Chapter 21: Sebastian's Visit and Duke's Final Resting Place
⚠️ 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
The cherry harvest ends and the family enjoys a day at the lake. During the post-harvest maintenance period, Maisie discovers Sebastian Duke sitting on the porch. Over lunch, Sebastian explains that years ago Duke purchased a small plot in the Nelson family cemetery, paying a sum that bailed out Ken and Maisie from financial trouble. Duke intended to be buried there. The family carries Duke’s ashes to a spot beneath a red oak and buries him. That night, Joe asks Lara if she was ever in love with Sebastian. She says no—she was in love with Joe, even if she didn’t recognise it at the time. Lara lies awake, imagining Duke’s dive into the Tyrrhenian Sea and letting him go. The chapter ends with the family sitting in the cemetery, talking about the wedding and the permanence of the farm.
Key Events
- The sweet cherry harvest overlaps with the tart cherry shaking, creating intense work.
- The family swims and sleeps at the lake after the harvest ends.
- Maisie finds Sebastian Duke on the porch; he and Lara embrace.
- Sebastian reveals that Duke bought a cemetery plot on the Nelson farm years ago, providing money that saved the orchard.
- The family buries Duke’s ashes under a red oak, with Joe reciting funeral lines.
- Joe and Lara talk in bed; Lara admits she was in love with Joe all along.
- Lara visualises Duke’s final dive and reflects on letting him go.
- The family stays in the cemetery, discussing the wedding and the future.
Character Development
Lara: She comes to terms with Duke’s death and his long-ago connection to the farm. Her love for Joe is affirmed, and she fully releases her past.
Joe: He shows quiet strength and possesses the historical knowledge of the orchard. His question about Sebastian reveals his lingering curiosity but also his security in their marriage.
Sebastian Duke: He appears as the “better brother”—kind, humble, and the bearer of Duke’s secret. His presence completes the arc of Lara’s time with the Dukes.
Emily: She reacts with sarcasm to Sebastian’s praise of Lara’s acting, showing her protective nature. She later sits beside Sebastian, forging a bond.
Nell: She asks direct questions about Duke’s lack of children, revealing her curiosity about fame and legacy.
Maisie: She is excited to identify Sebastian, acting as the catalyst for the reunion.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Letting Go: Lara’s final mental image of Duke swimming away, and her decision to let him go, mirrors her emotional release of the past.
The Meaning of Home: Duke’s desire to be buried on the farm—a place he visited only once—underscores the orchard as a symbol of stability and belonging.
Love and Marriage: Joe and Lara’s conversation confirms that love grows over time. Lara’s retroactive claim that she was always in love with Joe highlights the depth of their partnership.
Memory and Persistence: The cemetery holds generations of Nelsons; Duke’s ashes join them, suggesting that memory persists through place.
Secrecy and Rescue: Duke’s anonymous purchase of the plot is a secret act of kindness that saved the farm, tying him to the family even in death.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 21 resolves the central thread of Duke’s presence in the story. It reveals that Duke quietly supported the farm years before his death, and that his connection to the Nelsons was deeper than anyone knew. The burial allows Lara to fully close that chapter of her life. The chapter also strengthens the theme of choosing the right partner: Lara confirms that Joe is the greatest good fortune of her life. It sets up the wedding and the ongoing life of the farm, showing that the story continues beyond the past.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Duke choose to buy a plot in the Nelson cemetery rather than try to buy the whole farm?
Duke recognised that the Nelsons would never sell the orchard, but he wanted a lasting connection to the place. Buying a small cemetery plot allowed him to be part of the farm without uprooting the family. The money also secretly bailed out Ken and Maisie, ensuring the farm’s survival.
2. What does Lara mean when she tells Joe “I think that I was always in love with you”?
Lara reflects that, looking back, her feelings for Joe were constant even when she was caught up in the romance of theatre and Duke. The line shows that love can exist without immediate recognition, and that time can clarify what the heart truly wanted.
3. How does Sebastian’s visit change the family’s understanding of Duke?
Sebastian reveals Duke’s generosity and his long-term desire to belong to the orchard. The family learns that Duke was not just a glamorous figure from Lara’s past but someone who quietly supported their home. His burial on the farm makes him part of the Nelson story.