Theodora Grafton
 |
|
| Portrayed by Lindsay Duncan (unofficially - NPC) | |
| Full Name | Theodora Éléonore Dillard Grafton |
|---|---|
| Associated Noble House(s) | Earldom of Breckhampton, Marquessate of Raulings |
| Date of Birth | July 4, 1764 |
| Father | Henry Dillard |
| Father's Rank | Earl of Breckhampton |
| Mother | Virginie Bruguière |
| Mother's Rank | French gentry |
| Town Residence | Raulings House, 19 Upper Grosvenor Street |
| Year of Debut | 1782 |
| Dowry | £20,000 |
| Year of Marriage | 1782, 1785 |
| Spouse | John Quinn (1782-1784), Thomas Grafton (1785-present) |
| Spouse's Rank | Duke of Wycombe, Marquess of Raulings |
| Issue | John (1784), Richard (1786), Henry (1786), Katharine (1789), Julianne (1792) |
Theodora Éléonore Dillard Grafton, known as Lady Raulings, is a Society hostess and mother to 1811 debutante Lady Julianne Grafton, the Countess of Carrington, Lord Bridgeton, and Lords Richard and Henry Grafton. She is the wife of Lord Raulings. She is an NPC created by Liz.
Early Life (1764-1782)
Theodora Éléonore Dillard was born the first and ultimately only child of Henry Dillard, 3rd Earl of Breckhampton, and his French wife Virginie. Lady Breckhampton was born a granddaughter of the Comte de Saint-Marcel, a minor French noble family. Thedora was seven-month baby whose impending arrival served as the impetus for her parents' marriage. Though not in love with one another, the earl and countess grew to respect and admire one another, and both cared for their daughter. She was raised in a house where propriety was strictly enforced, lest their daughter repeat the mistakes of her parents, though her upbringing was by no means cold.
By the time she was seven months old, she had been engaged to the James, Marquess of Ramsden, the eldest son and heir to the Duke of Wycombe. Unfortunately, Lord Ramsden died of a fever before his eighth birthday. Theodora was subsequently engaged to his younger brother, the new Marquess of Ramsden, John Quinn. They met only occasionally until their wedding day, though Lord Ramsden's visits did grow more frequent as their engagement drew to a close.
She had a fairly typical childhood, in which she was supplied with a governess who taught her how to read, write, do basic arithmetic, and run a household. Everything she learned was taught to her with the aim of it being of use in her future role as a duchess. Her mother never completely learned English, despite several decades in England, and spoke to her daughter almost exclusively in French. As a result, Theodora speaks flawless French.
First Marriage (1782)
Following her 18th birthday, Theodora wed John Quinn, Marquess of Ramsden, in a large and celebrated ceremony in London's Westminster Abbey. Despite Lord Ramsden's visits during the couple's teen years, the two never did make any lasting connection. This unfortunately resulted in a loveless, but not unhappy, marriage. One child did result from the union, however, a son called John after his father. Mere weeks before John's birth in November of 1784, Lord Ramsden was thrown from his horse while hunting and subsequently died of his injuries. Not a month after Lord Ramsden's death, his father, the old Duke, died, resulting in the two-month-old John becoming the newest Duke of Wycombe and his twenty-year-old mother a widow.
Second Marriage (1785)
Following her husband's death, Theodora decided she was uninterested in rusticating in her late husband's country home. Thus, she and her young son relocated to her husband's family's London townhouse, where she completed her year of mourning.
During her period of mourning, she made the acquaintance of the widowed Marquess of Raulings, whose own wife had died nearly three years earlier in childbirth. The two bonded over their shared tragedies, though Theodora remained steadfast in her refusals to Lord Raulings' overtures until her mourning period was over, and even for a few months beyond. She could not ignore, however, the way her son adored the marquess and the way the marquess treated the young duke as his own son. Finally, in November of 1785, Theodora accepted one of Lord Raulings' many proposals. The couple wed in a small ceremony at Christmas time at Raulings Park.
Though Lord Raulings was the first to admit his deepest emotions, Theodora fell in love more slowly. With the birth of their twins, Lords Henry and Richard Grafton, in 1786, however, the marchioness could no longer deny the fact that she was in love with her husband. The pair soon developed a reputation as one of Society's most devoted couples and parents, adding an additional two daughters, Katharine and Julianne, to their ever expanding brood.