Jemima Palmer
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| Portrayed by Isla Fisher | |
| Full Name | Jemima Dorothy Palmer |
|---|---|
| Associated Noble House(s) | Marquessate of Raulings |
| Date of Birth | February 18, 1791 |
| Father | Barnaby Palmer |
| Father's Rank | Gentry |
| Mother | Francesca Palmer, nee Grafton |
| Mother's Rank | Lady Francesca Palmer |
| Town Residence | 28 Grosvenor Street |
| Year of Debut | 1811 |
| Dowry | £30,000, and heiress to half her father's fortune |
Jemima Palmer is the daughter of Mr. Barnaby Palmer, a wealthy landowner, and Lady Francesca Palmer, daughter of the 1st Marquess of Raulings. She has one younger sister, Cecily. Jemima is a former character played by Meg.
Childhood (1791-1803)
Jemima was born and raised on an estate in Leicestershire near Raulings Park, the ancestral home of her mother's family. Her birth was quickly followed by that of another daughter, Cecily. The Palmers were never particularly attentive parents; Jemima’s father was uninterested in his daughters’ lives, preferring hunting and the work of running the several estates he owned. Her mother was far more concerned with the latest Parisian fashions and hosting a truly marvelous party for the ladies of the ton than what her children ate for supper. This is not to say, of course, that Jemima and her younger sister were neglected. On the contrary, there was a great deal of money devoted to ensuring that the children had everything they could want. It did, however, mean that no matter which rule she broke, Jemima was guaranteed to receive the lightest of punishments, if any, from her uninterested parents. As she grew, she tested those limits to see just how far they might extend, and it turned out to be quite far.
When she wished to, Jemima excelled in the schoolroom. Her parents hired a governess to teach the girls from a young age, and she was soon supplemented by French and Italian masters, as well as a dancing master, for Mr. Palmer had declared that if a woman was going to inherit his holdings, she had better at least be educated. Jem picked up languages quite quickly, as well as some small amounts of math that her father thought would be good for her to know. When she was bored by the subject matter, though, she could be an incredibly obstinate pupil, and on multiple occasions simply walked out of the room, knowing there would be no repercussions.
Misbehavior (1804-1807)
Jemima's propensity for breaking the rules was compounded upon her entrance to puberty. At the age of thirteen, she fell in puppy love with a fifteen-year-old footman named Henry, who worked for the family. They found plenty of excuses to be together, and frequently did not even need a reason, seeing as how there were few limits on what Jem was allowed to do. Their romance was cut short, however, along with Jemima’s quiet, spoiled, easy life, when Lady Francesca caught them kissing in the garden, in full view of the house and anyone who happened to be standing at a window. The boy was dismissed and Jem was sent away to a seminary, where she stayed for two years. The seminary was particularly strict, but she still managed to make friends, and occasionally even sneaked out to meet one young man or another from the nearby town. She somehow managed to get away with it, which was why, when her cousin Katharine was to come out in London, her family sent for her. Perhaps they thought that the time away had done her some good, or perhaps they had fooled themselves into thinking that she was never all that bad. Either way, they were wrong.
During the party, Jemima, who had been watching from the staircase with Katharine's sister, Julianne, sneaked away for a rendezvous with one of the gentlemen in attendance. Unfortunately, their tryst in the closet was cut short when Julianne opened the door and saw them, and then proceeded to run to her mother and tell the whole story. Jem was furious with her cousin, but assured her parents that the man had been trying to take advantage of her youth. Lady Francesca would have none of it, and when Jem begged not to be sent back to the seminary, her mother agreed. Clearly more drastic measures were required, and so she wrote a letter to Lady Raulings’ cousin, the abbess of a monastery in France, and sent her oldest daughter out of the country on the first possible boat.
Time in France (1807-1811)
At the convent, Jem perfected her French and greatly improved her Italian (while picking up a bit of Latin), made friends with the girls who, like her, were there by force rather than necessity, read whatever the nuns would permit, and fumed. She was living in a drafty old castle, eating gruel and praying five times a day, while dear Julianne, the person responsible for her misery, was surely living a perfect fairytale life back in England. She imagined the wonderful parties, dresses, and men that her cousin was enjoying while she was shut up in the French countryside. The letter that said she could finally come home was perhaps the most welcome piece of paper in Jem’s life.
Present Day
Jemima's return has conditions. She will finally have a season, but she will not be presented at Court. She has a dowry of £30,000 in order to find a husband, but she must do so this season. If she should fail in this, she will be sent back to the convent and disinherited, effectively removing her from society forever. Jem has perfectly reconciled herself to marriage. She even looks forward to it, to an extent, assuming that she can find either a husband attractive and wealthy enough to suit her whims, or one old and foolish enough that he will not mind whether or not she flirts (or goes a bit further) with other men. What she truly wants to do this Season, however, is to get revenge on Julianne, who she still blames for her years of exile.
