What tragic event did Mary-Ben experience as a young woman in the novel, What’s Bred in the Bone?

As a young woman, Mary-Ben suffered an injury that would affect her entire life. At a garden party in Government House, Mary-Ben was attacked by a Great Horned Owl. The owl was attracted by her hat, which looked to him like a skunk, and when the owl seized the hat, it took a considerable portion of her scalp with it. Her scalp remained too tender for wigs, and so she took to wearing caps made of the softest material she could find. This incident defines her role in life. She has no other choice but to serve.