Cecelia Bowthorpe
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| Portrayed by Placeholder: Former Character | |
| Full Name | Cecelia Bowthorpe |
|---|---|
| Associated Noble House(s) | Marquessate of Bourne |
| Date of Birth | March 12th, 1790 |
| Father | Richard Bowthorpe |
| Father's Rank | Marquess of Bourne |
| Mother | Elizabeth Bowthorpe |
| Mother's Rank | Marchioness of Bourne |
| Town Residence | |
| Year of Debut | 1807 |
| Dowry | |
Cecelia Bowthorpe is a former character, created by Whitney.
Family
- Father: the Marquess of Bourne, Richard Bowthorpe (b. 1767) [44]
- Mother: the Marchioness of Bourne, Elizabeth Bowthorpe, nee Kingsley (b. 1770 d. 1795)
- Siblings:
- Lord Myles Richard Bowthorpe (b. 1786) [25]
- Captain Wilfred Bowthorpe (b. 1788) [23]
- Lady Grace Whitney, Viscountess, married to Viscount Ulrick Whitney January 3rd, 1809 (b. 1791) [20]
- Archibald Bowthorpe, Vicar (b. 1792) [19]
- Lady Louisa Bowthorpe (b. 1795) [16]
- Brother-in-Law: Lord Ulrick Whitney, Viscount Whitney (b. 1785) [26]
- Niece: Miss Elizabeth Whitney (b. 1809) [2]
Background
Cecelia is the third child of Lord and Lady Bourne and also the eldest girl. Richard Bowthorpe, the Marquess of Bourne, is of member of a well respected lineage and a venerable member of Parliament, serving in the House of Lords. The late Elizabeth, Lady Bourne, was the daughter of a wealthy Duke and of an equally respectable family. The great Lady Bourne gave birth to six children before losing all of her physical stamina. She died shortly after the birth of Louisa- her youngest. The good Marchioness left her fortune to her young daughters- the bulk of which went to Cecelia, a sum well over 30,000 pounds.
Cecelia grew up on the old family estate in Bourne and passed a somewhat unremarkable childhood- full of ordinary education and pursuits. She was taught the ladylike expectations of her rank and station by a governess- and while she excelled in her role as lady of the house she far more preferred the rowdy outdoor activities of her elder brothers.
As time passed the children grew. The eldest son and heir to the estate, Myles Bowthorpe, left for Cambridge (though the bulk of the information gained there was wasted on him) graduating in 1810. He now spends his days travelling and carelessly enjoying his wealth as first-borns generally do. The second son and a great favorite of Cecelia's, Wilfred, sensing adventure in the air with the tension between England and France, joined the Royal Navy and has risen to the rank of Captain.
The two elder girls were presented at court, each excited to catch the eye of some marriageable man. As these things often go, Cecelia- now fully grown gained the attention of an old childhood playmate- the attractive and wealthy Lord Hugh Crosthwaite. Eventually the two were engaged. Unfortunately, not more than one month prior to the wedding Hugh met with disaster in the form of a cold contracted during an unexpected rain storm while hunting. The cold progressed to fever and eventually death.
The news destroyed Cecelia and she privately vowed to never marry- resigning herself to mourning while her younger sister married and started a family of her own. The youngest son, Archibald, has lately left the family home- taking up a living as a Vicar in a sleepy county borough. All that remains in the family home is Cecelia, her loving papa and Louisa- just barely 16.
Cecelia's mood has been in a decline since Hugh's death 3 years ago- she has been a bundle of nerves and agitation some months now. The family doctor was finally consulted and he has suggested a change of scenery as a proper remedy. Lord Bourne has most eagerly agreed and shut up the family home in Bourne - taking his two unmarried daughters to reside in their seldom used London residence for an undetermined length of time.