Summary

Anna worries that her own thoughts are the reason that Stella died. She wonders whether if she had not thought to herself, regarding Richard, “He will destroy Stella” (14) maybe what happened would not have happened. Anna wishes that she had never agreed to let Stella stay with them and wonders why she did. Initially, Stella was supposed to stay with them for ten months. Anna had been friends with Luise since they were schoolchildren, but she had always secretly disliked her. She considered her duplicitous and the cause of misfortune. Stella was about to finish school at a convent where she had been sent by Luisa. Luisa wanted her to stay with Anna so that her return would not interfere with her romantic relationship.

Anna reveals that while she is closest with her teenage son Wolfgang, Richard is closest with their younger child...