# Tomas Castro — Romance character guide > Tomas Castro in Romance by Joseph Conrad. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Castro, The good Tomas, the good Castro, true Tomas **First appearance:** 0004-part-i-the-quarry-and-the-beach ## Snapshot Ugly, faithful, and possibly villainous, Castro is the scarred retainer sent to fetch a ruined heir home to Cuba — and the watch in his pocket is already trouble. ## Who they are Castro serves the Riego family with a loyalty that survives every scrape his masters won't own up to, and he carries their errands — and their secrets — with a face no one forgets. Carlos calls him 'as faithful as he is ugly' and shrugs off the watch Castro supposedly bought from a bad man, leaving the reader to wonder how much of the villainy is Castro's and how much belongs to the family he serves. His presence turns the voyage to Cuba into something more dangerous than a homecoming. ## Relationships ### [Carlos Riego](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/carlos_riego) _friendship_ Close companions with frequent interactions, likely allies in shared endeavors. ### [Manuel del Popolo Isturiz](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/manuel_del_popolo_isturiz) _friendship_ Strong bond with high interaction frequency, suggesting trusted partnership. ### [Seraphina Riego](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/seraphina_riego) _romantic_ Intense connection with frequent interactions, likely romantic interest or lovers. ### [Mr. Sebright](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/mr_sebright) _rivalry_ Moderate interactions suggest underlying tension or competition for Seraphina's affection. ### [Juan Kemp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/juan_kemp) _friendship_ Equal interaction count with Carlos suggests mutual friendship circle. ### [Major Cowper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/major_cowper) _professional_ Military rank implies a superior-subordinate or comrade-in-arms dynamic. ### [Carlos Riego](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/carlos_riego) _friendship_ Close companions with frequent interactions, likely allies in shared endeavors. ### [Juan Kemp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/juan_kemp) _friendship_ Equal interaction count with Carlos suggests mutual friendship circle. ### [Manuel del Popolo Isturiz](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/manuel_del_popolo_isturiz) _friendship_ Strong bond with high interaction frequency, suggesting trusted partnership. ### [Seraphina Riego](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/seraphina_riego) _romantic_ Intense connection with frequent interactions, likely romantic interest or lovers. ### [Mr. Sebright](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/mr_sebright) _rivalry_ Moderate interactions suggest underlying tension or competition for Seraphina's affection. ### [Seraphina Riego](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/seraphina_riego) _romantic_ Intense connection with frequent interactions, likely romantic interest or lovers. ## In the story ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/i) Carlos's short, bearded companion, a former soldier in Napoleon's Spanish contingent with a wooden hand. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/iii) A companion of Carlos Riego, who rides in gloomy silence during the escape. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/iv) Faithful dependent of the Riego family; has a questionable past; helps with the boat during the storm. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/v) Threatens to kill Kemp for speaking of Rio Medio as a pirate nest, but is stopped by Carlos; reluctantly leaves with Carlos. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/v) Commands the attacking schooner, adopts the alias Nicola el Demonio, and orchestrates the boarding while privately advising the narrator not to resist. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/vi) Drives away thieves, orders Kemp seized, later appears relaxed and benevolent in the cabin. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/ii) Loyal servant; present at Casa Riego, showing deference to Seraphina. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/iii) Warns Juan about the friar and the Lugareños' hostility; advises Juan to stay within the Casa. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/v) Reports to Kemp about O'Brien's schemes; suggests the knife as the only remedy; crawls into Kemp's room to avoid detection. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/vi) Arranges the boat and the disguise; sarcastic but loyal to Kemp. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/i) Helps with the escape; his heart broken by Carlos' death; acts out of scorn for Rio Medio's population. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/ii) Reluctantly agrees to follow the pirates; expresses loyalty to the memory of Carlos Riego. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/iii) Rowing with Kemp; he maneuvers the dinghy during the boarding and mutters bitterly about the English. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/iv) Follows Kemp and Seraphina aboard, adopting a conspiratorial appearance; later called forward by Sebright. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/v) Old, wrinkled, and cloaked; warns Kemp of danger from the schooner and pledges loyalty to Seraphina. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/vi) Points out the coast to Williams and Sebright, gesticulating with his one arm. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/vii) Guides the group to the cavern; recounts history of the cave and past events involving Manuel and O'Brien; plans to fetch mules at daybreak. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/viii) Returns to the cave in a state of despair, confesses to betraying them, and recounts his encounter with El Rubio and José at the spring. ### [The Siege of the Cave](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/x) Captured and tortured by Manuel's men, he drinks water and is forced to jump, crying out for Seraphina before falling silent. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/iii) Mentioned as the one who seized Kemp, relevant to Kemp's defense. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/tomas_castro - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters