# Ursula Bourne — The Murder of Roger Ackroyd character guide

> Ursula Bourne in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Bourne, Ursula

**First appearance:** 0011-x-the-parlour-maid

## Snapshot

The parlourmaid at Fernly Park, whose quiet efficiency conceals a secret marriage and a fierce refusal to keep living a lie.

## Who they are

Ursula Bourne serves at Fernly Park with the steady, resolute manner of a woman who has made up her mind about something. She is secretly married to Ralph Paton, and when Ackroyd announces Ralph's engagement to Flora, Ursula insists on revealing the truth — a decision that detonates the household. Her stubborn honesty, and her late-night meeting with Ralph in the summerhouse, place her at the center of the investigation's most damning timeline.

## In the story

### [XI: Poirot Pays a Call](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_murder_of_roger_ackroyd_se/chapters/xi-poirot-pays-a-call)

Subject of Sheppard's inquiry at Marby Grange; Mrs. Folliott is evasive about her background.

### [XIV: Mrs. Ackroyd](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_murder_of_roger_ackroyd_se/chapters/xiv-mrs-ackroyd)

Mentioned as the servant who caught Mrs. Ackroyd searching the desk and who may have spread stories.

### [The Paragraph in the Paper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_murder_of_roger_ackroyd_se/chapters/xxi-the-paragraph-in-the-paper)

Arrives in distress at Dr. Sheppard's home; Poirot identifies her as Ursula Paton, Ralph's wife.

### [XXII: Ursula’s Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_murder_of_roger_ackroyd_se/chapters/xxii-ursula-s-story)

Reveals her secret marriage to Ralph Paton, her true identity as an impoverished gentlewoman, and her role as parlour maid at Fernly.

### [Poirot's Little Reunion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_murder_of_roger_ackroyd_se/chapters/xxiii-poirot-s-little-reunion)

Revealed as Mrs. Ralph Paton; attends the reunion and expresses distress over Ralph's whereabouts.

### [Ralph Paton’s Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_murder_of_roger_ackroyd_se/chapters/xxiv-ralph-paton-s-story)

Present as Ralph's wife; reacts to Ralph's suspicion that she might have killed Ackroyd.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_murder_of_roger_ackroyd_se/characters/ursula_bourne
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_murder_of_roger_ackroyd_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_murder_of_roger_ackroyd_se/characters