Chapter 40: Altha

Summary

• Grace stopped visiting Altha and only appeared at church with her husband, showing no sign of recognizing Altha.
• Spring arrived, and Altha counted the days until May Day Eve, hoping to speak with Grace.
• Altha reminisced about her mother's customs for May Day Eve, which avoided the village's pagan festivities.
• Despite her traditions, Altha wondered if Grace would attend the village festival and contemplated checking on Grace's well-being.
• Upon arriving at the village bonfire, Altha found the villagers drunkenly celebrating, but she did not immediately see Grace or her husband.
• Altha was dragged into the dance by Adam Bainbridge but soon saw a girl covered in blood, whom she believed was Grace.
• Before reaching the girl, she vanished, leaving Altha questioning her sight and feeling a blend of smoke and tears.
• Adam approached Altha as she was leaving, implying that some villagers do not believe the rumors about her and her family.
• Returning home under the full moon, Altha remembered her mother's words about sight showing the past, present, or future.
• At dawn, Altha spied on the Milburn farm, saw Grace alive doing laundry, and wondered if she had been pregnant or miscarried.
• Time passed, Altha avoided raising suspicions about her and Grace while dealing with increasingly hateful feelings towards Grace's husband.
• One day in the market, Altha saw Grace and followed her discreetly, eventually conversing about Grace's well-being and the idea of poisoning John.
• Grace rejected the idea of murder, fearing the consequences for both of them, and asked Altha to stay away.
• After their exchange, Altha observed Grace returning home and reflected on pain and isolation amid the crows' cries.