The remainder of the book focuses on the unexpected early arrival of Jack and Phoebe's baby during a snow storm. Golden House is isolated from the nearby town and consequently the baby has to be born in the house. While Jack and William set out in the storm to try to get help, Mary and Alice stay with Phoebe and try to protect her and the baby from an evil rat which is attempting to prevent the birth from taking place. While William is trying to get help he discovers he can speak to and travel with animals within the valley and he does this for the first time with a fox called Cinnabar. Alice also experiences this with a local stray dog called Spot (towards the end of the book Mary also travels with an animal, Jasper the Owl). Together they prevent the rat from interfering and a baby called Stephanie is born in Golden House by the fireplace.