Vanities and Virtues (![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} vandvmod) wrote,@ 2021-08-24 12:14:00 |
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The Baker sisters reside in a small house in the village of Ashe Cross. While they are gentlewomen by class, they have been impoverished by the debts left them by their late father and are largely dependent on the charity of the neighbourhood.
 | Steadfast and genteel, the eldest of the two Baker sisters is generally considered to be past marriageable age. Like her sister, Miss Baker has been cast into the role of the genteel poor without her particular approval, but in a circumstance quite out of her control. Pleasant and well thought of by Ashe Cross society, Anne chafes quietly at the thought of being pitied by their acquaintance nearly as much as she resents having to depend on her sister Catherine for her future chances. Lovely, if a bit advanced in age, she is reluctant to be cast in the role of spinster. Although she accepts that likely inevitability with grace, a part of her holds out a tiny hope that she may find relief from this circumstance. miss_baker |
 | Stubborn and quite vain, Catherine Baker hasn't made the transition for herself into a life with, well, less any easier on herself. As the youngest, Catherine is expected (and hopefully will) manage to find a man to save herself from Spinsterhood and also bring both she and her sister out of debt. Of course, that is, if she manages to find someone whom she can love, quite opposed to simply marrying for the convenience of it. There's no denying she has some real heart though, quick to defend her sister and close intimates. At heart she's still a child and simply needs the time to grow up. misscbaker |
The Beauchamp siblings have just leased Wingham Place, the local manor house which has stood empty for these many years. They are rumoured to be both exceedingly wealthy and exceedingly independent-minded. Why such fashionable people should have chosen Ashe Cross as their residence is yet to be discovered.
 | A mysterious and melancholic bachelor who is, along with his sister, new to the neighbourhood. Algernon is young enough to remain very eligible and rich enough to make the mothers of the neighbourhood feel that snatching him up should be their daughters' highest priority (even if he is not half so exciting as the myriad of handsome young officers). Though kind hearted and charitable Algernon is aloof and somber, making him difficult to get a bearing on. It has yet to be seen whether or not Ashe Cross will take to him, or him to it. beauchamp_esq |
 | Exceedingly fashionable and almost as accomplished as she is fashionable, Cassandra is nevertheless seen as the less imposing of the Beauchamp siblings. Beyond this, little is known about Miss Beauchamp, and why she chose to accompany her brother to Ashe Cross rather than remain with her parents. However, her good looks and rumoured fortune of £30,000 are sure to make her a favourite of the neighbourhood - especially among the less wealthy men. miss_beauchamp |
The Burneys are, while not exactly wealthy, one of the most respectable families in the neighbourhood. Mrs. Burney died these seven years ago after suffering a lengthy illness.
 | Sir William, who added to his familial fortune with the practice of law in Town for many years, was knighted by HRM personally! He is a most devoted parent. |
 | Middle child of the Burney family, Charlotte somehow has the saddest story. Engaged to a promising young sailor, the wedding day never came, as Mr Foxwell perished at sea during the War of 1812. Charlotte, a once joyful and giddy girl, spent the last two years mourning the loss. Only lately has Charlotte begun to return to herself - participating in parties again, finding new joys in life. A clever girl with many skills, she has no problems relating to her friends and the new uniformed neighbors. With hope, and a suitable match, Charlotte can return to the playful carefree girl she was. missburney |
| Sir William's only son. Known to his intimates as Will. |
 | The youngest Burney child, Miss Margaret- known to her intimate friends and most of the village besides as Meg- is widely considered a sweet, pretty, fresh sort of girl- if stubborn and silly and incapable of the polish expected of young ladies of her situation. The kind term her 'artless;' those less so, naive. Vying for the title of her greatest accomplishment are her natural artistic ability; and her infallible tendency to say exactly what she is feeling at any moment and to ask whatever question comes to her mind. At sixteen, Miss Meg is more than ready to be fallen in love with in a most exciting romance. A portion of the neighbourhood imagines that she will be the ruin of herself and her family's reputation. The rest cannot quite bear to blame her, for she is young and means well. missmeg |
The Clarke family has recently lost its patriarch- and it is the private consideration of many Ashe Cross residents that this is for the best. Mr. Nigel Clarke had the reputation of a rascal, and was a source of constant grief to his wife. Little do the village gossips know that his death- after an illness brought on by a period of unmentionable dissolution in Town- has left his family struggling under the spectre of Gambling Debts. Clarke's widow is intent on getting her children married off post-haste, before the family's bankruptcy can become publicly known.
