Part I, Chapters 1 through 3 Summary

As the story opens, Luce reveals that she's responsible for a set of twins, her niece and nephew, and that the children are "small and beautiful and violent." They kill chickens and set fires. After they set fire to a corner of the lodge where Luce and the twins live, she switches them. Their reaction is of staunch acceptance and Luce immediately pledges not to hit them again.

The Wayah Lodge where Luce lives was owned by Old Mr. Stubblefield who had recently died. Luce was with him several times near the end of his life. She says he'd worried about who would inherit what and had left Luce a pair of silver candlesticks she didn't particularly want. She believes it's sad to have that on one's mind at the end. Luce, prior to the arrival of...