Juliet's great-uncle and her guardian after her parents died. Reverend Simpless describes him as an uninspired and boring man, which he believes is why Dr. Ashton was unable to keep Juliet from running away—he couldn't keep her entertained or earn her loyalty. He agreed to send Juliet to boarding school. Despite her behavior as a child, Juliet is thankful for Dr. Ashton's care of her. She wishes she'd thanked him and apologized for her poor behavior, but she never had the chance, as he died when she was seventeen.