 | Mr. Nigel Clarke's widow, Mrs. Clarke is struggling to make ends meet without allowing anyone to see her struggle. Good marriages for her three children would be infinitely welcome. |
| The eldest of the Clarke children, Miss Clarke has been out in society for several seasons. |
| With no inheritance to fall back on, Mr. Benedict is going to have to find a Profession for himself, and soon- that, or a wealthy bride! |
 | The youngest Clarke child, a clumsy, bookish girl newly Out in society, Felicity (or Flissy, to her intimates) is considered a rather unfortunate girl. Known best for being completely unknown, more because of her quiet, bashful nature than because of any air of mysteriousness. Most of the neighbourhood is sure she could be much more presentable in speech and poise if she only took her nose out of a book for more than half a moment. Thankfully, she does have impeccable manners, and her knowledge of history is unmatched saving her from being a complete failure. missflissy |
Mr. and Mrs. Flyte have been married these two years, and have just introduced an infant son to the world.
 | Mr. Flyte is nearly as humourless as he is disdainful. He takes pride in his wife, his family, and his own good sense, nearly to the exception of any other. While considered a bit sour by those who do not know him well, he has some feeling beneath the cynical dour exteriour, he simply does not condescend to show it to anyone beneath him. His wife, a former Miss Burney, came upon him at just the right felicitous moment for the two of them to make what he considers a most splendid match. The family splits time between London and Ashe Cross, just enough in each to make him long for the other. mr_flyte |
 | Formerly the eldest Miss Burney, Jane married Richard Flyte some two years ago and has late bourne him a son. Still excessively fond of and close to her family, in particular her sisters, Mrs. Flyte attempts to give them the guidance they lack since the death of Mrs. Burney. All together a charming and proper (if snobbish) lady, Jane is quite happily settled and is an extremely doting young mother who is attempting to balance married life with remaining a member of the family she is so very accustomed to. mrsflyte |
The Lesleys are by far the most distinguished residents of the Ashe Cross environs- they are, after all, nobility! They inhabit Crickton Abbey, a venerable old place. The young Mr. and Miss. Lesleys are considered the especial property of the marriageable young people of the neighbourhood; whether they agree with this assessment is anyone's guess.
| A retired, extremely wealthy and famously noble Navy man. |
| The social mistress of the Ashe Cross neighbourhood. Many believe that Lady Amelia gives by far the best private balls in all of England! |
| The eldest son and heir to the bulk of the Lesley fortune and Crickton Abbey as well as the title. Unsurprisingly, a great many of girls are completely besotted with him. He has followed his father into the Navy but visits his home often. |
| The younger Lesley son nevertheless stands to inherit a good living from his mother's family. |
 | Charming and intelligent, Arabella and her rumouredly large inheritance has turned enough heads for her first season debuting into society. And though she may smile and curtsy with a pretty flare, Arabella's heart lives where-ever she can have fun, and it stands to see how long it will be before the eldest Lesley daughter decides that all the social fanfare is extremely boring. missarabella |
| Affectionate and animated, Cecelia Lesley excels both at laughing and at horse-back riding, as well as creating formidably adventurous and unlikely stories. Accomplished, though not quite so pretty as her sister, her sweet disposition and desire to appease everyone -- not to mention her 5,000 upon marriage -- make her parents confident that her eccentricities, including her desire to pen adventure novels, won't be enough to deter a pleasing marriage. For herself, Cecelia is about to come out for her first season in society. And while she isn't afraid of the exotic locales of her treasured atlas, she is rather frightened of having to fall in love. misscecelia |
The Waltham family can hardly be called such, as at presence it comprises only one member- Ashe Cross's only clergyman, who resides in the neigthbourhood parsonage.
 | The Reverend Mr. Henry Waltham is as kind hearted and genuine as he is reserved. Much to the consternation of the neighborhood, he takes far greater joy in attending to the needs of the parishioners than to the wishes of the young ladies of the village. Earnest, simple, plainspoken, he suffers, according to the gossips, a broken heart from a young lady who left him at the altar. He is something of a still and quiet pool in the heady current of Ashe Cross society. reverend_mister |
The Regiment has only been quartered in the area very recently; the presence of officers is sure to cause a flutter in the neighbourhood!
| One of the Officers quartered in the village. |
 | Confident and charming, Lionel Wayland is sure to set hearts a flutter. Known for being exceedingly serious about the military and his duties therein, Lionel is at heart an open and jovial sort of man who values family and friends very highly. Seeing his sisters happily married and settled has led him to want a marriage himself, and he is hoping to find a suitable match soon. cpt_wayland |
| One of the Officers quartered in the village. |
| One of the Officers quartered in the village. |
 | Thomas, or Tom as he is often called, was fortunate to be born the son of an Earl. He received an excellent education and was affectionately raised. Unfortunately, however, he was the sixth son and rather than inheriting a pretty property, he was compelled to choose a profession. He chose the army, and cuts a very dashing figure in his regimentals. He charms all the local mothers and daughters, but it is well known that he is too poor to be an excellent match, despite his excellent family. Some suspect he is a rogue, but he has never proven himself anything but a gentleman. lieut_griffith |