Who is Mrs.Susannah Rowley from Ship Fever and what is their importance?

Mrs. Susannah Rowley was Lauchlin Grant's childhood friend. From the text, we can infer that she comes from a wealthy family. Susannah finds Lauchlin irritating and childish. She, none-the-less, continues to hold him in high esteem as a friend.

Susannah's husband spends a lot of time away pursuing news stories. During the period of time discussed in the novella, her husband is in Ireland covering the famine of 1847. Thus, when Irish immigrants begin to arrive in Quebec, Susannah becomes personally involved in caring for them. Susannah is described as a gracious host, a patient friend, and a humanitarian. At the end of the novella, we learn that she is sick with typhus and not expected to live.