# Robert Audley — Lady Audley’s Secret character guide > Robert Audley in Lady Audley’s Secret by M. E. Braddon. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Robert, Mr. Audley, Mr. Robert Audley, Audley, Mister Audley **First appearance:** 0000-i-lucy ## Snapshot A languid, pipe-smoking barrister whose comfortable indolence is shattered when his closest friend vanishes without a trace. ## Who they are Robert Audley drifts through life with his dogs, his cigars, and his chambers in Figtree Court, until George Talboys disappears and leaves him the one man who cares enough to ask why. What begins as a half-hearted inquiry hardens into something relentless as Robert finds himself suspecting the very relatives who welcome him to Audley Court. His growing obsession with Lady Audley's bright, defiant smile turns a genial idler into the story's reluctant detective. ## Relationships ### [George Talboys](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/george_talboys) _friendship_ Robert is George's closest friend, deeply loyal and determined to uncover the truth about George's disappearance. ### [Lady Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/lady_audley) _rivalry_ Robert becomes Lady Audley's primary antagonist as he investigates her past and her connection to George's disappearance. ### [Helen Talboys](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/helen_talboys) _psychological_ Helen (Lady Audley's former identity) is the object of Robert's obsessive investigation, representing the mystery he must solve. ### [Alicia Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/alicia_audley) _romantic_ Alicia is Robert's cousin and a persistent romantic interest, though Robert initially resists her affections. ### [Sir Michael Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/sir_michael_audley) _family_ Sir Michael is Robert's uncle and a father figure, with Robert feeling a deep sense of duty and affection toward him. ### [Mrs. Plowson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/mrs_plowson) _professional_ Mrs. Plowson is a landlady who provides Robert with lodging and information during his investigation. ### [Mr. Harcourt Talboys](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/mr_harcourt_talboys) _rivalry_ Harcourt Talboys, George's stern father, initially obstructs Robert's investigation out of pride and disbelief. ### [Dr. Alwyn Mosgrave](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/dr_alwyn_mosgrave) _professional_ Dr. Mosgrave is a medical expert Robert consults to understand Lady Audley's mental state and past. ### [Luke Marks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/luke_marks) _rivalry_ Luke is a hostile witness and minor antagonist who tries to obstruct Robert's investigation for personal gain. ### [Phoebe Marks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/phoebe_marks) _psychological_ Phoebe is a reluctant informant for Robert, torn between loyalty to Lady Audley and fear of her own husband. ### [George Talboys](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/george_talboys) _friendship_ Robert is George's closest friend, deeply loyal and determined to uncover the truth about George's disappearance. ### [Lady Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/lady_audley) _rivalry_ Robert becomes Lady Audley's primary antagonist as he investigates her past and her connection to George's disappearance. ## In the story ### [In the First Page of the Times](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/iv-in-the-first-page-of-the-times) Introduced as a lazy, good-natured barrister who never works; he meets George Talboys and accompanies him to the coffeehouse. ### [V: The Headstone at Ventnor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/v-the-headstone-at-ventnor) Supports George through the shock, arranges the journey to Ventnor, and acts as a calm presence. ### [VI: Anywhere, Anywhere Out of the World](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/vi-anywhere-anywhere-out-of-the-world) Acts as a supportive friend, agrees to be guardian of Georgey, and persuades George to join a trip to St. Petersburg. ### [After a Year](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/vii-after-a-year) Persuades George to visit Audley Court; receives letter from Alicia; decides to stay at the Sun Inn; keeps Alicia's letter as a potential link in future evidence. ### [VIII: Before the Storm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/viii-before-the-storm) Indolent and indifferent, he fails to notice Alicia's feelings and decides to return to London, dismissing George's melancholy as due to bad cigars or indigestion. ### [IX: After the Storm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/ix-after-the-storm) Remains calm during the storm, reading and drinking punch. He tries to comfort George but is rebuffed. The next morning, he agrees to George's plan to fish instead of visiting the Court. ### [X: Missing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/x-missing) Grows flurried and anxious about his missing friend, walking fast and investigating at the railway station. ### [XI: The Mark Upon My Lady’s Wrist](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xi-the-mark-upon-my-lady-s-wrist) Expresses anxiety about George Talboys and notices the bruise on Lady Audley's wrist, suspecting deception. ### [XII: Still Missing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xii-still-missing) Robert is deeply troubled by George's disappearance and takes active steps to investigate, traveling to Southampton and later finding a cryptic telegram. ### [Troubled Dreams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xiii-troubled-dreams) Returns to his chambers exhausted, experiences troubled dreams, and continues his investigation by traveling to Liverpool. ### [XIV: Phoebe's Suitor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xiv-phoebe-s-suitor) Mentioned as having returned to town; his advertisement for George Talboys appears in the Times. ### [XV: On the Watch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xv-on-the-watch) Investigates George Talboys' disappearance, shares his theories with Lady Audley, and speaks of circumstantial evidence. ### [Robert Audley Gets His