marries Clara Copperfield when David is about eight years old (David's father died six months before David was born). This arrangement is done secretly (much to Peggotty's disapproval), while David is away at the Yarmouth seashore. Soon after the marriage and David's return home, Murdstone's sister Jane moves into the house at Blunderstone with them. However, the Murdstones begin to show a much darker and more sadistic side to their personalities, and with Clara's generally passive and forgiving demeanour, they manipulate her with psychological mind games until she comes to accept that the Copperfield household is no longer hers, but now belongs to the Murdstones.