"Where have you been?" she asked.
"We went to Bangor and went shopping. You should have seen all the wonderful clothes stores. It would have been heaven for you. We ate ice cream and cookies and hamburgers. I've never had so much fun in all my life," Samantha said.
"We've all been worried sick about you. Why couldn't you tell us where you were going?"
"You're not her mother, so stop acting like it," Joseph said. Samantha jerked at this statement as though someone had slapped her. "I'm sorry, Sam. I just meant she doesn't have any right to go sticking her nose into our business."
"Yeah, well, I do," Mr. Pryde called out. He stomped out of the kitchen, his face dark except for the butt of his cigarette. "I told you not to go off driving that car. You ain't got a license yet."
"Mr. Pryde, it's my fault," Samantha said.
"You stay out of this, little girl. Take your cousin and go upstairs until I'm ready to deal with you."
"Don't talk to her like that," Joseph said.
"Boy, don't start with me. You're in enough trouble as it is. First thing tomorrow you're going with me to apologize to the sheriff for wasting his time. Then you're going to help me on the boat for the next month. Maybe some real work will straighten you out."
"No," Joseph said. "You can't make us do anything."
"You think because you're fifteen I can't still take you over my knee?"
"I'd like to see you try."
"Please, don't fight. Let's go in the kitchen and talk," Samantha said. She tried to put herself between the Pryde men, but Joseph took her by the shoulder and pushed her towards Prudence. Samantha stumbled, falling on her rear at Prudence's feet. "Don't!" she shouted, but it was too late.
Mr. Pryde snuffed out his cigarette and then took a step towards his son. Joseph swung wildly, the blow catching nothing but air. Mr. Pryde caught his son's arm and shoved the boy back against the wall. Samantha screamed, a sharp, piercing shriek that caused Prudence to cover her ears. She gathered up the weeping Samantha and mumbled assurances into her ears.
Wendell heard the scream and recognized it as belonging to Samantha. He bolted from the bedroom and down the stairs to find the Prydes grappling by the front door. Mr. Pryde sat on top of his son, pinning him to the floor. Near the living room doorway, Samantha hugged Prudence, whose face couldn't contain the joy at being reunited with Samantha.
Wendell leapt over the stair railing to hurry over to Samantha's side. "You're back!" he said.