Chapter 15
Contains spoilers
Summary
- Hazel and Flora are at their new home in Binsey, preparing for dinner in September 1939.
- They wear matching blue dresses and plait each other's hair, trying to cling to normalcy.
- Flora feels uncertain about the reality of their situation, asking if they're still in the real world.
- Hazel reassures Flora by confirming the reality and explaining they'll stay in Binsey until the bombs stop.
- They join Mrs. Aberdeen and her son Harry for dinner, eating lamb stew and biscuits.
- The atmosphere at Mrs. Aberdeen's is different from their recent experiences at home in Bloomsbury.
- Mrs. Aberdeen leads a prayer before dinner, and Hazel catches Harry with his eyes open.
- Mrs. Aberdeen shares her love for Binsey and refers to it as a hamlet, rather than a town or city.
- Flora innocently inquires about Harry's father, who is vaguely described as "gone."
- Hazel reflects on her curiosity about the stories and reasons behind people's departures.
- Mrs. Aberdeen suggests Hazel and Flora call her Mum Bridie or Aunt Bridie, but settles on "Just Bridie" as Flora suggests.
- Bridie plans to take the girls to Oxford to mail a card to their mum, mentioning the upcoming autumn equinox.
- She begins to tell the myth of Persephone, piquing the girls' interest, but decides to leave the story unfinished.
- Flora's reaction to the story highlights her innocence and charm, while Hazel feels a slight jealousy.
- Hazel struggles with feeling happy in Binsey, thinking about her mum's worry back home.
- Despite Hazel's feelings of being outshone by her sister, she recognizes that stories are meant to be shared.