Person

Book/Story

Nicknames

Family

Description

BILL ADAMS

HELEN

Friend of James Marchantís in London [Ch.1.4]

BARTON (ìNANNYî)

HELEN

Kitty Marchantís old nurse who James Marchant hires to care for Helen Marchant [Ch.1.1]; a ìvoluminous personageî of Helenís childhood, ìfat, with grey hair and a big, rosy face which was nearly always smilingî [Ch.1.2; 10]

MR. HARRY BEAZLEY

HELEN

Husband of Mrs. Mildred Beazley

LEONARD BEAZLEY

HELEN

Eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Beazley; attends Westminster; Mrs. Beazley hopes for a marriage between him and Helen, his cousin, in part because Leonard is not ambitious and needs a rich wife. [Ch.1.4]; in appearance favors his father: ìsame high forehead, and rather indeterminate nose. His eyes were brown and could look appealing, like the eyes of a dog; his mouth would have been beautiful had he not had a tendency to pout his underlipî; ìa nice young boy,î as opposed to Richard Carmichael, who people regard as ìa fine young manî [Ch.2.2; 79]; studying for the Civil Service [Ch.2.2], but gets involved with a ìset of artists and poetsî and ìspent most of his time in the brocaded black-walled room of the leading spirit of this set, discussing Free Love, H.G. Wells, and Self-Analysisî [Ch.2.3; 88-9]

MARION BEAZLEY

HELEN

Elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Beazley; ìof indeterminate colouring and features,î with ìlank hair tied severely back from her face,î ìher rather weak eyes were kind behind their disfiguring spectaclesî [Ch.1.5; 31]; when older, she and Helen Marchant share government lodgings when they become V.A.D.ís at a hospital on the outskirts of London to help with the war effort. [Ch.2.5]

MRS. MILDRED BEAZLEY (ìAunt Mildredî)

HELEN

Sister of Kitty Marchant, aunt to Helen Marchant [ch.1.1]

ROSE BEAZLEY

HELEN

Younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Beazley; ìthe beauty of the familyî with ìchina blue eyes, and golden curls, of which she was inordinately proudî [Ch.1.5; 31]

LORD CHARLES BLANDISTON

HELEN

An acquaintance of Helen Marchantís in London; in love with Babs Merridew, Celia Jeromeís friend [Ch.3.4]

MRS. VICTORIA CARMICHAEL (ìAUNTIE VICî)

HELEN

Mother of Richard Carmichael, wife of Mr. Carmichael, and confidant of James Marchant, advising him on Helenís upbringing [Ch.1.3]; a ìslim little woman with bright brown eyes, and a laughing mouthî [Ch.1.4; 24]

MR. FRANK CARMICHAEL

HELEN

Father of Richard Carmichael, husband of Mrs. Carmichael [Ch.1.3,1.6]

RICHARD CARMICHAEL (ìDickyî)

HELEN

Childhood friend of Helen Marchant [Ch.1.1]; four years older than Helen [Ch.1.4]; Mrs. Carmichael hopes for a marriage between Richard and Helen early in their friendship; attends Cambridge, and plays at Lords, and takes a ìvery good secondî in Classics [Ch.2.1, 2.2]; goes into his fatherís business as a young man [Ch.2.2]; stands ìover six feet,î and ìfashioned on noble linesî: ìHis broad shoulders were straight, and his legs were long and muscular. His face was bronzed and virile, the eyes a little hard, the mouth a little stubborn,î ìessentially manlyî and ìbears the mark of an athleteî [Ch.2.2; 79]; has ìdark hairî [Ch.3.7]

CARTER

HELEN

Long-time butler and manservant to James Marchant [Ch.1.1]

PETER CHILDE

HELEN

Friend of Helen Marchant, older by a few years [Ch.2.2]

LADY CHILDE

HELEN

Mother of Peter Child; neighbor of James Marchant in Collett [Ch.2.3]; lives at ìthe Courtî [Ch.2.4]

BERYL COCKBURN

HELEN

A neighbor of Helen Marchantís when she stays in Government lodgings during her time as a V.A.D. for a hospital on the outskirts of London; rooms with Angela Lorne. Beryl is the daughter of a ìself-made man,î but tries to present herself as if she was from an old family like the Marchant. [Ch.2.5]

COLIN

HELEN

Character in one of Helen Marchantís books [Ch.3.5]

IVOR COLLINS

HELEN

Friend of Leonard Beazley, leader of the artistic and pacifist set Leonard joins [Ch.2.6]

PEGGY COMYNS

HELEN

Neighbor of Helen Marchantís in government lodging when they are V.A.D.ís for the war effort. [Ch.3.1]

