There is no death in remembrance. Remember me, Sarah. Remember me, and a part of me will always be with you.” – Martha Carrier to her daughter, Sarah Carrier

Sharing secrets is the way in which women tie themselves together, for it reveals complicity and trust. Holding secrets shows trustworthiness and a sort of quite defiance. It is a natural thing for a female...

Oh fer Christ’s bloody sake Martha I didna’ raise ye to be well regarded. To be liked. Any puny weak-waisted slut can be liked. I raised ye to be reckoned with.

There are winter evenings in Massachusetts when there is no wind and the crust on the snow seems to hold in the cold. And if the moon is three-quarters full, its light adds a kind...