Charlotte Ashby

Charlotte Ashby, the second wife of widower Kenneth Ashby, is upset to find a series of strange letters addressed to her husband. Initially, she suspects Kenneth is communicating with a past lover. However, as the narrative progresses, Charlotte becomes convinced the letters are from the ghost of Kenneth’s first wife, Elsie. Her growing conviction about the supernatural origin of the letters underscores the story’s theme of alienation, as she uncovers an unfamiliar aspect of her husband’s personality.

Elsie Ashby

Elsie Ashby, Kenneth Ashby’s first wife, now haunts the home of her former husband and his new wife, Charlotte. It is Elsie who sends the enigmatic letters that unsettle both Kenneth and Charlotte. In life, Elsie was a controlling and inflexible woman, and she continues to exert influence over Kenneth even after death. Her message to Kenneth is captured in the only two clear words Charlotte can decipher in Elsie’s final letter: ‘‘mine’’ and ‘‘come.’’

Kenneth Ashby

Kenneth Ashby, a widower who has recently remarried, starts receiving letters from his deceased first wife, Elsie. He attempts to keep the existence and origin of these letters a secret from his second wife, Charlotte, but she eventually uncovers the truth. The letters and his attempts to hide them create a rift between Kenneth and Charlotte. Despite this, Kenneth remains a paragon of marital loyalty, trying to stay true to both the memory of his late wife and his living spouse. The stress of this dual fidelity takes a toll on Kenneth, and by the story's conclusion, it seems he may have joined Elsie in death.

Mrs. Ashby

Mrs. Ashby is Kenneth Ashby’s mother. When Kenneth goes missing towards the end of the story, Charlotte turns to Mrs. Ashby for advice. Mrs. Ashby is with Charlotte when she opens the last of the mysterious letters.

Ghost

Refer to Elsie Ashby