Bee Rosdew

Bee Rosdew

Portrayed by Sarah Gadon / Emily Bertie Pott
Full Name	Isabella Hazard Rosdew
Associated Noble House(s)	Marquessate of Halbury
Date of Birth	8th August 1791
Father	Admiral Sir Edmund Rosdew, Bt, RN
Father's Rank	Baronet, Rear-Admiral of the White in His Majesty's Navy
Mother	Susanna Rosdew (née Billings)
Mother's Rank	Lady Rosdew
Town Residence	{{{residence}}}
Year of Debut	1808/1811
Dowry	£12,000

Bee Rosdew is the eldest daughter of Admiral Sir Edmund Rosdew and his wife, Susanna. She is nineteen years old and has a dowry of £12,000 as a direct result of her father's career successes. New to the Ton, the high-spirited Miss Rosdew is already making waves and giving her Aunt, with whom she is staying, a nigh-permanent megrim.

Bee is played by Micaela.

Family

• Admiral Sir Edmund Rosdew, Baronet, b. 1761 - father - Merry and affectionate, Edmund is a devoted father when he manages to be home. Bee is the most like her father, and while not a son, probably his favorite.
• Lady Susanna Rosdew, née Billings, b. 1770 - mother - Gentle and pious, Susanna had never even seen the sea when she married her husband. It was a true love match, and at the time an imprudent one, and it's about the only imprudent thing Susan has ever done. She's a bit baffled by her headstrong daughter, and finds they have little in common, but loves her as dearly as she does her other four children, which is to say a very great and demonstrated deal.
• Pendry Lindsay Rosdew, b. 1794 - brother - Pen is the dreaded younger brother, bane of her existence, currently serving as a Lieutenant aboard one of her father's ships. Pen is a bit spoiled as the oldest boy and while he is fond of his elder sister, irritating her is much more fun. Less fun is the fact that she can still wrestle him to the ground, even after five years at sea.
• Julia Beacon Rosdew, b. 1797 - sister - Still in the schoolroom, Julia is already shaping up to be more ladylike than her sister. She is sweet-tempered and gentle like her mother, and idolizes Bee.
• Edmund Rosdew, b. 1799 - brother - A terror, but an endearing one. Absolutely wild to go to sea, which his mother may or may not agree to, but which his father will probably insist upon.
• Thomas Rosdew, b. 1802 - brother - Sweet-natured, Tommy suffered a fall when he was 4 and hasn't walked quite right since. Bee suspects her mother was glad for the excuse to keep her son home. He's sensitive and doesn't have the temperament for it, anyway.

• Lord Francis Wellham, b. 1759 - uncle - Uncle Wellham was born the third son of an Marquess who eventually left the title to Francis's eldest brother, who has children of his own. More interested in his club (in Town) and his dogs (in the country), he's nonetheless financially solvent and an affectionate enough husband and father. Frequently forgets Bee's name, or confuses her with her sister.
• Maria Wellham, née Billings, commonly called Lady Francis Wellham, b. 1772 - aunt - Aunt Wellham was confident in the knowledge that she had made a far more advantageous match than her sister until about two years ago. Unsentimental and a bit of a snob, Maria prefers London to the country and is very proud to have produced four sons, but she does love her older sister and her riotous brood. It pleases her to think she's doing Susanna a favor by showing her eldest daughter about town. Maria may be perplexed by her niece, but she has always liked her and rather enjoys the idea of having a girl around after so many boys. Prone to headache, which is to be understood after bringing up four boys.
• Francis Wellham, b. 1790 - cousin - Frank has always liked his little cousin Bee, and is currently off at Oxford reading Classics. He's an excellent rider.
• John Wellham, b. 1793 - cousin - John has always been more rowdy than his brother, and enjoys pranking him and every conceivable cousin. He and Pendry are partners-in-crime. He is currently finishing school and plans to attend Oxford like his brother.
• Andrew Wellham, b. 1795 - cousin - Andrew was ever tagging after John and Pendry, and is also attending school with his brothers, John and James.
• James Wellham, b. 1801 - cousin - Jamie was a surprise, and is the petted and spoiled youngest of Maria's brood. He cried every day for a month when he went off to school.

Background

1791 - 1811: Early Years

Isabella Hazard Rosdew was christened for her grandmother, named for her father's first commission as a Captain in the Royal Navy, and called Bee when her little brother couldn't say her name. She had a relatively carefree upbringing with two affectionate and indulgent parents, high enough in rank to be taught the requisite social graces but low enough not to have to worry about living up to too many expectations. With England at war most of her life, her father was much away from home, but boisterously affectionate when he managed to be there. Despite her mother's encouragement and her governess's efforts, she rarely applied herself to any subject which did not interest her, and so her formation is somewhat incomplete. Athletic and a charming dancer, she was not raised in the saddle and while perfectly capable on a horse will never be an elegant rider. Early in life her parents, a salt-blooded Cornishman and an English gentleman's daughter, had barely enough to make genteel ends meet, but as he rose in the ranks and won prize-money, he was created a baronet and it became apparent that Bee would have the season her mother never did. Armed with charm, a sharp eye for fashion, and a sizable dowry, she'll have to hit the ground running to catch up with her peers!

Officially brought out at home several years ago, the yet-unmarried Bee has come to stay with her mother's elder sister, one Lady Francis Wellham, née Maria Billings, for a few months to see if she has any luck in London. Whether or not she will be presented is unclear, and it will probably be next year if it happens at all.

