Anna spends the entire day at the Oblonsky house and declines all visitors who come to see her. She spends her morning with Dolly and her children and sends a note to her brother asking him to come home for dinner. Stépane Arcadiévitch returns for dinner and although his relationship with Dolly remains cold, they are no longer talking about a separation and a reconciliation seems possible. Kitty arrives after dinner and quickly falls under the charm of Anna, who strikes her as possessing the beauty and grace of a young girl combined with a serious and mature gaze.
After dinner, Anna encourages her brother to go talk to Dolly and help mend their marriage. While Stiva is with his wife, Anna sits on a sofa surrounded by the children who affectionately crowd around her. She talks with Kitty about an upcoming ball and reflects on the innocent and happy nature of youth with a touch of melancholy. The conversation shifts to Vronsky, and Anna mentions that she met his mother on the train and later saw Vronsky himself at the station. Kitty blushes at the mention of Vronsky and asks what Anna was told about him. Anna praises him as a noble and heroic figure based on what the countess shared. The children soon return from tea, and Anna playfully gathers them into her arms on the divan while Stiva continues his conversation with Dolly.