MRS. FAY CRUIKSHANK

HELEN

A widow in Knightsbridge whom Richard Carmichael loves [Ch.2.2, 2.3]; ìsilken hair always smoothly dressed, and scented, and never a freckle or blemish on her pointed face,î ìdiscreetly poweredî and ìwore soft colors chosen to set off her frail beautyî [Ch.2.3; 95]

THOMAS DANE

HELEN

Friend of Rose Beazley [Ch.2.3]

GEORGE DANVERS (ìBillî)

HELEN

Friend of James Marchantís in London [Ch.1.4, Ch.3.6]

BILLY DARE

HELEN

Brother of Monica, an acquaintance of Helen Marchantís in London [Ch.3.3], called an ìeffeminate little beastî by Helenís father, James Marchant [Ch.3.4]

MONICA DARE

HELEN

Sister of Billy Dare; an acquaintance of Helen Marchant in London and active in the Girl Guides [Ch.3.3]

GERALD FERRIER

HELEN

Friend and neighbor of the Munroes in Scotland [Ch.3.6]

ELIZABETH FFOLLIOT

HELEN

Daughter of Mrs. Ffolliot, who is instructed by Miss Pilbury, along with Helen Marchant [Ch.1.6]

MOIRA FFOLLIOT

HELEN

Daughter of Mrs. Ffolliot, an acquaintance of Helenís in London [Ch.3.4]

RHODA FFOLLIOT

HELEN

Daughter of Mrs. Ffolliot, who is instructed by Miss Pilbury, along with Helen Marchant [Ch.1.6]

URSULA FFOLLIOT

HELEN

Daughter of Mrs. Ffolliot, who is instructed by Miss Pilbury, along with Helen Marchant [Ch.1.6]

MRS. FFOLLIOT

HELEN

Neighbor of the Jeromes and James Marchant whose daughters will be instructed by Miss Pilbury, along

with Helen Marchant [Ch.1.6]

JOAN FINCH

HELEN

Neighbor of Helen Marchantís in government lodging when V.A.D.ís for the war effort. [Ch.2.7; 3.1]

FLETCHER

HELEN

A groom for James Marchant after the war [Ch.3.2]

FLO

HELEN

A cocker spaniel, one of James Marchantís dogs [Ch.1.1]

MAJOR HARRIS

HELEN

Worked with James Marchant during the war and with Richard Carmichael after the war [Ch.3.5]

EDWARD HASLITT (ìTeddyî)

HELEN

An acquaintance of Helen Marchantís in London [Ch.3.4]

CECIL HERRINGTON

HELEN

Friend of Helen Marchant; ìsomething of a dilettante, with a horror of being able to answer an intelligent question,î ìvery fair and fat, with sleepy blue eyes and perpetually raised eyebrowsî; officially studying for the Bar, and would probably go on to stand for Parliament, where heíd be successful because he would sleep most of the time; Helen likes him because he ìmakes [her] laughî [Ch.2.2; 85-6]

CHARLES HOPE-SHAW

HELEN

Acquaintance of Helen Marchantís [Ch.3.3]

JARDINE

HELEN

A stockbroker and an acquaintance of Helen Marchantís in London [Ch.3.4]

BEATRICE JEROME

HELEN

Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jerome [Ch.1.6]

CELIA JEROME

HELEN

Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jerome [Ch.1.6], one year older that Helen Marchant [Ch.2.2] and engaged in the suffragette movement [Ch.2.3]; drives a lorry and then promoted to a War House job for the war effort [Ch.2.7]

MRS. LUCILLA JEROME

HELEN

Wife of Mr. Jerome, the Rector [Ch.1.6]

MR. THEODORE JEROME

HELEN

The Rector of Collett, where the Marchants live [Ch.1.6]; a self-described ìlarge and fatî man [Ch.1.6] who publishes on Witches and Witchcraft under a pseudonym [Ch.1.6]

JESS

HELEN

One of Helen Marchantís dogs.

JOAN

HELEN

Character in one of Helen Marchantís novels [Ch.3.5]

BILL JOHNSON

HELEN

Friend of Richard Carmichael [Ch.2.3]

DR LANE

HELEN

Attending physician to the Marchants at Helen Marchantís birth [Ch. 1.1]

ANGELA LORNE

HELEN

A neighbor of Helen Marchantís when she stays in Government lodgings during her time as a V.A.D. for a hospital on the outskirts of London; rooms with Beryl Cockburn. Four years older than Helen, and her brother Ralph is a Futurist artist [Ch.2.6]

RALPH LORNE

HELEN

Brother of Angela Lorne, Helenís neighbor during the war. A Futurist artist [Ch.2.6] who fights in the war, and then known for his writing and his art. Raised Angela, three years his junior, since their mother died when she was three and their father died when she was seventeen [Ch.2.6]

