The House of Mirth · Character
Grace Stepney
An obscure, adaptable cousin who reads out the deaths and picks up dropped stitches, Grace Stepney is exactly the kind of woman Lily fears becoming.
supporting
Also known as Grace, Miss Stepney, Grace Stepney
First appearance: vi
As a supporting figure in The House of Mirth, Grace Stepney is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Resentful of Lily for causing her exclusion from a family dinner; deliberately shares rumors about Lily's gambling debts and relationships with Gus Trenor and George Dorset.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Grace runs in to sit with Mrs. Peniston when Lily is out, playing bezique and sincerely admiring the purple satin curtains. She is useful in the small ways Lily disdains, and her quiet competence makes her a natural…
Continue beside the text
The fuller portrait of Grace Stepney sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Grace Stepney in viCharacter Web
20 connectionsA slice of how Grace Stepney sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- High society insiders
- Peripheral and background figures
+15 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
In this scene, the emotional and psychological peak occurs when Lily, driven by an intense longing to dispel t…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Lily Bart
rivalry · negative
A bitter rivalry fueled by jealousy over inheritance and social position, with Grace… How this plays out →
- Lily Bart
rivalry · negative
A bitter rivalry fueled by jealousy over inheritance and social position, with Grace… How this plays out →
- Lily Bart
rivalry · negative
A bitter rivalry fueled by jealousy over inheritance and social position, with Grace… How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Grace Stepney in viIn the story
Grace Stepney appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Grace Stepney unlock in the free preview.
See Grace Stepney in vi