Mrs. Banks, an elderly relation of Mary, oversees the daily operations of the vast countryside estate hosting her young charge. Her stern, no-nonsense exterior prioritizes order and discipline, enforcing strict routines and assigning chores to cultivate responsibility—a practicality that thinly veils a protective instinct toward Mary’s welfare. Well-versed in the estate’s layered history and local lore, she occasionally references cryptic regional legends, including whispers of magic and botanical oddities, though she deflects direct inquiry into such matters, steering conversations toward tangible tasks.

Her guarded demeanor hints at prior encounters with supernatural forces, a past faintly echoed by the antique broomstick preserved in the estate’s attic—an artifact whose latent significance emerges later, though her own ties to it remain unspoken. Wary of unmonitored curiosity, she discourages dabbling in mystical phenomena, prioritizing safety over exploration.

As events progress, her rigid authority softens into tempered support, granting Mary independence while offering steady counsel. Though her actions remain rooted in pragmatism, she gradually entrusts Mary with autonomy, her motivations implied but unvoiced, her emotional complexity lingering beneath a surface of dutiful resolve.