# Eve Rastall-Retford — Short Fiction character guide

> Eve Rastall-Retford in Short Fiction by P. G. Wodehouse.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Mrs. Rastall - Retford, Eve

**First appearance:** 0000-when-papa-swore-in-hindustani

## Snapshot

A proud young woman who fled one household in a flush of indignation, only to find her past pursuing her into the next — and her appetite betraying her at midnight.

## Who they are

Eve takes a post playing piano for Mrs. Rastall-Retford after a bitter parting with the Rayner family leaves her flushed and at war with the whole clan. When Peter Rayner strolls into the drawing-room as her employer's son's guest, his look tells her plainly he has tracked her down to resume where they left off — and she is indignant for a full five minutes before hunger overrules her pride. Creeping downstairs for biscuits, she stumbles instead upon Peter raiding the larder, and the two are forced into a wary, famished truce.

## Relationships

### [Peter Rayner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_42_se/characters/peter_rayner)

_romantic_

Eve and Peter are lovers or suitors, with a dynamic of passion and conflict.

### [Mr. Paul Snyder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_42_se/characters/mr_paul_snyder)

_social_

Eve and Mr. Paul Snyder are acquaintances or social contacts, possibly with underlying tension.

### [Peter Rayner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_42_se/characters/peter_rayner)

_romantic_

Eve and Peter are lovers or suitors, with a dynamic of passion and conflict.

### [Mr. Paul Snyder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_42_se/characters/mr_paul_snyder)

_social_

Eve and Mr. Paul Snyder are acquaintances or social contacts, possibly with underlying tension.

### [Peter Rayner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_42_se/characters/peter_rayner)

_romantic_

Eve and Peter are lovers or suitors, with a dynamic of passion and conflict.

### [Mr. Paul Snyder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_42_se/characters/mr_paul_snyder)

_social_

Eve and Mr. Paul Snyder are acquaintances or social contacts, possibly with underlying tension.

## In the story

### [The Best Sauce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_42_se/chapters/the-best-sauce)

Mrs. Rastall-Retford is Eve's employer, a massive, irritable lady on a Spartan diet, who treats her staff harshly and is prone to stormy moods.

### [Disentangling Old Duggie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_42_se/chapters/disentangling-old-duggie)

Mrs. Darrell, the palmist; becomes engaged to Duggie but later breaks it off due to family pressure.

### [The Mixer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_42_se/chapters/the-mixer)

A woman connected to Peter Rayner, whose actions are observed by Tommy.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_42_se/characters/eve_rastall_retford
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_42_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_42_se/characters