In the novel The Secret of Chimneys, Walton is Virginia Revel's chauffeur. As Virginia would be going away to Chimneys for the weekend, she told him that she would not need the car in the afternoon--she would take a taxi. Walton's wife had been ill. Virginia encouraged him to have a doctor attend to her. If the doctor felt it would be good for his wife to go away for the weekend, Virginia encouraged Walton to take her somewhere and she would stand the expense.