccompanied.

Even worse, Kitty’s mother is no longer sure how marriages are made. The French way of parents’ arranging them is not acceptable, nor is the English way of girls’ marrying independently of their parents’ wishes. The Russian way of making matches through intermediates is “considered unseemly” and is ridiculed by the world. It is easy for those without daughters to say that girls should be able to choose their own husbands; those people do not realize the risks. In short, she is much more worried about Kitty’s marriage than her two older daughters’.

She is afraid Vronsky may never do more than flirt with her daughter. He has told Kitty that he will never marry without his mother’s approval and her impending arrival is “peculiarly fortunate.” Kitty shared this conversation with her as if it were not particularly significant, but her mother sees it quite differently. While she is sure Vronsky’s mother will approve of Kitty, the princess does find it strange that the count is so afraid of vexing his mother. Even Dolly’s serious marital troubles do not outweigh her mother’s concern for a proper husband for Kitty.

Now that Levin is back, the matron is even more worried, for she believes Kitty once cared for him. His presence will be an unnecessary complication. She wonders why Levin has been gone so long, but Kitty does not want to discuss it with her. She reminds Kitty of her promise never to keep secrets from her, and the guileless girl says she will never do so.