Lady Elizabeth Penrose

[Morrigan]

lady elizabeth penrose

17 . earl's daughter . kingsgate house
born 18/12/1888

relatives

Charles Penrose, 8th Earl of Carmarthen - Father
Lady Frances Penrose, Countess of Carmarthen - Mother
Lady Katherine Penrose - Sister
Edward Penrose, Viscount Kingsgate - Brother
Lady Annabel Penrose - Sister

Lord Richard Penrose, 7th Earl of Carmarthen - Grandfather (d. since 1882)
Lady Eleanor Penrose, Countess of Carmarthen - Grandmother
Sir Robert Bowland-Royce - Grandfather
Lady Anne Bowland-Royce - Grandmother

John Penrose - Second cousin
Isabella Penrose - Second cousin

sexuality

Heterosexual

relationship status

Single, currently disinclined to marry, but
her father is trying to arrange a match

Appearance

Though not cutting a particularly imposing figure with her small stature and slight build, Elizabeth holds herself with the self-assuredness and confidence befitting the daughter of an earl. She has her mother's beauty in her finely-angled face and figure, but her father's hair and eyes dominate in the thick, flaxen (but rather unruly) sandy locks and brown eyes. Her complexion is pale and the family resemblance to all three of her siblings is in some way strong, though Kate has always stood out being the only one with their mother's striking dark hair and alabaster skin while Elizabeth, Annie and Edward all have a rather pale, sandy colouring in hair and complexion. Elizabeth is not as inclined towards vanity as one might expect from someone of her status, and barely tolerates having her long hair elaborately styled each day, which means her mother is at times exasperated by her somewhat hastily put together appearance.

In terms of dress Elizabeth is quite particular about what she wears and is not terribly impressed either by her mother's regal, complicated style or her eldest sister's extreme ostentatiousness in dress. Instead she prefers more muted colours, silken fabrics and higher necklines, though her one indulgence is her liking for a few elaborate pieces of very fine jewellery which she wears for special occasions. Elizabeth's general bearing is one of a fresh-faced young woman, obviously wealthy and privileged, but at the same time not completely enthralled by the trappings of luxury.

personality

As the eldest of the Earl and Countess's children it is perhaps no surprise that Elizabeth is something of an authoritative figure. She is self-assured and practical and assumes a position of responsibility when it comes to the other children, particularly the youngest, Annie, who is a compulsive daydreamer and can at times act younger than she is. On the other hand, Kate steadfastly refuses to do anything Elizabeth tells her and Elizabeth has largely given up trying to be friends with her stubborn sister. She is deeply fond of Edward, however, and highly protective of him.

Elizabeth is somewhat renowned for her rather acerbic wit and sense of humour, as well as her quick tongue, which is either admired or hated by those who encounter it - more often than not the latter. Elizabeth is, after all, a sarcastic individual and, while she can make a very loyal friend and amusing companion, can sometimes say things with a snappiness she doesn't quite mean. She tends to be rather evasive and distant in new company, particularly with young men of whom her father approves, for she is staunchly against the idea of the early marriage he wants for her. She has raised a few eyebrows with some of the more biting comments she has made to such men to whom she ought to be dutifully respectful, and her attitude towards suitors is the greatest cause of unrest between her and her father.

Elizabeth is proud and family-oriented, wanting only the best for the Penroses, although her headstrong nature means it doesn't always seem that way. She is independent and has never been afraid of being alone, as other people's company is not always something she needs or wants. She has quite a keenly developed sense of social awareness, however, and is a fairly perceptive and observant individual. This does not, however, mean she is particularly sympathetic, even if she is empathetic. The only person she ever really dotes upon is her sister Annie, being more of a fan of 'tough love'.

history

When the young and wealthy newly-titled Earl of Carmarthen was seeking a wife, there were plenty of choices from the nearby aristocratic daughters keen to obtain a title and a fine house through marriage to the Earl. It was ultimately Lord Carmarthen's preference for the nineteen year old Lady Frances Bowland-Royce, whom he had known for some time, that distinguished her from her competitors, and the two were married within the year. Lord Carmarthen was eager to have sons to secure the inheritance of his estate, but it was some time before Lady Frances became pregnant, which caused considerable strain to both of them. However, early in 1888, three years after they married, Frances fell pregnant and in the run up to Christmas, gave birth to their first child. This was not the son they wanted, but a daughter whom they named Elizabeth. She was a bonny baby with very blonde hair and pale eyes, both of which would eventually darken to the tawny shades they are today.

Pleased to have started their family and less concerned that they were unable to conceive, Lady Frances and Lord Carmarthen doted on their baby daughter, who was the sole focus of their attention in her first months. However, it was certainly not long before it became apparent that she would not have the nursery to herself for much longer, as Lady Frances was quickly pregnant again. A couple of months after Elizabeth's first birthday, Lady Frances gave birth to her second daughter, Katherine. A little impatient and still anxious to have a son and heir, Lord Carmarthen was somewhat less attentive to the baby this time around, and was busier with his work, which meant as Elizabeth began to toddle and talk, she saw little of her father. Lady Frances was comparatively quite a doting mother at this point, and although nurses were on hand to do the dirty work, she made sure to spend substantial periods with the girls every day.