LUCY

HELEN

Maid in James Marchantís house [Ch.1.1]

DR. MACRAE

HELEN

Doctor in Scotland, where James Marchant and Helen Marchant visit [Ch.3.6]

HELEN MARCHANT

HELEN

Daughter of James Marchant, born in November, 1894 [Ch.2.1]; in temperment much like her father, who raised her; while growing up, most women thought her ìcold and unnatural, precocious and impossible,î whereas she instead has her fatherís ìreserveî and is ìstoicî [Ch.1.3; 15-16, 19]; athletic, adores riding horseback, but ìnot a tomboyî [Ch.1.4; 21]; black curls [Ch.1.5] and green eyes [Ch.3.5], acquires ìa Rossetti look to her faceî as she matures [Ch.2.1; 65]; has her first season in the spring of 1914 [Ch.2.3]; helps with war effort as V.A.D. and tries writing [Ch.3.1]

JAMES MARCHANT (ìJIMî)

HELEN

Father of Helen Marchant, whom he raised on his own after his wifeís death in childbirth; thought by others to be ìcold and unfeeling,î but it is his pride and self-control which creates that impression [Ch.1.1; 4-5]; ìvery dark hairî [Ch.1.2; 10]; lives at Uplands [Ch.1.3], in Collett [Ch.1.5]; about 30 years old when Helen is born in 1894 [Ch.1.4; 26]

MRS. KATHLEEN MARCHANT (ìKITTYî)

HELEN

Wife of James Marchant, mother of Helen Marchant; dies giving birth to Helen at opening of book. [Ch.11.]

MASON

HELEN

Neighbor of Helen Marchantís in government lodging when V.A.D.ís for the war effort. [Ch.2.7]

MRS BARBARA MERRIDEW (ìBabsî)

HELEN

A widow who goes joins Celia Jerome in a hat shop business [Ch. 3.2]

MICK

HELEN

One of Helen Marchantís dogs. [Ch.3.2]

MOLLY

HELEN

A ìtrimî parlourmaid at the Beazleysí home [Ch.1.5]

MRS MOORE

HELEN

Friend of Mrs. Jerome, the Rectorís wife [Ch.1.6]

SIR BASIL MUNROE

HELEN

Husband of Lady Monroe and father of Basil and Peggy Munroe [Ch.3.6]

BOBBIE MUNROE

HELEN

Son of Lady Munroe; childhood friend of Helen Marchantís [Ch.2.2]

LADY MUNROE (Margaret)

HELEN

Wife of Sir Basil, mother of Bobbie Munroe and Peggy Munroe; and neighbor of the Marchants in Collett [Ch.3.5, 3.6]

PEGGY MUNROE

HELEN

Daughter of Lady Munroe; a childhood friend of Helen Marchant who is instructed with her by Miss Pilbury [Ch.1.6]

PETER

HELEN

A Sealyham, one of Helen Marchantís dogs [Ch.3.2]

MISS JANE PILBURY

HELEN

A graduate of Girton College who is engaged by the Rector as a governess for his and other children, including Helen Marchant [Ch.1.6]; about thirty years old, looks like Queen Elizabeth, with red hair and green eyes [Ch.1.6; 52, 54]; she ìgripped [Marchantís] hand like a manî when they are first introduced [Ch.1.6; 55] and quotes Horace; becomes a close friend of the Marchants

MRS POMP

HELEN

The charwoman for the rooms Helen Marchant and Marion Beazley share in government lodgings while V.A.D.ís for the war effort. [Ch.2.6]

CHARLES SANCROFT

HELEN

Neighbor and childhood acquaintance of Helen Marchant in Collett [Ch.3.5]

MRS SIMS

HELEN

Housekeeper for James Marchant [Ch.1.1]

SNODWEN

HELEN

A cheerful nurse hired to attend to Helen Marchant after her birth [Ch.1.1]

JOHN STANDISH

HELEN

ìThe Master [of the Hunt]ís youngest sonî and a friend of Helen Marchant [Ch.2.2]

TYRELLS

HELEN

A couple known to James Marchant and Helen Marchant [Ch.1.4]

HARRY VAUGHAN

HELEN

A young cigar merchant, and an acquaintance of Helen Merchantís in London [Ch.3.4, 3.5]

MAURICE VERE-CRAWLEY

HELEN

A friend of Helen Marchantís in Collett and in London, ìponderousî and deep-voiced, ìbig, blunderingî but ìunderstandingî and ìplayed the piano with an artistís touchî [Ch.2.2; 81-2]; ten years older than Helen; having failed for... the Diplomatic,î he had ìcome home [to Collett] to take up farmingî [Ch.2.2; 83]

WHISKERS

HELEN

An overgrown Irish terrier owned by Angela Lorne in London [Ch.3.5]