Gladys Tate (née White), is a character from the Landry series by V.C. Andrews. she is Paul's stepmother and mother of Toby and Jeanne Tate. She plays a huge part in All that Glitters when Paul marries Ruby, his half-sister, Gladys doesn't approve and when Paul commits suicide, Gladys tries to get custody of Pearl, since people believed Pearl was Paul's child. However her husband Octavius admits that Paul was actually the result of Octavius raping Ruby 's mother Gabrielle, resulting in Ruby getting Pearl back. She makes a brief appearance in the 4th book Hidden Jewel as a haggard old woman in a wheelchair living with her daughter, Jeanne and son-in-law James. She takes pleasure in bad mouthing Ruby and blaming her for Paul's death. She dies at the end of the book.