Classics Out Loud

Valancy reflects on her few weeks living with Roaring Able and the difference she made in Cissy's day to day life.

Valancy walks out to Roaring Abel's house under a "sky of purple and amber", and is surprised to find happiness that someone needed her - someone she could make a difference to.

“I said, ‘Doss, where are you going?’ and she said, ‘I am going to look for my Blue Castle.’”

The family get together to try and work out what to do after Valancy leaves. Was she insane? What is to be done! And most important of all, who will rub cousin Stickles' back at night now?

Mrs Frederick is in tears and Uncle Benjamin calls for calm, but it's clear that Valancy is resolute about her new life.

Roaring Able comes to repair the porch, and Valancy sits on the porch to talk with him. In doing so, she learns that his daughter, Cissy Gay, has been left at home, with nobody to look after her, and has been deathly sick for some time.
 
This deeply affects her, and on the spot she offers to come and keep house for Able, not because she particularly cares for making meals for him, but that Cissy should be taken care of. 
 
Once again, Valancy's life is about to change completely.

A stream of family members come to Valancy to beg her to see Dr Marsh, but she refuses all attempts to persuade her. Uncle Benjamin, Olive, her mother, all fail to convince her to do anything at all. 
 
Another family conclave is held, but what is there to do? Nothing really, except watch and wait, much to their consternation.
 
When Uncle James goes to see Dr Marsh about Valancy's behaviour, Dr Marsh has to stifle a smile several times during the conversation.

Valancy returns home after the Wedding Anniversary dinner, spent and in pain, but delighted in being able to speak her mind at last.

Finally, we reach the Silver Wedding anniversary dinner, and Valency lets loose. Everything she's been thinking comes out, and they really do believe she's gone "dippy", at least according to Uncle Benjamin.

Strangely she finds herself defending the indefensible Barnie Snaith: "I don't mean to hush," said Valancy perversely. "I've hush-hushed all my life. I'll scream if I want to. Don't make me want to. And stop talking nonsense about Barney Snaith." She can't quite understand why she feels the need to stand up for him.
 
In the end, the excitement is too much, and with one of her attacks coming on, she makes a hasty exit. Meanwhile the family try and work out what to do about this odd development.

Valancy takes in the members of her family attending the Silver Wedding anniversary with fresh eyes now she has freed her thinking.

Valency begins exercising the freedoms she has granted herself - her mother and cousin are now afraid of what Valency will do at the clan's Silver Wedding anniversary dinner. At the point that cousin Stickles catches her sliding down the banister, she knew that something was seriously wrong with Valency. How can her mother prevent this disaster from happening?

Valancy didn't sleep that night. She spent the time recollecting  the events in her life that had stood out. By cataloguing all these injustices,  she realises she has spent her time pleasing everyone else - and never herself.
 
She decides that from this moment on, won't live a second-hand existence, but rather will tell the truth and never do anything she doesn't want to do ever again. Thus begins a new life for Valancy, and the chapter ends with her first act of rebellion.