Architect

Virginia Wilder

Serena's mother and Edward's wife; an architect, around fifty. Blonde, brown-eyed, with a natural elegance and a warmth that draws people in — the kind of sophistication that comes not from posing but from range and quiet self-assurance. She cooks beautifully and keeps the sort of home no one wants to leave: good food, a table set with care, a bottle open, a dog wandering through the middle of everything. And the composure breaks completely for the malamutes — Storm and Willow are hers; flawless in cashmere one minute, on the floor with both of them the next. A magazine house, an architect's mind, a family kitchen, and a heart entirely melted for the people she loves. Everyone calls her Ginny.