Hanneke de Groot

Hanneke de Groot is Beatrix’s personal maid at the time she marries Henry Whittaker. For this reason, Beatrix takes Hanneke with her when she moves to Philadelphia with Henry. Hanneke serves as housekeeper at White Acre for the rest of her life. Hanneke also becomes something of a maternal figure to both Alma and Prudence in their childhoods because Hanneke is more willing than Beatrix to show affection to the children. It is also Hanneke who finally tells Alma that Prudence gave up Henry in the hopes that he would marry Alma instead. This motivates Alma to give White Acre to Prudence before she sails to Tahiti to try and understand Ambrose.

Beatrix van Devender Whittaker

Beatrix Whittaker is a Dutch woman Henry decides to marry when he realizes it is time to settle down. Beatrix is a very intelligent woman who grew up in...