Amelia Harcourt

Amelia Harcourt

Portrayed by Lily Collins
Full Name	Amelia Jane Harcourt
Associated Noble House(s)
Date of Birth	May 1st 1788
Father	Richard Harcourt
Father's Rank	Gentry
Mother	Elizabeth Harcourt
Mother's Rank	Gentry
Town Residence
Year of Debut	1806
Dowry	£15,000

Amelia Harcourt is the oldest child of Richard and Elizabeth Harcourt. She is twenty-three years old, with a dowry of £15,000 and deaf in her right ear. She made her debut in 1806, but after the tragic deaths of her parents returned to her family estate in Hertfordshire to look after her younger brother James Harcourt. Now that he has started school at Eton, Amelia has returned to London to reconnect with some of her peers during the Season.

Amelia is played by Sarah.

Family

• Richard Harcourt – father, deceased (1756 - 1806)
• Elizabeth Harcourt – mother, deceased (1764 - 1806)
• Grace Harcourt – sister, stillborn (1791)
• James Harcourt – brother (1799 -)
• Iris Whitworth – first cousin once removed (1762 -)

Background

Early Years and Childhood

Amelia was born on 1 May 1788 at Avonleigh Hall in Hertfordshire, much to the delight of both her parents who had long wanted her child. Her mother Elizabeth had been generally acknowledged to be both a beauty and charming young woman as a debutante – but also one of somewhat frail constitution. When she married Richard Harcourt, a gentleman of upstanding reputation and respectable wealth, albeit not a member of the peerage, there were doubts about whether she would be able to bear children at all. Indeed, they were childless for the first five years of their marriage.

Amelia’s birth was thus a joyous occasion and much celebrated by her parents, especially since it seemed for a long time that she would be the Harcourts’ only child. Both pregnancy and childbirth had been very difficult on Elizabeth, and in the years that followed she went to suffer a series of miscarriages and a stillbirth. Amelia, being only 3, was too young to feel the true impact of her sister Grace's death, but somewhere in her childish mind recognised her parents' sadness and determined to do all she could to make them happy.

Whether because of Elizabeth’s constitution or the difficult birth, Amelia herself somewhat sickly as a child, prone to bad colds and fevers. One such complaint left her almost at death’s door when she was four, and though she recovered the hearing in her right ear was permanently damaged. She can only hear very faintly from it, though it only poses significant difficulties in crowded or noisy rooms and she has learned to compensate by focusing on people’s lips as they talk.

Despite her childhood illnesses, Amelia grew up a sunny, happy child at her family’s estate, never doubting that she was loved and cared for. She had governesses who taught her to speak French fluently enough for conversation, to dance acceptably well, and to embroider with small, neat stitches – but, surprisingly enough, given her disability, where Amelia most excelled was in music. A determined girl, she spent hours labouring over the pianoforte, mastering every score she could get her hands on, until no one would hearing her perform would ever think she was partially deaf.

As she got older she began turning her hand to composition, and soon was rarely seen without parchment and quill so she could scribble melodies down whenever they came into her head. Her singing, while not as good as her playing, is still reasonably accomplished, a light, sweet mezzo-soprano, but she vastly prefers not to sing in company if at all possible. Her favourite composer is Mozart, though she also enjoys Hayden and Salieri, but her favourite piece to play is Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

Amelia also has a love of poetry, finding the rhythms and cadences alike to music in their composition and has experimented with setting one or two of her favourite poems to music. She is very fond of Shakespeare's sonnets, but also enjoys Spenser and of more modern poets Blake, Keats and Wordsworth.

When Amelia was eleven, Elizabeth fell pregnant once more, and to her parents’ utter delight this time the baby was carried to full term and born completely healthy. Amelia, up until now an indulged and darling only child, was very uncertain how she felt about the new addition to her family until she saw her baby brother cradled in her mother’s arms – when she promptly fell utterly in love. The feeling was mutual: James was devoted to his sister and when he began learning to walk followed her everywhere she went.

Debut and Family Tragedy

Both her parents were uncertain about bringing her out when she turned eighteen, favouring waiting a year or two, but Amelia longed to have a proper Season with girls her own age. They came to a compromise: she made her debut at home in Hertfordshire in 1806, and the family travelled afterwards to London for the Season. A little shy and uncertain at first, Amelia soon found herself relaxing and enjoying her time in society. She made friends with other young ladies debuting at the same time and also the acquaintance of several eligible gentlemen. Although she was by no means the most desirable match, she nevertheless had hopes she might become engaged by the end of the Season.

In April 1806, tragedy struck: her mother contracted a severe fever. Despite the best care from Dr Cadwallader Meredith, it soon became clear that Elizabeth was unlikely to recover. Richard insisted on nursing her himself, while Amelia was kept as far away as possible. After a few days in the sick room her father also fell ill. Both Elizabeth and Richar died within days of each other.

Devastated, Amelia returned home to Hertfordshire in mourning. There was much discussion about what was to become of her and seven-year-old James, now the owner of Avonleigh Hall, but Amelia was adamant that they would not leave their home. She would take care of her brother and, with the help of her father’s land agent, take care of the estate, forgoing any future Seasons in London. She could not be a young woman without any sort of companion, however, so it was decided that her mother’s widowed cousin, Iris Whitworth, a slightly gruff but generally good-hearted woman, would come to live with them.

