Classics Out Loud

Valancy and Barney spent a peaceful winter in the Blue Castle. They celebrated storms, went skating, watched the stars, read, made candy and occupied their time with checkers and conversation. Valancy had one night of distress, when Barney was late coming home during a fierce snowstorm, but he emerged safely, a moment that transformed them both. They shared a sense of wonder and contentment, a fre...

Valancy and Barney spend the autumn and winter months experiencing the beauty of nature and each other's company. They go for long treks and find beautiful moments with the winter landscape. There is a sense of spellbound serenity, and Valancy quotes her beloved John Foster books to describe her beautiful landscape. She receives a string of milky pearl beads as a Christmas present from Barny.

Valancy and Barney spend their time wandering through the enchanted Muskoka country, immersing themselves in nature. Valancy was a quick learner and was able to mimic bird calls, paddle a canoe and cook trout. They sometimes stayed out in the woods until late and made beds of bracken and fir boughs in order to sleep. Valancy had also bought some new clothes and Barney began calling her 'Moonl...

Valancy and Barney escape to the Blue Castle on the island, where they luxuriate in the beauty of nature, enjoying the colours of Mistawis and the lights of the islands across the lake. They appreciate the freedom to do anything they want, whether it's exploring the islets, attending masquerade dances, or simply sitting in beautiful silence. Valancy finds freedom in this escape from her old l...

The Stirlings settle with treating Valancy as if she were dead, and when that wasn't possible such as when Valancy and Barnie show in Uncle Benjamin's grocery store, they resort to confrontation.  Uncle Benjamin accuses Barnie of having tricked her to leave her family and friends. Of course, Barnie is having none of that. “I have made her happy,” he said coolly, “and she was miserable wi...

Valancy returns to her mother's house to let her know she had in fact been married, and had not gone missing.  She bumps into cousin Georgiana on the way who is desperate to tell Valancy that Edward Beck (complete with 9 children) wants to marry her. “There’s only one obstacle,” said Valancy dreamily. “You see, I’m married already.” It turns out most of the family are already at her mother&ap...

“Mrs. Snaith, I hope you will be very happy,” Mr. Towers was saying. And so Barney and Valancy are married, without flowers, or flower girls, or a white dress, or family, but with Barney - who was all that mattered. Barney describes the island they are to live on, before paddling across the lake in a canoe to reach it. Valancy has found her Blue Castle at last.

We finally find out the momentous decision Valancy came to. She asks Barney Snaith to marry her, and considering her condition of having only some weeks or months to live, says yes. She hands him a letter to give to her family if - when - something happens to her, to ensure they find out the truth about her ailment rather than thinking something happened to her because of Barney. And with that dec...

Ironically, Valancy's matrimonial prospects never looked more hopeful than at Cissy's funeral. Edward Beck has taken an interest, and the Stirlings are not-so-quietly confident that all will be well, and Valancy will come home.   She has lain awake all night deciding on her next course of action. She won't be staying any longer with Roaring Able. If the Stirling clan had any inkling...

Cissy tells Valancy her "poor little story", of her love and loss, and Valancy stays with her to the end. 

The adventure continues with Valancy going to the movies for the first time and enjoys dinner afterwards at a restaurant - with Barney Snaith. It was just an impulse request from Barney, but nevertheless a delight for Valancy.

Stuck on the side of the road with Barny Snaith, waiting for someone to come along with gas, Valancy has a revelation.   And who should it be that turns up? Of course it would be Uncle Wellington and Olive. They are outraged of course. Imagine being found with this "jail bird" on the side of the road at 10 o'clock at night!

Roaring Able invites Valancy to a party "up back" at Chidley Corners, not the sort of place a nice girl would normally go to, but she decides to attend anyway, since Able is playing violin. It starts out well enough, but as a new crowd turns up that is already intoxicated, things get rough and Valancy regrets coming.   Then, just as things get a bit much entirely, Barnie Snaith appears a...

Uncle James makes a valiant attempt to persuade Valancy to come home, but is thrown out the front door by Roaring Able. Quickly followed by her old minister, Dr Stalling, who was almost successful with his hypnotic wiggling forefinger and his commands to come home.  But she finds her inner voice, telling her that fear is the root of much evil in the world.   Finally, cousin Georgiana comes and tri...

Valancy's first interaction with Barnie Snaith while staying with Roaring Able leaves her breathless and wondering if one of her heart attacks is coming on. But the man is an enigma, he tells great stories but gives so little of himself away at the same time. In any case, Valancy is intrigued and continues to listen for his noisy automobile go past in anticipation of seeing him again.

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...

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...

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,...

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 lif...

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 a...