Summary

In Chapter 29, Alice and Hayden visit Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, where their conversation turns contemplative. Surrounded by moss-draped trees and sunlight, they discuss permanence, death, and family, leading Hayden to confess his grief over his friend Len and Alice to recall her father’s funeral. Their talk deepens into reflections on destiny and free will—Hayden asserting that “if we really care about something, we can decide to hold on to it” (155). Later, over a home-cooked Southern meal, their physical and emotional intimacy strengthens, hinting at a future together even as they face looming professional competition and uncertainty. The chapter then returns to Margaret’s narrative, describing her early marriage to Cosmo Sinclair and her anguish over her estranged sister, Laura, who joined a cult led by Dr. Atwood. Margaret recounts her family’s attempts to reach Laura through letters, investigators, and finally...