The Thirteenth Tale

Margaret suddenly understands the story from a new perspective. Everything falls into place, and she realizes that she has solved the mystery. Margaret now knows that there was a third girl all along, and that no one had known about her besides the Missus and John-the-dig, not even Isabelle and Charlie. She realizes that Vida had given her clues throughout, and that Vida had been the third child, the product of Charlie’s rape of a local woman. She still does not understand the mystery of Aurelius’s abandonment, nor the mystery of whose bones were found in Angelfield’s ruins. She realizes that, although she solved one mystery, there are still many others to be solved.

Margaret arrives at the train station, and the snow is coming down hard. She is able to find a taxi driver to take her to Vida’s house, but he is barely able to find his way in the storm. When she arrives at the house, she finds Vida in Emmeline’s room and immediately confronts her with the fact that bones had been found at Angelfield. Then she notices that Emmeline has died, according to Vida, just a few minutes before. Margaret whispers in Emmeline’s ear to find her own twin and tell her to come to Margaret.