Lyddie’s family is broken up after the bear attack.
Lyddie’s family is in their small cabin on the farm when a bear comes in through an improperly fastened door. Lyddie immediately springs to action, getting her family to safety up into the loft.
Lyddie glared straight into the bear's eyes, daring him to step forward into the cabin. Then when the ladder was silent and she could hear the slight rustling above her as the family settled themselves on the straw mattresses, she backed up to the ladder and, never taking her eyes off the bear, inched her way up to the loft. (Ch. 1)
The bear is unable to find food and leaves without hurting anyone, but Lyddie’s mother can’t handle it. She is concerned about them living alone on the farm without Lyddie’s father, who left to go west in search of work. She has been unstable since her last daughter was born.
Lyddie’s mother leaves her and her brother alone on the farm, which is not the best situation but one Lyddie feels she can handle. Then her mother decides that she is going to rent out the farm, and have her kids both go work to pay off family debts. Lyddie ends up in a pub and Charlie works for a mill.
Lyddie is horrified when she learns of this. She feels as if her mother sold her children to the highest bidder.
She sighed. "We'll be back, Charlie, I promise." They were both quiet a moment remembering their father saying almost the same words. "Truly," she added. "I'm sure of it." (Ch. 2)
Lyddie wants to bring her family back together as soon as she can. She holds on to this dream after her littlest sister dies and her mother is institutionalized. It is not until Charlie comes to get her other sister Rachel that she realizes her family will never be together again.
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