# Ruth Averill — The Starvel Hollow Tragedy character guide > Ruth Averill in The Starvel Hollow Tragedy by Freeman Wills Crofts. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Miss Ruth, Miss Averill, Averill **First appearance:** 0002-i-the-tragedy ## Snapshot A penniless orphan marooned in her miser uncle's moorland house, watching the rain and wondering if life will ever begin. ## Who they are Ruth stands at the drawing-room window of Starvel in threadbare clothes three years out of fashion, her dark, old-fashioned prettiness framed by a landscape as bleak as her prospects. Dependent on Simon Averill's grudging bounty and isolated with the Ropers, she has only a faint, half-formed attachment to Pierce Whymper to suggest another life. Her absence from the house on the eve of the fire, arranged through a note she never questioned, makes her both the tragedy's most sympathetic survivor and the pivot on which French's suspicions turn. ## Relationships ### [Pierce Whymper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/characters/pierce_whymper) _romantic_ Whymper and Ruth share a romantic relationship, with Whymper acting as a suitor or lover. ### [Markham Giles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/characters/markham_giles) _romantic_ Giles is a suitor or romantic interest of Ruth, creating a love triangle with Whymper. ### [John Roper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/characters/john_roper) _social_ Roper and Ruth are acquaintances, possibly through family or village life. ### [Mr. Oxley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/characters/mr_oxley) _social_ Oxley and Ruth are likely acquaintances or have a professional relationship in the community. ### [Markham Giles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/characters/markham_giles) _romantic_ Giles is a suitor or romantic interest of Ruth, creating a love triangle with Whymper. ### [Pierce Whymper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/characters/pierce_whymper) _romantic_ Whymper and Ruth share a romantic relationship, with Whymper acting as a suitor or lover. ### [Mr. Oxley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/characters/mr_oxley) _social_ Oxley and Ruth are likely acquaintances or have a professional relationship in the community. ### [John Roper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/characters/john_roper) _social_ Roper and Ruth are acquaintances, possibly through family or village life. ### [Markham Giles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/characters/markham_giles) _romantic_ Giles is a suitor or romantic interest of Ruth, creating a love triangle with Whymper. ### [Pierce Whymper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/characters/pierce_whymper) _romantic_ Whymper and Ruth share a romantic relationship, with Whymper acting as a suitor or lover. ## In the story ### [The Starvel Hollow Tragedy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/chapters/the-starvel-hollow-tragedy) Grieves the loss of her father and Mr. Giles in the fire. ### [I: The Tragedy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/chapters/i-the-tragedy) The protagonist, a lonely orphan living with her miserly uncle at Starvel. She receives an invitation to York and is given money by her uncle, but the house burns down before she can leave. ### [II: The Inquest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/chapters/ii-the-inquest) Awakens feeling better, buys mourning clothes, and gives evidence at the inquest about her uncle's health and the Ropers. ### [Mr. Tarkington Develops a Theory](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/chapters/iii-mr-tarkington-develops-a-theory) Emerges from the inquest feeling lighthearted, but is puzzled and hurt by Whymper's changed manner. Learns of her uncle's lost fortune and calmly plans a secretarial course in London. ### [V: French Picks Up a Clue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/chapters/v-french-picks-up-a-clue) French visits her to hear her story firsthand and question her on details. ### [VI: Talloires, Lac d’Annecy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/chapters/vi-talloires-lac-d-annecy) French suspects Whymper is shielding a secret affecting her; her courtship with Whymper stalled after the fire. ### [IX: The Value of Analysis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/chapters/ix-the-value-of-analysis) Her visit to York is re-examined as possibly arranged by Roper to clear the house for the crime. ### [X: Whymper Speaks at Last](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/chapters/x-whymper-speaks-at-last) Questioned by French about her parents and the petrol at Starvel, unaware she is being pumped for information. ### [XI: A Startling Theory](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/chapters/xi-a-startling-theory) Describes the loneliness of life at Starvel, her lack of confidants among the Ropers, and the death of Markham Giles around the time of the fire. ### [French Baits His Trap](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/chapters/xv-french-baits-his-trap) Attends the inquest as a witness, sitting with Oxley and Mrs. Oxley; gives evidence about visiting Mr. Giles during his illness. ### [XVI: A Double Recall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/chapters/xvi-a-double-recall) Interviewed by French to help compile Roper's description. ### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/chapters/xx-conclusion) Receives her fortune intact after French recovers the money; becomes engaged to Pierce Whymper and finds happiness. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/characters/ruth_averill - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_starvel_hollow_tragedy_se/characters