Edna

Edna is a mean, grumpy old woman. She is the cook of Hardwick House and was in the Navy as a sailor. She is rumored to have a tattoo of a sailor on her thigh. Later on in the book, Molly hypnotizes her to develop a passion for Italian cooking and the country of Italy itself. Molly also hypnotizes Edna to favor Molly and cooked good food for all the orphans except for Mrs. Adderstone and Hazel Hackersly and her friends.

At the very end of the first book, (after Molly returns the Hypnotism Book to the library) Edna and Mrs. Adderstone are in a plane flying over the Italian Alps and Edna is wearing a shirt that says "You Better Love Italy or Else".