Chapter 33: Cordelia's Night Ride with Falada
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
After the house falls quiet, Cordelia decides she must act. Falada has already killed the gamekeeper, and she believes she is the only person he will not harm. She dresses in the dark and tries to slip out, but her maid Alice catches her. Alice assumes Cordelia is meeting a man, but Cordelia confesses she is going to the horse—her mother’s familiar. Alice agrees to help, leading Cordelia through the servants’ stair and past a footman. At the kitchen garden gate, Alice extracts a promise: if Cordelia is not back by first light, Alice will tell Lady Hester. Cordelia hugs Alice and leaves alone.
In the woods, Falada approaches. He moves awkwardly without his head, and Cordelia is horrified by the exposed wound and vertebra. He bows theatrically, offering to carry her away. She mounts him, fighting revulsion. They gallop through the forest; she struggles to hold on, her hand slipping into his cold wound. Time feels endless. Falada avoids villages and a barking dog. Finally, he stops in a small copse. Cordelia feels relief, but then her mother’s voice speaks from the shadows: “Cordelia, I might have known.”
Key Events
- Cordelia sneaks out of her room, determined to stop Falada from killing anyone else.
- Alice intercepts her but agrees to help after learning the horse is Cordelia’s mother’s familiar.
- Alice leads Cordelia via the servants’ stair, past a footman, and through the darkened kitchen.
- Alice warns Cordelia to return by first light or face Lady Hester; Cordelia hugs her in gratitude.
- Cordelia meets Falada in the woods; he is headless, moving strangely, and she sees the stump of his neck.
- Falada bows mockingly, offering to take her away; Cordelia reluctantly mounts.
- They ride at a lurching gallop through the woods; Cordelia’s hand slips into the wound, causing her to scream.
- The ride feels endless; Falada avoids people and scares a dog, but does not harm it.
- Falada stops in a copse; Cordelia’s mother emerges from the shadows and speaks.
Character Development
Cordelia takes decisive action for the first time, acting on her own conscience rather than under her mother’s influence. She accepts the horror of Falada’s state and the physical ordeal of the ride, showing increased courage and endurance. Her resolve to protect others at great personal cost marks a turning point in her growth.
Alice proves to be a loyal ally who protects Cordelia’s secret and trusts her judgment, even when the explanation is strange. She balances caution with compassion, setting a limit (return by dawn) while still enabling Cordelia’s plan.
Falada is no longer the graceful horse Cordelia knew; his movements are grotesque, and his behavior shifts from mock courtliness to monstrous riding. He still obeys his purpose—to take Cordelia to her mother—but his agency remains ambiguous.
The Mother appears only in the final line, confirming she has been orchestrating events. Her sudden appearance reasserts her control and warns that Cordelia’s escape attempt may have been anticipated.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Sacrifice and Responsibility: Cordelia’s decision to ride Falada to protect others mirrors her earlier guilt over Penelope’s death. She accepts physical suffering as atonement.
- The Grotesque and the Familiar: Falada, once a source of comfort and skill, becomes an object of horror. The headless stump symbolizes the perversion of something once trusted—a reflection of Cordelia’s relationship with her mother.
- Night as Transformation: The nighttime setting strips away social pretense. Cordelia’s journey through the dark forest literalizes her passage into a dangerous, unknown phase of life.
- Gratitude and Trust: Alice’s help, given without full understanding, highlights the importance of small acts of loyalty in a world dominated by the sorceress’s control.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a pivotal action sequence where Cordelia stops merely surviving and starts acting. She takes a risk to do what she believes is right, even if the consequences are unknown. The chapter sets up the long-anticipated confrontation with her mother, who steps out of the shadows after Falada delivers Cordelia exactly where the sorceress wants her. The ride itself tests Cordelia’s endurance and forces her to confront the reality of what her mother’s magic has created.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Cordelia believe she is the only person who can safely approach Falada?
Answer: She believes Falada knows her from her childhood with her mother and will not harm her, unlike the gamekeeper he killed. She also feels responsible for not stopping her mother earlier.
2. What does Alice’s decision to help Cordelia reveal about her character?
Answer: Alice shows loyalty and empathy despite the danger. She does not fully understand the situation but trusts Cordelia’s motive and sets a reasonable boundary (return by dawn) to protect Cordelia’s welfare.
3. How does the physical experience of riding Falada affect Cordelia’s mental state?
Answer: The horror of touching his wound and the disorienting ride push Cordelia past fear into numb determination. She clings to the goal of leading Falada away from people, even as she loses control of the journey.
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