Miss Temple



"But disorder and unrest have always been the lot of the unfortunate."


 * --Miss Temple, "Chemickal Marriage," pg. 35

Miss Celestial "Celeste" Temple--always called Miss Temple as a rule--is an heiress recently arrived to the unnamed city featured in the Glass Books of the Dream Eaters. Our first introduction to the sinister Cabal and the glass books is due to Miss Temple bravely following her ex-fiancee, Roger Bascombe, to a mysterious gathering of plots and intrigue. Miss Temple is called Celeste by her friends (few and far between) and is a determined, somewhat headstrong woman of 25.

Early in the trilogy, she crosses paths with Dr. Abelard Svenson and Cardinal Chang who become her allies and companions.

Appearance
Miss Temple has gray eyes and is very petite, only a few inches above five feet. She is described as "Lovely" by the Contessa at one point, though the Contessa also calls her "pretty enough in a common style". Miss Temple has chestnut hair kept in sausage curls and a round face.

She owns a pair of green boots that become something of a signature item for her. She even has a second pair made and modified to hold a dagger.

Personality
Miss Temple can be impulsive and even rash at times. She changes considerably as the books progress, but never loses her somewhat fearless approach to everything. Raised in wealth as the daughter of a plantation owner, she is accustomed to being taken care of. Her upbringing and difficult personality have led to her having few close relationships. Furthermore, having been born and raised in the West Indies, she is not yet completely accustomed to life in a new city.

It is remarkable for her to become so deeply attached to Dr. Abelard Svenson and Cardinal Chang. Chang, in particular, becomes someone Miss Temple cares deeply for.

Despite her privileged upbringing, Miss Temple adapts well to danger. She is good enough at intrigue and deception to convince the members of the Cabal that she is a spy and a whore named Isobel Hastings. Time and again, Miss Temple proves that she can spin a story to get herself out of trouble, inventing names, allies, and events that never took place as needed. She is often underestimated by her foes--to be fair, even she has no great confidence in her understanding of politics or science. Nevertheless, she is very clever and can think on her feet, saving not only herself, but her allies many times with her quick wits.