The Daughter Of Time

Brent Carradine is a young American doing research at the British Museum. He follows his girlfriend overseas to be near her while she’s acting in Marta’s play. Brent is also trying to escape the reach of his father, who wants him to work in the family furniture business. He jumps at the chance to help Grant with his research. Marta calls him “the wooly lamb” because of his soft, curly hair and horn-rimmed spectacles. He delights in debunking historical errors as much as Grant does.

Marta Hallard is a London stage actress and Grant’s friend. She’s attractive and flamboyant. Marta stops by to visit Grant during his recovery and takes an interest in keeping his mind occupied. She’s instrumental in finding a fit subject for his detective skills and enjoys discussing the case with him.

Mrs. Tinker is Grant’s dowdy landlady. She always wears the same hat. Grant believes she owns one other that she calls “‘me blue’” (20), but she only wears this for historic royal functions. Since she was once a dresser in the theater, she is in awe of Marta and other theatrical folk.

Sergeant Williams works with Grant at Scotland Yard. He’s a large, stolid young man who lacks imagination. He possesses a good heart and goes out of his way to visit Grant and bring him news from the Yard. Despite his inability to understand the nuances of Grant’s pet project, he’s happy to fetch books when the invalid asks for them.

Nurse Ingram is physically petite but quite strong. She has no difficulty managing the six-foot-tall Grant. This is a fact he finds humiliating. She possesses a no-nonsense attitude toward her charges. Her tone is brisk and businesslike. She isn’t particularly interested in Grant’s quest for the truth and quickly decides that Richard the Third is dreary.

In contrast to Nurse Ingham’s brisk, petite efficiency, Nurse Darroll is quite tall. The smallest exertion leaves her short of breath. She lapses into sentimentality and offers unsolicited consolation to her patients. Grant finds her irritating for this reason.

The Matron runs the nursing operation of Grant’s hospital. She always appears composed and is careful in forming an opinion. Grant describes her as a person of “unshakeable poise” (48). She makes brief appearances in Grant’s room and offers occasional opinions about Richard the Third. Grant admits she may have been the person who came “nearest to the heart of the matter” (198) in her understanding of the face in the portrait.