Chapter 9 Summary

When Ethan returns, he finds Mr. Byrne in front of the house. Zeena has sent Jotham to the barn to do some chores. Ethan knows the trunk is too big and heavy for Mattie to handle. He finds her crying as she sits on the trunk. They take the trunk to the sleigh and go in for dinner. Zeena mentions to Jotham that she wants him to take Mattie to the train. She tells Ethan to fix the furnace in the spare room. Ethan announces that he will take Mattie, and they openly fight. He tells Mattie to be ready to go at three, and he storms out of the house.

Ethan gets his sleigh ready, and they ride toward town. At the turn toward town, Ethan takes another road out through the country by a pond. Mattie has been there before for...