Crow Lake

Kate remembers flying over northern Ontario on her way home from a conference and how she was “staggered by the vastness of it. The emptiness” (93). 

Aunt Annie leaves in mid-September, unhappily accepting Luke’s plan. They drive her to the train station in their new car. She waves goodbye, crying a little. That night, after Luke puts Bo to bed, Laurie Pye comes to their house. Matt and Luke invite him inside, but at the front door Laurie changes his mind and walks away. In retrospect, Kate thinks Laurie wanted to confide in her brothers but might have been dissuaded by their apparent domestic tranquility. 

Luke starts working in the McLeans’ store, a “big old barn of a building” with groceries, pitchforks, soaps, wool, and other essentials (100). Kate cherishes memories of shopping there with her mother. As part of his job, Luke picks up store supplies from town, and sometimes Sally joins him.

Despite babysitting offers from neighbors, Luke is determined to care for Kate and Bo himself. He feels they are too shaken up to leave home. Matt frequently takes them to the ponds, and they often meet Marie on the way back. She and Matt chat, while Kate fusses, impatient to get home. On one such occasion, Marie tentatively asks Matt if he’s okay. Instead of claiming everything’s fine, Matt only says, “Just about.” 

With hindsight, Kate wonders if Matt struggled with their parents’ deaths more than anyone, as he had no one to comfort him. She reflects that the ponds probably gave him some comfort, as did Marie.

Kate remembers what Miss Vernon told her about the Pyes. Jackson Pye was one of the founders of Crow Lake and built a big, handsome house with tall windows and a veranda. The farm was promising, but he fought constantly with his sons. He had five sons and two daughters, both of whom died as babies. Of the sons, two ran away from home; one moved to Toronto; and the remaining two, Arthur and Henry, planned to inherit the farm together. Miss Vernon and her sister Nellie daydreamed about marrying them. 

One day, Jackson and Henry were fighting, and Henry grabbed his father by the throat. He told Arthur the farm was all his and left Crow Lake that night. Arthur was left to inherit the farm. Arthur asked Nellie to marry him, and she accepted—but her father said no, worried that someday, someone would get killed on the Pye farm. 

After Jackson died, Arthur was smiling at his funeral. Arthur left Crow Lake and returned with a wife. They had three sons and three daughters. Like his father, Arthur fought with all his children. The girls married young, and two of the boys ran away. The remaining son was Calvin Pye. Arthur and Calvin continued working together for about 20 years, until Arthur died. Then Calvin went off and returned with his own wife, Alice. Alice has had many miscarriages and three children: Laurie, Marie, and Rosie. 

Listening to the story, Kate remembers a time in school when Miss Carrington called on Rosie. Rosie was so nervous she couldn’t answer and urinated with fear on the schoolroom floor.

As a child, Kate is fascinated by the railway tracks, thinking about the crew that laid them. In class, she listens to the trains. Miss Carrington walks her home one day. When they get to the house, Luke and Bo are hanging up laundered diapers. Kate fetches Miss Carrington a glass of water, aware that their house is filthy. When she returns, Miss Carrington and Luke are discussing Dr. Christopherson, and Luke asks Kate to go feed Bo.

Kate brings Bo inside and watches out the window as Matt joins Luke and Miss Carrington. Luke heads off to work, and Matt takes over the laundry. Kate suspects the messy house bothers him and that he feels it signifies lack of control over their lives. Kate goes outside and asks Matt if Miss Carrington said anything about her. Matt reassures her, saying Miss Carrington only mentioned Kate is a little quiet. 

Around this period, there is a fight in the schoolyard. Kate doesn’t see it happen, but Alex Kirby, “a farm boy and prize bully” (131), is beaten bloody by Laurie Pye. After the fight, Laurie’s shirt is ripped open, and Kate sees U-shaped marks all over his back. Miss Carrington tells Laurie to come talk to her, but he turns and walks away and never returns to school. 

As a child, Kate writes letters to Aunt Annie, updating her on what visitors they receive and the food the visitors bring. As an adult, Kate has these letters—Annie died a year ago. 

Most of the siblings’ visitors don’t stick around, not sure how to behave around Luke. The exception is Mrs. Stanovich, who comes and talks about the need to trust the Lord. Things are tense between Matt and Luke. Matt feels they can’t keep expecting gifts of food and that they need to plan ahead. He tries to tease Luke about Sally’s crush on him, but Luke gets angry. When Matt won’t stop teasing, Luke hits him. 

Luke is sensitive about Sally because of something that had happened earlier. Luke was working on their woodpile when Sally came by to chat. Kate went outside and spied them together. Sally was pressed against a tree and put Luke’s hand up her shirt. With obvious effort, Luke pulled his hand back and walked away. Luke, Kate realizes, is terrified that Sally took offense at his rejection and that she will have her parents fire him in retaliation.