In the novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles, William Earl is one of the three gardeners at Styles Court. He is the under-gardener, subordinate to Manning. During the inquest into the death of Emily Inglethorp. He testified that in the afternoon of the day she died, he and Manning had been called in and had witnessed a document which Emily Inglethorp had been preparing (thought to be a will).
Earlier on, Amy Hill, a shop assistant had testified that on the 17th of July, William had purchased a will form from her.