Nora Pine

****N******ora Pine** is the adoptive mother of Milo Pine. She is married to Ben Pine and helps run Greenglass House. Mrs. Pine is supportive of her son and often helps him through his tough times.

## Biography

### Early life

Nora Pine grew up in Nagspeake, in the Quayside Harbors, and grew up with stories about Doc Holystone. She had lived in Greenglass House since she was about twelve years old, and her father had bought Greenglass House from Doc Holystone's brother. Smugglers had come to stay at the inn because it had previously belonged to Doc Holystone, and Mrs. Pine had met Mr. Pine through this; Mr. Pine's father had served on the crew of Ed Pickering, and had stayed at Greenglass House a few times.

When she was younger, Mrs. Pine read *The Raconteur's Commonplace Book*, and recalled enjoying it. While still waiting to be matched with a baby, Mrs. Pine made a patchwork quilt, and Milo still had it at thirteen years old.

### *Greenglass House*

On the first day of winter vacation, Mrs. Pine was reading in front of the fireplace while Milo did his math homework. When the railcar bell rang to signal someone wanted to come up, she got up and went to go outside and start the winch, bringing Milo with her despite acknowledging his not wanting to. The two of them went outside to the shed and together started the winch. As they waited to see who the *Whilforber Whirlwind* would bring up, the two of them guessed who it would be. Mrs. Pine set the reward: a brownie sundae for the best guess. Milo explained his, but before Mrs. Pine could guess, the railcar reached the top of the slope, bringing up a boring-looking man with it. They introduced themselves to Mr. Vinge and helped him, Mrs. Pine noting the man's socks and acknowledging the accuracy of Milo's guess.

Mrs. Pine helped Georgie when she arrived, showing her to a room and cleaning up after the broken glass from when Milo dropped the suitcase. Milo told Mrs. Pine about the shadow he'd seen outside, and Mrs. Pine went outside to check if anyone was there. She then entered with Mrs. Caraway and Lizzie, and they Mrs. Pine later checked in on him, and then he went up to bed. After Milo and Meddy returned from the Emporium in the afternoon, and directed him to get ready for dinner. Milo suggested that the guests tell stories. Mrs. Pine praised the idea and began making drinks for the guests. Clem Candler asked to hear a story about Greenglass House, and she did. Mrs. Pine told of how Fenster Plum had seen the ghosts of Doc Holystone and his son, though she avoided saying that Fenster was a smuggler, because smuggling was technically illegal in Nagspeake. This story revealed to the guests that Greenglass House had previously belonged to Doc Holystone.

After the stories, Mrs. Pine sat down next to Milo, and the two of them snuggled together. Mrs. Pine praised Milo and offered to do something special for him. When Mrs. Hereward was robbed, Mrs. Pine assisted Mrs. Caraway in attempting to calm her, then later tried to cheer her up. She later, along with Mr. Pine, talked to the people whose things were missing in an attempt to find out what was going on.

Mrs. Pine came upon Milo and Meddy wrapping presents, and let Milo know that there was food for him to eat. When Mrs. Hereward and Clem began to argue, Mrs. Pine attempted to change the subject to coffee, and suggested that they calm down. Mrs. Pine found the stolen things inside the Christmas presents, to her surprise and confusion. When Georgie mentioned Milo's investigation, she demanded to know more, and Milo, not wanting to lie to his parents, told her. Mrs. Pine assured Milo that she and Mr. Pine trusted and supported him.

Mrs. Pine helped Mrs. Hereward, the new arrival Owen, and Mr. Vinge. The power went out, and Mrs. Pine distributed lanterns throughout the house with the help of Fenster Plum, who had arrived. Mrs. Pine tried very hard to get Fenster, a terrible liar, to not reveal anything that would suggest he was a smuggler. In the evening, Mrs. Pine inquired about Mr. Vinge, who answered simply that he was retired. Mr. Pine, Brandon, and Fenster later returned with the news that the generator had been sabotaged, and the power was not coming back on. Mrs. Pine then helped Mrs. Hereward and Fenster make a cake to cheer up Georgie.

