# Lily Campion — The Perennial Bachelor character guide > Lily Campion in The Perennial Bachelor by Anne Parrish. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Lillie, Fat little Lily, Miss Lily, Poor Lily, Lily **First appearance:** 0001-the-perennial-bachelor ## Snapshot Plump, newspaper-devouring Lily Campion keeps house with Victor and reads everything but the news, including the society column that will change everything. ## Who they are Lily is the Campion sister who stays — the one who reads the Sunday papers cover to cover, cuts out poems with a hairpin, and sits up late making candy for Victor's return. She loves her brother with a quiet, watchful anxiety, dreading the day someone will take him away and leave her alone in the house. Her discovery of a name in the society columns sets the story's later machinery in motion, but her real weight is in her loneliness and her loyalty. ## Relationships ### [Maggie Campion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/characters/maggie_campion) _family_ Lily is Maggie's sister, and their relationship appears supportive and intimate, with Lily looking up to Maggie. ### [Victor Campion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/characters/victor_campion) _family_ Lily is Victor's younger sister, and she admires him but also criticizes his indecisiveness, showing a teasing yet affectionate bond. ### [Mamma Campion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/characters/mamma_campion) _family_ Lily and Mamma have a typical mother-daughter relationship, with Mamma guiding Lily's social prospects. ### [Maggie Campion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/characters/maggie_campion) _family_ Lily is Maggie's sister, and their relationship appears supportive and intimate, with Lily looking up to Maggie. ### [Maggie Campion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/characters/maggie_campion) _family_ Lily is Maggie's sister, and their relationship appears supportive and intimate, with Lily looking up to Maggie. ### [Mamma Campion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/characters/mamma_campion) _family_ Lily and Mamma have a typical mother-daughter relationship, with Mamma guiding Lily's social prospects. ### [Victor Campion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/characters/victor_campion) _family_ Lily is Victor's younger sister, and she admires him but also criticizes his indecisiveness, showing a teasing yet affectionate bond. ### [Mamma Campion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/characters/mamma_campion) _family_ Lily and Mamma have a typical mother-daughter relationship, with Mamma guiding Lily's social prospects. ### [Victor Campion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/characters/victor_campion) _family_ Lily is Victor's younger sister, and she admires him but also criticizes his indecisiveness, showing a teasing yet affectionate bond. ## In the story ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/i) Four-year-old, fat and asleep, with pale yellow hair. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/iii) Gives Papa an allumette stand, thinks she made it herself, and later follows May to the kitchen. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/iv) Lily tries to feed the baby and asks about his origin, showing her childish confusion. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/v) Mistakes a soldier for Papa during the war and runs out to him, showing her childish confusion. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/vi) Engages in polite play with Lossie, shows interest in the gingerbread house from Hansel and Gretel. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/vii) Assists in the morning rush, fetching items for Victor's school day. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/viii) Shy and awkward at parties, she prefers playing the piano and struggles with her weight and weak ankles. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/ix) Weeps over a new book and eats raisins from her stocking, also helps with Christmas decorations. ### [X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/x) Lily talks with May about Mamma's possible marriage to Mr. Lacey, feeling curious and uneasy. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xi) Present during the visit, giggling nervously and hiding with the girls. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xii) Falls asleep in the carriage on the way home; earlier, she wept unrestrainedly at May's beauty in the tableau. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xiii) Embarrassed by her initial encounter with Edward, later plays croquet and is naive about May's behavior. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xiv) Confused by the intensity of Maggie and Edward's relationship, expecting a more conventional courtship. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xvi) Present in the household, involved in the preparations and curious about Maggie's letters from Edward. ### [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xvii) Lily admires Mrs. Hawthorn's elegance, contrasting with May's bitterness. ### [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xviii) Good-naturedly helps with preparations and plays tennis at the Leafs'. ### [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xix) Displays the family's social aspirations by leaving the invitation on the hall table, but is also part of the welcoming, curious group when Victor returns. ### [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xxii) Struggles with her too-tight dress and worries about her appearance, but is excited about the wedding. ### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xxiii) Attempts to earn money through music lessons, becomes intensely religious, and hopes for a courtship with Mr. Marshall. ### [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xxiv) Helps plan Victor's party and is awed by Daisy's poodle's luxurious lifestyle. ### [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xxv) Joins Maggie in watching Mr. Robinson's arrival and later discusses May's mysterious friend Allen Jermayne. ### [XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xxvi) Indulges in romantic fantasies and takes up hobbies like pyrography, while doting on Victor. ### [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xxvii) Mentioned as selfish and deceitful by Mrs. Mittendorf. ### [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xxviii) Attends the Spears' housewarming secretly, feeling out of place and nostalgic. ### [The Diagnosis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xxx) Knits sweaters for soldiers, is described as shy and sentimental, and has a sore throat. ### [XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xxxi) Lily is seen gardening and later napping, unaware of the gravity of Maggie's condition. ### [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xxxii) Lonely without Maggie, makes candy for Victor, reads society pages, discovers Lucy's return, fears being alone and old. ### [XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/chapters/xxxiii) Lily accepts aging gracefully, finding happiness in simple routines and comforts. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/characters/lily_campion - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_perennial_bachelor_se/characters