Lyddie

Life continues at the factory: Brigid is getting more skillful every day, and Mr. Marsden thankfully now leaves Lyddie alone entirely. In the evenings, Lyddie starts reading new books; she buys the Bible and Frederick Douglass’s autobiography, both in honor of Ezekial. Lyddie also reads Dickens’s writing about Lowell, though she resents how sunny Dickens makes American factory life seem.

Soon, a whole crop of new Irish girls comes to the factory, and Brigid and Lyddie train them together. When Brigid complains that the girls are slow, Lyddie quotes Diana: “we’re all allowed to be fools the first week or two.” Yet Brigid points out that Lyddie reads giant books, while Brigid can still barely form her letters. Lyddie decides to teach Brigid to read, and together they make their way through the alphabet.

Lyddie gets two important pieces of mail. First, Charlie (writing in perfect penmanship) tells Lyddie that Rachel has healed—and encourages her to respond to Luke Stevens. The letter makes Lyddie so angry that she almost tears it up. Then, Lyddie gets an official letter from Brattleboro, which informs her that Mama has died. With a pang, Lyddie notes that the letter misspelled Mama’s name.

Fall comes, and Lyddie and Brigid grow closer than ever, rushing down the stairs to meals together. One day, however, Lyddie sees Brigid is not with her on the stairs, so she goes back to find her. Lyddie sees Mr. Marsden, and then she hears Brigid crying “please—no.” Without thinking, Lyddie grabs a bucket of water and dumps it on Mr. Marsden’s head. She and Brigid run out of the factory as fast as they can, laughing.