Chapter 15: Kate

Summary

• Kate starts the chapter by taking a sip of tea and opening an old package with a moldy cloth containing a stack of old letters, dated 20 July 1925.
• The letters are from Rupert, professing his undying love to his darling Lizzie, expressing his desire for her to join him at 'the Hall' and his impatience to see her again.
• Rupert's letters are filled with romantic language, comparing Lizzie's beauty to that of women from around the world and expressing deep longing.
• He mentions an upcoming wedding ceremony to be performed by the vicar in two weeks and the anticipation of his family’s return from Carlisle.
• Kate becomes intrigued by the letters and starts to question the relationship between Rupert and Lizzie, speculating whether they have a connection to her family's old home, Orton Hall.
• The letters detail secret and risky meetings between the lovers at dawn or dusk, suggesting a forbidden romance.
• Kate's mood shifts as she starts to reminisce about her own early relationship with Simon, which carries a similar intensity to Rupert's letters.
• She recalls feeling out of place on a date with Simon, her nerves eventually giving way to a sense that she was being accepted and understood, even though Simon's world was very different from hers.
• Kate remembers Simon's charm and the way he drew her into a relationship, which she later realizes was controlling and manipulative.
• The narrative reveals that Kate's past with Simon was marked by control and abuse, hinting at a more sinister aspect to their relationship.
• Feeling sickened by the parallels between Rupert's letters and her memories with Simon, Kate puts the letters aside, no longer able to tolerate them.
• The chapter ends with Kate, now pregnant, reflecting on Simon's reaction to her menstrual blood and the fact that her body was hers alone for one week each month—contrasting with her current state of sharing her body with a growing fetus.
• Kate ponders whether her unborn child will resemble Simon or herself, uncertain which outcome she fears more.