Chapter 29
Contains spoilers
Summary
- Hazel is unfamiliar with St. Brigid's Day or Imbolc but observes the town's participation in the celebrations led by Bridie.
- The townspeople celebrate with a bonfire, picnic blankets, green rush piles, food and wine, while a fiddle player provides music.
- Four nurses who help war-wounded boys interact with Flora, and Hazel keeps the topic of orphans away from her sister.
- Hazel contemplates the potential of becoming an orphan due to the war and what would become of her and Flora.
- Hazel recounts her life in Binsey, her friends, the festivals, and mentions how Bridie preserves old traditions.
- Bridie has helped Hazel learn new things, marking the passage of time with seasonal rituals.
- Mum's visits are described, revealing the difficulties she faces in London, including rationing and bomb shelters.
- An intimate moment reveals Mum's hardships during a conversation with Bridie, overheard by Hazel.
- At the St. Brigid’s party, attendees create St. Brigid's crosses, and Mr. Nolan acknowledges Brigid's Christian identity, which Bridie expands on.
- Hazel learns from Bridie that the season of darkness will give way to spring and growth, symbolizing hope.
- Nurses Imogene and Frances discuss their traumatic experiences with war injuries, inadvertently exposing Hazel to harsh realities.
- Frances expresses disapproval over what she perceives as paganism, while Bridie speaks of honoring natural cycles and life's continuity beyond war.
- The chapter concludes with the community blessing each other and praying for future well-being as the weather turns snowy.
- Hazel is reassured by Bridie and Harry that magic is real, fostering a sense of wonder and safety.
- Bridie encourages Hazel to see the value in storytelling as a creative and empowering practice, beyond the judgment of others.