Henrietta

Henrietta, called Mother or Mum by Theodosia, is caught between suspicion and affection in the evidence presented: Lord Wigmere believes prolonged exposure to black magic may have affected her, while Theodosia rejects the implication that her mother has turned against them. When Theodosia returns, Henrietta’s first response is to reach for her and check that she is safe.

Suspected Exposure

Lord Wigmere tells Theodosia that the inquiry into the theft of the Heart of Egypt points to an inside job, and that he fears Henrietta may have been involved. He immediately distinguishes suspected influence from deliberate wrongdoing: in his view, the cause is the black magic to which she has been exposed during lengthy periods in the pyramids, month after month among artifacts in an undisturbed state. He compares its gradual effect to rain dissolving a pudding and leaving pits and fissures, presenting Henrietta as someone potentially altered by exposure rather than as a willing accomplice.

Protection and Theodosia’s Defense

Lord Wigmere asks whether Henrietta or Alistair Throckmorton wears magical protection. Theodosia answers that neither does, despite her repeated attempts to persuade them and the amulets she has made in the hope they would wear them to humor her. She insists that their refusal does not prove they have gone bad. Her defense is sharpened by her trust in Lord Wigmere: the possibility that he could be so completely wrong unsettles her, even as he concedes the uncertainty but says the risk cannot be taken.

Return to the Family

After Henrietta has recently returned from Egypt, Theodosia asks at dinner when she expects to go back. Alistair points out that she has only just returned; Theodosia presents her question as an effort to plan her year. The exchange establishes that another departure is under consideration, but it does not settle when Henrietta will leave.

When Theodosia comes back later, Henrietta reaches her first, grips her shoulders, kneels to see her face, and asks whether she is all right. Theodosia says she is fine, though dirty and hungry. Alistair then rebukes her for going too far and recalls that he had worried when they found her belongings in Henrietta’s trunk. In this brief reunion, Henrietta’s physical urgency contrasts with the suspicion surrounding her: the story leaves that suspicion in place while showing her immediate, tangible concern for her daughter.