# Margery Byrne — The House by the River character guide > Margery Byrne in The House by the River by A. P. Herbert. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Margaret, Margery Byrne—Margery Byrne, Byrne, Poor Margery **First appearance:** 0000-i ## Snapshot Stephen's wife, newly risen from a long illness, returns hungry for old friends and company, unaware of how much has quietly changed in her absence. ## Who they are Margery comes back to life eager to take up exactly where she left it, urging Stephen to ring John Egerton and refusing to believe evil of anyone. Yet curiosity nags at the back of her mind about the inquest and the local feeling she has only heard secondhand. Her loyalty and her dawning suspicion make her the conscience the household cannot quite silence. ## Relationships ### [Stephen Byrne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/stephen_byrne) _family_ Margery is Stephen's wife, but their marriage is strained by Stephen's infidelity and her growing suspicion and resentment. ### [John Egerton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/john_egerton) _friendship_ John is a close friend and confidant to Margery, but his motives are complicated by his own romantic interest in her. ### [Mrs. Bantam](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/mrs_bantam) _professional_ Margery and Mrs. Bantam have a mistress-servant relationship, though Mrs. Bantam often feels caught between Margery and Stephen. ### [Emily Gaunt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/emily_gaunt) _rivalry_ Emily and Margery are rivals for Stephen's attention and loyalty, with Emily actively undermining Margery's position. ### [Muriel Tarrant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/muriel_tarrant) _rivalry_ Margery and Muriel are rivals, as Muriel's affair with Stephen destroys Margery's trust and marriage. ### [Stephen Byrne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/stephen_byrne) _family_ Margery is Stephen's wife, but their marriage is strained by Stephen's infidelity and her growing suspicion and resentment. ### [Mrs. Bantam](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/mrs_bantam) _professional_ Margery and Mrs. Bantam have a mistress-servant relationship, though Mrs. Bantam often feels caught between Margery and Stephen. ### [Emily Gaunt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/emily_gaunt) _rivalry_ Emily and Margery are rivals for Stephen's attention and loyalty, with Emily actively undermining Margery's position. ### [Stephen Byrne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/stephen_byrne) _family_ Margery is Stephen's wife, but their marriage is strained by Stephen's infidelity and her growing suspicion and resentment. ### [John Egerton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/john_egerton) _friendship_ John is a close friend and confidant to Margery, but his motives are complicated by his own romantic interest in her. ### [Muriel Tarrant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/muriel_tarrant) _rivalry_ Margery and Muriel are rivals, as Muriel's affair with Stephen destroys Margery's trust and marriage. ### [Mrs. Bantam](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/mrs_bantam) _professional_ Margery and Mrs. Bantam have a mistress-servant relationship, though Mrs. Bantam often feels caught between Margery and Stephen. ## In the story ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/i) Stephen's wife, described as very fair and delightful without being exactly beautiful. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/ii) Stephen's wife, who is dining with her mother and is expected back later. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/iii) Stephen's pregnant wife, expected home at any moment; her potential discovery of the crime drives Stephen and John's urgency. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/iv) Walks home happily, reflecting on her pregnancy, her trust in Stephen, and his literary success. ### [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/vi) Margery is mentioned as a motive for John's actions and as having recently given birth, which occupies Stephen's attention. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/vii) Very ill after childbirth; Stephen visits her briefly and she weakly tells him to go out in his boat. ### [Chapter IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/ix) Recovering from childbirth, she lies in bed dreaming of the future with Stephen, unaware of his guilt; she is touched by his apparent concern. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/x) Recovering from childbirth, eager for company, and unaware of the full truth about Emily Gaunt. ### [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xi) Mentioned as Stephen's wife; Stephen briefly thinks of her and his vows but then forgets her in the heat of the dance. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xii) Writes a letter to Stephen from Hampshire, describing the peace and beauty of the Solent, and urges him to join her. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xiii) Mentioned in Stephen's thoughts about her description of evening by the Solent. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xiv) Reads Stephen's manuscript secretly, moved by the poem but unaware of its autobiographical basis. ### [Chapter XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xv) Margery discovers the truth about Stephen's crime through his manuscript. She passionately pleads with him not to confess, driven by protective love and fear of losing him. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xvi) Worries about Stephen's late return, hears the gas-stove explosion, and is later soothed by his forced cheerfulness at dinner, unaware of his suicide plan. ### [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xvii) Waiting in the garden, she gives John a paper found in the dining-room; later hears Stephen's cry and helps John. ### [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xviii) Mentioned as someone whose windows would overlook the statue; her potential feelings are dismissed by the committee. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/margery_byrne - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters