Summary

Due to Thirsk’s injured hand, Master Kent assigns him to be Mr. Quill’s assistant for the week, in place of his usual manual labor duties. It is Gleaning Day, when the villagers elect one of their younger girls as the year’s Gleaning Queen and spend the rest of the day picking up fallen grain in the fields for their personal winter stores. Usually the Gleaning Queen is elected the evening before Gleaning Day, at the celebratory feast, but Mistress Beldam’s sudden appearance in the barn led everyone to forget to do so. Due to this oversight, Master Kent appoints Mr. Quill to select this year’s queen. Mr. Quill picks John Carr’s niece, Lizzie, who is four years old and thrilled to be selected. Thirsk also notices that Master Kent has not mentioned as he usually does each year...