Lord Mount-James was the uncle of Godfrey Staunton, and Godfrey's nearest living relative. He was an extremely wealthy and elderly man of about 80, riddled with gout and of a dour and miserly personality. Because of this, his nephew and he were not on very good terms; nevertheless, Godfrey was Lord Mount-James' heir and stood to inherit his significant accumulated wealth. Watson describes Lord Mount-James as an unpleasant and strange old man, jerky, twitchy, and shabbily dressed to the point of absurdity, but possessing a sharp, crackling voice and intense presence that demanded attention.