Who was Marcelle?

Marcelle was a mixed-blood who grew up with her white half-sister, and trained in French cuisine. When her half-sister died young Bayard Guilbert did business with Marcelle's brother-in-law, who planned to sell her. At the time, Sylvie was recuperating from losing twin boys. Bayard arranged to buy Marcelle and brought her to be the cook at Let Petit Cottage.