Character Analysis
Maria's only son, and her youngest child. Bertie is at Harvard for first half of the novel, but enters to the social scene in Book II. He's friends with Ned Silverton, who many worry is a bad influence. Ned encourages Bertie's romance with Norma Hatch, who is of a lower social standing. Later, Gus Trenor and Simon Rosedale keep Bertie from marrying Norma, and Lily is blamed for orchestrating the ill-suited match.