Secrecy and Truth

Where it surfaces

• Diamond Cut Diamond

  Emily burns her account book to keep her private thoughts and writings from Aunt Elizabeth, illustrating the tension between personal expression and the demand for transparency.

• The Book of Yesterday

  The epitaph 'Here I stay' reveals old Hugh's lingering resentment toward his wife, a hidden truth in family history.

• A Special Providence

  Emily hides her true feelings about the slap from her family and secretly writes to her father, underscoring the theme of secrecy versus the truth of her inner life.

• The Tansy Patch

  Mrs. Kent's hidden jealousy and the secret of Teddy's drawings (hidden from his mother) underscore the theme of hidden truths and unspoken tensions.

• XIII: Daughter of Eve

  Emily hides her visits to Lofty John's workshop from her aunts, and the truth of the poisoned apple only emerges in her moment of crisis.

• Check for Miss Brownell

  Emily's secret poems are exposed by Miss Brownell, and the truth of her creative nature is used against her, while Cousin Jimmy reveals the truth of Miss Brownell's unfairness.

• Friends Again

  Emily's secret visit to Father Cassidy and the hidden understanding between them create a theme of secrecy, while Aunt Elizabeth's discovery forces a confrontation with the truth.

• Romantic but Not Comfortable

  Emily confesses to reading a novel and a medical book, revealing hidden actions; the letter from Great-Aunt Nancy contains secrets about family history.

• Wyther Grange

  Emily overhears her aunts' private conversation about the visit, and later keeps her playacting secret from Aunt Elizabeth, reflecting the tension between hidden activities and open communication.

• XXIII: Deals with Ghosts

  The mystery of the noises is resolved when Aunt Nancy reveals the truth about the swallows, dispelling fear and restoring peace.

• A Different Kind of Happiness

  Emily hides the broken glass but ultimately confesses, choosing honesty over deceit to maintain her self-respect.

• XXV: "She Couldn't Have Done It"

  Emily is burdened with a dark secret about Ilse's mother that she must hide from Ilse, while grappling with the painful truth of the story.

• On the Bay Shore

  Emily prays that the truth about Ilse's mother will be discovered, hinting at hidden family secrets.

• The Vow of Emily

  Emily and Teddy have a secret adventure, and Emily reflects on her mother's secret past of running away, which is both a family shame and the reason for her own existence.

• XXIX: Sacrilege

  Emily's private letters to her father are discovered by Aunt Elizabeth, leading to a conflict over the right to keep secrets and the painful truth of Emily's feelings.

• When the Curtain Lifted

  The chapter resolves the long-hidden truth of Beatrice Burnley's death, clearing her name and ending years of wrongful suspicion.