He offered her his friendship and then his love, and the two became married despite Elinor's former sins.Īfter Elinor’s teary confession, Anna and Elinor begin to search for more herbs and possibly for books that would instruct them in how to combat the plague. Michael was her father’s ward, and Elinor admits that his presence and influence were crucial to her happiness. It was at this time that she became addicted to poppy. She nearly died and completely lost the ability to bear children. Her family found her and brought her back to their home.Įlinor’s shame drove her to perform an abortion by sticking a hot poker inside to kill the baby. By that time, though, she was already pregnant with his child. After a few weeks, Elinor realized that he wasn’t interested in marrying her. Once in the city, the two began sleeping together before marriage. However, he mentioned that they should go to London before getting married. Against her family’s wishes, she ran away to elope with this persistent suitor. At fourteen, she fell in love with a twenty-year-old man who courted her in return. When Elinor was a young girl, she was extremely privileged. Elinor then recounts the story of her childhood to Anna. Elinor then replies that she knows Anna took it and understands why Anna wanted to use poppy to escape reality. Anna, feeling bad about stealing Elinor’s poppy, admits to the sin. Elinor has been searching for herbs and mixtures that might be help to cure the plague. Anna is shocked at this disclosure: she reprimands Kate and begs her not to use witchcraft again.Īnna reaches the Gowdies' cottage and finds Elinor already there. Anna asks where Kate found the sacrilegious charm, and Kate admits that she bought if from Anys Gowdie’s ghost. Anna helps around the house in an attempt to alleviate the stress of Kate’s pregnancy however, she notices Kate using a charm on her husband. His skin burned and festered for days, as Anna discovers when she stops by their home. When he noticed his sores, Richard Talbot demanded that his wife Kate use a searing-hot poker to burn the sores off his body. On her way, Anna passes by the Talbots' house. She then remembers that the Gowdies used poppy as a sedative and ventures to their house to steal more. The next morning, she is saddened by the fact that she has used all the poppy. Following a sad day when a number of Anna’s close friends die, she takes the last of the poppy resin. Her happiness is broken, though, when she steps outside and remembers what is happening in the village. She dreams about her children and beautiful scenery, and she wakes up feeling refreshed. She pulls out the stolen phial of poppy and mixes it with honey in order to have one night of happiness.

Anna is struck by the sadness of her empty house.

A year of wonders