The Enchanter characters

Appears from the start

An unnamed middle-aged man whose outward self-control conceals a sexual fixation on young girls. After noticing one particular child in a park, he begins arranging his life around gaining access to her, presenting himself to adults as a respectable and attentive suitor.

Appears from the start

An unnamed girl of about twelve whom the man first watches in a park. She remains largely unaware of the intentions he projects onto her and is dependent on the adults who decide where she will live and travel.

Appears from the start

The girl's widowed and seriously ill mother. Believing the man's courtship sincere, she accepts the security his marriage appears to offer both her and her daughter.