Becky Farwell

Becky Farwell is the protagonist of the novel. As a young girl, she grows up without a mother, living in a dilapidated house with her ailing father, Hank. Even as a teenager, Becky is clever and responsible. When her father's farming equipment business is on the verge of failure, Becky devises a scheme to save it. Instead of cultivating friendships or pursuing academic endeavors, Becky thoroughly devotes herself to Hank and his business affairs. After high school graduation, Becky abandons college dreams and remains in Pierson. She gets hired as a bookkeeper at the Town Hall, and continues caring for her father.

Then one day, Becky begins to feel pathetic and lonely. She is embarrassed by her life and desperate to make something of herself. When she falls in love with a painting at a gallery, Becky steals a check from the Town Hall and uses it...