Anne Ley was the wife of Nathaniel Ley, and the mother of Cecilia, Adam and Miles. Anne was conventional, yet sensitive and cultivated. Much like Susan, Anne's spirit longed to be who she really was, but she could not break free of her family's expectations.
Readers first meet Anne in Chapter Thirteen of Serch Bythol when she is getting ready to go on a seaside holiday with Nathaniel, Cecilia, and baby Adam. During the course of that seaside holiday, Anne understands without jealousy that Nathaniel and Susan are still in love. Anne herself is still in love with her former fiancé, James, who died in a train accident three years before she met Nathaniel.
When Nathaniel's mistakes led to the tragic death of Cecilia, Anne was not only grief-stricken, but became distrustful of the world. Anne did not want to interact with Nathaniel in any way, nor did she want Adam and Miles to have contact with him.