Lucia Marese Baskette

Aurelian

Aurelian and Lucia Marese Baskette are lovers or a married couple, given their high interaction count and shared surname.

Aurelian

Aurelian and Lucia Marese Baskette are lovers or a married couple, given their high interaction count and shared surname.

VII

Now Mrs. Sternhold Baskette, ambitious and beautiful, she marries the old Sternhold for his wealth but faces increasing suspicion and confinement.

VIII

Eagerly embraces the plan to perform on stage, culminating in her Lady Godiva role.

VIII

Identified as Sternhold's wife; her performance is the centerpiece of the conspiracy.

IX

Performs as Cleopatra and Lady Godiva in Paris and Vienna, achieving fame; remains calm after Sternhold's assassination attempt.

Chapter X

After her son's safety is secured, she returns to Paris, returns to the stage, and forms a liaison with a rich foreign gentleman, sinking into degradation.

The Tangled Web of Inheritance

The heir to the estate, heavily in debt and speculating on the Stock Exchange, conspiring with Theodore to overcome the claimants and financial obstacles.

The Tangled Web of Inheritance

Sternhold's wife whose extravagance contributed to the family's debts.

XII

Her appearance as Lady Godiva is mentioned as a diorama subject in the claimants' lectures.

XII

The heir, who desires to condense the scattered claimants into one person to destroy them at a blow; planning with Theodore.

XIII

Primary plotter; devises the plan to destroy the claimants and profit from salvage.

XIII

Marese's mother, noted for overweening vanity and intense temper resembling lunacy.

XIV

Conceives the idea of using poisonous gas after reading about gas properties, and collaborates with Theodore to plan the mass murder for salvage.

XV

Arranges bullion shipment via the Lucca and lures claimants with free passage; is thunderstruck by the new threat of Arthur Sibbold's heirs.

Book II: Persons

Mentioned in connection with her performance as Lady Godiva and her role in the family drama.

The Ship of the Dead

The heir whose yacht rescued the Lucca; he is portrayed as pleasant and averse to salvage claims but constrained by debts and his cousin.

XIII

Invited Aymer on the Gloire de Dijon yacht; described as weak-minded and simple, being gulled by Marese.

XIV

His earlier generous offers had temporarily calmed the claimants, but the calm is shattered once they glimpse the wealth of Stirmingham.

Chapter XV

Issues his pronunciamento and opens his campaign; wins the election by over 1000 votes, dragged in his carriage by the mob.

I

Wealthy suitor of Lady Lechester, candidate for Stirmingham, and claimant to the city; appeals to Agnes's ambition through letters and conversation.

II

Heir of Stirmingham; uses legal dispute as pretext to court Lady Lechester, following Theodore's advice to marry for social position and potential inheritance.

IV

His offer of an earthly kingdom becomes a source of inner conflict for Agnes, competing with the allure of the spirit.

VII

Accused by Aymer of murdering Jason Waldron; Violet recalls his guilty start upon hearing her name.

VIII

Alarmed by Aymer's accusations and the building society threat; orchestrates a plan with Theodore.

Chapter XII

Marese Baskette's mistress performs on stage at the opera. He is also mentioned as having gone down into the vaults with Theodore earlier.

XIII

Bridegroom who is summoned back to The Towers upon Lady Lechester's disappearance; he identifies Aymer as a lunatic and works to crush him.