Lady Edith Character Analysis

Hugh Hendon’s wife. Lady Edith is the sole heiress of a large fortune. Sir Richard Hendon becomes her protector when her parents die. Edith falls in love with Miles Hendon but she is supposed to marry Arthur Hendon. Arthur is also in love with someone else, so he tells Miles and Edith to be patient, hoping they can delay their wedding long enough for Richard (who doesn’t want Miles to marry Edith because Miles is his second son and Arthur is his first) to die and thus free them all to marry whomever they want. Edith marries Hugh after Arthur dies and Hugh writes a fraudulent letter informing them that Miles, too, has died. Edith discovers Hugh wrote the letter, and their marriage sours. When Miles shows back up, Hugh threatens to kill him if Edith doesn’t pretend not to recognize him. Edith keeps up the act and tells Miles to run away, but is too late—Miles and Edward Tudor (whom Miles is protecting) are arrested. Edith finally marries Miles after Hugh has abandoned her and he has died somewhere in Europe.