Mrs. Pine provided drinks, and agreed to attempt to call the ferry to take Georgie home. When Dr. Gowervine's satchel went missing, she attempted to calm him and talked to him about the missing thing in the hopes of finding it, then searched Dr. Gowervine's room to make sure it hadn't been misplaced. When Milo found a paper declaring one of the guests to be a customs agent, Mr. Pine went to tell Mrs. Pine. When Milo found Dr. Gowervine's satchel, she was relieved and sent Milo to give it to Dr. Gowervine while she and Mr. Pine talked. She later seemed to be making quite an effort to appear cheerful. Milo came upon her and Mr. Pine talking to Mrs. Caraway and Lizzie, and told them that he knew who the customs agent was. Milo had difficulty getting her to believe that Georgie was not the customs agent, but eventually she understood and agreed that it was Mr. Vinge. After Mr. Pine and Milo returned from their sledding trip, she provided them with hot drinks and Milo confirmed that he'd had a great time.

During Mr. Vinge's tale, Mrs. Pine tried very hard to keep Fenster from blowing up at the customs agent and giving himself away as a smuggler. She then stood up to Mr. Vinge, telling him he would have to leave. Mr. Vinge then took out a gun and Milo fled to the Emporium. Mr. Vinge grilled Mrs. Pine, Mr. Pine, and Fenster in the living room, seeming to think he could arrest them. When Milo came in from being caught by one of Mr. Vinge's thugs, Mrs. Pine was concerned for him, though he assured her that he was okay. Mrs. Pine allowed Dr. Gowervine to take Skellansen's cartoon with him. The guests then left, including Meddy.

**Milo Pine**: I understand.

**Nora Pine**: I guess I just thought that with all this talk about... oh, everything, the past of the house, Doc Holystone and his daughter, that fellow Owen being adopted too, and learning something about his ancestry... and of course that wonderful gift he gave you... I guess I thought you might be feeling something. Sad, or glad, or just *something,* even if you didn't know what that something-feeling was. And maybe you might want to talk about it. With me, or with your dad when he gets back. Or not. That's fine, too.

— *Greenglass House*, pg. 371-372 |  | ”

Milo told his mother that he'd had a good time. Mrs. Pine told Milo that she and Mr. Pine understood that Milo still thought about his birth family. She invited him to talk about his feelings, but assured him that it was okay if he didn't want to. Milo began to cry, and she hugged him. Then, to Milo's delight, the family began their usual Christmas traditions.

### *Ghosts of Greenglass House*

When Milo came home from school for the first day of winter break, he was upset. Mrs. Pine asked him if he wanted to talk about it, but he said only that he did not like frost and she knew not to inquire further. They celebrated winter break with hot chocolate. Emmett then descended the stairs, and asked to stay longer, and Mrs. Pine said, of course, that he could. Mrs. Pine advised him that Mrs. Caraway, the cook, would be leaving, but he did not mind. Mrs. Pine and Milo then speculated whether Emmett was who he said he was, a game they played after the events of the previous year (Emmett had come to see the chandelier and the windows). Milo expressed the new theory that Emmett was Skellansen in disguise. Mr. Pine then came in, and Mrs. Pine told him and Mrs. Caraway that Emmett was staying longer. Mrs. Caraway decided to stay another night as well.

The bell then rang, to everyone's surprise. Mr. Pine and Milo came back inside with Brandon, Clem, and Georgie, and Lizzie Caraway arrived as well. Mrs. Pine welcomed the guests and helped Clem and Georgie. Emmett later asked about Dr. Gowervine, but Mrs. Pine said that they could not share information about their guests. Mrs. Pine later toasted Clem and Georgie, and they celebrated their friendship. Clem and Georgie decided it was the right time to tell what had brought them to Greenglass House, and they explained all about their heist gone wrong. Mrs. Pine and Mr. Pine asked questions throughout, until they were satisfied. Clem and Georgie had been looking for Violet Cross's legendary derrotero, but they were afraid that Cantlebone was also after the haul and pursuing them, and that Gilawfer, whom they'd had to involve, was attempting to double-cross them. At the end of the tale, Clem and Georgie offered to leave, but Mrs. Pine insisted that they stay, and the two thieves were grateful, and did. Mrs. Pine took Milo up to bed. In the morning, he found her and Lizzie in the kitchen, and Mrs. Pine wished Milo a good morning.

The Waits then arrived, and Mrs. Pine explained to the guests something of the Waits' traditions and how they came from the Liberty of Gammerbund. Mrs. Pine helped Milo confront the hobby horse. The Waits were then invited in, and many introduced themselves to Mrs. Pine and she spoke with them. Mrs. Kirkegrim asked for the restroom and Milo showed her and Marzana up. Milo later came back downstairs (through an ashy haze due to Rob's bad cleaning of the chimney) to inform his mother that Mrs. Kirkegrim and Marzana had been hit on the head, and Mrs. Pine, baffled, aided them. Milo asked who had been missing from downstairs, but Mrs. Pine did not know. They wondered about what could have happened, and Mrs. Pine told Mr. Hakelbarend, who seemed to be the leader of the group, what had happened.

