"We all have a Master, child."
- to Emily upon her commitment to The Asylum
Madame Mournington is the Headmistress of the Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls.
History
Madame Mournington was at one point married to the father of her children Montmorency and Violet. The tragic and unexplained death of her daughter was later followed by the death of her husband. As her son took over as head physician of The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls, she was given the position as Headmistress. Her duties include retrieving cast-off girls, being the face of the institution to families delivering girls to the Asylum and informing new inmates of the Asylum and their new situation.
Madame Mournington tells her story through a series of letters, much like Emily to Emilie, addressed to her sister Augusta. Tormented by dreams of her deceased daughter and beginning to feel unsafe in the Asylum due to the presence of the new surgeon, Dr. Greavesly, she leaves for her sister's house and tea salon in Coventry. Upon returning to the Asylum she happens upon the body of the recently murdered Christelle, who smells like almonds, just like little Violet upon her death. The reality of what is actually going on in the Asylum comes crashing down on her, she confronts her son, and finally takes her life with cyanide.
Personality and apperance
Madame Mournington has devoted herself to a life under the guardianship of her son. She genuinely believes that The Asylum is state of the art and a good place to put "the ungrateful girls" that arrive there. Her cold-hearted approach to the girls and distant disposition likely stems from the loss of her daughter Violet, from which she has never recovered. In the end, having seen and realized the truth, not just behind the cruelty towards the inmates but Violet's fate, she is overcome with remorse and cannot live on knowing she is just as responsible as the rest of the staff.
Madame Mournington is described as having dark eyes, an aquiline nose and a haughty demeanor. She wears heavy, grey dresses and carries a chatelaine with the Asylum Key suspended.