Summary

In chapter 7, Isabelle helps her mom clean up after the rain and hail storm from the night before. She offers to her mother that they give their worn linens to Cora, but Mrs. McAllister refuses, saying Cora’s family has enough. When Isabelle goes to the kitchen to retrieve glasses of milk for her and her mother, she overhears Cora and Nell talking about Robert; they express concern for Robert’s potential foolishness. Specifically, Cora says that Robert needs to make sure he knows his place. Nell reassures Cora that Robert does in fact know his place, but Cora is still afraid of losing her job.

Isabelle follows Robert out of her house that day, though she does so secretly. After dropping off her books at the library – the guise she gives her mother for the mid-day outing – Isabelle follows Robert out of...