In a flashback to Oxford, Massachusetts, on December 19, 1754, Martha Moore recalls the night she married Ephraim Ballard. Joseph North, acting as town clerk, stands between Ephraim and Martha’s angry father and confirms that the marriage is lawful. Martha finally speaks for herself, saying Billy Crane already destroyed her reputation, and North adds that Billy Crane is dead. When Martha’s parents object that she has nothing and should not leave yet, Ephraim insists that Martha will come with him that night so she will not be denied a home, dignity, or the usual welcome into married life.

At Ephraim’s cabin, Martha is frightened by the bedroom and by what marriage might require, but Ephraim immediately reassures her. He tells Martha he will never hurt her and presents a gift instead of making demands: a wooden box containing a blank book, ink, a quill, and a Bible. Ephraim explains that the gift is the beginning of Martha’s education, because he intends to teach her to read and write. He then kisses Martha tenderly and promises he will not take her body until she freely asks for him, establishing that their marriage will be based on consent rather than force.

Ephraim opens the Bible to the family register and writes down their marriage, showing Martha how her new name looks on the page. When Martha says she has never seen her name written before, Ephraim promises to write it whenever she wishes and to teach her to write his. He then begins reading to Martha from the Song of Solomon, choosing a passage about kisses and desire, turning the lesson into a playful, intimate exchange. The reading, the writing, and the flirtation all deepen Martha’s sense that Ephraim offers safety, respect, and a new kind of life.

Later, Ephraim asks only to share Martha’s bed and hold her while they sleep, and Martha agrees. He leaves her privacy to undress, joins her in the dark, and simply wraps himself around her, keeping his promise. After he falls asleep, Martha lies awake imagining a physical intimacy with him that is gentle and wanted rather than violent or painful. When Ephraim realizes she is awake and aroused by her thoughts, he teasingly encourages her without pressing further, ending the night with affection and mutual desire rather than fear.