The Thirteenth Tale

by Diane Setterfield

abn, cr, ta, est.

medical abbreviations????? surely not

(though there is no hunting any more),

Good

After a great many questions I eventually ascertained that he is suffering from some kind of disorder of the mind.

you have a big storm coming girliepops

Instead she began a series of anecdotes about the mother and the uncle which, if I am to read between the lines (as I’m sure she meant me to) contained hints of something scandalous . .

incest! they were in the cest! cesting the in, no less!

She will never be clever, but then I know the limits of my methods. Whatever my strengths, I can only develop what is there to start with.

okay rude

He was wearing a pair of men’s trousers, cut off at the ankle and held up with a pair of braces. A wide-brimmed hat cast his face in shadow, and I was unable to get a clear impression of his age, though he might have been eleven or twelve.

Ambrose???

And then it struck me, and it was the very simplicity of the idea that made me think it might be true.

occams razor

retarded,

oi you can’t say that

Or alternatively: once upon a time there were three.

IM SORRY?????

She wore a wide-brimmed hat and an old pair of John’s trousers, cut off at the ankle

Oooooohhhhhhhh

Copper hair – just like their uncle. Green eyes – just like their uncle.

mhm keep talking

Charlie’s child.

this is all but confirmation Charlie fathered all three girls

The child, frightened, tried to flee, but stumbled. Picking itself up, it limped on a few more steps, then stumbled again. John caught it up, lifted it – the weight of a cat, no more – turned it to face him, and the hat fell off.

wait so this child was just running around feral for what a year? two? fucking hell

But I hardened my heart. I was bound to Emmeline.

well you are your fathers daughter I suppose

In horror I watched her place the baby on the coals, still wrapped in his blanket.

I’m SORRY???

How could she ever imagine that burning her sister’s child would restore her sister to her?

with all due respect, no name, I don’t think she had the cognition to think ahead

Have I . . .? Is it possible that . . .? I cannot bear to know. I cannot bear not to know. ‘Adeline?’ My voice is a broken thing.

crying at her thinking she rescued the wrong twin

‘Don’t worry, child. We’ll take care of you and your sister. You’re safe now, Adeline.’

oh damn they just assumed she was Adeline????