Personality
Jemima’s parents sent her away for two reasons. First, they had hoped to avoid a scandal, and this goal was certainly accomplished. Though some hint of indecency may cling to her name yet, Jemima’s disreputable past is almost entirely forgotten by those outside the family. The other, which is why they chose a convent, of all the places to send her, was to have her more ‘sinful’ behaviors drummed out of her. This goal was not quite as successful. Though Jem does certainly now know how to hide the impulses that got her sent away in the first place, headstrong impertinence is usually still her go-to reaction, and she tends to choose whether or not to follow her instincts depending on what suits her purpose. When she does manage to ignore them, however, she is quite a good actress, and makes most people believe that it is her natural behavior, rather than the result of careful thought.
She still maintains many of the traits of her youth, including a certain devil-may-care attitude and a constant willingness to be a part of any good scandal, even just by repeating it into the willing ears of others. She enjoys gossiping, but only when the rumors are, in fact, true. Otherwise she sees it as a rather cruel activity, as opposed to something that people bring upon themselves. Of course, if you’ve actually done what people say you have, and were foolish enough to be caught, you certainly deserve to be talked about. She is at least honest enough to apply this to herself and her own past, though she cannot bring herself to forgive the person who caught her.
Jemima takes a long time to become truly angry, and would rather laugh something off than spend time that could be spent doing something fun brooding over it, particularly if the affront is minor and affects no one in the long term. The exception, of course, is when someone does something truly unforgivable, in which case, she has learned, she is perfectly capable of holding a grudge for years. Jemima is also incredibly driven to accomplish the things she desires, to the point of being ruthless and even quite manipulative. She has learned that sitting around and hoping will get you nothing, and so has become very much in favor of the idea of going after whatever one wants, even if it is not particularly ladylike.
Among those she likes and whose company she enjoys, Jemima is actually a fun person to be around. She is cultured and rather well-educated, and as such enjoys lively intellectual debate. She is moderately well-read, for while she devoured every text the nuns would allow her to have, there were many more that they forbade, and she very strongly desires to fill in these gaps in her knowledge as soon as possible. She can be funny, and before being sent to the convent had many friends. She does like to be the center of attention, but gives praise where it is due, as long as the spotlight does not shine on someone else for too long. She hates to be at a disadvantage in her dealings with others, and so endeavors to know as much about everyone as possible.
Despite her parent’s wishes, Jem’s time at the convent served only to make her even more attracted to good-looking men, which have always been her weakness. Not being around them for so long only made her yearn for them more, and so it was a vicious cycle that continued for years. Jem has always been easily swayed by a dashing young man, and though a certain resistance to falling for their pretty words and pretty faces came along with maturity, she still enjoys flirting and perhaps the occasional stolen kiss, though she has had precious few opportunities to practice that particular skill in recent years.
Finally, Jem has a complicated relationship with her rank in society. On the one hand, she is grateful for her father’s fortune and even respects the responsibilities due to the estates she will inherit - she is uninterested in throwing away her father’s hard work on momentary pleasure. On the other, though she is loath to admit it to anyone and will hide it at all costs, Jemima is deeply insecure. She grew up the niece of a Marquess and a Duke, a step-cousin to another Duke, and her mother’s cousins include the Duke of Pennington and the Earl of Rotherham. Compared to so much ancient ancestry and so many Lords and Ladies, Jemima chafes under the mere title of “Miss Palmer.” She hates that she will always be seated at the bottom of the table while those to whom she is so closely related sit at the top. She particularly hates that her father’s fortune is so new, only going back two generations or so. Jem needs to find a husband - any husband - this season, but she’ll do everything in her power to ensure he has a title. If his rank just happens to be higher than that of Julianne’s husband, well, so much the better.
Relationships
Family
Mr. Barnaby Palmer (NPC) - Jemima's father. The two have never been close, but she tries to avoid outright disrespecting him, a courtesy she does not extend to her mother.
Lady Francesca Palmer (NPC) - Mother. They got along well enough when Jem was young, but now have difficulty being in each other's company for extended periods of time, each convinced that the other is trying to make her miserable.
Cecily Palmer (NPC) - Jemima and her younger sister were very close when they were little. With the exception of their cousins, there were not many other young people in the area that their parents considered appropriate company for the girls, and so they spent much of their time together. As they grew older, though, it became clear that Cecily was everything Jemima was not – obedient, dutiful, etc. Unlike her sister, Cecily never walked out of lessons or kissed footmen in the garden. Jem being sent away didn’t do wonders for their relationship either. Today, they are affectionate together, but not particularly close.
Extended Family
Thomas Grafton, Marquess of Raulings - Uncle
Theodora Grafton, Marchioness of Raulings - Aunt
William Grafton, Earl of Bridgeton - Cousin
Henry Grafton - Cousin
Richard Grafton - Cousin
Katharine Steele - Cousin
Julianne Grafton - Cousin
Miranda Rossington, Dowager Duchess of Welby - Aunt
Hugh Rossington, Duke of Welby - Cousin
Daniel Rossington - Cousin
Friends and Acquaintances
Julia Hissop, Duchess of Pennington - The two are distantly related through the Duke, and Lady Francesca thought it would be good for her daughter to meet such an influential relative. The plan backfired, however, as the two took more of a liking to each other than she would have hoped.
