New Moon suffers tragedy with the death of Aunt Elizabeth who went missing at sea. The family then discovers that Elizabeth had borrowed money from Scottish relatives and that New Moon now belongs to them.

Still recovering from the loss of Elizabeth the family begins to fall apart in some ways. Jimmy confesses about how much he did love Elizabeth, and while trying to hide from her own fears, Laura becomes addicted to laudanum. Emily tries her best to convince the Scottish relatives that she will give them everything she owns in exchange for New Moon, only to receive a reply saying the they are coming to P.E.I. to claim it.

Emily begins to realise that despite how tough Aunt Elizabeth was, a part of her truly loved her and missed her now. Laura increases her intake of laudanum, then suffers inertia and stays in bed. Uncle Malcolm replies to Emily and says that he will not take the diamond she found as payment (not enough) and that they are coming to claim what is now theirs.

Overjoyed at finishing her first book she goes to see Teddy to see what he thinks of it. Only he breaks her heart when he is brutally honest about it bringing back memories of Dean Priest.

Emily then falls down the stairs and remembers back through a series of flashbacks the moments in her life that have shaped her future.