▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Susan ▁are ▁dependent ▁on ▁the ▁latter ' s ▁wealth y ▁uncle ▁Mr ▁L illy v ick , ▁and ▁everything ▁they ▁do ▁is ▁designed ▁to ▁please ▁him ▁so ▁he ▁will ▁not ▁write ▁their ▁children ▁( including ▁their ▁baby , ▁named ▁L illy v ick ) ▁out ▁of ▁his ▁will . ▁Their ▁daughter ▁Mor le ena ▁is ▁an ▁awk ward ▁child ▁of ▁seven . ▁The ▁family ▁and ▁their ▁acquaint ances ▁are ▁described ▁by ▁Dick ens ▁as ▁" exception ally ▁common ." ▁Mr ▁L illy v ick : ▁Mrs ▁Ken wig s ' s ▁uncle . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁collect or ▁of ▁the ▁water ▁rate , ▁a ▁position ▁which ▁gives ▁him ▁great ▁importance ▁among ▁his ▁poor ▁relatives . ▁They ▁b end ▁over ▁backwards ▁to ▁please ▁him , ▁and ▁he ▁is ▁completely ▁used ▁to ▁getting ▁his ▁way . ▁He ▁falls ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁Miss ▁Pet ow ker ▁and ▁mar ries ▁her , ▁to ▁the ▁Ken wig s ' ▁great ▁dist ress . ▁When ▁she ▁el op es ▁with ▁another ▁man , ▁he ▁comes ▁back ▁to ▁his ▁family ▁a ▁sad der ▁but ▁w iser ▁man . ▁Henri etta ▁Pet ow ker : ▁Of ▁the ▁Theatre ▁Royal , ▁Dr ury ▁Lane . ▁A ▁minor ▁actress ▁with ▁a ▁pr estig ious ▁company ▁and ▁a ▁major ▁star ▁with ▁the ▁significantly ▁less ▁pr estig ious ▁C rum m les ▁tr oupe . ▁Mrs ▁C rum m les ' ▁prot ég ée . ▁She ▁mar ries ▁Mr ▁L illy v ick ▁after ▁meeting ▁him ▁at ▁the ▁Ken wig s '