Lyddie

With the increase in her savings thanks to Ezekial, Lyddie feels close to achieving her goal of returning to the farm and decides that she too will sign the petition before she leaves. When Mrs. Bedlow’s son Tim announces that she has a visitor, she expects Charlie but is surprised to find her uncle Judah in the parlor. He announces that he and Clarissa have placed Mattie in the asylum at Brattleboro, claiming that she was too much for his “delicate” wife to care for. Shocked, Lyddie asks about Rachel, and Judah announces that he has brought her along and will be leaving her with Lyddie. Lyddie is stunned by her little sister’s condition, emaciated and wrapped in rags. Lyddie informs Judah that she will collect her mother from the asylum and returning to the farm as soon as she can. Judah tells her that they are selling the farm to subsidize her mother’s stay at the asylum. Lyddie asserts that only her father can sell the farm, but Judah claims that her father granted written permission before his departure in the event of circumstances like these. Seething and furious, Lyddie tells him he has no right, but he shrugs her off, confident there is nothing she can do to stop him.