Introduction
Appearance
Notable Features
Walks with a cane, slightly hunchedPersonal Style
Francis is quite tall but often hunched, very lean, and pale. He has a noticeable limp and walks with a cane. He can also be quite clumsy, though he tries to mask it, and often walks slowly and moves with some stiffness.Francis often feels he has no control over his body, so he tries his best to control whatever he can. He is quite pedantic, with immaculate hairstyle, a taste for expensive yet non-extravagant clothes, and a collection of various wooden canes. He always dresses to the occasion and likes expensive materials, but simultaneously he does not like drawing attention to himself which gives his garderobe an impression of bland modesty. Recently, his mother pesters him about changing his garderobe to a more memorable one.
Circumstances
Currently
Francis is an unmarried bachelor and a Duke of Bedford. He is a very eligible match and his mother attempts to find a bride for him, making him attend a lot of social events. He delayed any engagement last Summer but now is feeling some pressure.Even though he is the firstborn son of the Duke of Bedford, the ton knew little about him until now. Some may have gossiped about his poor health or his foreign travels, but it was his younger brother who was always at the center of attention. As the years and Francis' absence from London passed, everyone in high society started to forget who was the true heir and focused their attention on the younger Russell whom his father clearly favored.
The former Duke's unexpected passing and Francis' inheritance of the title understandably shifted the ton's attention and curiosity to the new Duke. Francis can no longer occupy a comfortable, solitary space outside of the high society and has to appear at social functions. He is keen on making the best impression, striving to preserve the reputation of his family. Despite his all efforts to present properly and amicably, his introverted personality and pale demeanor already resulted in some gossip about his unsuitability for Dukedom and poor health. He is not blind to this opinion, works even harder and tries to mitigate any damages before they occur, but his self-confidence suffers: because, deep in his heart, he knows that everyone (including his own mother) would like to see his younger brother in his place.
Health & Capabilities
Francis has been a sickly child since birth and due to undiagnosed (by Victorian medicine) ailments he loses his balance easily and struggles with chronic pain. At least partially, some of these symptoms stem from experimental treatments and from breaking his leg as a child, which the doctor broke and set improperly (twice!).Ironically, he's actually in quite good health right now if it was not for his limp and pain, but the stigma of being sickly stuck with him.
Socioeconomics
Francis inherited the title and estate of the Duke of Bedford. He's feeling ill-prepared for the obligation and is doing his best to learn how to manage his estates without harming his pride.Skills & Talents
*Well-read*Learned to read Latin and Greek
*Learned to speak German, French and Italian
*Traveled around major European capitals and art collections
*One of top students in Cambridge
*Mediocre painter
Present Relationships
Ophelia Russell - younger sisterEdgar Russell - younger brother (wanted)
Identity
Hobbies
* Art, especially ancient art but recently he developed an interest in contemporary (to him) painters* Ancient history and literature
* Travel
* Opera
* Learning about new things
* Painting
Habits & Routines
Francis is often seen in London, socializes with the ton (he musts), and in his free time he loves visiting opera, museums, and art exhibitions.Personality
Francis is a soft-spoken man who got used to being disregarded and invisible during his youth. His childhood years taught him that it is better to be left in solitude and that his very presence can be uncomfortable to his own family. He carries these experiences in his heart, tends to be a quiet observer of others, and dislikes being at the center of attention. He never learned his own self-worth, though, as a Duke, he suddenly found himself in a position that requires assertiveness and self-confidence. He tries to mask his weaknesses by a formal, almost cold demeanor. He knows he is perceived as weak due to his physical conditions, so he is very careful not to show any emotional weakness. Because of that, he can be perceived as someone stiff and formal. He can be surprisingly mean if agitated.At the same time, he is quick to learn, intelligent, and blessed with attention to detail and good memory. Despite his father's lack of faith in himself and his own low self-confidence, he studied hard to learn everything that is expected of a Duke. He knows theory and is interested in economics and politics, though he lacked many opportunities to develop his skills in practice: it was his brother who always accompanied their father on official business.
He studied even harder to develop his own passions and it shows. Whenever discussing art or ancient history, he almost becomes a different person, having finally found a niche in which he does not feel inferior or self-conscious. His eyes brighten up, his smile shows, and he can speak eloquently and with passion, even with sense of humour.
Background
History
TW: ableism, psychological abuseHis father always longed for a perfect heir and the firstborn son was destined to become one… or was he?
Francis was a long-awaited child, at least in his father’s imagination. In fact, he arrived in the world just a year after his parents’ marriage; the young Duchess quickly fulfilled her marital duties and was ready to become a mother. He must have been spoiled and loved back then: the first child, the boy, the heir. His mother showered him with affection during these early years, but soon she became pregnant again at the insistence of the Duke. His Grace William Russell was no longer in need of an heir and did not particularly long for a daughter, but always had a back-up plan… and rightly so.
Francis grew, and a great destiny awaited him. An old family. A grand fortune. A Dukedom. Hopes, dreams, and expectations. His father wanted to mold him into this bright future and impatiently observed the boy’s development: would he be similar to the long line of Russells? When would be a good time to hire tutors? Is he bright for his age? Will he be his family’s pride? Duke William was already worried about the responsibilities that waited for the boy, but he never once worried about something he took for granted: his son’s health.
