Hulda is one of the protagonists and point-of-view characters in the novel. In the 1846 storyline, Hulda is 34, unmarried, and very good at her job. Merritt thinks that she has “a sort of schoolmarm air” when she shows up at Whimbrel House (38): She dresses modestly in dark dresses and wears her hair in a style that is both fashionable and practical. She has an aquiline nose and dark brown hair and wears eyeglasses. Hulda has a talent for augury, measured at 12%, which means that she can sometimes see future events inside of patterns. She does not always know what the image means, and this lack of clarity can be a source of frustration.

Hulda has caring parents who are still alive and a sister, Danielle, who is married to a lawyer and raising children. When she was younger, Hulda harbored dreams of romance, but she was hurt by the rejection of Silas Hogwood’s steward, Stanley Lidgett. Taunts from others about her appearance made her feel that it would be wise to barricade her heart against feelings of affection or longing to be admired. She cultivated a prim, reserved manner and stopped trying to look attractive.