Mrs. Pine and Georgie went to try Mr. Larven's punch. Mr. Larven then collapsed after seeming drunk, and Clem, through a series of astonishing moves, kicked the punch cup out of Mrs. Pine's hands before she could take a sip. Clem was of the opinion, as she explained to Georgie, that something had been wrong with the punch. Mrs. Pine helped get the Waits in rooms to stay for the night, and wished Milo and Meddy (who had just arrived) a good night.

In the morning, Mrs. Pine came down and said good morning to Milo and Meddy. She insisted that the Waits stay until brunch at least. Milo spoke to Meddy about the stolen things, and Mrs. Pine exclaimed about his use of the word 'stolen'. Mrs. Caraway and Lizzie covered this up with a story about making stollen, but Milo and Meddy were horrified, realizing they had not told Mrs. Pine about the events of the previous night. Meddy later told Mrs. Pine what had happened. Mrs. Pine encouraged the guests to tell stories. They then dealt with Dr. Gowervine calling on the phone, and after learning from Emmett that Emmett was a customs agent, Mr. Pine and Mrs. Pine went to talk with Emmett. When they emerged, Milo could not tell what was going on. The guests told stories, and Mrs. Pine thanked Lucky for telling hers.

Mrs. Pine seemed very upset. Milo asked what was wrong, and she explained that she had a headache and wondered why nobody was leaving. Milo comforted her, which she felt was the wrong way around, and Milo found it odd to see his mother this way. Milo sent his mother to get Mr. Pine, Clem, and Georgie, and he explained his plan to tell a story to get a reaction. Mrs. Pine helped Georgie with Georgie's newest project, then watched a Wait during Milo's tale to see how they reacted.

Sylvester found part of Clem and Georgie's missing haul (the locks) attached to his coat. Mrs. Pine asked him whether he knew anything about it, and Sylvester insisted again that he hadn't stolen the locks. Mrs. Pine told Milo that Georgie and Emmett were searching for the last of the haul, and Milo told Mrs. Pine who the culprits were, and she went to tell Mr. Pine. Mrs. Pine then searched Mrs. Kirkegrim before Mrs. Kirkegrim left, angry.

Milo went outside to retrieve the last of the haul, and ended up running into both Gilawfer and Mr. Vinge, but was saved by a hobby horse and the ghost of Doc Holystone. When Milo came back inside, Mrs. Pine hugged him, rebuked him, and brought him to the fireplace to warm up. Mrs. Pine then brought him hot chocolate, but found Rob holding a knife to Milo and dropped the bug, which broke. Mr. Larven then knocked Rob out and Milo was safe.

Mrs. Pine provided a keyring for Marzana (now revealed as Mrs. Kirkegrim's daughter, and Mrs. Kirkegrim as Violet Cross) to put her keepsake—a set of keys—on. The Waits then left. Mrs. Pine offered for Clem, Georgie, and Owen to stay, but they decided not to. Soon they left, leaving only the Pines and Meddy alone in the house. Mrs. Pine commented on how suddenly quiet and peaceful it was, a refreshing break from the previous days. Mrs. Pine planned to go to sleep in front of the fireplace before properly going to bed. Milo and Meddy went outside in an attempt to get Meddy to her father, and Milo's parents came with him. Meddy successfully reached the ghost of Doc Holystone, to her delight, and Milo withdrew to his own parents to give Meddy and her dad some time just them. Mrs. Pine told Milo that he had done well, and hugged him.

### *The Thief Knot*

Marzana called Greenglass House, hoping to ask Milo how to contact Brandon Levi. Mrs. Pine answered the phone, and seemed very happy to hear from Marzana. Marzana asked to talk to Milo, but she said that he was at camp, and asked if it was important, but Marzana, after thinking for a bit, mumbled disappointedly that it was okay and began to hang up. Mrs. Pine urged her to stay on the line, then got Marzana's phone number, promising to tell Milo that she'd called. Marzana thanked Mrs. Pine, then hung up.

## Personality and traits

Mrs. Pine is very nice and helpful. She always invites guests to stay longer, and provides them with food and drinks and helps them with whatever they need. Mrs. Pine helps Milo through his tough times, letting him know that she and her husband love him very much.