Best friend and, for a while, flatmate of Hope at Merrybourne. They met when Hope’s lover Faithful Victualler betrayed her with Briar. As soon as they became aware of each other’s existence, they combined against Faithful and became good friends.

She looks enough like Hope to be mistaken for her sister, but is a little lighter. They take the same shoe size, fortunately for Hope, since Briar has a large collection of shoes for her to borrow. Also fond of wine, sometimes to excess. Keeps her room in a very messy state, sleeps with the light on.

As a betweener, had an affair with her teacher, and feels guilty that this probably influenced him to put her up for the scholarship that got her to university.

From a Copper background in Gulfshore Province. Her parents are goatherds, though relatively prosperous ones, and the money Briar has sent back home has enabled them to buy the cheese factory they were supplying.

Occupation: Lawyer. Ambition to be a magistrate. Originally employed at the firm of Forthright & Adamant, working for Mister Forthright, one of the senior partners (a thin-lipped, dry-mannered man who eventually sacked her over rumours about her relationship with Bucket). Her rival there was Pleasantness Milliner, a badly misnamed woman jealous of Briar’s success.
Boyfriends: Marsh Whitegrove, and later Active Hedger.
Mother: Leaf
Father: Vale
Grandmother (mother’s mother) lives with them.
Brothers (ages at the time of Hope Persists, when she is 25): Thorn (23), oathmate Cloud, one newborn son, mother-in-law Feather; Bark (21); Twig (20); Grass (16); Dell (13); Moss (10).