Elizabeth was kept as any rich, aristocratic girl would be, and was soon accustomed to pretty dresses and the care of governesses. Which was just as well, since Elizabeth's parents were soon to be preoccupied with their third pregnancy, and this time around Elizabeth gained a brother. Both her parents were delighted with their golden-haired son and two pretty daughters, and for a time things were very secure and happy at Kingsgate. The next child to enter the nursery was to be the last, and this was a third daughter, Annie. Soon enough, five-year-old Elizabeth was pestering the nurse to hold the baby, and took great pleasure in playing with Annie. Kate was at this point copying everything Elizabeth did, while Edward was a happy-go-lucky toddler content to play with anyone and everyone.

Elizabeth proved a precocious but strong-willed child who was somewhat hard to keep in a schoolroom when the time came, and her concentration on French and Latin was distinctly lacking. However, her father insisted on her being rigorously educated and kept out of trouble along with her sister Kate, but the two girls' relationship had, in recent months, become distinctly more antagonistic. It would never recover, as the pattern of competitiveness and jealousy was one that remained. The governess spent most of her time intervening in arguments instead of teaching French, and in any case, neither sister had much interest in learning by rote.

When Edward was old enough to go to boarding school at ten years old, Elizabeth envied him and asked her father to be able to do such a thing, as some modern young ladies were doing, but Lord Carmarthen scathingly refused. Elizabeth was kept at home and her studies with the governess continued, dully, unfulfillingly and slowly. Her relationship with Kate only grew worse as they entered their mid teens, Elizabeth's extra year and two months resulting in her experiencing most rites of passage and changes just before Kate did. This only meant Kate was fully determined to beat her sister in looks and social standing. The precocious fourteen year old Kate was all set to fling herself at the young men who arrived in the house, while Elizabeth, fifteen, looked on with boredom, early experiences with snobbish young men having put her off the idea of marrying one of them altogether.

Unfortunately for her, as she reached sixteen, Lord Carmarthen started toying with the idea of her marriage. Being the eldest daughter, it was of importance to him that she marry well. Yet Elizabeth was none too pleased about this, and each time a handsome duke or earl's son was brought over for dinner, she would produce some veiled insult or open criticism that put them off. In the meantime, Lady Frances was becoming increasingly aloof and difficult to connect with. While she had once taken tea with her daughters on a daily basis, soon it was almost difficult to see her at meals that did not oblige her presence.

Nowadays, Elizabeth is about to turn eighteen and won't be forced to sit through governesses' teachings and schoolroom antics. But the issue of her marriage hasn't gone away, because her father is determined to marry her off to the best-connected match he can find. And now she's beginning to view things less with a child's perspective, she can see that her sister Kate's determination to outdo her actually risks her throwing away her reputation altogether.

other information

> Full name Elizabeth Mary Frances Penrose
> Doesn't let anyone shorten her name except
her nearest and dearest (Lizzy)
> Speaks rather dodgy conversational French
> Highly skilled horsewoman
> Good on the piano; decent singing voice
> Awful at sewing and embroidering
> Is trying to persuade the chauffeur to teach
her to drive the car

rp sample

"Oh do tell us, Elizabeth, I'm sure we would all be delighted to know just what was wrong with him this time" Lord Carmarthen all but bellowed at his eldest daughter, who stood on the second step on the grand staircase, caught before she could flee all the way up.

"I've met basset hounds with better manners than him, that's what! Not to mention his complete inability to talk about anything more interesting than his own hair!" Elizabeth spat back, defiantly squaring up to her father, taking one step down and then wishing she hadn't because she suddenly felt much smaller.

"Good God, girl, do you want to die an old maid?" Lord Carmarthen made a furious hand gesture. "I ask you, Frances, how did we go wrong with this one? Calling the Earl of Craven's son a- what was it?"

"...An overfed boar with the intelligence of a slice of mutton," Kate supplied gleefully. Elizabeth shot her an icy look.

"I didn't lie, did I, Papa?" She tried not to recoil under the incensed glare her father turned on her. Her mother sighed in exasperation, and Edward was biting his lip in anxiety for his eldest sister.

"Oh, get out of my sight," Lord Carmarthen growled, a jerked movement of his hand dismissing Elizabeth. She turned to go in utter relief. "When you are an old woman living alone off the goodness of your brother's heart you shall have no one but yourself to blame!" came the angry admonition as Elizabeth disappeared up the stairs in a flurry of pale green skirts.

Once she was safely in her bedroom she leaned back against her closed door, sliding down it heavily, and gave a great sigh of mingled relief, stress and unhappiness. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply as she considered her latest dodged bullet, but she knew she could not insult the entire English aristocracy one by one in order to avoid marrying one of them.

But really. That awful boy spent the whole dinner peering down his nose and commenting on the quality of the family's silverware. How could she endure a lifetime listening to that?

A knock at her door made her open her eyes and warily stand, opening the door. Edward looked in anxiously and Elizabeth smiled tiredly, letting him in.

"Are you all right, Lizzy?" He asked. They sat together with their backs against her white-painted door, legs stretched out before them. Elizabeth reached out and took her brother's hand.

"Oh, I'll be fine, darling. Don't worry." she said with forced cheer. Edward didn't look like he believed it for a second.

"You know, what Papa said... if it came to that, I'd always let you live here, Lizzy. You don't have to marry anyone if you don't want to," he said earnestly. Elizabeth squeezed his hand.

"You're a sweetheart, Ed," she said, touched by her little brother's good heart. But she couldn't help but think, he was only fourteen, and their father would be calling the shots for a long while yet...

[[NB: Apologies for despotically auto-accepting my own bio, but in the absence of another staff member at the present time there's little other option ;; In the interests of democracy, however, if you have a glaring issue with my bio do tell me.]]

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