# Sir Michael Audley — Lady Audley’s Secret character guide > Sir Michael Audley in Lady Audley’s Secret by M. E. Braddon. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Sir Michael, Michael, Michael Audley, Dear Sir Michael **First appearance:** 0000-i-lucy ## Snapshot A wealthy, good-natured baronet who marries his young governess and cannot imagine the cost of his late-life happiness. ## Who they are Sir Michael Audley is a country gentleman of comfortable habits, fond of his farms and his daughter, who stuns the neighborhood by wedding the beautiful Lucy Graham. His generous, uncritical love blinds him to the friction between his wife and Alicia and to the unease gathering around his nephew Robert. His devotion makes him both the story's kindest figure and its most vulnerable, since everything he treasures rests on a woman he does not truly know. ## Relationships ### [Robert Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/robert_audley) _family_ Sir Michael is Robert's uncle and a father figure, with Robert feeling a deep sense of duty and affection toward him. ### [Lady Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/lady_audley) _romantic_ Lady Audley marries Sir Michael for his wealth and status, feigning love while secretly manipulating him. ### [Alicia Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/alicia_audley) _family_ Alicia is Sir Michael's devoted daughter, though she is frustrated by his blindness to Lady Audley's true nature. ### [Robert Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/robert_audley) _family_ Sir Michael is Robert's uncle and a father figure, with Robert feeling a deep sense of duty and affection toward him. ### [Robert Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/robert_audley) _family_ Sir Michael is Robert's uncle and a father figure, with Robert feeling a deep sense of duty and affection toward him. ### [Lady Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/lady_audley) _romantic_ Lady Audley marries Sir Michael for his wealth and status, feigning love while secretly manipulating him. ### [Lady Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/lady_audley) _romantic_ Lady Audley marries Sir Michael for his wealth and status, feigning love while secretly manipulating him. ### [Alicia Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/alicia_audley) _family_ Alicia is Sir Michael's devoted daughter, though she is frustrated by his blindness to Lady Audley's true nature. ### [Alicia Audley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/alicia_audley) _family_ Alicia is Sir Michael's devoted daughter, though she is frustrated by his blindness to Lady Audley's true nature. ## In the story ### [Lucy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/i-lucy) The wealthy baronet who falls deeply in love with Lucy Graham. He is a widower, aged fifty-five, and is tormented by his age and his intense feelings for her. ### [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) Robert's uncle, who recently married a young woman, Lady Audley. ### [After a Year](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/vii-after-a-year) Accompanies Lady Audley to London; generous and trusting husband. ### [VIII: Before the Storm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/viii-before-the-storm) Mentioned as the owner of Audley Court, but not directly present in the chapter. ### [IX: After the Storm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/ix-after-the-storm) Mistakenly predicts the storm will hold off; spends the night watching over his terrified wife and is relieved by her recovery in the morning. ### [X: Missing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/x-missing) Sends a dinner invitation to Robert and George; his servant confirms George's visit. ### [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) Proudly watches Lady Audley's charm and examines the bruise on her wrist at Robert's prompting. ### [Troubled Dreams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xiii-troubled-dreams) Appears briefly in Robert's dreams, interwoven with the mystery. ### [XIV: Phoebe's Suitor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xiv-phoebe-s-suitor) Reads the advertisement for George Talboys at breakfast and remonstrates with Alicia about her treatment of Lady Audley. ### [Robert Audley Gets His Conge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xvi-robert-audley-gets-his-conge) Hospitably speeds the parting guests, then tells Robert he must leave the Court because of his attentions to Lady Audley. ### [XXV: Retrograde Investigation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxv-retrograde-investigation) Ill with low fever, he is delighted by Robert's visit and urges him to be friends with Lady Audley. ### [So Far and No Farther](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxvi-so-far-and-no-farther) Mentioned as lying weak and ill at Audley Court, cared for by Lady Audley. ### [XXVIII: Hidden in the Grave](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxviii-hidden-in-the-grave) His health is improving; Robert avoids meeting him to spare him the coming grief. ### [XXX: Preparing the Ground](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxx-preparing-the-ground) Easily swayed by his wife's performance, he agrees to avoid Robert and consult a physician. ### [XXXI: Phoebe's Petition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxi-phoebe-s-petition) An invalid, goes to bed early; he has grown distant from Alicia under Lady Audley's influence. ### [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) Seen sleeping peacefully; Lady Audley briefly feels pity for him before her own desperation takes over. ### [The Bearer of the Tidings](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxiii-the-bearer-of-the-tidings) Discusses Robert's changed behavior with Alicia, troubled by Lady Audley's claims of Robert's insanity; he falls asleep in his library. ### [XXXIV: My Lady Tells the Truth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxiv-my-lady-tells-the-truth) Hears the confession, is devastated, leaves Audley Court without saying farewell. ### [The Hush That Succeeds the Tempest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxv-the-hush-that-succeeds-the-tempest) Sir Michael is shattered by the revelation of his wife's treachery. He leaves the Court in a state of unnatural calm, entrusting Robert with the aftermath. ### [XXXVI: Dr. Mosgrave’s Advice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxvi-dr-mosgrave-s-advice) Referenced as the generous old man whose trust in Lady Audley brought misery; Robert seeks to spare him shame. ### [Ghost-Haunted](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xxxviii-ghost-haunted) Sir Michael has left Audley Court with Alicia for the Continent, showing a calm that alarms Alicia. He sends Robert blank checks and asks never to hear Lady Audley's name again. ### [At Peace](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/chapters/xli-at-peace) Survived his troubles, visits the cottage; has bought a house in Hertfordshire near his son-in-law's estate. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/lady_audley_s_secret_se/characters/sir_michael_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