Mrs. Railton

Mrs. Railton is Mrs. Brympton's aunt whom Hartley got to know through her former mistress. Hartley describes her as someone who has “always a friendly way with her”¹ and a “cheery way”² of talking. She is the one who offers Hartley a job at the Brympton house. She thinks Hartley is the perfect match for Mrs. Brympton due to her skill-set and would make a splendid companion for her; similar to Mrs. Brympton's former maid, Emma Saxon.

Mrs. Railton appears to be rather persistent and pushy when she asks Hartley to be the maid for her niece. Firstly, although Hartley does need a new position as a maid, she tells Hartley to come over the next day to talk about the details without further information. Secondly, when they meet at Mrs. Railton's place, she asks Hartley whether she has already decided or not, right after just a little talk. Thirdly, she tries to convince Hartley that the Brympton house is the “very place”³ for her by telling her how the country air and quietness will do her good, and that she does not have to worry about living an unhappy life there. Moreover, she puts more pressure on Hartley by suggesting that she could take the afternoon train because she does not want her “to lose any [more] time”.⁴ When Hartley asks her about Mrs. Brympton's husband to gain more time, Mrs. Railton also assures her that she does not need to worry about Mr. Brympton since he is “almost always away”⁵ and quickly ends the topic. However, the reason why Mrs. Railton thinks Hartley makes a good companion is because she is skilled, in need for a job, and sick which means, in other words, not attractive. Hartley is not attractive enough to get anybody interested in her, including the master of the house, which is later on confirmed in the story when they meet for the first time. He shows no interest in Hartley when Mrs. Brympton introduces her to him, and after taking a quick look, he turns his back on her.⁶

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1 Lewis, R. W. B. The Collected Short Stories of Edith Wharton. (Vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1968. 457-474, Print.), 457.

2 Ibid.

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid., 458.

5 Ibid.

6 Ibid., 461.