Helen Atherton
In Improbability Squad, Susan's beguiling healer.
Background
Helen Atherton is a quiet, unassuming, slightly built woman of 28 years. She has a big heart and wants to do all she can to help those less fortunate around her. Her father was a surgeon in Raleigh North Carolina who, since he had no other heir, spent a great deal of time teaching her about medicine.
After the death of Helen’s father, Helen’s step mother decided to marry her off to improve her financial and social status. She was married to Amos McGrath, a major in the army, whose family controlled a vast plantation and other holdings. Amos drank often and was abusive to Helen and the slaves. Helen could not bear to see the way her slaves were treated so she decided to assist the efforts to smuggle slaves out of the south through the Underground Railroad. During this time she developed a number of contacts and her skills in subterfuge and guile.
One day as Helen was preparing to transport slaves to the north she was discovered by Amos. Amos flew into a rage, displaying a temper even Helen had never seen before. Fearing for her life she managed to slip away from the plantation, using stealth and her direction sense she traveled north to Washington. Helen found herself penniless, destitute, and living in a broken down shelter. During a charitable event, Lady Vanderbilt found Helen miraculously healing a badly injured woman. This lead to an invitation to join Lady Vanderbilt in her efforts to understand and deal with the mysteries she has uncovered.