Splendors and Glooms Chapter 39 Summary

Christmas at Strachan's Ghyll

  • On Christmas morning, Lizzie Rose sleeps in late, and then she heads out with Ruby to say hello to everyone and wish them a merry Christmas. All of the servants look serious when she comes downstairs, though, and they inform her that Madama suffered an attack last night.
  • Lizzie Rose wants to help, but the servants tell her that she should just go outside with the dog. There's snow all over the place, and it's utterly beautiful outside. She and Ruby play a game of fetch for a while until she remembers that she brought her mother's ice skates with her.
  • She goes to find them and looks for Parsefall so he can go outside and play, too. But, even though she searches the house from top to bottom, she can't find him anywhere.
  • So, she and Ruby go outside, and Lizzie Rose skates across the lake, feeling happy and free for the first time in a long time.