Personality

Bee looks like a Fragonard and hits like a full broadside; her father is fond of saying that she "would have made a d---ed fine officer, had she but been a boy." Always in motion, as a child she was frequently to be found wrestling with the village boys, and generally victorious, and though the adult rarely wrestles anyone but her younger brothers, she remains a big, lively presence. It follows that her temper comes quickly, but her laughter quicker, and she is not easily insulted. This may stem from the fact that, while aware of the opinions of others, she doesn’t like to get caught up paying them too much mind.

Genuinely kind-hearted and sweet-natured, she is an animated, merry fixture among her friends, and comfortable among strangers, happily inclined to be amiable to all she meets. She may not have had the upbringing that many young ladies in London do, but she is much more astute than she appears, and has a keen social awareness that keeps her just on the charming side of outrageous. Her tongue can get her in trouble, wagging either too freely or too sharply, but she almost never acts maliciously. She has a warm and generous spirit, and cares deeply for those closest to her.

In manner she is more than civilized, if not exactly refined, and once one is used to her outgoing personality, she makes up for being unpolished with her plentiful natural charm. She generally does well in Naval society, and has always been popular with her father’s officers. That same profession led to her father’s extensive absences, and such a headstrong child was more than a match for her gentle mother, running a little wild and entirely used to making her own decisions. While surprisingly clever, her education and accomplishments are spotty, her only sources of these being her mother and whatever she chose to read in books, which was admittedly not a great deal. She has some aptitude for language and her natural unselfconsciousness allows her speak freely to others even though unskilled, as she not mind making mistakes.

Her one true accomplishment, and passion, is music. She is an extremely talented and proficient musician, having been taught the basics by her mother and learnt the rest by endless practice and a natural ear. She plays the pianoforte remarkably well, as well as several other instruments passably, and could likely pick just about anything up and have it making some semblance of music within the hour. Her voice is tuneful, but better-suited to sea shanties than arias or folk ballads. She is very willing to play in public, and while genuinely talented, the natural pride of the artist can come off as showing away if one doesn’t know her well enough. As a private hobby, she composes, though these have not been shared with any outside of her family so far. She being a woman, her talent was not developed as it might have been, leaving her beyond accomplished but sadly less than a virtuoso.

In all she is possessed of a sensible and sizable heart, a fierce independent spirit, and a dowry of no mean size--all the tools for success or disastrous failure.

Relationships

Friends

Bee has a friendly and generous spirit, and is inclined to consider any body she likes a friend. While she has friends at home, they were made more out of proximity than true connection, and she is thrilled for the opportunity to find those of her own mind in London.

• Miss Blanche Carey
• Lady Rosanna Devereux: Bee and Lady Rosanna's introduction may have been unorthodox, but they took to one another immediately and are already making plans to meet again and scheme.
• Lady Olivia Fitzgerald: Introduced through their respective aunts, Bee and Lady Olivia are slowly warming up to each other, connecting over a mutual desire to travel. Bee hopes to make her better acquaintance in the future.
• Mrs Elizabeth Trevelyan
• Bobbie Wilson: Having rescued young Bobbie when she was lost in Hyde Park, Bee is undeniably fond of the little girl and wonders if she will see her, and her glowering father, again.
• Miss Helena Wriothesley: Bee met Helena only recently at the Ridotto, but she can already tell they will be friends--and Helena has promised to introduce her to Dosie Knox. Look out, London.

Gentleman Admirers

• Commander Banbury
• Sir Peregrine Bexley
• Captain Stephen Brydges
• Mr Adrian Carey
• Captain Arthur Cartwright
• Jeannot d'Aubin, Vicomte d'Aubin
• Colonel Robert Fitzgerald
• Edmund Mayoh, Viscount Wembury
• Rawdon "Monty" Montgomery, Earl of Alderhan
• Mr Nathaniel Scarborough
• Mr Ira Wilson

Enemies

Bee has not made any enemies yet, but her talkative manner and tendency to make a spectacle of herself probably won't go over so well with every body.

Pets

• Almond: Almond is Bee's chestnut mare. She is not pedigreed, but pretty enough and very good-natured.
• Piksie: Piksie is the setter puppy given to Bee by a flustered Sir Peregrine Bexley, whose sister's father-in-law had sent two. She is a very pretty and lively liver-and-white puppy with a charming spray of freckles on her nose.

Threads

Monday 13th May

• Such a bright little tight little craft[1]: Bee and Olivia run into one another on Bond street.
• Sailing into port[2]: Bee returns to Rotherham House with Lady Olivia, and meets her brother, Colonel Fitzgerald.

Tuesday 14th May

• Father of the Year[3]: Bee finds a young girl in Hyde Park and reunites her with her father.
• Ridotto: Welcome to the Jungle[4]: In yet another daring rescue, Bee drives a drunkard away from Helena and strikes up an immediate friendship.
• Ridotto: Two Gentlemen of the Sea[5]: Bee is introduced to her neighbor, Nate Scarborough, and his friend, Captain Brydges.

Wednesday 15th May

• The Lady Vanishes (into the Trees)[6]: Bee nearly literally runs into Rosanna on a morning ride in the park.
• Early Birds[7]: Captain Arthur Cartwright, an old acquaintance, makes a friendly call.
• The Value of Sisters' Affections[8]: It is discovered that Elizabeth Trevelyan, Bee's best friend, is in town.
• Like one small shaft of light[9]: Bee is officially introduced to Bobbie's father, Ira Wilson.
• I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it[10]: Jeannot d'Aubin introduces Bee to Adrian Carey.