Martha had spent six months believing she was “ugly” and “sinful” because her body was failing her. She had endured the silence of her father and the tears of her mother. But as Caleb Rowan examined the angry blotches on her neck, he didn’t recoil. He reached out with a steady hand and pulled the fabric of her dress away from her skin.
The Twist: It wasn’t a disease of the soul or a “savage” infection. Caleb realized that the “fire” on Martha’s skin wasn’t coming from inside her—it was coming from the very clothes she spent her life sewing. The expensive new dyes used in the town’s latest fabrics contained a chemical that was essentially poisoning her. The “respectable” doctor chose to call her “unclean” rather than admit he didn’t understand modern chemistry. Caleb didn’t just heal her skin; he proved she was never the monster the town claimed she was.
The Debate: Martha now has the evidence to ruin Dr. Harrison’s reputation and prove to the town that their “Sunday smiles” were actually killing her. Caleb wants her to stay on the mountain and heal, but her mother is still down in the valley, suffering under the weight of the town’s gossip.
Should Martha return to the town that threw her away just to prove them wrong, or should she let Redemption Creek burn in its own ignorance while she starts over with the man who actually saw her? What would you do?