Dramatis Personae

This is the most up to date one, and should cover everything; I have finished the book and the last chapter is with my first beta

Dramatis Personae

Ellery Morecambe, 7^th Earl Wroth

Anne Morecambe, Countess Wroth,  his wife.

Hortensia Maplin, cousin of Anne, brain damaged. Ellery’s pensioner.

Peacock, the butler at Wrotherhyde Hall

Mrs. Yorke, housekeepr at Wrotherhyde Hall.

Jagger, head groom at Wrotherhyde Hall, has flamboyant style in waistcoats.

Claudia Hyde, dowager Countess Wroth, relict of Charles Hyde, 5^th Earl Wroth.

Lady Amanda Hyde

Lady Miranda Hyde      

Lady Lucenda Hyde

The daughters of the dowager, collectively known as ‘the gerundives’ for their names

Larry [Laurence] Hyde, 6^th Earl Wroth, deceased diseased.

Drusilla Haversedge/Tiffany Hyde, illegitimate daughter of Larry Hyde, charity girl in Mrs. Chorley’s school.

Selena Johnson, illegitimate daughter of opera dancer, Celeste Johnson, and Fenton Harcourt, an uncle of Larry Hyde,  friend of Drusilla/Tiffany, also charity girl in Mrs. Chorley’s school.

Jane Jefferson, parlour boarder in Mrs. Chorley’s school, friend of the charity girls

Amelie Dubois, daughter of a ci-devant vicomte, pupil at Mrs. Chorley’s school. Not a nice girl.

Francis Hyde, 4^th Lord Wroxley, deceased.  Depraved waste of space.

Hugo Hyde, 5^th Lord Wroxley, nephew of above, captain in the 7^th hussars.

Collins, his devoted valet and ex batman

Lord Robert Bradley, magistrate, widower.  A fair man.

The Hon. Thomas Bradley, his son.  Less of a pill than he used to be

The Hon. Amelia Bradley, his daughter. Still coltish

Miss Lydia Lawford, Amelia’s governess. A nervous lady

Sir Henry Bradley, brother of Lord Bradley, colonel of local militia.

Lady Sophia Bradley, his wife, motherly and sweet.

John Landry, wealthy industrialist, bully and voluptuary.

Aurelia Landry, his trophy wife. Older daughter of a parson with unholy instincts.

Beatrice Clement, Aurelia’s sister, the daughter who was not favoured.

Susanna Gorringe, Aurelia’s maid/dresser/companion/crony. The real mother of small John Landry, as Aurelia refuses sexual contact with her husband.

Luke Sanderville, owner of Kersey Abbey, late of the 7^th Hussars, missing a hand

Ophelia Sanderville, his wife

Matthew Sanderville, their son

Lucy Sanderville, Luke’s daughter AKA the Queen’s Own Lucy

Sebastian/Seb Rackham

Philemon/ Phil Rackham

Eglamour/Egg Rackham

Ophelia’s brothers who live with her and Luke

Mrs. Celia Rackham, mother of Ophelia and the Rackham boys, self-absorbed

Jeffery Thorngate, son of factory owner, raised as a gentleman, quite erudite

Paul Fulkard, son of an old family of gentry folk, very musical which was denied to him by his parents.

Death Morville, son of old family of gentry, his first name is his mother’s maiden name but he refuses to pronounce it De’ath.  Had infantile paralysis and is left with a limp. 

Crumshawe, Morville’s devoted valet.

Jack Mayhew, the eldest son of the Reverend Mayhew. Has job as apprentice joiner to pay for his siblings’ education. Chestnut hair.

Miriam Mayhew, oldest daughter of the Rev. Mayhew. Musical. Bright red ginger hair

Michael Mayhew, second son, already at university. Auburn.

James Mayhew, third son, aspires to university, musical. Bright red ginger hair

Ezekial/Zeke Mayhew fourth son, wants to work outside. Bright red ginger hair

Abigail Mayhew, second daughter. Strawberry blonde

Other Mayhew children:

Elizabeth and Esther. Sandy red hair.

Daniel/ Dan. Chestnut hair

Gabriel/ Gabe. Auburn hair.

Jesca. Strawberry blonde.

Reuben, musical. Bright red ginger hair.

Adalia and Aziza, musical. Bright red ginger hair.

Rectory children currently farmed out

Priscilla. Chestnut hair.

Mark. Strawberry blonde hair.

Tobias Smith, cornet in local militia, yeoman farmer’s son

Mr. Wickes, schoolmaster

Mrs. Wickes, schoolmistress of girls, née Catherine [Aunt Catty] Dawlish,  wife of Mr. Wickes and former companion to Mrs. Rackham

Harry Tweedie, adoptive son of the Wickes, he and one sister being the sole survivors of typhus

Towser, a dog, rescued by Harry at risk to his own life.  A faithful and intelligent hound.

Lionel Samms, an old school friend of both Ellery and Luke, a Corinthian and noted horseman

George, an infant

Maggie and Emmie Thwaite, village girls from Wrotherhyde, good at sewing

Bessie Porrit, aka Madame Bellescheveux.  Married daughter of Luke’s bailiff, Jem Butler.

Others coming for the ball

Reverend Jerome Blake, vicar in Wrotherhyde

Jerusha Blake, his daughter.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Tobias’ parents

Polly [Mary], their daughter

A selection of militia men, parsons, squires, and prominent yeomen farmers and families.