Rhoda

Rhoda is introduced through her lively curiosity about the séance at Thyrza Grey’s and reappears in the ordinary routines at Much Deeping. She says she does not believe in spirits, yet wants to see the gathering for herself; later, while treating dogs, she directs Mark Easterbrook toward Ginger’s unexplained absence at The Pale Horse. These moments make Rhoda a counterpoint to the investigation: interested in its spectacle, but not shown as sharing Mark’s sense of danger or purpose.

Curiosity About the Séance

When Rhoda learns that Mark plans to attend a séance at Thyrza Grey’s, she questions his interest. Mark admits that spiritualism itself does not attract him; the unusual arrangement of the three women does. Rhoda immediately offers to go with him, cheerfully explaining that she has always wanted to attend one. Her eagerness is social and experiential rather than a declaration of belief: she explicitly says she does not believe in spirits and wants to go for the fun of it.

Hugh Despard refuses to let her accompany Mark. Rhoda objects that Hugh is prejudiced, while Hugh’s concern is sharpened by his suspicion that Mark’s visit is not merely idle curiosity. He notices Mark’s concealed purpose and senses that something more serious is at stake. Rhoda, by contrast, treats the proposed visit as entertainment. The difference gives the exchange its tension: she sees an intriguing outing where Hugh detects danger and Mark hides an investigative aim.

Encounter with Thyrza Grey

Rhoda is still annoyed at being excluded when she and Mark encounter Thyrza Grey in the village later that morning. Thyrza confirms that she expects Mark that evening and describes Sybil Stamfordis as a remarkable medium, while warning him that the séance may produce uncertain results. She asks him to approach it with an open mind rather than frivolous disbelief. Rhoda interjects that she had wanted to come too, again blaming Hugh’s prejudice. Her intervention shows that her enthusiasm survives the refusal, even as the conversation makes clear that Thyrza regards the gathering as more than a light diversion.

In a later conversation about the séance’s components, Rhoda asks about trances after hearing that White cockerels were part of Bella Webb’s role. The answer confirms that trances were also involved, and Rhoda looks disappointed. The reaction complicates her earlier eagerness: she wanted the novelty of attending, but the details do not seem to satisfy the expectation she had formed. The evidence does not establish that she attended the gathering; her expressed wish to go and her later questions mark her as an interested outsider.

Ordinary Life at Much Deeping

At Much Deeping, Rhoda is occupied with doctoring dogs, apparently treating them for worms. When Mark arrives, she looks up from the work and asks whether he would like to help. He declines and instead asks where Ginger has gone. Rhoda tells him that Ginger has gone over to The Pale Horse. The brief exchange places Rhoda’s practical, everyday activity beside the investigation’s renewed connection to the séance’s location. She supplies Mark with the immediate information he seeks, but no further involvement in his inquiry is shown.

Narrative Role

Rhoda’s scenes establish a contrast between ordinary curiosity and the concealed stakes of Mark’s investigation. Her wish to attend the séance is candid and playful; Mark’s stated curiosity is a cover for a purpose that Hugh recognizes but Rhoda does not address. Later, her matter-of-fact work with the dogs restores the sense of normal life at Much Deeping, only for her answer about Ginger to point Mark back toward The Pale Horse. Rhoda is therefore a minor but useful presence in the narrative: she brings an uncomplicated interest in the occult spectacle and, through an ordinary exchange, helps reveal where the investigation is moving next.