Once they are certain the coast is clear, Frosine, Marianne, Cleante, Elise, and Valere re-enter from the garden. They must decide their next steps. Marianne feels trapped, telling the group that her mother’s “dying wish [is] that [she] marry a wealthy, older man. Thanks to you, Frosine, that wish has been realized, contract and all” (43). Frosine, who never would have insisted on the match if she had known Marianne’s feelings for Cleante, begins to scheme a way out of their situation. She concludes that it should not be too difficult to sway Marianne’s mother. The trouble, then, will lie with Harpagon: He will object to the marriage being called off, so it must be his idea instead. They plan to invent a wealthier, older woman that he will want to meet, someone he would leave Marianne for so he could make more money. In the meantime, Marianne must win over her mother’s blessing. Cleante leans over to kiss her on the cheek just as Harpagon returns.

He remarks at the odd sight before him: his son kissing the cheek of his stepmother. All but Cleante leave, and Harpagon begins to interrogate Cleante about Marianne.