Rhoda Brook

Short Fiction

A milkmaid involved in a supernatural encounter and social tension.

XVII

Not present in this chapter.

The Withered Arm

A milkmaid and former lover of Farmer Lodge, she is the mother of his son and becomes entangled in a supernatural event that curses Gertrude.

I: A Lorn Milkmaid

A thin, worn milkmaid who listens to gossip about Farmer Lodge's new bride; she is the mother of his son and instructs the boy to report on the new wife's looks.

II: The Young Wife

The boy's mother, a milkmaid with a past connection to Farmer Lodge, who interrogates her son about Gertrude.

III: A Vision

Experiences a terrifying vision of Gertrude Lodge and later fears she may have unwittingly caused Gertrude's injury through supernatural means.

III: A Vision

The boy who first spoke to Gertrude in the road and accepted her offer of boots, facilitating the visit.

IV: A Suggestion

Rhoda is tormented by guilt and superstition after seeing the fingermarks on Gertrude's arm, which match her dream. She reluctantly agrees to guide Gertrude to Conjuror Trendle.

Conjuror Trendle

Accompanies Gertrude to the conjuror, feels a strange fascination and later a sense of triumph; her face grows sadder and she eventually disappears from the neighborhood.

VI: A Second Attempt

Referenced indirectly; her story has become known to Gertrude, and her son is the boy Mr. Lodge once thought of adopting.

A Ride

Though not directly present, Rhoda's earlier consultation with Trendle set the events in motion.

VIII: A Waterside Hermit

Not directly present, but her earlier advice about the cure motivates Gertrude's actions.

IX: A Rencounter

Rhoda appears at the jail to claim the body of her executed son. She confronts Gertrude and her husband, expressing her grief and anger.