The Spinster's Hope Chest: Excerpt from the Novel

This opening scene from the narrative of The Spinster’s Hope Chest (Maine Authors

Publishing, 2018) reveals the difficulties of rural life for the Millett sisters at the end of the Civil War. Resolution of their problems is the arc on which The three-volume Lizzie Millett Series is built.

I hope you enjoy this excerpt from the novel.

Spinster’s Hope Chest

“I hate you! H-h-hate you! I hate you!”

Six-year-old Hattie Millet screamed so loud at her father that her dead mother must have surely heard from the other side. She waved her arms around as if possessed, screaming and wailing like a banshee.

Her father, thirty-two-year-old Sewell Millet rushed across the room, grabbed her by the shoulders and shook so hard that one sleeve ripped off her dress. As he was about to hit the girl, nine-year-old sister Lizzie stepped in between. His hand glanced off the taller girl’s head opening a bloody gash just above her ear where his wedding ring struck. The guests at poor Francena Millet’s funeral stood in shocked silence. Then, two men, the assailant’s brother, Oren, and Hiram Fogg, the girls’ grandfather, jumped from their chairs to restrain the man before more harm might be done. Grandmother Beattie and her daughter Ella each pulled one girl away from the enraged man.

“We both hate you” yelled Lizzie from behind her aunt. “Hate you and your girlfriend. How could you think to bring her to Marm’s funeral. How could you?”

She pointed to Miss Rose Haskell from nearby Deer Hill, a seventeen-year-old neighbor who had very swiftly stepped in to take the place of Francena in Sewell’s life. During the service she stood in the rear of the room with Sewell’s parents. She was now directly behind him with left hand covering her mouth, the right on his shoulder. The other women in the room stared at the couple and whispered to each other loud enough so that their comments were audible.

“How brazen! Shame on both of them! Their families have dishonored the village! Shame. Shame. Shame.”

It was rumored that the two had eloped to New Hampshire to be married in secret, even before a death certificate had been filed; but this was only a rumor. Quickly the widower took Rose’s hand and rushed her toward the front door. As they left, he pointed directly at the Foggs. “I shan’t return to this house until you have buried her and taken all her things away. But remember, this is my house, not hers. Be done with your duty as quickly as possible.”