Conge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xvi-robert-audley-gets-his-conge) Remains at Audley Court after the holidays, but is asked by Sir Michael to leave due to his attentions to Lady Audley; he departs and goes to Mount Stanning. ### [At the Castle Inn](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xvii-at-the-castle-inn) Stays at the Castle Inn, questions Phoebe about Lady Audley's past, and hints at the power she holds over Lady Audley. ### [XVIII: Robert Receives a Visitor Whom He Had Scarcely Expected](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xviii-robert-receives-a-visitor-whom-he-had-scarcely-expected) Receives an unexpected visit from Lady Audley; expresses his suspicions about George Talboys's disappearance and his intention to investigate further. ### [XIX: The Writing in the Book](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xix-the-writing-in-the-book) Returns to London, finds the inscription in the book, and examines George's trunk. ### [Mrs. Plowson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xx-mrs-plowson) Travels to Southampton to pursue the mystery of George Talboys's disappearance; questions little Georgey and observes Mrs. Plowson's suspicious behavior. ### [Little Georgey Leaves His Old Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxi-little-georgey-leaves-his-old-home) Confronts Mr. Maldon about the lie regarding George Talboys's departure and takes Georgey away to send him to school. ### [Coming to a Standstill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxii-coming-to-a-standstill) Visits Harcourt Talboys to plead for help in finding George, but is rebuffed and decides to give up the search. ### [Clara](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxiii-clara) Agrees to continue investigating George's disappearance after being urged by Clara, feeling it is his destiny. ### [George's Letters](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxiv-george-s-letters) Robert is lonely and contemplative, receiving George's letters from Clara Talboys. He reflects on women, marriage, and his own feelings toward Clara. ### [XXV: Retrograde Investigation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxv-retrograde-investigation) Tormented by George's disappearance, he returns to Audley Court after Alicia's letter, confronts Lady Audley, and begins a retrograde investigation into her past. ### [So Far and No Farther](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxvi-so-far-and-no-farther) Investigates Lady Audley's past, visits Mrs. Vincent's school, and discovers a hidden label on a box left by Miss Graham. ### [XXVII: Beginning at the Other End](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxvii-beginning-at-the-other-end) Investigates Helen Talboys' past; travels to Wildernsea; obtains letters from Mrs. Barkamb. ### [XXVIII: Hidden in the Grave](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxviii-hidden-in-the-grave) Returns from Wildernsea, broods over Lady Audley's anxiety, and resolves to confront her. He meets Clara Talboys in the churchyard and shares his progress. ### [XXIX: In the Lime-Walk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxix-in-the-lime-walk) Confronts Lady Audley in the lime-walk, accusing her of conspiracy and murder; reflects on the danger she poses. ### [XXX: Preparing the Ground](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxx-preparing-the-ground) Discussed as having spoken wildly about George Talboys; Lady Audley portrays him as mentally unstable. ### [XXXI: Phoebe's Petition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxi-phoebe-s-petition) Mentioned as Lady Audley's relentless tormentor; he is currently at the Castle Inn. ### [XXXII: The Red Light in the Sky](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxii-the-red-light-in-the-sky) Mentioned as the author of the threatening letter and as a lodger at the Castle Inn, potentially in danger from the fire. ### [The Bearer of the Tidings](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxiii-the-bearer-of-the-tidings) Struggles with his sense of duty toward Alicia while his thoughts increasingly turn to Clara Talboys; he is described as moody and changed since George's disappearance. ### [XXXIV: My Lady Tells the Truth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxiv-my-lady-tells-the-truth) Confronts Lady Audley, accuses her of arson and murder, demands confession. ### [The Hush That Succeeds the Tempest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxv-the-hush-that-succeeds-the-tempest) Robert is consumed by guilt and a sense of duty after exposing Lady Audley's secret. He arranges for Sir Michael's departure and sends for a physician to handle Lady Audley's mental state. ### [XXXVI: Dr. Mosgrave’s Advice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxvi-dr-mosgrave-s-advice) Consults Dr. Mosgrave, reveals his suspicions about Lady Audley and George Talboys's disappearance, and accepts the physician's plan to confine her. ### [Buried Alive](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxvii-buried-alive) Acts as judge, jailer, and deliverer; arranges Lady Audley's confinement and hears her confession. ### [Ghost-Haunted](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxviii-ghost-haunted) Robert is tormented by the certainty of George Talboys' murder and the moral dilemma of whether to reveal the truth. He receives letters from Sir Michael, Alicia, and Clara Talboys, and decides to travel to Essex to see the dying Luke Marks. ### [XXXIX: That Which the Dying Man Had to Tell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxix-that-which-the-dying-man-had-to-tell) Sits vigil with the dying Luke Marks, hears the confession about George's survival, and writes a letter to Lady Audley with the news. ### [XL: Restored](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xl-restored) Visits Mr. Harcourt Talboys, grows intimate with Clara Talboys, and confesses his love for her. ### [At Peace](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xli-at-peace) Now a rising barrister, living happily with Clara in a cottage near Teddington, father to a toddler. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/robert_audley - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters