Wulfhild’s three eldest daughters come to the abbey unbidden. Young Wulfhild, Hawise, and Milburga. They stand before Marie, each grave and pale, and she wants to gather them in her arms in her sorrow and guilt. If god had given her grandchildren, it would be these daughters of Wulfhild, whom Marie’s pride is now leaving motherless. Marie waits for the angry words from them, the recriminations for letting their mother work herself into her sickbed, but the young women press close, kiss her, she does not know why they still love her, she does not deserve their love. It was Marie’s violent grief
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