The Great Unexpected

On the day of the funeral, Nula carries Sybil’s ashes to the Crooked Bridge, and Miss Pilpenny runs across with them as fast as she can, for old times’ sake. She declares that, once again, she and Sybil have escaped the evil spirits. At the gravesite, there are two stones: one with Sybil’s name and one blank. Miss Pilpenny says that Mr. Dingle will explain and that it’s part of Sybil’s revenge. She deposits a murder mystery called After the Funeral into the hole where Nula places Sybil’s ashes, citing Sybil’s enjoyment of the genre. On the way back to the house, Miss Pilpenny shows them all the stone into which Sybil herself carved “F.M.” and the symbol of the broken heart. She did this just after Paddy McCoul stole her money and ran off. The stone used to be elsewhere, but it was moved here to mark where Paddy’s son, Finnbarr, died, having fallen from a tree. Miss Pilpenny says that Paddy’s grave is next to Finn’s in the cemetery, though Paddy is still around.