She knew , as every one else knew , that the glamor soon went from Christopher Holland 's married life . The marriage proved an unhappy one . Not unnaturally , although unjustly , Eunice blamed Victoria for this , and hated her more than ever for it . Christopher seldom came to Charles ' house . Possibly he felt ashamed . He had grown into a morose , silent man , at home and abroad . It was said he had gone back to his old drinking habits . One fall Victoria Holland went to town to visit her married sister . She took their only child with her . In her absence Christopher kept house for himself . It was a fall long remembered in Avonlea . With the dropping of the leaves , and the shortening of the dreary days , the shadow of a fear fell over the land . Charles Holland brought the fateful news home one night . `` There 's smallpox in Charlottetown -- five or six cases . Came in one of the vessels . There was a concert , and a sailor from one of the ships was there , and took sick the next day . '' This was alarming enough . Charlottetown was not so very far away and considerable traffic went on between it and the north shore districts . When Caroline recounted the concert story to Christopher the next morning his ruddy face turned quite pale . He opened his lips as if to speak , then closed them again .
They were sitting XXXXX the kitchen ; Caroline had run over to return some tea she had borrowed , and , incidentally , to see what she could of Victoria 's housekeeping in her absence .
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