Dot is trying to find her place in the world as a Deaf seamstress. She is precariously balanced between the hearing and Deaf worlds, attempting to manage the wishes of her family to marry a respectable man and her own aspirations.
Does it even really exist? This thing called ‘love’ she’s heard about through whispers, gossip and novels seems so far fetched and unreachable to her, given all she has seen and experienced. Which, granted, has not been all that much, still, in her limited view, she thinks romance and love are merely delusions one wraps themself in to avoid the cold hard reality that life is simply a series of logical and profitable contracts. Humanity tries to paint themselves compassionate and caring, loving and devoted, giving and nurturing – the bitter truth, however, is that no one really cares about anyone but themselves. And now, more than ever, she knows she needs to look after herself before her uncle does it for her in a way most beneficial to him and without care for her.
Moira is a well respected member of high society and married to a well-loved and respected man, the Director of the London Opera. How involved she is in that work is up to you. Her background before marrying is up to you. Her age within that range is up to you. What’s important is that she has been pursuing an affair with Giovanni for the last year. The passion as well as the tension and jealousy that is brewing is threatening to spill over and both have a lot to lose if anyone ever finds out.
Moira can’t leave her husband but can’t accept her toy moving on. Giovanni thinks he might be in love but wants to move up in society and can’t if he is entangled in an affair that goes nowhere. Both are using the other, both know better but neither can’t resist the intensity.
Much of Moira and the dynamic with Giovanni is open for discussion since this is going to be an…intimate relationship, we should form it together. The complete dynamics are up for discussion and your input is encouraged.
The widow of a struggling member of the gentry and daughter of a baron not much better off, Olivia has known all her life that if she was to be properly supported, she would have to ensure her future herself. While her father squandered their family money, his title still opened doors for her, and now that she is staring down a pitiful annuity following her husband’s death, she has seized the opportunity to become the revamped London Review society reporter. Writing anonymously under the name Lady Tattleton, she has been perfecting a balance of building friendships amongst the nobility whilst projecting an aura of harmlessness so that they confess their deepest secrets. Her columns are the most popular in the paper.
Daughter of Lousia Alrich, Lee’s first cousin – Quiet, introspective, and a little intense, Birdie has experimented in just about every manner of artistic expression conceivable, from poetry to painting to sculpture and everything in between. Secretly, she yearns for the stage, but her parents would ever allow such a thing.
Daughter of Peter Astor, Lee’s first cousin – Grand lover of animals and nature, who never feels entirely at home in the city or in the confines of a corset. An amazing horsewoman. Only 20, she has nevertheless made an attempt to prepare her parents for the likelihood of her spinsterhood; the thought marriage seems terrible.
Daughter of Carolina Ward, Lee’s older sister – Lydia’s younger sister and secretly her Uncle Lee’s favorite of his sibling’s children. Sweet, intuitive, and more bookish than she lets on, Edie is forever struggling in her older sister’s shadow. Her most fervent interest is social work, particularly civil rights, although her parents limit her activity.
Daughter of Carolina Ward, Lee’s older sister – A renowned beauty who would rather have fun than be tethered to a husband and family. She has lost count of how many proposals she has turned down. The natural ringleader of her fellow familial debutantes, full of American confidence and sass that hides insecurities about her future.
Emmaline is a shy, soft spoken young woman, currently making a living as best she can by selling flowers. When the sales aren’t enough to keep her from starving, she goes mudlarking, selling the odds and ends she scavenges from the Thames. If that isn’t enough, she will steal, but she tries not to. Timid around most, she seldom initiates contact outside of work. Once her trust is earned, however, she proves herself a loyal, if odd, companion. She is also prone to flights of fancy, and it isn’t surprising to come upon her lost in some daydream.
Estelle has her brothers completely wrapped around her little finger, delighting in the chaos they create, especially when it comes to her impulsive twin, Lucien. With a confident flair and a clever wit, she navigates her world with the ease of being the one and only to have been spoiled by their father, basking in the knowledge that she can do no wrong in his eyes. This adoration has only fueled her ambitions, as she sets her sights on a grand career in the arts—be it singing, dancing, or playing music. After all, with a name that means “Star,” it’s only fitting that she shines brightly in whatever endeavor she chooses.
An extrovert at heart, Estelle possesses a playful deviousness that adds a touch of mischief to her charm, making her the life of any gathering. Her brother Darius, in particular, finds himself at most ease around her out of his siblings, and the two share a bond that is both teasing and supportive. Estelle has been raised by governesses her whole life, but that’s never stopped her from asking and learning about the woman her mother had been, and perhaps that’s what sparked her passion from an early age.
