In a memory set in Oxford, Massachusetts, on January 19, 1755, Martha lies in bed with Ephraim while a storm has kept the world dark for two days. The cabin is warm despite the weather, and Ephraim quietly repeats lines from the Song of Solomon as he holds Martha close.

Martha reflects on their first month of marriage and on the promise Ephraim made not to force intimacy. He waited through their early weeks together, first until Martha bled and then beyond that, so there would be no doubt about whether any child conceived belonged to him. Martha comes to understand that Ephraim’s restraint was meant to reassure her and remove any lifelong uncertainty.

As winter confined them indoors and intensified the tension between them, Ephraim still left the choice to Martha. Martha recognizes that she delayed because she did not know how to surrender, but after a month of seeing Ephraim’s patience and character, Martha decides she no longer has reason to fear and must choose what kind of wife she will be.

Martha remembers how, the night before, she sat by the fire brushing her hair while Ephraim undressed and waited in bed. When Martha finally stood before him and let her shift fall from her shoulders, Ephraim asked if she was sure. Martha answered by continuing, making her consent clear.

Ephraim then guided Martha through their first sexual intimacy with tenderness, using the language of the Song of Solomon as both praise and instruction. Martha experiences his words and touch as reverent rather than possessive, and the storm outside becomes a backdrop to a night in which Martha feels warmth, safety, and desire rather than fear. By morning, the memory stands as one of complete trust and the true beginning of their physical marriage.