Nicholas Gosling

Nicholas Gosling

Portrayed by Tom Ward
Full Name	Nicholas Andrew Abercromby Gosling
Title	Duke of Leighton
Associated Noble House(s)	Dukedom of Leighton, Marquessate of Inverloch, Viscountcy of Hart
Date of Birth	4 June, 1781
Father	Andrew Augustus Gosling
Father's Rank	Duke of Leighton
Mother	Sophia Gosling
Mother's Rank	Duchess of Leighton
Town Residence	Gosling House, Park Street
Income	Very considerable
School	Eton
University	Oxford
Year Attained Title	1801

Nicholas Gosling is the 5th Duke of Leighton and elder brother to William Gosling.

Personality

Nicholas is a taciturn individual by nature. The many deaths in the family have markedly enhanced this aspect of his personality. He feels strongly but expresses little, finding that making himself truly understood on the issues that matter is far too difficult and that he would rather be detached than misunderstood any day. He has no patience for small talk and is in all probability a terrible dance partner but, ironically, his title and fortune ensure he is never short of willing victims. Nicholas is not unaware of how intimidating some people find him.

What the Duke desperately wants is to establish a family for himself. He dreams of bringing the silent old manor of his childhood to life once more. Currently he has dogs...but it’s not quite the same thing. Nicholas would like the mother of his children to be refined, from a respectable lineage and capable of bearing him an heir, a spare and then some. Interesting is a must. Tolerably pretty would be nice. Loud or impertinent are deal-breakers, he feels.

Despite not being forthcoming with his intimate thoughts and wishes, Nicholas is not unsociable. He infinitely prefers the company of gentlemen to that of ladies, but mostly because he struggles to find common ground with the latter. Hats, lace and debutante gowns? No thank you. Hunting, politics and business? Yes please. He would happily divide his days only between his library, the Club, fencing at Angelo's and Parliament if he could. Keeping busy is of vast importance to him.

He possesses some talent at sporting endeavours and is a very gifted debater. On the other hand, he is decidedly unmusical and would rather run through Berkeley Square in his undergarments than open his mouth to sing.

Those who know him would single out his two biggest character flaws as impatience and possessiveness. When he has decided to do something, he likes to do it immediately - however impractical or ill advised that may be. He is also highly overprotective of things that he considers ‘his’ and would be the jealous sort. His saving graces are his passionate nature, his high regard for family bonds and his perceptiveness.

Appearance

Nicholas is generally acknowledged to be an exceedingly handsome gentleman, though in most other regards he is unremarkable. He is of medium and height and of a muscular build. His dark hair is cut short in a no-nonsense style and equally dark eyes are guarded by unintentionally expressive brows. He has a slightly downturned mouth that gives him a perpetually unimpressed countenance when he does not guard against this. Upon accidentally catching sight of himself in a looking glass, Nick is frequently struck by how very disagreeable he looks and plasters on a smile.

History

1781: Nicholas is born as Marquess of Inverloch.
1782: William is born.
1794: Begins studies at Eton
1799: Graduates from Eton, begins studies at Oxford
1801: The 4th duke is killed and Nicholas inherits the title of Duke of Leighton
1807: May, meets Cassandra Chichester at Almacks, London.
1807: December, Marries Cassandra Chichester.
1809: Cassandra passes away during childbirth. The baby does not survive.
1811: Nicholas returns to Town in search of a second wife.

Childhood

The 4th Duke of Leighton was well pleased when his wife presented him with two healthy, happy boys within a year of one another; Nicholas, the little Marquess of Inverloch and William, trouble from the word go. Nicholas and William spent a cheerful childhood bounding about the family estate, constructing forts and learning to fence with sticks. Their parents took a rather ‘hands off’ approach to parenting, the duke perpetually ensconced in his study or away on business in Town and the duchess seemingly always in a tizzy about one upcoming party or another. The duchess passed away from consumption when Nicholas was six and William five. Her husband was thrown from his horse and died instantly of a broken neck when Nicholas was twenty one.

