Cordelia struggles to stay attentive in church while under an obedience spell cast by her mother, Evangeline. A fly tickles her hand, and though the spell dulls her senses, the irritation persists. She looks down briefly, but Evangeline notices and forces her to lift her head. Cordelia fears being punished for crying or sneezing but is relieved when the sermon ends.

After church, Evangeline blames Cordelia for forcing her to use obedience and releases the spell at home. Once, the release made Cordelia scream, but now she stays silent to avoid further punishment. She remembers everything under obedience but feels powerless. Cordelia promises to “do better” and retreats upstairs. Though Evangeline forbids closed doors, Cordelia occasionally closes hers briefly in small acts of rebellion. She keeps a “daybook” but avoids writing secrets, knowing that her mother would find them.

Riding her horse, Falada, Cordelia shares her thoughts and dreams of running away to the sea, even though she knows they can’t swim. Although some girls are envious of Falada, a local girl, Ellen Parker, befriends Cordelia. Ellen often talks to Cordelia when they meet while riding, despite Cordelia’s conversational struggles.