Peggy Andrews's quiet life takes a dramatic turn when she receives a cryptic telegram from Hazel, setting her on a quest to uncover the truth behind the Whisperwood story. Meanwhile, Hazel confronts her past in unexpected ways, leading to revelations that threaten to shatter her carefully constructed present.
Chapter 31: A Quest in the Real World
In March 1960, Peggy is shaken by a telegram from Hazel that reads, “Where did you find this story. It is life and death.” She confides in her friend Wren, explaining her belief that stories, while "beautiful untrue things," also "carry the truth," highlighting The Power of Stories and Imagination. Wren, ever the adventurer, sees this mystery as a chance for Peggy to embark on a real-life quest and suggests they travel to London to find Hazel and uncover the truth behind Whisperwood.
Their conversation is interrupted by Peggy’s controlling mother, who reveals that Wren has a police record, attempting to drive a wedge between them. Undeterred, Wren whispers the story’s incantation, “Whisperwood,” and tells Peggy to meet him at midnight with a packed bag. Later, Peggy confronts her mother about the story’s origins, but her mother dismisses Hazel’s claims as insanity. This confrontation highlights the theme of Truth, Memory, and Secrets, as Peggy begins to suspect her mother is hiding something. Choosing her own adventure over her mother's control, Peggy packs a suitcase and sneaks out, ready to leave her old life behind and discover the truth for herself.
Chapter 32: Flora in the Woodlands
Hazel Mersey Linden attends an art show in Hampstead featuring the work of Harry Aberdeen. She is shocked to discover that his art is a visual archive of their shared childhood in Binsey. She sees sketches of St. Margaret’s well, the river, and most jarringly, a portrait of a young girl titled Flora in the woodlands and a charcoal drawing of Hazel herself. The art acts as a powerful, tangible link to her past, forcing her to confront memories she has long suppressed.
Harry finds her, and they step outside to talk. He explains that art is his way of processing memories he can't escape, much like storytelling was for her. Their conversation unearths long-buried feelings and misunderstandings. Harry reveals that Hazel’s mother warned his family to stay away after Flora’s disappearance, and he had always feared Hazel hated him for abandoning her. They confess their childhood love for each other, a moment of profound emotional connection that culminates in them leaning in, foreheads touching. The intimate scene is shattered by the arrival of Barnaby Yardley’s parents, Eleanor and Meldon, who witness the moment with cold disapproval, setting the stage for future conflict.
Chapter 33: A Crack in the Foundation
Hazel returns home to find Barnaby waiting for her, having been alerted by his mother. He confronts her about being with Harry, whom he calls "the boy from Binsey." The conversation quickly escalates as Barnaby reveals two stunning secrets: first, that his parents knew about the stolen book from Hogan's, and second, that his father had secretly arranged for her job at Sotheby's. This revelation dismantles Hazel's sense of self-reliance and exposes a hidden power dynamic in her relationship with Barnaby, making her question the authenticity of her own life and achievements.
Though they attempt to reconcile before their upcoming trip to Paris, a deep crack has formed between them. Unable to sleep, Hazel rereads the Vanity Fair article by Dorothy Bellamy, which only deepens her sense of Grief, Loss, and Hope. She then opens the letter from the police inspector, which contains the names and current locations of the four nurses from Binsey. Barnaby sees the list and expresses his frustration with her "endless" search for Flora Lea Linden / Dorothy 'Dot' Bellamy. His dismissive attitude solidifies the growing distance between them. As he leaves, Hazel’s attention is fixed on one name: Imogene Wright, who has a daughter named Iris.
Chapter 34: The Summer of Firsts and Lasts
This chapter flashes back to 1940. Hazel begins writing the Whisperwood stories in notebooks. The reality of The Impact of War intrudes when soldiers rescued from Dunkirk arrive in Port Meadow. The sight of the uniforms distresses Flora, who hopes her father is among them. While comforting her, Hazel and Harry share their first, fleeting kiss before being scolded by the nurses. The summer unfolds in an idyllic bubble, with Bridgette 'Bridie' Aberdeen teaching the children about nature, deepening the theme of Sisterhood and Family Bonds.
On Flora’s sixth birthday, her immersion in Whisperwood becomes concerning when she says she wants to turn into a river and stay there forever. Hazel, frightened, warns her that she could never return. The celebration is further darkened when their mother, Camellia Linden, arrives with news that a neighbor's son has been killed, meaning they cannot go home to London. The harsh reality shatters Hazel’s belief in the protective power of her stories. That night, Harry finds a distraught Hazel stargazing. He comforts her, and they share a second, more tender and intentional kiss, cementing their deep bond.
