Dr. Sophie Margaret Huxley

Dr. Sophie Margaret Huxley is a major character from Heaven's Bones. She is a medical doctor that runs a clinic for the poor in London. Because of her medical skill, she is kidnapped by Dr. Sebastian Robarts to help with constructing the Angels. However, her involvement is key in their defeat.

Dr. Sophie Huxley is the sister of Bernard Huxley and the cousin of Henry Thorpe. Janet is her servant. Dr. Huxley works as a consultant from time to time with the London police force, which has made Artemis Donovan a friend and sometimes colleague.

History

As a child, Sophie was known as a "hellion" and "tomboy" for her independence. In 1867, she discovered Dr. Robarts lost pendant of St. Margaret and kept it for good luck. When she grew older, she scandalized her family by earning a medical degree under Dr. Bartholomew McPherson. In 1882, Dr. McPherson introduced her to Lady Cecelia Agnew, a wealthy philanthropist. Lady Agnew sponsored a clinic for the poor and asked Dr. Sophie Huxley to work as the primary physician for a clinic for the poor she sponsored.

Lady Agnew later introduced Dr. Sophie Huxley to Dr. Sebastian Robarts, which proved disastrous as Robarts become obsessed with enlisting her aid in constructing the Angels. Dr. Robarts believed the spirit of his long dead wife Margaret Robarts had led him to Dr. Huxley because they shared "Margaret" as part of their names and both had carried the St. Margaret pendant. Soon thereafter, Robarts murdered Dr. McPherson in Huxley's clinic and kidnapped Margaret. Though badly wounded by Robarts' assault, Janet was able to get the help of Lady Cecelia Agnew and Artemis Donovan, whom raced towards St. Agnes in Agnew's carriage to rescue Dr. Huxley.

Meanwhile, Dr. Huxley was taken to Bryani-House-of-the-Mists, where she encountered Henry Thorpe, already a long-time prisoner of Robarts and Trueblood due to the temporal distortion of the Mists. Thorpe had been coerced into providing wings for the Angels and showed obvious signs of mental trauma. Dr. Huxley took him by the hand and attempted to escape the Mists, but Thorpe fell into the clutches of Dr. Alistair Weldon. Dr. Huxley herself was able to escape the Mists with the assistance of Fanny Weldon.

After she came out of the Mists, Dr. Sophie Huxley rushed to the aid of Lady Agnew and her coachman Alex, whom being attacked by the Angels. Dr. Huxley interceded. As she carried the pendant of St. Margaret, the Angels confused Huxley for Sebastian Robarts' dead wife Margaret and momentarily halted their attack. Just as the Angels were able to resume, Artemis Donovan and Dirk Penhallow struck down Trueblood, momentarily relieving the Angels of his control.

Dr. Huxley was the only one in proximity able to give them commands, so one Angel begged Huxley to give the order for suicide and let them escape future control by a reformed Trueblood. Dr. Huxley hesitated but finally relented to their begging and gave them the order to fly out to sea and drown themselves. The Mists intervened and absorbed the Angels before they could reach the water.

With the affair over with, Dr. Huxley placed the St. Margaret pendant to Margaret Robarts' grave and reflected upon the Angels' innocence with Artemis Donovan.