Very thin, she had a large head, with big outstanding ears, spectacles, and yellow hair pulled back and "stringy." Her large hands were always red, and her forehead was freckled.

She was as plain a child as you were ever likely to see, but there was character in her mouth and eyes, and although she was only seven years old, she could read quite difficult books (she was engaged at this particular time upon "Ivanhoe"), and she was a genius at sums.
The passion of her life, as the family were all aware, was Jeremy, but it was an unfortunate and uncomfortable passion.

She bothered and worried him, she was insanely jealous; she would sulk for days did he ever seem to prefer Helen to herself.

No one understood her; she was considered a "difficult child," quite unlike any other member of the family, except possibly Samuel, Mr.Cole's brother-in-law, who was an unsuccessful painter and therefore "odd." As Mary was at present only seven years of age it would be too much to say that the family was afraid of her.

Aunt Amy's attitude was: "Well, after all, she's sure to be clever when she grows up, poor child;" and although the parishioners of Mary's father always alluded to her as "the ludicrous Cole child," they told awed little stories about the infant's mental capacities, and concluded comfortably, "I'm glad Alice (or Jane or Matilda or Anabel) isn't clever like that.