Hugo Fotherington - They met first at the Emerson Ball, and ran into each other on Bond Street. She thinks him pleasant enough and quite handsome, but that is the extent of her interest.
William Gosling - They met briefly on Bond Street. Jemima knows nearly nothing about him but is rather intrigued, mainly because he seems to be the sort of person by whom she ought to be anything but intrigued.
David Alford - They met at the Emerson Ball. She thinks him a terrible, puritanical bore, and is fairly certain he thinks she ought to be locked up.
Charity Pritchard - The two are girlhood friends; a little less proper than Julianne and Elise, they gravitated towards each other.
George Hackett - Met at Decker's. They spoke about travel. Jem thinks he might not be so bad if he'd just smile once in a while.
Benedict DeLancey - Joined her family at the theatre one night.
Dominic Hissop - They danced at the ridotto, when Jem was incredibly improper and more than a little flirtatious. She thinks she likes him, knows she shouldn't, and really isn't sure about him at all.
Arthur Cartwright - Assisted Jemima and Cecily at the ridotto. Cecily fancies herself a little in love with him.
Lunete d'Aubin - Met at the Haverleigh Party.
Love Interests
None yet. That'll change.
Thread Tracking
Sunday April 14
A Not-So Triumphant Return[1]: Jemima returns from France just in time to attend the Emerson Ball, where she dances with David Alford, the Earl of Auckland. It does not go well.
Tuesday April 16
Out and About in Mayfair[2]: On Bond Street, Jem encounters Major Fotherington, who she had met at the Emerson Ball. They speak for a bit about nothing in particular before being joined by Jem's cousin, Katharine Steele, and William Gosling.
Friday April 19
Morning Call[3]: Jemima and her mother pay a call on the Duchess of Pennington; Jem and the Duchess get along far too well for Lady Francesca's tastes.
New Acquaintances[4]: Lady Francesca is more pleased by Jemima getting along well with Tristan Edgeworth, Lord Latimer, later that afternoon.
To See and Be Seen[5]: That evening, the Palmers attend the theater, where Mr. Benedict DeLancey joins them in their box.
Monday April 22
Quick Pop at the Perfumers[6]: Jemima encounters her dear friend Charity Pritchard at the perfumers' on Bond Street.
Tuesday April 23
The Best Recipe for Happiness[7]: Jem makes the acquaintance of the Winter family, Miss Katherine Winter already being friends with Cecily from seminary.
Wednesday April 24
With a Family Like This, Who Needs Enemies?[8]: Jem and her cousin Julianne finally re-encounter one another. While not openly hostile, their conversation is only just civil and filled with attempts to outdo one another. (This thread also features Meg being a scatterbrain and messing up continuity by having Jemima reference the following Sunday's events - which, of course, had not happened yet. She regrets the error.)
Saturday April 27
No Risk, No Reward[9]: Jemima decides she had had quite enough of being well-behaved, and sneaks out of the house.
And We Will Masquerade[10]: Dressed as fire, Jem attends The Grove Masque uninvited.
Quick Bright Things[11] She dances with the Marquess of Foxford, but does not get into nearly as much trouble as she had hoped.
Sunday April 28
Happy Families[12]: Jem meets George Hackett, Viscount Selwyn, and his sister, the Duchess of Leicester.
Monday April 29
Tea in the Afternoon is Like a Picnic, Inside[13]: Tea with Charity.
Tuesday April 30
A Tony Gathering[14]: Jem swallows her pride and attends Julianne's coming out dinner, where she makes at least one rude comment about the guest of honor and stops herself from making many more.
Tuesday May 14
Rapt Audiences[15]: When she and her sister are nearly knocked over by a drunken attendee, they are assisted by Arthur Cartwright.
No One Said It Would Be This Hard[16]: Without knowing his identity, a slightly tipsy Jemima dances with Dominic Hissop.
Too much fun, what's that mean?[17]: Returning home from the ridotto, Jem faces the wrath of her mother over her behavior.
Wednesday May 15
Even Pleasure is Fatiguing[18]: Talking with Charity the morning after the ridotto.
The Lady of the House[19]: Jemima and her parents arrive at the Haverleighs' party.
I Must Give One Smirk[20]: Meeting Lunete d'Aubin, as well as the comte and comtesse d'Aubin.
Thursday May 16
They have their exits and their entrances[21]: Arriving at the Fitzgerald Ball.
Begin As You Mean to Go On[22]: Meeting Miss Carey and dancing the first with Adrian Carey.
We were victims of the night, the chemical, physical kryptonite[23]: Dancing the second with William Gosling.