Therefore, everyone seemed surprised when Francis turned out to be a sickly child. He developed a limp when he started walking, and, to his father’s anger, this “defect” did not go away: it only grew. Doctors could not fix it; moreover, each of them seemed to find new problems with the boy: his heart beats irregularly and is weak; they said; he would never walk normally; his bones broke too easily. With each of their visit, Francis could sense his mother worrying and growing slightly more distant. Both the Duchess and the heir became a great disappointment to his father. Later in life, Francis would sometimes hear about miracles: babies who survived scarlet fever or even smallpox. In these stories, survival equaled strength and the children emerged victorious, even if scarred. In his own story, there was no heroism, no major event, no family gathered for prayer, and no tears of relief or joy. Just gradual deterioration, which seemed more surprising to his family than a sudden catastrophe. His parents had trouble differentiating between the chronic illnesses they did not understand and the child, gradually starting to see Francis himself as weak. He did not suit his own family, the line of strong men. His father loved hunting and was physically fit until the very end. Francis Russell could never become the son the Duke wanted, nor partake in any activities his father fancied.
His younger brother could.
It would have been easier, had their birth order been swapped. Francis thought so, his brother thought so, their parents and family certainly thought so. The younger Russell arrived to the world screaming and kicking and was always the livelier child than the firsborn. He was healthy, strong, energetic, sociable, and bright. When it came to studying perhaps not as bright as Francis, but nobody had noticed. Francis’ ease of studying and perfect memory was little consolation to his family — even though he tried to excel in any intellectual efforts, it did not ease his parents’ disappointment in his physical difficulties. His mother averted his gaze when he learned to walk with a cane, and his father soon started to ignore him altogether in favor of his brother. Francis often wondered if he would be less of a disappointment had he been a second-born: easier to hide, easier to disappear, easier to ignore. However, he was not and the stigma of being an unwanted heir always overshadowed his relationship with his brother and father.
Trying to keep up appearances, the Duke could not obviously disregard his firstborn son and he still prepared him for his noble role. In fact, he prepared both boys. They shared their tutors; they took the same classes, and they both were being prepared for the role of a future Duke. However, everyone was lenient on Francis and very demanding of his brother, resulting in bitterness among siblings. As the years passed, Francis was more often left to his own devices, and this free time allowed him to take up painting and foster his interests in arts and literature. He started to understand that, while everyone pretends to prepare him for the role of an heir, nobody actually expects him to outlive his own father. He could see it in their eyes whenever he caught a cold or grew weak, or whenever he had a bad day and the pain of his legs was unbearable. His own family was waiting for him to die and he tried to make peace with this knowledge.
After his brother’s birth, Francis’ mother had some difficulties getting pregnant again, but the Duke insisted, he always insisted. Finally, she gave birth to a daughter and was told by the doctors that she could not have any more children. Another disappointment, since the Duke hoped for more sons. A healthy daughter was not as useless as a sickly son, but still disregarded by her father. Francis and his little sister bonded, while the Duke focused all his attention on his brother. All three of them would appear in public whenever necessary, but the Duke kept finding excuses to leave the “cripple” behind. Francis skipped many balls and social outings, often feigning an illness to avoid these stressful occasions.
When Francis enrolled in Cambridge, he felt that he could truly breathe for the first time in his life. It was easier to blend into fellow students than to bear the disappointed gaze of his father. The lessons to be a perfect Duke were too ingrained in Francis to develop any rebellious streak. Still, there were times — during lectures or vivid, intellectual discussions — when he could forget, just for the moment, about his surname and title. He could just learn and study and take classes in Greek and Latin and dream about visiting the lands and seeing art galleries about which he learned. He studied Classics and ardently read Johann Winckelmann, dreaming about Athens and Rome. Finally, he realized that nothing — but his own cowardice — is stopping him. He started to look into alternative medicine treatments in Switzerland and to ask the doctors about the warmer climate of the Mediterranean being better for his health. He was not even looking for medical answers, he just wanted to escape. Fortunately, his father did not need much convincing. After finishing university, Francis Russell left for medical treatment, and then traveled around Europe. Alone. Collecting art and memories and writing letters to Ophelia, and in no rush to come back to England. Deep in his heart he knew that hardly anybody misses him and, away from the English society and from the burden of his title, he felt more alive than ever. Deep in his heart he also knew that his father and perhaps brother are secretly hoping for the news about his death, which would allow the Russells to get family affairs in order and eventually pass the Dukedom to the ideal son. He tried to disregard that uncomfortable thought and live his remaining years to the fullest, especially that nobody pestered him about marriage.
However, an unexpected letter disrupted Francis’ idyllic stay in Rome. His father died, after the hunting accident. He had to re-read the letter several times to understand that he is to become the new Duke of Bedford. Even when he returned to England, the new reality did not dawn on him: he was sure it must be a misunderstanding, he was sure that his father found a way to pass the Dukedom to his brother.
He did not.
And Francis did not know how to fix it.
He assumed his new duties, surprising everyone: during the few years of his absence, he was mostly forgotten. He feels that his own family still does not believe in him, but he swore to do his best to make them proud, not to disappoint them even more. The joyful man who admired art in European capitals disappeared — the Duke of Bedford is deeply aware of his responsibilities and very afraid of not living up to them.
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