Summary

Chapter 1 of the Book of Ursule starts in 1847 with 12-year-old Ursule questioning her mother Nanette about what is wrong with their family. Nanette tells her daughter that the family fled France after they were discriminated against because they are Romani or gypsies. Ursule thinks of herself as Cornish and even sometimes attends church with Father Maddock. Ursule is good at business and helping around the farm.

In Chapter 2, Ursule, who has turned 13, begins to change. She gets her period and realizes the aunts are aging and that they behave strangely, secretively. When Ursule catches them keeping secrets, she gets angry and stomps away. Then, one night, as she is sitting up by the window, she sees the aunts and her mother slipping away through the garden. Ursule tries to follow them, but gives up and goes to bed. She...