Contents
The Wedding Night — Chapter 13
Overview
In the blackout’s aftermath, a fainted waitress revives but cannot explain what she saw near the Folly. Aoife keeps panicked guests contained, citing the storm and hazards, while the ushers push to organize a search. Tension escalates as safety concerns clash with the urgency to help.
Summary
In the immediate aftermath of the scream and blackout, the collapsed waitress regains consciousness. She seems physically unhurt but is nearly mute, shaken by whatever she witnessed near the Folly while fetching champagne. The head waitress explains where she sent her, adding to the alarm.
A hush settles as guests scan the crowded, multi-tent venue for loved ones, hampered by drink and confusion. Some suggest the waitress was simply scared by the night and gale, while others insist that someone outside may need help.
Aoife, the wedding planner, asserts control, warning that the storm, darkness, bog, and cliffs make wandering dangerous. She urges restraint to prevent further harm, even as a guest mutters about liability.
Despite Aoife’s caution, one of the ushers argues that a small group of men should search, proposing safety in numbers. The scene ends with the tension unresolved, balanced between coordinated action and the risk of compounding the emergency.
Who Appears
- AoifeWedding planner; asserts control, keeps guests from scattering into the storm, prioritizing safety amid rising panic.
- Waitress from the Folly errandRevives after collapsing; uninjured but nearly mute with shock after seeing something outside near the Folly.
- Head waitressExplains she sent the younger waitress to the Folly for champagne, clarifying the circumstances.
- UshersAdvocate forming a search party, pressing to act despite safety concerns.
- Wedding guestsAnxious, intoxicated crowd searching for loved ones and debating fear versus action.