# Elfrida Arden — The House of Arden character guide > Elfrida Arden in The House of Arden by E. Nesbit. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Miss Elfrida Arden, the dusty Elfrida, the 1605 Elfrida, Miss Elfrida **First appearance:** 0000-i-arden-s-lord ## Who they are An Arden girl who feels the century in her bones, Elfrida drags her brother into the family's buried past to hunt a lost treasure. ## Relationships ### [Edred Arden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/edred_arden) _family_ Siblings who share a deep bond and work together on adventures to restore their family's fortunes. ### [Cousin Richard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/cousin_richard) _family_ Cousin Richard is a supportive and protective older relative who often guides Elfrida. ### [The Mouldiwarp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/the_mouldiwarp) _friendship_ Elfrida and the magical Mouldiwarp are allies who cooperate on time-travel quests. ### [King James I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/king_james_i) _social_ Elfrida meets King James I during time-travel and interacts with him as a historical figure. ### [Aunt Edith](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/aunt_edith) _family_ Aunt Edith is a maternal figure who worries about Elfrida and tries to keep her safe. ### [Mrs. Honeysett](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/mrs_honeysett) _professional_ Mrs. Honeysett serves as the household housekeeper and is a trusted adult for Elfrida. ### [Master Richard Arden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/master_richard_arden) _family_ Master Richard Arden is an ancestor of Elfrida, encountered during time-travel. ### [Old Beale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/old_beale) _social_ Old Beale is a local servant or worker who interacts with Elfrida in the estate setting. ### [Sir Edward Talbot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/sir_edward_talbot) _social_ Sir Edward Talbot is a historical figure Elfrida meets during time-travel, with polite acquaintance. ### [Edred Arden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/edred_arden) _family_ Siblings who share a deep bond and work together on adventures to restore their family's fortunes. ### [Edred Arden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/edred_arden) _family_ Siblings who share a deep bond and work together on adventures to restore their family's fortunes. ### [Cousin Richard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/cousin_richard) _family_ Cousin Richard is a supportive and protective older relative who often guides Elfrida. ## In the story ### [I: Arden's Lord](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/i-arden-s-lord) Edred's sister, more cautious but persevering, who helps search the library and retrieves the fallen spell paper. ### [The Mouldiwarp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/ii-the-mouldiwarp) Elfrida is the first to recognize the golden creature as the family crest and insists on its significance. She composes a poem to summon the Mouldiwarp and encourages cooperation with her brother. ### [III: In Boney’s Times](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/iii-in-boney-s-times) Shows compassion by kissing the wise woman, and cleverly persuades Lord Arden to avoid punishment. ### [IV: The Landing of the French](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/iv-the-landing-of-the-french) Wakes to see the beacon, witnesses the shipwreck, summons the Mouldiwarp, and leads Edred back to the attic to return to their own time. ### [V: The Highwayman and the ⸻](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/v-the-highwayman-and-the) Rescued by the highwayman, she helps hide the Chevalier St. George and later composes a poem to summon the Mouldiwarp. ### [The Secret Panel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/vi-the-secret-panel) Narrates her time-travel adventure to Edred, defends her actions, and shows bravery in protecting Sir Edward Talbot from his pursuers. ### [The Key of the Parlour](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/vii-the-key-of-the-parlour) Trapped behind the secret panel; gives the key to the Mouldiwarp. ### [Guy Fawkes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/viii-guy-fawkes) Explores the castle, attempts to draw it, dresses in Jacobean costume, and time-travels to the 1600s where she meets her Cousin Dick. ### [The Prisoners in the Tower](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/ix-the-prisoners-in-the-tower) Imprisoned in the Tower, she sews a sampler and longs for home, but refuses to leave without Edred. ### [White Wings and a Brownie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/x-white-wings-and-a-brownie) Recites the poem to summon the Mouldiwarp; jumps from the window trusting the magic; clutches the Brownie camera. ### [Developments](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/xi-developments) Listens to the tragic story of her namesake and is deeply moved; she suggests using old clothes to travel back in time to find the treasure. ### [Films and Clouds](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/xii-films-and-clouds) Helps print photographs, reads about the moat in the History of the Ardens, and wishes to see the nurse witch again. ### [May-Blossom and Pearls](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/xiii-may-blossom-and-pearls) Distressed by her historical knowledge of Anne Boleyn's fate; recites a May Day poem to the King and Queen; insists on holding hands during magic. ### [XIV: The Finding of the Treasure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/chapters/xiv-the-finding-of-the-treasure) Struggles with disbelief but ultimately finds her father, experiencing a profound emotional reunion. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters/elfrida_arden - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_arden_se/characters