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Harriet's Apology Despite what I initially thought about Harriet Quimby and her aggressive flirtation with MacNeill, after this scene, you have to hand it to her. She ends up being a very decent sort and by her comments to Christy about MacNeill, she generates one of the biggest swoon moments found in this movie.
Here is what happens. Back at the mission following an incident in which Harriet aides Christy in breaking up a potential lynching, the two women have a few moments to talk on the mission house steps. Harriet opens the conversation by apologizing to Christy about what happened at MacNeill's. Christy quickly covers her surprise and tells Harriet that what happened at MacNeill's between the aviatrix and him is none of her concern. Harriet quickly states that it actually what happened between Christy and MacNeill that she was referring to. The aviatrix then goes on to explain to Christy that MacNeill told her that it was Christy he ran after, and she tells the young school teacher that she is really sorry for what happened since she didn't realize that Christy "had designs on him." Christy naturally tries to pretend that what Harriet is saying is nonsense, but Harriet quickly sets her straight stating, "Christy I am a woman. And a fairly observant one, at that. If I'd been paying attention instead of flirting, I would have seen it earlier... And as much as I would have liked for him to be interested in me, his heart was elsewhere. It's you he wants, Christy." Christy seems totally stunned by this (delighted, but floored) and asks Harriet if MacNeill had actually said that. Harriet replies that he didn't have to. And I'm sitting there watching this thinking, "OK, on the count of three, lets all swoon together!!!!"
David's Accusation Now here comes David to snap Christy from her bliss. Leave it to David to wreck a perfectly good swoon!! He charges up to the Mission House and demands to know why Uncle Bogg and the mountain men are so upset. Christy tells him about the earlier incident with the poachers who were captured by the Cutter Gap men and nearly hung. And she tells him how she and Harriet prevented it. Christy also tells David that it makes no difference how mad she has made Bogg and the others because considering how things have been going for her lately, she has nothing to lose.  David takes offense at this comment and contends that her leaving to go home to Asheville is because she is trying to get away from him. And then he lowers the boom by telling her, "I've seen it on your face; you still have feelings for MacNeill and you have no intention of marrying me." (Hey, we have just had two good Christy/MacNeill swoons in less than five minutes! WOW!! And can you believe it, Grantland is responsible for one of them!) David then asks for Christy to return his ring that he had given her earlier. So Christy now has received pressure from each of the men in life to make up her mind and commit or quit!!
Zach's Test This is interesting in that we experience another of the great dynamics of this couple--a demonstration of another aspect of the two one which they differ (besides faith and religion) and why this makes them such an exciting couple to watch. We see here exactly how much Christy is still the outsider here with a different set of values and understanding than the reality of life in the Cove, as represented by MacNeill. His viewpoint is very much grounded in reality and first-hand experiences, and when examining her motivations he has an uncanny ability to see past her words and actions to what lies inside her heart. She still has illusions about life and projects her ideals and motivations on others at times...in this case on her student Zach Holt.  As viewers, we have observed Zach's struggles and realize that he is not prepared yet to pass the rigid college exams; he just doesn't have the knowledge and the schooling yet to pull that off. But Christy has her heart set on Zach doing this, and in many ways by setting his goals so high at this stage in his education, she sets the young man up for the big disappointment that he suffers when he fails to pass the exam. MacNeill understands what Zach is really up against and how much Christy still has to learn about the reality of life in the Cove. This scene shows Christy's immaturity and naiveté about life compared to MacNeill experience and maturity. MacNeill asserts that the best way to accept failure is to be honest with yourself. She asks him what she should tell Zach now and MacNeill counters with "How about the truth? Life isn't fair. And in Cutter Gap it's a lot less fair than any of us would like. Take it from me." But this truth isn't just for Zach; this truth is really intended for Christy. And what a telling statement this is coming from MacNeill as it forces us to consider all the unfairness that he witnesses on a day to day basis in tending to the medical needs of these people.  But it also reminds us of the world of difference in his life when compared to the sheltered life of ease that Christy comes from. As he turns and abruptly walks away from her, we realize that MacNeill is acutely aware of this polarity of experience, and it suggests to him one more reason why she might be better off with a man closer to her realm of experience. Yet we sense that what is really being done in here in pointing out the couple's obvious disparities is that once again we recognize that Christy's coming to value and love the people and life in Cutter Gap resonates with her coming to value and love this man. Their relationship mirrors her learning about herself, her faith, her beliefs, her values, and what is truly in her heart.
The Epilogue What is significant in this closing scene of the movie between Catherine and her mother, the elderly Christy is the brief discussion the two women have about Christy making a choice between the two men in her life. The elderly Christy tells her daughter that David was turning into a fine man that any girl would want to marry and that Neil was, well, a big distraction to her.  (Here is the distraction word again which I think by now we can take as her way of describing some type of desire or longing). It seems that we are being told that David would be the logical, safe choice; yet Christy's heart seems to be pulling her toward a reason of another kind. Christy has a tug of war going on inside herself between her reason (what she thinks she should want) and her heart (what she really wants). This will be a fascinating process to watch as she sorts this whole thing out in the miniseries "Choices of the Heart."
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