# Muriel Tarrant — The House by the River character guide

> Muriel Tarrant in The House by the River by A. P. Herbert.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Miss Muriel Tarrant, Muriel, Miss Tarrant

**First appearance:** 0001-ii

## Snapshot

A blue-eyed young dancer who perches on the river wall and coaxes Stephen to a dance with a pout, a smile, and a secret of her own.

## Who they are

Muriel moves through the feverish dance craze of the day, training and performing with the devotion of a professional, and her easy charm draws Stephen out of his study and into her orbit. When she leans forward with her eyes on his, something unspoken passes between them, and he suddenly wonders why he never noticed her before. She is the small, bright spark that begins to unsettle the Byrne marriage.

## Relationships

### [Stephen Byrne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/stephen_byrne)

_romantic_

Muriel is Stephen's lover, a passionate and secret affair that fuels much of the novel's tension and tragedy.

### [John Egerton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/john_egerton)

_social_

John and Muriel are acquaintances, with John using his knowledge of her affair with Stephen to further his own schemes.

### [Margery Byrne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/margery_byrne)

_rivalry_

Margery and Muriel are rivals, as Muriel's affair with Stephen destroys Margery's trust and marriage.

### [John Egerton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/john_egerton)

_social_

John and Muriel are acquaintances, with John using his knowledge of her affair with Stephen to further his own schemes.

### [Margery Byrne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/margery_byrne)

_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)

_romantic_

Muriel is Stephen's lover, a passionate and secret affair that fuels much of the novel's tension and tragedy.

### [Stephen Byrne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/stephen_byrne)

_romantic_

Muriel is Stephen's lover, a passionate and secret affair that fuels much of the novel's tension and tragedy.

### [John Egerton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/john_egerton)

_social_

John and Muriel are acquaintances, with John using his knowledge of her affair with Stephen to further his own schemes.

## In the story

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/i)

The sole unmarried and marriageable maiden in The Chase, niece of the Reverend Peter, young, fresh, and admirable.

### [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xi)

Flirts with Stephen to amuse herself and possibly provoke John, enjoys the excitement of Stephen's attention, and coldly dismisses John.

### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xii)

Meets Stephen nightly on the river, torn between her conquest and fear of discovery.

### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xiii)

Listens to Stephen's poems without understanding, waits for him in vain, and realizes her love has become serious.

### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xiv)

Mentioned as unhappy and lonely, with her mother blamed for the situation.

### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xvi)

Thought of fondly by Stephen as 'a dear girl, but no mind'; he wishes to say goodbye to her.

### [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/chapters/xvii)

Mentioned in John's thoughts as the woman he loved and lost, possibly due to Stephen's actions.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_by_the_river_se/characters/muriel_tarrant
- 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