Chapter 48 of The Sisters of Dorley

Chapter 48: Miracle
Paid publication
Book #5	Book 5
Chapter	1
Free publication
Date posted	March 30, 2026
Word count	18,491
Points of view	Pippa, Steph, Petra, Christine, Alistair Smyth-Farrow, neutral point-of-view
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Chapter 48: Miracle is the first chapter of the fifth book of the series, and forty-eighth chapter overall.

The chapter contains 15 scenes, the first of which flashes back to overnight on Saturday, 12 October 2019, and the remainder take place in the present on Saturday 1 February 2020.

Plot

• Saturday 12 October 2019

After thinking about her cousin overnight, in the small hours Pippa witnesses the aftermath of a sexual assault outside her window

• Saturday 1 February 2020

Steph texts Pippa while she and Christine sit on the front lawn, waiting for Steph’s family to return home

Logging into the Trans Youth forum Lorna discovers a video of Steph being harassed in the Liverpool Street café circulating on-line

Petra recognises Stef sitting in the front yard as she arrives home with her mother

Pippa and Tabitha reflect on The Steph Situation

Steph encounters the weirdness of not having seen the new London house before, and with difficulty comes out to her Mum

Christine thinks about the similarities between Steph’s home and her own

Steph and Mrs Riley notice that Christine’s burst into tears, and the subject is put on hold until Indira calls Steph’s phone

Christine explains that Indira is coming over to pick her up, and comes out to Mrs Riley as well, when Russ texts Steph, having seen a video of her on Twitter

Steph and Russ have a very awkward and loud conversation after he asks whether she’s trans, in part mentioning his poor regard for Melissa. Mrs Riley, overhearing, is overjoyed to learn Russ’ sibling is alive

Christine catches up with The Steph Situation on-line, while Mrs Riley and Steph connect through the unexpected resurrection of Melissa; again she’s confronted with Steph’s family life being unlike the domestic abuse she suffered

Steph comes out to Petra, who finishes most of her homework just when Dad returns home, and Petra breezily tells her about the trans boy in her class

Beth and Steph chat online about Steph’s afternoon, and later Indira and Hasan picking up Christine

Christine falls asleep in the back of Hasan’s car as they drive to Harrow

Alistair wakes finding himself tied up by Cora and Haley, and he makes a deal to be taken home

All books: Overview, Welcome to Dorley Hall, Secrets of Dorley Hall, Enemies of Dorley Hall, Book 4, Book 5

Book #5: Untitled
Online (Published)	48 (1)