The setting is March 1960 in front of a grand Palladian Georgian house in London.
Hazel arrives by taxi, contemplating her mother's remarriage and her new family including her stepbrother Tenny.
Hazel feels disconnected from the life of her mother and the house, now also inhabited by her stepfather.
Following her sister Flora's disappearance, Hazel harbors feelings of betrayal by her mother's new life and happiness.
Hazel reflects on a painful conversation back in 1945 when her mother announced her remarriage, exposing Hazel's conflicted emotions about moving on from her missing sister.
On the present visit to her mother's house, confronted with wealth and memories, Hazel is determined to confront long-standing emotional shadows.
Hazel greets Tenny on his birthday and encounters luxurious decorations and displays of wealth in the house.
Mrs. Tennyson warmly welcomes Hazel, and they discuss the idea of Hazel's potential marriage and children.
Hazel and her mum converse about Hazel's fear of love ruining her and the inability to move on from the past.
Hazel reveals to her mum a book called "Whisperwood," connected to a private story she created with her lost sister, suspecting someone else knows their tale.
Unable to contain her emotions, Hazel shares the book and her suspicions with her mother, who is hopeful yet emotional.
Alastair, Hazel's stepfather, enters with a hearty presence, and a brief interaction takes place before he departs for errands.
The chapter ends with Hazel feeling guarded about her story even as her mother provides her with a sense of safety and understanding.