Hiram worships the memory of his dead wife Alta and grieves her; a put-upon Lidy resents her. Rebecca and Elsie crave her softness and stories, while Shine has no memories of her at all. How do you feel about this complicated voiceless character?

[NanK]

That’s an important detail that does indeed suggest the author is telling the reader than Alta wanted to end her pregnancy but not her life. If Alta had lived and likely with a severe brain injury, the story would have been different. Thanks for mentioning the hidden rock.