Agnes is an eighty-year-old, unmarried author famous for her *When Nan* children's series. She also secretly writes the *Franklin Square* adult novels under the pseudonym Pauline Schulz, closely guarding this identity from the public. Fiercely independent and deeply attached to the natural world, she is determined to establish a land trust to protect her beloved Maine peninsula, Fellowship Point, from future development. She approaches her recent breast cancer diagnosis with the same stubborn pragmatism she applies to the rest of her life.

Polly is a warm, accommodating mother of three adult sons and the lifelong best friend of Agnes Lee. She has spent her adulthood playing the role of a devoted helpmate to her academic husband, Dick, consistently placing his needs, comfort, and opinions above her own. Despite her outward contentment and traditional lifestyle, Polly harbors a lingering grief over the loss of her young daughter, Lydia, whose ghost she believes she sees wandering the grounds of Fellowship Point.

Maud is a hardworking, twenty-something editorial assistant living in New York City. She balances her demanding career with raising her three-year-old daughter, Clemmie, and acting as the primary caretaker for her mother, Heidi. Professionally ambitious, Maud persistently pursues Agnes Lee, hoping to convince the reluctant author to write a memoir about the inspiration behind her famous children's books.

Robert is a skilled landscaper and the dedicated caretaker of the homes on Fellowship Point. Having grown up on the peninsula alongside the wealthy summer residents, he is respected for his quiet intelligence and strong work ethic. His peaceful life is disrupted when a wealthy resident suddenly accuses him of a serious crime, testing the loyalties of the community.

Dick is an eighty-two-year-old professor of philosophy and ethics on the verge of retirement. Pompous and highly focused on his academic legacy, he expects his wife, Polly, to serve as his dedicated assistant and frequently dismisses her intellectual insights. As his health shifts, he exhibits moments of unexpected vulnerability, sharing childhood memories he previously kept hidden.

Virgil is a reclusive writer and a relative of the Reed family who arrives at a small cottage on Fellowship Point in the 1960s. Preoccupied with his literary ambitions and grieving the sudden death of his young wife, he is notably inattentive to his toddler, Nan. His unkempt appearance masks a sharp intellect that eventually draws Agnes into a deep intellectual friendship.

Nan is the wild, largely nonverbal toddler daughter of Virgil Reed in the 1960s timeline. Left to roam the peninsula freely by her grieving father, her untamable spirit and natural curiosity capture Agnes's heart. Her adventures on the Point directly inspire Agnes's famous *When Nan* children's books.

Heidi is Maud's mother, a woman experiencing debilitating depression and mental illness. She lives with her daughter in New York City, where Maud manages her care and medication. Despite her severe struggles with responsiveness and past trauma, she shares a quiet bond with her granddaughter and harbors a long-standing appreciation for the *When Nan* books.

James is Polly and Dick's eldest son. He heavily aligns with his father's rigid, pragmatic worldview and strongly opposes Agnes's conservation efforts for Fellowship Point. He frequently pressures his mother regarding her living arrangements and financial choices, treating her with a patronizing attitude.

Theo is Polly's third son, born by Cesarean section. Among her living children, Polly feels the strongest emotional connection to him. He displays more empathy and understanding toward her desire for independence than his older brothers do, secretly encouraging her to maintain control of her life.

Knox is the middle son of Polly and Dick Wister. Like his older brother James, he worries about his aging mother's independence and frequently checks in on her, though he also relies on her for occasional financial assistance with his living costs.

Lydia was Polly's only daughter, born after several difficult pregnancies and miscarriages. She died suddenly of an illness at age nine. Her loss left a permanent void in Polly's life, and her ghostly apparition frequently brings Polly a sense of maternal peace.

Archie is Agnes's cousin and a wealthy resident of Fellowship Point. He is highly protective of his wife, Seela, and uses his social standing to defend her claims against the local caretaker, even when those claims threaten the harmony of the community.

Seela is Archie Lee's wife, a privileged woman residing at EasterLee on Fellowship Point. Her dramatic accusations of theft against the beloved local caretaker, Robert, create a deep social rift among the peninsula's summer residents.

Clemmie is Maud's three-year-old daughter. She is an energetic and joyful presence in Maud's busy Manhattan household, finding simple ways to connect with her mentally ill grandmother, Heidi, through garden play and quiet interactions.

Elspeth is Agnes's deceased sister. A lay nun during her life, she remains Agnes's most important spiritual confidante long after her death. Agnes uses a series of letters addressed to Elspeth as a personal journal to process her deepest secrets and observations about life on the Point.

Hamm is a real estate developer and the son of a family acquaintance. His ambitious plans to build a condominium complex on Fellowship Point present a direct threat to the natural bird sanctuary Agnes is fighting to preserve.

Karen is a young librarian in the 1960s timeline who hopes to attend Radcliffe. She bonds with Agnes over art and literature, eventually becoming a regular fixture in the intellectual dinner discussions held between Agnes and Virgil Reed.

Mrs. Blundt is Agnes's housekeeper in Philadelphia. She is direct, practical, and highly attuned to her employer's health and daily needs, ensuring Agnes is cared for even when the independent author resists assistance.

Maddie is Theo's daughter and Polly's granddaughter. She shares a unique, quiet sensitivity with Polly, as both women claim to see ghostly apparitions roaming the grounds of the family's Maine estate.