Chapter Seventeen Summary

John and Margaret Winthrop feel that Captain Patrick's death is a natural consequence of his ungodly behavior, and that Anne Hutchinson's demise is the natural end result of her heresy. But John writes a letter to his niece, inviting her to come to Boston.

After Daniel is buried, Bess talks George Baxter into leaving her and Anneke alone, and asks him to leave the Sinawoys alone, as well. Robert Feake is now unable even to feed himself in his madness, and Toby builds a special room onto Bess's house to lock Robert in.

Keofferam, Telaka's brother who is now the Chief, comes with gifts of turkey and venison for Christmas, which is meaningful for Bess. However, Captain Underhill arrives by ship with soldiers and a renewed plan to attack the Sinawoys, and has the evil Nawthorne along as his assistant. Toby...