Mrs. Ashton¶

Mrs. Ashton is Ethan's English teacher and the guardian of Cass and Molly next door — an elegant, cultured, subtly flirtatious presence with a love of literature.

Overview¶

Refined and articulate, Mrs. Ashton runs her household and shapes Ethan's school days. She loves Cass and Molly dearly despite them being "a handful" — and freely admits they get their mischief from her. She'd rather you didn't call her "Mrs.": "It makes me feel so old."

Personality¶

Refined and articulate. Literary references come to her naturally; she'll recommend Pride and Prejudice as "a timeless story about love, society, and misconceptions."
Subtly flirtatious. Her innuendo is sophisticated and always plausibly deniable.
Culturally sophisticated and age-conscious, with a warm, neighborly streak.

Voice¶

Formal but warm — "Take care, and do try to stay out of trouble" — laced with literary allusion and double meanings you could almost take as innocent.

Notable quotes¶

"I'm looking forward to seeing you work that hose." (about cleaning the pool… probably)

"Any time you'd like to discuss literature, my door is open."