They no longer kept watch over her lest she commit some folly, and became easier in their minds about her.
They made no objections when, three weeks later, she asked for the sleigh and the roan to go to New Salem and make some purchases for herself.

She went early in the afternoon, and returned in good season with her parcels.

They did not dream that she had been in a strange spirit of bitterness and shameful misery and feminine pride to purchase her wedding-gown for her marriage with Lot Gordon.
Her frantic and unreasoning impulse of concealment was still strong.
It was almost as if the whole horror of it were not so plainly thrust upon her if none but she knew it; then there was the agony of shame which made her fain to turn her back and deafen her ears to her own self, let alone all these others.
They rather wondered, the next morning, when they saw Madelon seated at work upon some shining lengths of silk, at the magnificence of her purchase in New Salem; but they knew that she had a little private fund of her own, which they had never questioned her right to spend.
"Guess she's been saving her egg-and-butter money," Abner said, when she went out for something.
His father nodded.

"Glad she's got a new gown.

Guess she'll show folks she ain't quite done for on account of that fellow," he said.
When Madelon was seated at her work again, and he passed her to leave the room, he laid a heavy, caressing hand on her black head.