▁work ▁and ▁marriage . ▁▁ ▁† Dr . ▁Alexander ▁– ▁Anne ' s ▁father ▁and ▁John ▁Gordon ' s ▁medical ▁ment or ; ▁a ▁wid ower . ▁ ▁He ▁becomes ▁a ▁secret ▁la ud an um ▁add ict ▁due ▁to ▁pain ▁from ▁r he um at ism , ▁and ▁eventually ▁dies ▁of ▁a ▁heart ▁attack . ▁▁ ▁† K ate ▁Gordon ▁ ▁– ▁John ' s ▁older ▁sister ; ▁an ▁ecc ent ric ▁woman ▁who ▁lives ▁independently ▁and ▁oper ates ▁her ▁own ▁farm . ▁It ▁is ▁imp lied ▁that ▁she ▁may ▁be ▁a ▁les bian , ▁as ▁she ▁has ▁a ▁habit ▁of ▁taking ▁in ▁local ▁farm ▁girls ▁for ▁help ▁and ▁companion ship , ▁then ▁becoming ▁angry ▁and ▁making ▁a ▁scene ▁when ▁the ▁girls ▁take ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁local ▁young ▁men . ▁She ▁commits ▁suic ide ▁shortly ▁after ▁Anne ▁and ▁John ▁are ▁married . ▁▁ ▁John ▁" John ny " ▁Gordon , ▁Jr . ▁– ▁Anne ▁and ▁John ' s ▁oldest ▁child , ▁he ▁asp ires ▁to ▁be , ▁and ▁eventually ▁becomes , ▁a ▁doctor ▁like ▁his ▁father . ▁He ▁mar ries ▁Julia ▁Dem ing , ▁but ▁is ▁un fa ith ful ▁to ▁her ▁because ▁she ▁is ▁fr ig id ▁and ▁does ▁not ▁like ▁sex , ▁and ▁the ▁marriage ▁ends ▁unh app ily ▁after ▁she ▁lear ns ▁he ▁had ▁an ▁affair . ▁ ▁Bel inda ▁" B in ny " ▁Gordon ▁– ▁Anne ▁and ▁John ' s ▁younger ▁child , ▁she ▁has ▁a ▁cr ush ▁on ▁the ▁older ▁Julia ▁Dem ing , ▁which ▁Julia