Of the twelve publishers Don has sent the manuscript of his novel, he has received twelve rejection letters. These twelve letters may mean that Ann will never be able to read the novel as Donald won't let her until it's published. Regardless, Ann staunchly defends the novel as great American literature. When Mr. Marie finds out about the situation, he, on Donald's behalf, offers to submit the manuscript to a publisher friend of his, T.L. Harrison, a Brewster resident and frequent customer at his restaurant. Donald and Ann are grateful. Mr. Marie, however, changes his mind after he himself reads the manuscript, as he considers the novel's two main characters - a writer and an actress - reprehensible, the two characters which he believes are Donald and Ann in real life. Mr. Marie's refusal to show the manuscript to Harrison leads to two things: a want by Ann to read the manuscript (or at least what her father considers the offensive parts) to see what her father's objections are, and an attempt by Ann to get the manuscript to Harrison personally with or without her father's knowledge.
—Huggo