Mrs Eliza Michelson is a widow employed by Sir Percival Glyde as the Housekeeper at Blackwater park. Here late husband the Reverend Samuel Michelson M.A. was a protestant clergyman. Mrs Michelson embodies two important contradictory Christian attributes. Firstly a tolerance for others not blesses with an English, (an therefore Protestant) background, and secondly to regard them as inferior.

Like many in employment Mrs. Michelson has a keen sense of her place in the world. This is defined largely by her marriage, and after that by her role in the household. She is a servant, but a privileged one, occupying a similar status to a butler, were she a man. Indeed Glyde has no butler, so her role is even more essential, (but no doubt less well paid), than were his household better staffed.

She stands out as being a 'good' woman being in the employment of a 'bad' man. Indeed her forthright goodness in the end causes her to resign her position when she realises that matters are not as they should be at Blackwater Park.

Mrs Michelson is sensitive. She helps Miss Halcombe care for Mrs. Catherick's dog, and also goes to lengths to ensure that both Laura Fairlie and Anne Halcombe's health and welfare is preserved as best she can at Balckwater park. She plays no part in the deceptions and indeed it is necessary to send her on a false errant to Torquay in order to ensure that she doesn't disrupt them!

Mrs Michelson is the second woman for whom Collins writes at length, the first being Marian Halcombe. Although her account lacks the length, and some of the pace, of Marian Halcombe's diary it is nevertheless a wonderful testament to Collins literary ability that he should be able to write so convincingly as a woman, and one of a different class to Miss Halcombe.

Her character, however, is by no means as full as that of Mrarian Halcombe. Mrs Michelson for all her efficiency and presence of mind is far less assertive in her actions as Marian Halcombe, and this makes her the less convincing of the two characters.

Perhaps this is because she too has come under the enchantment of the charismatic Count Fosco.