The day that everyone save Una dreaded was only a little more than twenty-four hours away. Faith and her children were at the manse helping Una with last minute preparations for her wedding and subsequent departure. Rosemary and Bruce were visiting Ellen and Norman Douglas, and Mr. Meredith was out, they knew not where. The sky was overcast. It had remained that way for what seemed like days. The sun, the moon and the stars seemed to hide away. Even they couldn't bear to shine upon this union.
Mr. Samson Belle arrived in Glen St. Mary three days before, and took a room above the post office. He seemed to care little whether he saw Una or not, and kept himself to his rented room, and that seemed to bother no one, not even Una. Though this one day, he decided to make himself comfortable in the extensive library of the manse.
Faith closed Una's suitcase in flooded with vexation. "I suppose you're all ready, Una."
Una looked warily up from the veil that she was finishing. "Thank you for your help Faith."
Faith sat down beside her. "You're my only sister, Una. I would do anything for you. You do know that, don't you? You do know that I would do anything for you, and that you can tell me anything?"
Una started to reply, but was interrupted by a Walt and John's playing. It was far too damp for them to play outside. Actually, it wasn't the children's playing that interrupted Una. She didn't mind their noise; she loved them dearly. She was interrupted by her betrothed's response to their noise.
The doom and gloom of the outside atmosphere seemed to follow him into the parlor. "Faith, could you please learn how to control your children? They should be seen and not heard, and frankly, the less that they are seen the better. Remember, spare the rod and spoil the child," he charged her, pointing a long, clammy finger in her face.
"My Grandmother Blythe says that a child has every right to be heard, that our dreams are what give us wings," Walt told the man before his mother could respond.
"Young man, you shouldn't interrupt adult conversations, especially with overemotional blather."
Walt was not to be put down. "No one else has ever minded hearing what I have to say. Uncle Walter says that people usually make a fuss about what children say because they are actually so truthful."
"Your Uncle Walter is a lazy lout who pretended to be dead to get out of serving in the army. He dreams far more than any real man should, and should be shunned from society."
"My Uncle Walter is great! He's far better than you! He listens to me! He loves me!"
Faith was already prepared to leave, she had heard enough from that man who knew nothing at all. Then he seized Walt's arm with an iron grip, twisting it back until the little boy screamed in pain.
Faith and Una both jumped to Walt's rescue, but not before someone else came first. Walter, his parents, and children had recently arrived home, and there was one person he must to talk with.
His plans were quickly deterred upon hearing his namesake's cries of agony. A red haze seemed to shadow everything. He pulled Walt away from his assailant, then rounded back and hit the arrogant parson with all the contempt he held for him, knocking him unto Rosemary's once clean floor.
Una pulled them apart before Samson unleashed his own fury on Walter. She had seen what his wrath could cause. "Samson, you should go," she told him in a tone of authority she had never used before in her life. The man stormed out of the manse, swearing that once he was married, he nor none of his, would ever return to such a forsaken place as Glen St. Mary.
Walter checked on his nephew, then looked to Faith, "I'm afraid that Father or Jem shall need to look at his arm to make sure nothing is broken. I have the car, and will drive you all home."
Faith only nodded. She was too overcome with anger, shock, and worry to do anything else. She was also thankful that Walter had arrived when he did. She may have killed Mr. Samson Belle. Walter had once again come to her rescure.
He turned to check on Una, but only witnessed her slender form running out of the front door. He longed to chase after her, but knew he had to get his nephew home. Besides, he still needed to have a conversation with someone else first.
This is incredibly short, I know and apologize. My new job started Monday, and I haven't had the time I want to spend on this. Howver, I do not intend my lack of free time to lessen the quality of this work, so the final chapters will come, but slowly. Anyway, this was a good place to leave off. I want to leave you all in suspense because it is fun. Also, didn't I say that Samson Belle wouldn't have redeeming qualities? Please read and review.