In the novel Ordeal by Innocence Gwenda Vaughan is the secretary to Leo Argyle for his research. She is in her late 30s. She lives in her own place, walking distance from Sunny Point. She and Leo were about to announce their engagement before the novel opens.
Gwenda is described as being an attractive young woman, with a "well-rounded figure, dark hair and eyes", full lips, and "a general air of vitality and good health". She gives the impression of being competent and intelligent.
Gwenda is at Sunny Point when Dr Calgary arrives, and is present when he tells the family that Jacko Argyle was innocent. When Dr Calgary says that although they do not realise it, they are making it more difficult for him to tell them, he sees a flicker of something like comprehension in Gwenda's eyes, as if she is telling him that she knows how difficult the Argyles can be. When he mentions a quote, "Nothing is ever settled until--", she is able to finish it for him, and to tell him that it is a quote from Kipling. She also knows about the Hayes Bentley expedition, with which Dr Calgary had been.
After Dr Calgary tells the family that Jacko was innocent, Gwenda takes charge of the situation. She tells Dr Calgary that they must have time to take in the news, and that he had better leave. After he leaves, Gwenda slips to her knees by Mr Argyle's chair.
Gwenda later suggests to Mr Argyle that it would be better if he went away. She reminds him that he had been planning to go to Rome and Siena, to see some documents, about which Cardinal Massilini had written him.
Gwenda also asks Mr Argyle if they can be married quite soon, instead of waiting until March. He tells her that they must not rush into anything. When she asks whether they will be married in March, as they had planned, he only says that he hopes so. She is rather upset by this, and her hands are unsteady when she picks up the letters he has signed.
Mr Argyle is of the opinion that Gwenda is the "perfect, helpful secretary", "always at hand", and kind. She reminds him of what Mrs Argyle had been when he first met her, because she has the same warmth, enthusiasm, and warm-heartedness. However, Gwenda differs from Mrs Argyle in that her warm-heartedness and enthusiasm are all for him, not for any children she might have with him.
On the day of the murder, Gwenda had been with Mr Argyle in the library, working on a chapter of his book on Medieval Economics. At about twenty minutes to seven, Mrs Argyle came in to tell Mr Argyle about Jacko's demands for money. Gwenda thought it better to remove herself, and went into the small room where she did her typing.
After Mrs Argyle left, Gwenda asked Mr Argyle if he wanted to continue work. He told her that his chain of thought was interrupted, and there was nothing else she could do, so she went home.
After the police reopen the investigation of Mrs Argyle's death, Philip Durrant asks Gwenda when she and Mr Argyle are getting married. She tells him that they probably will never get married, as Mr Argyle thinks it will cause the police to suspect them. When he says that one has to take risks, Gwenda says that she has never minded taking risks, and is willing to "gamble on happiness". However, she is of the opinion that Mr Argyle will die as he has lived, the husband of Rachel Argyle.
Gwenda is in the library with the family when Dr Calgary reveals who the murderer is. Mary Durrant springs at the murderer, angry that they killed Philip. However, Gwenda is quick-witted enough to catch hold of her and hold her back.
Portrayals[]
Agatha Christie's Marple (2007)[]
In the 2007 ITV adaptation which was episode 2 of series 3 of Agatha Christie's Marple, Gwenda Vaughan is portrayed by Juliet Stevenson. Among other things, she has a backstory which serves to insert Miss Marple into the plot. She was a girl whom Miss Marple took from an orphanage and trained for service. She later branched out and trained to be a secretary. At the beginning of the episode, Gwenda is about to marry Leo Argyle and she invites Miss Marple to Sunny Point to attend the wedding.
After Arthur Calgary's appearance, Gwenda has a larger plot role that in the original. From early on, Kirsten Lindstrom and other members of the household suspect her as being the killer since she had the most to gain. Much of her screen time from here on shows her efforts to clear herself. Miss Marple sends her to town to interview people together with Arthur Calgary. Miss Marple herself speaks mainly with the people in the house. As the plot progresses, the accusations from the family members get more and more heated. When Tina Argyle is taken by the police for questioning (she had lied about her whereabouts on the night of the murder), Kirsten tells Gwenda to confess to set Tina free. Gwenda angrily retorts that she knows many secrets about the family. She had been through Rachel's room and hints that she knows enough to incriminate the killer. Leo Argyle later breaks off the engagement and suggests that Gwenda move out of the house. But before she does so, she is murdered later that same night.
Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha (2009)[]
In Am Stram Gram, the France Télévisions adaptation of Ordeal by Innocence for the TV series Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie, the parallel character is Gwendoline.