Leo is infatuated with Marion. One of the many things he wants is to be part of the world he is visiting – the world of the upper class. Marion gives him attention and brings him into this world. For example, she takes him to Norwich to buy him some clothes. What Leo didn’t know, however, was that she had an ulterior reason. Also, he is growing up and is becoming more interested in girls, and Marion is the girl closest to him. Marion notices this and abuses the power she has over him. Over the course of the summer, Leo learns to trust her, which is then also abused. She has a hold over him, which he never manages to break, even as an old man, and I think she is very absorbed in herself and so doesn’t realise the hurt and pain she causes. She appears to live in her own world, away from reality where she is the centre and everyone circles her. Although it seems that in her relationship with Ted she is the one who has most to lose, this is not true. Their relationship was discovered and it was Ted who lost his life whereas Marion managed to live a healthy, happy life. She never thought of Leo as a person, just someone who could be used to her advantage, never realising about his thoughts and emotions and how deep they were. When Leo refuses to do what she wants, she shouts and cannot control her anger, as she expects everyone to do what she wants, and I think it is because she doesn’t care about Lord Trimingham, she only cares about herself. Even then she doesn’t realise how deep her criticisms run and how upset he is. I think this is because she feels he deserves it, for thinking Lord Trimingham’s feelings are more important than hers. When she shouts, she uses her power over him by saying she will never talk to him again, which she knows Leo will respond to.
With Ted, however, Leo’s relationship is slightly more condescending and he likes the attention Ted gives him when he says he is from the Hall, unaware it was because of Marian. I think that as their relationship develops Ted changes his view of Leo. At first he is only interested in him because he can pass on his messages, but he gets to know Leo and starts to like him and think of him as a friend. He becomes almost like Leo’s dad and Leo begins to ask him the many questions he has. Leo trusts Ted and feels he can talk to him more easily than anyone at the Hall. For example, he says that Ted wouldn’t think anything bad about him if he cried. I think that Leo feels Ted is more genuine than Marian,
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