Mrs Bishop

In the novel Sad Cypress, Mrs Emma Bishop was the housekeeper at Hunterbury, the home of Mrs Laura Welman. At the time of Mrs Welman's death, Mrs Bishop had worked for her for eighteen years.

Mrs Bishop is described as being "a lady of Conservative habits and views", who "strongly disapproved of foreigners". When Poirot interviews her, she initially looks at him with "disfavour and suspicion". However, after Poirot recounts a recent visit to Sandringham and speaks of the graciousness and kindness of Royalty, she becomes more friendly towards him. She and Poirot discuss suitable future husbands for Princess Elizabeth, finding all possible candidates "Not Good Enough".

Mrs Bishop is also described as having a "stately figure of ample proportions", and a "large dignified presence", with a "serene gait as of a galleon in full sail".

On the morning when Mrs Welman is found dead, Mrs Bishop wakes Elinor Carlisle up, to break the news to her. Mrs Bishop weeps, and says that Mrs Welman's passing was so sudden. However, when Elinor says that she is thankful that her aunt was spared more suffering, Mrs Bishop agrees with her.

As Mrs Welman died without leaving a will, Elinor decides to give Mrs Bishop a legacy of £500, saying that Mrs Bishop has been at Hunterbury for "such years".

After Mrs Welman's death, Mrs Bishop goes to stay with a sister, who lives about a mile away. According to Nurse Hopkins, she was very upset about Hunterbury being sold, as she had been sure that Elinor and Roderick Welman would get married and live there.

When Elinor returns to Hunterbury to clear out her aunt's things, she runs into Mrs Bishop in Maidensford. Elinor asks if she would like any piece of furniture from the house, and Mrs Bishop asks for the secretaire in the drawing room, which she says she has always admired. Elinor offers her some chairs which are in the same style as the secretaire, and Mrs Bishop accepts.

Mrs Bishop offers to go to Hunterbury with Elinor, to help her, but Elinor turns her down.

Mrs Bishop later tells Poirot that Mary Gerrard was "Artful", and that people were "Taken In by her", including Mrs Welman. She says that if Mrs Welman had not passed away when she did, it would not have been surprising if she had left all her money to Mary, and that was what Mary had been working up to. She also tells Poirot that she saw Roderick go into Mrs Welman's room on the night she died.