I ain't gonna lie, if I were to choose between calming down a neglected, upset woman, and facing whatever unknown lives on that tree, I would take the tree route any day. I would climb up that tree like a madman, its way safer there.
For real. I know it is another pre-cooked series of events, but at this point authors in general could just resume the engagement annulment in just one or two pages and start early.
A variation of "stop me if have ever heard this one before . . ." would also work I guess.