Gladys Aitkin

In the novel Taken at the Flood, Gladys Aitkin is the chambermaid at the Stag in Warmsley Vale. She is employed by the landlady, Miss Lippincott, along with a second maid called Lily.

On a Wednesday morning, five days after Katherine Cloade first visits Poirot, Gladys as per usual passes by the rooms to wake the guests at their desired time and, if asked for, bring them early tea. At 8:15, she calls out the time and deposes tea and milk at the door to Enoch Arden's Room No. 5, then goes about her other duties. At ten o'clock, she notices that the milk has not yet been touched. Gladys finds it odd, as the gentleman has never overslept so far, but consideres the flat roof under the window and thinks he might have left clandestinely without paying. Receiving no answer to her heavy raps, she enters the room. She finds Arden lying on his face in the middle of the room, and even without any medical training, she can tell that he is dead.

Gladys screams and rushes downstairs to get Miss Lippincott, bellowing her name. She finds the landlady in her private room, along with a disgruntled Dr Lionel Cloade who is bandaging her cut hand. After some convincing they go inspect the situation. The doctor instantly becomes abrupt and authoritative, and instructs Miss Lippincott to telephone to the police station. Gladys smells a stunner and asks the landlady in an awed whisper if she thinks it was murder. Miss Lippincott reprimands her for talking about such things before they are known with certainty and suggests the maid get herself "a nice cup of tea". Lily readily acquiesces and promises to bring along a second cup for her employer.