Further into the novel the character Granny (Alice Tallisker) told Abigail that she was 'the stranger' and had 'the gift'. 'The gift' came from the crochet on the top of her dress which enabled her to travel and heal. Later in the book it mentions that the crochet was made by Granny.
She falls in love with Judah, who was betrothed to Dovey, and realised firsthand what it's like to love somebody but no be able to have them. This helped Abigail realise that she should not be selfish towards her parents and should let them have a second chance of a decent life and marriage. During the time that she was in the past Abigail matured by being influenced by the people that surrounded her, the world in which she lived and the events which occurred