The Only One Left
by Riley Sager
Contents
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Overview
Kit’s disgust deepens as the real Lenora coldly defends stealing Virginia’s identity, explains why she returned from Europe to keep the deception alive, and admits she paid Berniece Mayhew to suppress testimony that could have implicated her. Lenora then reveals that Virginia’s chandelier hanging was a suicide attempt she covered up by removing the chair, not an attack. Virginia’s memory of her father taking away her newborn son shows the trauma that drove her despair and strengthens Lenora’s claim that Virginia had a reason to kill her parents.
Summary
After hearing how the woman posing as Mrs. Baker spent years in Europe living the free life Virginia had wanted, Kit tells her she is terrible and selfish. Lenora does not deny the cruelty. Instead, Lenora argues that no one believed her innocence after the 1929 murders, so forcing Virginia to live as "Lenora Hope" was the only way one of them could escape Hope’s End.
Lenora explains that she returned from Europe when war seemed imminent and resumed life at Hope’s End as Miss Baker while Virginia remained hidden as the supposedly disabled Lenora Hope. Archie knew the truth and stayed silent because it benefited him. Lenora says she never left again after the war because she lacked the desire and the money, and she confirms she paid Berniece Mayhew for years because Berniece saw her carrying a knife on the night of the murders and could have helped police charge her even though Lenora insists she did not kill her parents.
When Kit points out that Virginia got none of the freedom Lenora stole, Lenora makes a more shocking claim: Virginia was not attacked at the chandelier but tried to hang herself. Lenora says there was a chair beneath the chandelier and admits she removed it before police arrived, hiding the suicide attempt instead of helping Virginia. Lenora insists she did this because the attempt would have exposed why Virginia wanted to die, and Lenora bluntly states that Virginia murdered their parents after what Lenora, Winston Hope, and the real Miss Baker did to her.
The chapter then shifts to Virginia’s memory of giving birth on her bedroom floor with only Lenora and Miss Baker assisting. Virginia feels fierce love for her newborn son, but Winston enters and orders Lenora to take the baby away before Virginia can hold him. Miss Baker protests that Winston will destroy his daughter, yet Winston refuses to allow another scandal and says the child is not a Hope. Too weak to stop them, Virginia begs for her son, but Lenora obeys, Miss Baker offers false reassurance, and Virginia realizes she will never see either Miss Baker or her baby again.
Who Appears
- Lenora Hopethe real Lenora, posing as Mrs. Baker; defends stealing Virginia’s life and reveals Virginia’s alleged suicide attempt
- Kit McDeereconfronts Lenora with disgust and presses her for the truth about Virginia and the murders
- Virginia Hopeappears in memory giving birth, losing her baby, and emerging as the alleged killer of her parents
- Winston HopeVirginia’s father; cruelly orders her newborn taken away to avoid scandal
- Miss Bakerthe original tutor; helps during Virginia’s labor and protests Winston’s decision
- Berniece Mayhewformer witness blackmailed into silence after seeing Lenora with a knife on the murder night
- Archieknew Lenora and Virginia’s identity switch and kept quiet because it served him