Lord Ronald comes to Lady Clare bringing her the gift of a doe. They are betrothed and soon to be married. Their meeting is watched by William and old Alice, the nurse, his wife in evident satisfaction and later the nurse comes to Lady Clare to congratulate her "that all comes out so just and fair" as Lord Ronald is really heir to all the great lands and she is not really the Lady Clare. She confesses that the old earl's daughter died in her arms and that she substituted her own child, who grew up as Lady Clare. But Lady Clare will have none of this plan, that she states and decides to go to Lord Ronald and tell him, releasing him from his engagement, even though it breaks her heart. She dons a simple garb of an humble girl and crossing the fields reaches his estate and tells him her story, and then we find that Lord Ronald is worthy of her love for he laughs at the tale and in words of the poem tells her that if she is not the Lady Clare and he is the rightful owner they two will wed tomorrow morn and she shall still retain her place in the world.