I thought it was a nice touch at the end to send the Hursts into exile because of gambling debts. We had speculated all along that Mr. Hurst had some secret, and so that was a nice resolution of that suspicion. My question is--did people then really come to America to escape gambling debts, etc.? I'd love to read more about that, if that's the case.

My other general questions involve your research into the supernatural themes of this book, such as mind control, charms, zombie-ism, and the like. Did you come across any interesting sources or stories that you could share? Some of us had guessed that a non-magical conclusion would resolve the plot, but even Jane Eyre had her preternatural moments. :-)