Chapter 4 (spoiler alert)

As soon as Zeena leaves, Ethan says goodbye to Mattie and leaves. He wants to go and finish his work so he can get back to her sooner. Ethan thinks of how much more he likes his home with Zeena's  mere absence. He remembers how he met Zeena, when his mother was sick and dying, and Zeena came to help him take care of her. She was like a light in the darkness to Ethan at the time, so he asked her to stay with him, he told her they could sell the mill and move to the city where he could get a better job. Unfortunately, not many people came to buy the mill. Then, Zeena too fell silent. Now just as Zeena had been Ethan's light in his mother's darkness, Mattie is his light in Zeena's darkness. When Ethan arrives back, Mattie has prepared dinner for them. Then, as they are eating, the cat breaks a very important dish that Ethan gave Zeena when they got married. This broken dish is a very good illustration of the Frome's shattered relationship.