Couple of Questions

I have a couple of questions cos I seriously had a lot of trouble following this movie... admitedly I was running back and forth between jobs around the house the night it was on, but still I don't think that actually hurt cos my mother sat and watched the whole thing and afterwards was asking ME questions about it lol...

So, why on earth was Anne's half brother a cast-off? Why did no one speak of him, or flat-out deny his exsistence? even the Father did not leave him anything???
Why didn't the siblings bury Anne's Father? Why leave it to her? and yet expect her not to ask questions?
If Violetta and the lil brothers were official adopted and raised, and their mother married to, Walter Shirley why do all this? Just to sting Anne after 40 years?

Man I just had so many questions about the ending of this movie it wasn't funny.

Whatever happened to Mrs Amelia Thomas? did she burn in the fires of the mills? or just 'go missing'?

Thanks for letting me rave, I hope to get some answers!