| “ | As for Dad -- Lucien's father never talked to him properly before he became ill, but they had got on pretty well. They used to do things together -- swimming, going to the match, watching TV. It was when they couldn't do anything together anymore that Dad really started talking to him. | ” |
David Mulholland is married to Vicky Mulholland. He is the father of Lucien Mulholland, and the adopted father of Nick Duke. David salvages architectural features from houses[2]. He also happens to be an acquaintance of Mortimer Goldsmith, a local antiques shop owner.
Before Lucien got leukemia, Lucien recalls that while he and his father would often do things together, they never really talked to one another. When Lucien becomes ill, David began to talk a lot more and would read books aloud to Lucien, who had become too weak to even hold books up.[3] When Lucien's throat is too sore to speak with, David acquires a marbled notebook for his son to write in, unwittingly bringing to Lucien a talisman that will allow him to stravagate to Talia for the first time. Before marrying Vicky, he had been to Venice, which inspires him to tell Lucien about the city shortly after acquiring Lucien's notebook, which he recognizes as similar to the marbled stationery that Venice is famous for among many other things.
David is distraught by Lucien's death at the end of City of Masks, though he is more sceptical of the mysterious visitor who comforts the Mulhollands after Lucien's funeral and Vicky's claims to have seen Lucien after their son's death. He and Vicky welcome Nick Duke as their foster-son after Georgia O'Grady brings him into their home and he is stunned but happy to learn that Lucien is alive and well as Luciano Crinamorte in another world.[4] However, he accepts that he will not be able to see Lucien as he used to better than his wife, who has a strong lingering desire to be with her son again.
During the events of City of Swords, Nick mentions how Luciano's appearances tend to upset the Mulhollands' household; though Nick loves Luciano like a brother, he and David are especially aware of how Vicky longs to see Luciano's life in Talia. When Vicky and Nick attend Luciano and Arianna Rossi's wedding, David elects to remain behind, believing he is not meant for Talia. As a result, Laura Reid has David bring a stravagated Ludo Vivoide to the local hospital in order to save him as Ludo is dying in Talia.
Notes and References[]
- ↑ Lucien is dead in England but alive in Talia, a fact David is aware of
- ↑ stravaganza.co.uk
- ↑ City of Masks
He even brought library books into the bedroom and read to him, because Lucien didn't have the strength to hold a book in his hands. Lucien liked that. Books that he knew already, like The Hobbit and Tom's Midnight Garden, were followed by ones that Dad remembered from his boyhood and youth, like Moonfleet and the James Bond novels.
Lucien lapped them all up. Dad found a new skill inventing different voices for all the characters. Sometimes Lucien thought it had almost been worth it being ill, to find this new, different Dad, who talked to him and told him stories. He wondered if he would turn back into the old Dad if the treatment work and the illness went away. But such thoughts made Lucien's head ache. - ↑ City of Secrets
| Stravaganti William Dethridge · Lucien Mullholland · Georgia O'Grady · Nick Duke · Sky Meadows · Matt Wood · Isabel Evans · Laura Reid · Ross · Julia · Sean · Emily · Rory · Caitlin | |||
| Family Vicky Mulholland · David Mulholland · Maura O'Grady · Ralph Lewis · Russell Lewis · Rosalind Meadows · Joyce Meadows · Rainbow Warrior · Loretta · Andy Wood · Jan Wood · Harry Wood · Eva Holbrook · Tony Evans · Sarah Evans · Charlie Evans · Ellen Reid · James Reid · Julia Reid | |||
| Other Ms. Beaumont · Mr. Laski · Dr. Kennedy · Tom · Katie · Alice Greaves · Mortimer Goldsmith · Laura · Paul Greaves · Jane Scott · Gus Robinson · Ayesha · Jago Jones · Celia Jones · Lucy · Brian · Stella Watkins |