The Thirteenth Tale

The snow is still falling, and Margaret, Judith, and Maurice are trapped at the house. Margaret spends the time writing up the rest of the story, but when the snow finally stops, she goes into the garden to grieve for Vida. Dr. Clifton finds her there and comforts her. They return to the house, and the four of them gradually begin making conversation and living again.

When Margaret goes home, she asks her father why her mother is the way she is. He explains that she almost died in labor, and when she recovered, Margaret and her twin had already been separated, and Moira had died. Her mother never recovered from the experience. Her mother was also the one who decided that they should not tell Margaret about her twin, as it was such a sad and difficult story. Margaret attends the funerals of Vida, Emmeline, and Adeline and then returns to Angelfield to see Aurelius. She gives him the ashes from the bones found at Angelfield, and then tells him the full story of his birth and abandonment.

They bury Adeline’s ashes at the base of Emmeline’s grave, and Margaret tells Aurelius about his father, Ambrose. Aurelius is upset because he is dead, but then Margaret tells him that Ambrose had married and had another child.