The Kitchen House

Belle gets a letter from Lavinia saying that once she finds her older brother, Cardigan, she’s going to come get Belle and Jamie. At the same time, Will says that when Marshall returns to inherit the farm, he’s getting his own land and wants to know if Belle and Jamie will move to his farm. He says he will also invite Ben, Lucy, and their children. He also asks her if she thinks Lavinia would court him. 

Lavinia turns 16 and is engaged to Mr. Boran, but Mr. Madden says they can’t wed until she turns 17. Meg doesn’t approve of the marriage. One morning, Will Stephens appears. When Lavinia sees him, her “childhood infatuation [comes] rushing back” (211).

Marshall gets into an argument with Mr. Madden. He claims that he still has rights to Lavinia since she was his father’s indentured servant, and he refuses to give her to Mr. Boran. When Mr. Madden says that Lavinia isn’t opposed, Marshall says, “Lavinia? Opposed? I’ve known her all of my life. She is the gentlest creature I’ve ever seen. When has she ever opposed anything?” (212). Mr. Madden won’t change his mind, and Marshall grows distant from Lavinia. Meanwhile, Mr. Boran becomes sexually aggressive toward Lavinia.

Lavinia and Will talk alone, and he makes it clear that he has feelings for her. However, she still believes that he’s the father of Belle’s baby. To her, this suspicion is confirmed when she learns that Will invited Belle to move to his farm. When Will wants to see Lavinia again before he leaves town, she denies him. She is visibly sad but won’t tell Sarah “of my reawakened love for Will, nor of my sadness in learning of his intent to take Belle into his own home” (218). The thought of Mr. Boran sickens her, but she doesn’t know how to end the engagement without shaming the Maddens.

Sarah gives Lavinia permission to visit Martha, and when she sees how well her sister responds, Sarah allows Lavinia to visit often. Lavinia says, “Though everyone praised me for the comfort I brought [to Martha], no one knew that I received as much from these visits as did Martha” (219). 

Will visits Belle and tells her what happened during his visit with Lavinia. Belle notes, “Mama says it good that Ben and me are going to Will’s farm. She’s afraid that Benny will get hisself killed if Marshall ever goes after me again” (221).

Mr. Boran grows even more sexually aggressive with Lavinia. One night, during a ball, Mr. Boran lures Lavinia home with him and tries to rape her. Marshall comes to her rescue, and the engagement ends. Lavinia decides that she can’t wait on a man to save her, and she tries to see if she can be a governess, but Mrs. Ames, the teacher, says that only women who can’t marry become governesses.

Marshall thanks Lavinia for visiting his mother. He then says, “This fall I will inherit Father’s estate. By then I’ll have completed my studies, but I won’t stay here to practice law. I plan to go back to Tall Oaks to run the plantation myself. […] You must know I care for you. I want you to come with me, Lavinia. I want to marry you” (232). She agrees, but later is worried by “Marshall’s lack of physical affection. […] In truth, after Mr. Boran’s display, I was relieved, yet I wondered why Marshall did not at least attempt a kiss” (233).

Mr. Boran dies, and authorities rule his death an accident, although it’s presumed that Marshall had something to do with it. Lavinia and Marshall get married, but they don’t consummate on their wedding night.

Belle hears that Lavinia married Marshall, and she’s confused about how something like that could happen. The plantation gets a shipment of expensive decorations to furnish Lavinia’s new room in the big house. 

Lavinia is overjoyed to be back at home on the plantation, having brought Martha out of the hospital to live with her. However, immediately things are different; everyone treats Lavinia like the mistress of the big house rather than as family. Marshall begins drinking again, and he becomes stern with Lavinia, forbidding her to call Mama Mae “Mama.”

That night, Marshall and Lavinia have sex for the first time. He’s drunk, and it’s not enjoyable: “The act was quick and rough, and he showed no tenderness, but after, when I pulled my gown down, he laid his head on my stomach and drunkenly pleaded for my forgiveness” (245-246).

Lavinia returns to the plantation, and Belle thinks about how often Lavinia was sick as a child: “Somebody looks at her the wrong way, her food comes up. Most of the time, Mama and me don’t think she’s gonna grow up. How this girl comes back looking good as she do, I don’t know” (249). 

Marshall’s temper only gets worse with Lavinia. He continues to drink heavily and abuse those around him. Rankin comes back, and Marshall takes Jamie from Will’s farm against Belle’s wishes, claiming that Jamie is his property. To fix her marriage with Marshall, Lavinia becomes more submissive.

Belle is distraught over Jamie’s abduction. “Marshall knows what he’s doing when he takes my boy. You take a baby from a mama, there’s nothing more you can do to her” (262). Everyone tries to comfort Belle, especially Ben and Lucy. Belle decides that if Marshall harms Jamie in any way, she’ll kill him.