Chapter 35: The Girl Named Iris
Back in 1960, Hazel impulsively decides to travel to Henley-on-Thames to find Imogene Wright. Harry, who was waiting for her in the park, insists on accompanying her. On the train, he makes a startling confession: he came to London to find her in 1946 but saw her with another man. Believing she was happy and in love, he left without speaking to her, not wanting to dredge up their painful past. Hazel is heartbroken, revealing the man was insignificant and wishing she had known Harry was there.
They arrive in the picturesque town and locate the home of Imogene’s daughter, Iris Taber. Bracing themselves, they wonder if this could be Flora. A young, blonde woman answers the door. When Harry asks her age, she replies that she is twenty—five years too young to be Flora. The hope that fueled their journey instantly evaporates. Despite the disappointment, Iris is friendly and recalls her mother speaking of the girl who disappeared in Binsey. She invites them inside to have tea and wait for her mother, providing a new, direct link to the past.
Character Development
- Peggy Andrews: She transforms from a sheltered writer into an adventurer, actively defying her mother's control for the first time. She chooses to pursue the truth of her story and live a life of her own making.
- Hazel Linden: Hazel is forced to confront her past through Harry's art. Her carefully constructed life with Barnaby begins to crumble as she learns of his deceptions and reconnects with the deep, authentic bond she shares with Harry.
- Harry Aberdeen: He is revealed to be as haunted by the past as Hazel. His art is his coping mechanism. He becomes an active partner in Hazel's search, and his confession about why he never sought her out re-contextualizes their entire history.
- Barnaby Yardley: His controlling and deceptive nature is exposed. He is shown to be insecure, using his family's influence to manage Hazel's life, and he is resentful of her preoccupation with finding Flora.
Themes & Symbols
The themes of memory, truth, and the power of stories intertwine as the characters grapple with their pasts and the secrets that surround them. Harry's art serves as a tangible representation of memory, forcing Hazel to confront her history. The contrast between Peggy's idealistic view of stories and Hazel's painful experiences highlights the complex relationship between fiction and reality.
- The Power of Stories and Imagination: Peggy and Wren discuss stories as "beautiful untrue things" that carry truth. This section contrasts Peggy's desire to live an adventure with Hazel's past, where stories were a means of survival and escape that ultimately couldn't protect them from reality.
- Truth, Memory, and Secrets: This theme is central to these chapters. Harry's art makes memory tangible. Barnaby's secrets about Hazel's job are revealed. Harry confesses his secret reason for not finding Hazel sooner. The entire section is driven by the characters' quests to uncover hidden truths.
- Grief, Loss, and Hope: Hazel's search for Flora is a cycle of hope and disappointment. The lead of the nurse's daughter seems promising but is quickly dashed. Harry's art is a product of his own grief and loss from that time.
- The Impact of War: The 1940 flashback directly shows the war's encroachment on the children's idyllic life in Binsey, first with the Dunkirk soldiers and then with the news of a neighbor's death, which shatters their sense of safety.
Key Quotes
“Where did you find this story. It is life and death.”
This telegram from Hazel to Peggy sets the entire plot in motion, immediately establishing a sense of urgency and mystery. It underscores the idea that the Whisperwood story is not just a tale, but something deeply connected to reality with potentially life-altering consequences.
“Stories are beautiful untrue things.”
Peggy's quote encapsulates her romantic view of storytelling, seeing stories as a means of accessing deeper truths through fiction. This perspective contrasts with Hazel's experience, where stories were both a comfort and a source of potential delusion, highlighting the complex relationship between imagination and reality.
Why This Matters and Section Significance
These chapters mark a pivotal shift in the narrative, propelling both Peggy and Hazel toward a collision course with the past. Peggy's decision to embark on her own "quest" transforms her from a passive observer into an active participant in the unfolding mystery. Simultaneously, Hazel's world is destabilized by the resurfacing of her past with Harry and the revelation of Barnaby's deceptions. The flashback to 1940 provides crucial context for the characters' present-day actions, deepening the emotional stakes and foreshadowing the events that led to Flora's disappearance. The section ends with a glimmer of hope, as Hazel and Harry pursue a new lead, but also with unresolved conflicts and escalating tensions that promise further revelations to come.