Forget Me Not

Claire moves into the guesthouse at Galloway. Claire lies to her mother and says she’s going back to the city. She worries that since Galloway is only 45 minutes from Claxton, she might see her mother, but then remembers that her mother rarely leaves her house, let alone the town. She feels sad that her mother doesn’t ask her to stay.

Once at Galloway, Claire goes to the main house and is greeted by Liam. The house is dated, but cozy. There’s a middle-aged woman resting in a chair and Claire feels like an intruder, but Mitchell arrives and offers tea. They sit down with the woman, whom Mitchell introduces as Marcia. Marcia isn’t completely aware, and Claire thinks she’s just woken up or may be ill.

Mitchell asks where Claire is from and she says Manhattan. He wonders why she’s out on Ladmadaw Island, but she doesn’t tell him about Natalie or that she’s from Claxton, only stating she wanted a change of scenery. He remarks that she might be “running from something” (67). She admits she grew up nearby, but fudges on what she does for a living. Liam disrupts this line of questioning, suggesting they let Claire get settled in the guesthouse.