Secrets of a Charmed Life

Charlotte drives Emmy and Julia to Thistle House and tells them about her life, including her marriage to Oliver “Ollie” Havelock before his death and her disabled sister Rose, for whom she cares. As she shows them the Cotswolds, Julie is amazed, and even Emmy begins to marvel at her new surroundings. Julia then tells Charlotte about her interests and Emmy’s bridal dress sketches. Charlotte is interested and inquires further. Emmy shares that she plans to become a designer and had worked at a bridal shop in London before the evacuation. Emmy silently appreciates Charlotte’s sympathy. When they arrive at the house, Julia admires it. Before they enter, Charlotte informs the sisters that Rose is only a year younger than her, but mentally, she is only five years old due to an injury. Charlotte introduces them to her, and they start to settle in. Emmy decides that this is the perfect place for Julia and writes the address of Thistle House down for Mrs. Crofton, planning to return to London as soon as Graham Dabney does.

Charlotte and Emmy have tea outside while Julia plays near the pond. After Charlotte notices that Emmy is largely responsible for Julia, Emmy explains that their mother had her out of wedlock when she was 16, and that her grandmother always judged her for it. Charlotte says that the father is also responsible for conceiving a child. When Emmy reveals that her mother was drinking, and that her father might have been older, Charlotte is surprised that the man was never held accountable. Emmy realizes this and wonders if her mother is protecting him, or if she never found out his name. She also tells Charlotte about Neville.

Julia and Rose show them the turtles in the pond, and then they go inside to unpack. Julia wants to look at the bride sketches, but Emmy refuses to let her because she is tired. She instead has Julia write to their mother while she writes to Mrs. Crofton to give her the new address and inform her that she still has the back door key. Before dinner with Charlotte and Rose, they pray, and they decide to send the letters in town the following morning. After dinner, they look at Charlotte’s family photos and prepare for bed.

That night, Emmy and Julia struggle to fall asleep. Julia worries about their mother, as she realizes that London is not safe anymore. Emmy thinks about her mother’s likely transactions with her father. The following morning, the four establish their chores around the house and in the garden. Charlotte also encourages the girls to read during their free time. They go to the library in town to pick out books and run other errands. At the variety store, Charlotte buys Emmy paper and specialized pencils for her sketches, for which Emmy thanks her. Charlotte then promises Julia something when they return home.

Back at the house, Charlotte goes upstairs with Julia, and Rose expresses concern that they are in her room. Emmy goes up to find them in another room, where Charlotte has Julia go into a crawl space and pull out two boxes, one with the tea set she had as a child and another with two dolls. Charlotte shows Emmy her wedding dress, which she permits Emmy to use for inspiration and take apart to study in her sewing and dressmaking practice. Emmy is delighted and shows Charlotte her sketches, which she loves.

Over the summer, Emmy and Julia settle into a routine of gardening, reading, and visiting places, including church, with Charlotte and Rose. Julia plays with her toys during her free time, and Emmy deconstructs Charlotte’s wedding dress, using her sketches to help her learn its components and how to sew it again. Their mother sends a few letters saying she is safe and misses them, and the sisters write that they miss her, too. Mrs. Crofton also writes, telling Emmy that Graham will return to London around August. In August, the Luftwaffe drop bombs over London, destroying many houses and killing multiple civilians. The girls and Charlotte also hear about the dogfights over the English Channel, Churchill’s speech, and the RAF’s retaliatory attack on Berlin, leading to another calm period in London.

In early September, Mrs. Crofton writes to Emmy that Graham Dabney is settling his father-in-law’s affairs in London and moving into his house. He likes her work and is interested in becoming her foster parent along with his wife during the war, with her mother’s permission. Mrs. Crofton tells Emmy to meet her, Graham, and Graham’s wife in Knightsbridge on September 7. Emmy is happy to hear this, and though there is a war going on and she fears hurting Charlotte and making Julia sad, she decides she will quietly and discretely make her way back to London.

Emmy begins making plans to get from Stow-on-the-Wold to London in time for her appointment. That Friday, she goes off by herself to write letters to Julia and Charlotte, which she will leave before departing early in the morning. In her letter to Julia, she tells her to stay with Charlotte and be good, noting that this will be an opportunity for Emmy to make her dream a reality. In her letter to Charlotte, Emmy apologizes for leaving, saying she has gotten an opportunity to make dresses in London and thanking her for being so kind and generous to her and Julia. She feels sad after writing and leaving these letters and has trouble concentrating for the rest of the day. Charlotte asks her what is wrong, and Emmy blames her abnormal behavior on menstrual cramps. Charlotte gives her tea and allows Emmy to go to her room.

Julia is on the bed in her room with the brides box, having already read the letter. Emmy initially scolds her for looking at the bride box without her supervision, but then Julia says Emmy cannot leave her. Emmy tries to reason with Julia, but she threatens to tell Charlotte if Emmy does not let her go to London with her. Emmy seemingly relents, but she plans to wake up before her and leave without her. She packs the necessary items that will fit in her satchel and has Julia do the same. At dinner, they do not speak about it. They prepare for bed, and Emmy gives Julia some water before they sleep. At two in the morning, Emmy wakes up and is about to leave Julia behind, but an owl wakes Julia up, and she does not go back to sleep. Emmy considers the possibility that the owl woke Julia to keep her from leaving Thistle House. However, Emmy chooses to have Julia quietly get dressed and leave the house with her to go to their flat in London.

In the present day, the door opens and Beryl offers Isabel and Kendra more tea. They both decline, and Isabel tells Beryl to continue arranging the birthday party. Beryl then closes the door, leaving the two alone again. Kendra looks at the Umbrella Girls painting again, knowing its significance now. She also knows that Isabel is connected somehow with the story, noting that the Cotswold house Isabel is living in is Thistle House. After Isabel hints at this, Kendra realizes that September 7, 1940, was when the Blitz started. She finds it funny that Emmy was proud of getting herself and Julia to London so discretely, in part by making up a story about their mother being terminally ill and wanting to see them again before she dies. Isabel details the RAF’s discovery of the German pilots and the beginning of the Blitz. The Blitz started after Emmy’s appointment with Graham. Emmy thought the world was ending and wished it had ended for years after it.