Recent Years

Always a conscientious girl and desperate in any case for a distraction from her grief, Amelia threw herself into her new role as mistress of Avonleigh Hall. both mother and sister to young James. She spent hours reading agricultural treatises, writing long letters to her father’s lawyer, and regularly touring the estate with his land agent, to learn all she could to make sure kept Avonleigh Hall running efficiently until her brother is old enough to manage it himself.

Mrs Whitworth provided what aid she could and did her best to ensure that Amelia did not become a complete recluse, ensuring they received the latest news from London and managing to persuade her to attend occasional house parties even if she did not wish to leave the estate for as long as a full Season would require. Amelia herself had decided it was easier to abandon her hopes of marriage rather than setting herself up for disappointment, but was willing to attend such events to maintain friendships with her peers as she did sometimes find her life in Hertfordshire a little lonely.

At the beginning of 1811, James, now twelve, started school at Eton. Amelia intended to remain at home as always, since although her inheritance of some £15,000 would help her secure a respectable husband, she fears that marriage would result in her being separated from her brother – or that anyone willing to take on not only a half-deaf wife but her young brother and estate would simply be after what little money she has rather having a true interest in her.

Iris, however, considered this plan to be stuff and nonsense. The estate is doing well enough that a few weeks away will not harm it, and Iris has not given up hope that her cousin might yet make a good match. In May 1811 she finally manged to persuade Amelia into returning to London for the remainder of the Season. Amelia is determined not to hope for marriage herself, but is looking forward to socialising properly again.

Personality

Amelia has always been by nature a sunny natured, kind-hearted girl, who tries to see the best in other people and the world around her. The recent years of mourning have not changed that, though the unexpected turn her life took has left its mark and outwardly she is more subdued and reserved than she was at eighteen.

In unfamiliar company she tends to feel a little uncertain and takes some time to find her balance, in good part because of her deafness. She has to concentrate on people’s lips as they talk – more so if the room is crowded, or she does not know the person well and is unaccustomed to the rhythm of their speech – and it can be awkward with new acquaintances. With those she considers friends and her family she is much more open, with a warm, easy manner, but even those closest to her find it difficult to know exactly what is going on in her head. Because she spent so long as an only child, and kept indoors due to illness, she has become a very internal creature, and keeps most of her true thoughts and feelings to herself.

Despite this, she is fiercely loyal to those she is close to and especially to her family. When she loves it is completely and unreservedly, and she will do anything for those she cares for. Alongside this a particularly stubborn streak once she has made a decision, which served her well after her parents’ death.

When she first came to London at eighteen, she hoped dearly that she might marry for affection, as her parents had, and start a family of her own. Now, she has come to terms with the knowledge that she will probably never marry – she cannot imagine a man that would want to take on a half-deaf wife of twenty-three with a young brother and widowed cousin to care for, and she is reluctant to leave her home when James is still only twelve.

Amelia tells herself she is perfectly content to care for James and one day to be a loving aunt to his children and that she does not need a husband. The truth is, she is absolutely terrified of her heart betraying her by falling in love and making it impossible to pretend that she does not still secretly long for an affectionate marriage and children of her own. Hoping for something so unlikely to happen is too painful, though, so she has buried that longing as far down as she can and will do her best to make sure no one else ever discovers it.

Thread Tracking

Monday 20th May

• Something in the Nature of Tea: Amelia and Iris call on Lady Winchcombe for tea [1]

Tuesday 21st May

• Such sweet compulsion doth in music lie: Amelia visits the music shop on Bond Street and meets Elise Hampton, Gabriel Pritchard and Eleanor Clare [2]
• Let me be your anchor in this storm: Amelia runs into Julian Grange and he accompanies her on a walk through Hyde Park [3]
• Observations at the Opera: Amelia and Iris attend the opera as part of Lady Winchcombe's party, and meet Avreya Voronstova [4]

Wednesday 22nd May

• Every step and silent glance: Amelia arrives at Almack's with Iris, and takes a turn and dances with Kenward Asquith [5]
• I don't know if I'll make it but watch how good I'll fake it: Amelia is introduced to and dances with Anthony Dunford at Almack's [6]
• I'm not a new romantic: Amelia sees Lord Valebridge across the room at Almack's [7]
• Yeah - I hope not sporadically!: Amelia renews her acquaintance with Alfred Cole and they share a dance: [8]

Saturday 25th May

• The stream of life we trace: Amelia attends the cricket match in Hyde Park, converses with Constance Cole, Elizabeth Dunford, Alfred Cole and Asher Heathcote[9]

Monday 27th May

• All the stars are coming out tonight: Amelia talks with Constance Cole and Julian Grange at Asher Heathcote's party [10]

Tuesday 28th May

• You'll find us chasing the sun: Amelia runs into Anthony Dunford while out shopping in Bond Street [11]

Wednesday 29th May

• Hooves thundering, or is that my heart?: Amelia attends the races in Richmond with Julian Grange, Asher Heathcote, Blake Pritchard and Lady Winchcombe [12]

Friday 31st May

• The magic's in the music and the music's in me: Amelia tries out some pianos at Chappell & Co [13]

Thursday 6th June

• Nothing but blue skies: Amelia meets Mirabel O'Sullivan and Amaryllis Montgomery at the picnic thrown by Alice Beckett [14]

Friday 7th June

• Music is the shorthand of emotion: Amelia pays a visit to Elise Hampton and they talk about their disappointments and doubts regarding marriage and the heart [15]

Sunday 9th June

• They're like ponies on a carousel: Julian Grange and Asher Heathcote attempt to teach Amelia to ride, with the help of Freya Lindsay [16]