Summary

In Chapter 2, “Sally,” Sally was close with her grandfather, Grandy, throughout her childhood. Grandy “was a caretaker of sorts” (55). He tended houses in the village when the owners “were elsewhere” (55). He also cared for the church, its churchyard and graves. Although Sally does not “believe in god,” she believes “in this building” (58). Grandy was close with the vicar, and Sally knew him, too.

Sally tries to remember Grandy outside the context of the high house. She prefers to remember their lives beforehand. She wonders if the things Grandy taught her over the years were because “he anticipated what was to come” (65).

Sally grew up with Grandy in his cottage in the village. The way Grandy read to her reminds her of reading to Pauly when he was small. The village was their home, but it emptied out every summer. Grandy’s love for...