Editing Isabel Navarro (section)

==Character==

Mrs Navarro is strict, authoritarian and deeply particular about manners, dress and order. She rules Portian House like a commandant rather than a hostess, and she expects immediate obedience from the Maddison children. Her approval is conditional and limited; she has allowed them to stay only as a favour to their mother, and she makes clear that they are to be quiet, compliant and grateful.

She is not simply fussy, though. Mrs Navarro is controlling and intimidating, with a strong tendency to dominate through rules and punishment. She quickly asserts her authority over the children, correcting their behaviour and striking Emily with the strap when she disobeys. Her sense of order extends beyond etiquette into surveillance and discipline, and she does not tolerate curiosity or independence when it conflicts with her wishes.

She is also secretive. The locked library, the scrapbook of moon images and her immediate response to the children’s wandering all suggest that she is hiding something important. Even before the later revelations about the cellar and the tunnel, she feels like a woman guarding a private world. She can appear calm and composed, but that composure is part of the threat: she is the sort of person who never seems hurried because she always assumes she will be obeyed.


An imposing, traditional woman in her fifties who believes in strict manners and etiquette. She is intimidating and immediately asserts her dominance over the children. She is also referred to as “Auntie Isabel” by Luke's mother, which is in stark contrast to her character. Her strictness is foreshadowing what the children will have to deal with for the duration of their summer.

Prefers old-fashioned manners and habits. Expects the girls to curtsey to her, and wear skirts or dresses. However, she allows Susan and Meg to continue with jeans because of their age and allowance for not being her children.