Education

The boys studied at Eton (well, Nicholas studied) and then at Oxford (well, Nicholas studied.) Despite keeping his head down Nicholas was well known, both as That Taciturn Duke and as the brother of the man who built the still in the college basement. He attended Oxford's Balliol College.

Nicholas took particular interest in the study of law and theories of government. He takes a great deal of enjoyment from his duties at Parliament and prepares carefully for any speeches he has the honour of presenting.

Married life

Unaccustomed to the company of women, Nicholas found the hunt for a wife a daunting and rather dull game. In 1807 on the balcony at London’s Public assembly rooms, Almack’s, Nicholas was introduced to Lady Cassandra Chichester by a (later very pleased with herself) patroness. Nicholas was taken by the petite, pretty and calm young lady and actively pursued her. Romantically attaching himself to Cassandra saved him (sort of) from the machinations of other matchmakers and so he courted her. By the end of the season he had himself a duchess.

Nicholas is too sensible a man to have fancied himself “in love” with his new bride but he was very taken with her and elated at having a lady at Hopetoun again. The new duchess was waited on hand and foot and all but wrapped up in cotton wool. Nicholas found that he very much liked having a wife and even – to the shock and awe of the local community – threw a ball in her honour.

In 1808, Cassandra informed Nicholas that she was to have a child and the duke’s jubilation and excitement cannot be done justice with words. He was ecstatic. In 1809 the child arrived early, devastating the frail Cassandra and taking her life. The child did not survive its first day and was never given a name by the distraught duke . Unbeknownst to the duke, his younger brother William - who was by chance also at Hopetoun at the time – bestowed on the boy the name Andrew, a tradition Gosling family name, for the duration of his short life.

Broken hearted, confused and at a complete loss, Nicholas spent the years between 1809 ad 1811 seconded away at Hopetoun and has refused to come to Town. Though he was never "in love" as such with his wife he is all too happy to hide behind that loss as an excuse not to try again.

Present day

Nicholas is now determined to piece together a family. He means to start by finding a second wife and so has ordered the cobwebs to be vanquished from Gosling House in Town. His hopes are not unrealistically high.

With this goal in mind, he hopes to employ the matchmaking nous of good friend Lady Beaumont. By happy coincidence, Lady Beaumont is hosting young and beautiful Miss Beacham this season - is it too easy to be true?

Wednesday, May 15

• In the midst of the morning light [1]: Nick meets Daphne Werlington for an early morning walk and then joins her and her sister, Natalie Relmsey for a casual breakfast.

Thursday, May 16

• They have their exits and their entrances [2]: The Gosling brothers arrive at the Fitzgerald Ball.
• And if he were I would burn my library [3]" Nick opens the ball with Elizabeth Dunford and it goes terribly.
• All the broken hearts in the world still beat [4]: Nick dances with Olivia Fitzgerald and, again, it goes terribly. he then has slightly better encounters with Julianne Grafton and Annabelle Beacham.
• Chess is a fairytale of 1,001 blunders [5]: Nick and Blanche Carey stand up for the fifth and take an instant dislike to one another
• Is our whole dissembly appeared? [6]: Between dances, Nick encounters Aurelia Blakeney and her family.
• You want to go to heaven but you're human tonight[7]: When the waltz is called, Nick elects to ask a married woman, Mirabelle Delafield to dance.
• Gentlemen definitely do prefer blondes [8]': Nick dances the seventh with debutante Clementine Worthing. He then stands up with Sophia Lazenby and then Emma Vickery.
• There's a drumming noise inside my head & it starts when you're around [9]: Utterly fed up with himself and the ball, Nick tries to apologise to Blanche Carey.

Minor details

Domestic staff

The domestic staff at Gosling House include Jenkins (valet, and he of the amazing hangover-cure), Aldridge (butler), White (under-butler), Mrs Pyke (the cook) and Mrs Conroy (housekeeper). One cat (Cassandra's) named 'Seraphim', re-named 'Tiger' by William Gosling.