The Blue Castle Chapter 20

In which Valancy, braving unfamiliar social terrain, ventures to a rustic dance at Chidley Corners clad in a dress that both emboldens and unsettles her, discovering the lively but unruly character of the gathering with a mixture of amusement and disquiet. Amidst raucous revelry and unwanted attentions, she finds unexpected refuge in Barney Snaith’s timely rescue, leading to a companionable predicament that kindles a curious exhilaration beneath the northern pines.