A day came when Amala realized she’d grown weary of traveling, and she asked Paulina if they could return to the house in France, of which Amala had grown so fond. Even though she knew there would likely be many letters waiting for her from home—which would surely be difficult to read—she believed the safe atmosphere of Paulina’s French home, combined with the time that had passed, would make it possible for her to do so and come to terms with them. She couldn’t find words to explain a restlessness she felt in needing to finally face all of this and reconnect with her family, but Paulina with her extra sense completely respected such feelings, and they were quickly on their way to France, arriving there more quickly than Amala had expected. Since a message had been sent ahead, the house had been aired out and freed from dust and was all ready for them to settle in. And two stacks of letters had been left on the table in the parlor. There were a few letters for Paulina, that were set apart from the large quantity of those addressed to Amala.

Amala unpacked, freshened up, and got a little something to eat from the variety of fruit and bread and cheese that had been left for them. She then found she couldn’t put it off any longer. Paulina suggested that Amala have some time alone and said they could talk later.

Amala sat down on one of the pretty little couches in the parlor and looked at the ominous pile of mail in front of her. A glance through the stack made it evident that the woman Paulina hired to take care of things in her absence had carefully stacked the letters according to the order in which they’d been received, indicated by the postmark on the envelopes. Since the most recent letter was on top, Amala turned the stack upside down and opened the first letter, which was from her mother.

Amala remained in the parlor for hours, reading her letters and rereading some of them, and weeping a great deal. She read of her family’s great disappointment in not being able to reach her, since Paulina had written to tell the family they were traveling not long after letters had been sent to tell her of Kat’s engagement. Her family assumed that those letters had crossed in the mail, and Amala was fine with allowing her family to believe that. In spite of everyone’s disappointment at her not being present for the wedding and all of its delightful preparations, she received reports from both of her parents and from Kat about how lovely it had all been. Henry wrote only a couple of brief notes in a very brotherly tone, politely expressing his well wishes on her behalf and reporting that he was doing well.