# Lady Stanworth — The Layton Court Mystery character guide > Lady Stanworth in The Layton Court Mystery by Anthony Berkeley. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Stanworth, old Stanworth, friend Stanworth **First appearance:** 0001-the-layton-court-mystery ## Snapshot The dignified hostess of Layton Court, bound to her brother-in-law by an old scandal and quietly in love with the man she cannot openly marry. ## Who they are Lady Stanworth presides over Victor Stanworth's summer parties with aristocratic composure, but her past is held hostage by secrets he extracted years ago. She chose marriage to his brother over her father's ruin, and even after her father's death the threat of exposure kept her obedient. Her hidden marriage to Major Jefferson gives the investigation its most tangled motive, and her restraint makes her one of the most quietly consequential figures in the house. ## Relationships ### [Roger Sheringham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/roger_sheringham) _social_ Lady Stanworth is a dignified, somewhat aloof hostess who interacts with Roger Sheringham as a guest and fellow socialite. ### [Major Jefferson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/major_jefferson) _social_ Lady Stanworth and Major Jefferson share a polite, formal acquaintance as members of the same country house party. ### [Alexander Grierson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/alexander_grierson) _social_ Alexander Grierson and Lady Stanworth are cordial acquaintances, interacting primarily as fellow guests at Layton Court. ### [Mrs. Plant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/mrs_plant) _professional_ Lady Stanworth is the employer of Mrs. Plant, the housekeeper, maintaining a formal but respectful working relationship. ### [Barbara Shannon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/barbara_shannon) _family_ Barbara Shannon is Lady Stanworth's niece, and they share a warm, affectionate family bond. ### [Doctor Matthewson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/doctor_matthewson) _professional_ Doctor Matthewson is Lady Stanworth's personal physician, attending to her health and offering medical opinions. ### [John Prince](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/john_prince) _social_ John Prince and Lady Stanworth are polite, distant acquaintances, with Prince being a guest in her home. ### [Roger Sheringham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/roger_sheringham) _social_ Lady Stanworth is a dignified, somewhat aloof hostess who interacts with Roger Sheringham as a guest and fellow socialite. ### [Alexander Grierson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/alexander_grierson) _social_ Alexander Grierson and Lady Stanworth are cordial acquaintances, interacting primarily as fellow guests at Layton Court. ### [Major Jefferson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/major_jefferson) _social_ Lady Stanworth and Major Jefferson share a polite, formal acquaintance as members of the same country house party. ### [Mrs. Plant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/mrs_plant) _professional_ Lady Stanworth is the employer of Mrs. Plant, the housekeeper, maintaining a formal but respectful working relationship. ### [Major Jefferson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/major_jefferson) _social_ Lady Stanworth and Major Jefferson share a polite, formal acquaintance as members of the same country house party. ## In the story ### [II: An Interrupted Breakfast](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/ii-an-interrupted-breakfast) Victor's dignified sister-in-law, acting as hostess; she summons Roger and Alec to witness the breaking of the library door after Victor's disappearance. ### [III: Mr. Sheringham Is Puzzled](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/iii-mr-sheringham-is-puzzled) Calmly informs the group that the police are coming; retires to her room. ### [VI: Four People Behave Remarkably](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/vi-four-people-behave-remarkably) Lady Stanworth is identified as one of the four people behaving remarkably, showing no distress at her husband's death and even seeming to hate him. ### [XI: Lady Stanworth Exchanges Glances](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/xi-lady-stanworth-exchanges-glances) Initially reluctant to attend the safe opening, shows anxiety and exchanges a significant look with Jefferson, suggesting a hidden understanding. ### [XVI: Mr. Sheringham Lectures on Neo-Platonism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/xvi-mr-sheringham-lectures-on-neo-platonism) Mentioned as another person whose actions are questioned. ### [XVII: Mr. Grierson Becomes Heated](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/xvii-mr-grierson-becomes-heated) Not present at tea; discussed as having disliked Victor Stanworth and possibly implicated in the crime. ### [XVIII: What the Settee Had to Tell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/xviii-what-the-settee-had-to-tell) Mentioned as potentially complicit in a cover-up. ### [XIX: Mr. Sheringham Loses and Wins the Same Bet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/xix-mr-sheringham-loses-and-wins-the-same-bet) Present at dinner, silent and constrained; Roger tests her about her movements, and she gives a precise account. ### [XXIII: Mrs. Plant Talks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/xxiii-mrs-plant-talks) Present at the inquest, maintaining her statuesque calm. ### [XXV: The Mystery Finally Refuses to Accept Mr. Sheringham's Solution](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/xxv-the-mystery-finally-refuses-to-accept-mr-sheringham-s-solution) Present during the confrontation, she quietly supports Jefferson and rebukes Roger for forcing the issue. ### [XXVI: Mr. Grierson Tries His Hand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/xxvi-mr-grierson-tries-his-hand) Revealed to be secretly married to Major Jefferson; was under Stanworth's blackmail control. ### [XXVII: Mr. Sheringham Hits the Mark](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/chapters/xxvii-mr-sheringham-hits-the-mark) Mentioned as one of the people with reason to kill Stanworth. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters/lady_stanworth - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_layton_court_mystery_se/characters