"A String in the Harp" by Nancy Bond, Chapters 1–2

The Morgan family reunites in Wales for Christmas while still mourning the mother's sudden death a year ago. Inclement weather, uncomfortable accommodations, and strained relationships threaten the family's holiday, until the Morgans must work together to protect a valuable artifact—a harp key with unique properties.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–4, Chapters 5–9, Chapters 10–13, Chapters 14–19
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. painstaking
    characterized by extreme care and great effort
    All had gone according to Aunt Beth’s painstaking plans. She thought again of the round dining room table in Amherst covered with maps, schedules, an atlas, endless pieces of paper and pencils, the paper filled with Aunt Beth’s neat but illegible writing: times and flight numbers, lists of clothing, emergency information, names and addresses.
  2. bracken
    large coarse fern often several feet high
    They were among the mountains now, the train following a valley between the great, stone-ribbed humps, patched with dead, rust-colored bracken.
  3. sketchy
    giving only major points; lacking completeness
    And David had dutifully sent the invitation in one of his regular letters, those letters full of a determined cheerfulness and almost nothing else. They gave away very little. Jen realized what a sketchy preparation she’d had for Borth.
  4. wiry
    rough and stiff in texture
    Mrs. Davies was in control of the kitchen by the time they got back. She was an angular woman with a sharp face and wiry gray hair, struggling out of a knot at the back of her head.
  5. aloof
    distant, cold, or detached in manner
    Peter stayed aloof and continued to feel strange.
  6. causeway
    a road that is raised above water, marshland, or sand
    Peter climbed among them and gradually something peculiar about the rocks filtered through his mind. They hadn’t been dropped at random at all: they ran out into the sea in a straight line. They must be a neglected causeway or a breakwater.
  7. imperceptibly
    in a manner that is difficult to discern
    The Key was warm in his hand, and after a few minutes he could feel it begin to vibrate almost imperceptibly with sound.
  8. cadence
    the rhythmic rise and fall of the voice
    Voices rose and fell in Welsh cadence, weaving together in patterns of rhythm that hung on the air.
  9. chide
    scold or reprimand severely or angrily
    “Oh, come now. You’ve been a Girl Scout, you know how to light fires. This isn’t much different once you get the hang of it.”
    “Just don’t singe your eyebrows,” Peter said helpfully.
    “You should talk,” Becky chided. “You won’t even try.”
    “I’m too young to die,” her brother retorted.
  10. prepossessing
    creating a favorable impression
    The village wasn’t very prepossessing, even Becky had to admit.
  11. derelict
    in deplorable condition
    More than half the buildings were blank and empty, shut up for the winter, looking derelict.
  12. estuary
    the wide part of a river where it nears the sea
    He managed to look straight at Jen this time. “It’s good birding up at the estuary. Are you interested?”
  13. morbid
    suggesting the horror of death and decay
    “But if it’s any kind of a bog why don’t things sink into it, like in quicksand?” Peter persisted.
    “They do, on parts of it. Every now and again someone loses a cow. But it’s safe if you know where to walk.”
    “Unlimited possibilities.” Peter grinned ghoulishly.
    “What a morbid conversation!” Jen said.
  14. ruefully
    in a manner expressing pain or sorrow
    Ruefully David shook his head. “I’ve got far too much work to do right now to go on expeditions. But you should be all right with Gwilym. He knows the country well, I understand. Is dinner ready?”
  15. impassive
    deliberately unexpressive
    “All right, then.” Peter’s face hardened, became impassive. “Do what you want, but don’t count on me for anything.” And with that he closed himself off. He might as well have gotten up and left the room, and she could only stare at him in irritated frustration.
Created on Tue Feb 17 19:50:41 EST 2026 (updated Fri Feb 20 21:40:37 EST 2026)

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