Linus Staunton
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| Portrayed by Matthew Goode | |
| Full Name | Linus Adam Julian Staunton |
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| Title | Baron Bunowen |
| Associated Noble House(s) | Viscountcy of Louisburgh |
| Date of Birth | September 22, 1787 |
| Father | Adam Staunton |
| Father's Rank | Viscount Louisburgh |
| Mother | Annabelle Staunton (nee Grayson) |
| Mother's Rank | Viscountess Louisburgh |
| Town Residence | {{{residence}}} |
| Income | £5,000 p.a. |
| School | {{{school}}} |
| University | Trinity College (Dublin) |
| Year Attained Title | {{{titleyear}}} |
Linus is played by Sara.
Family
Father: Adam Staunton, Viscount Louisburgh, b. 1764 age 47
Mother: Annabelle (Grayson) Staunton, Viscountess Louisburgh, b. 1768, d. 1787
Step-Mother: Narcissa (Earnshaw) Staunton, Viscountess Louisburgh, b. 1772, age 39
Half-Sister: Felicity Staunton, b. 1792, age 18
Half-Sister: Constance Staunton, b. 1795, age 16
Half-Brother: Thomas Staunton, b. 1796, d. 1796
Half-Sister: Belinda Staunton, b. 1798 age 13
Half-Sister: Leanore Staunton, b. 1800 age 11
Half-Sister: Catherine Staunton, b. 1801, d. 1805
Half-Sister: Elspeth Staunton, b. 1802 age 9
Half-Brother: Oliver Staunton, b. 1805, age 6
Background
As Linus came into the world on September 22, 1787, his mother Annabelle Staunton departed. While Annabelle had been a vibrant, lively woman when she met and married Adam Staunton, her first pregnancy was plagued by too many complications that prayer or physician could not ease. She died mere hours after birthing him, leaving Adam to raise the boy on his own in the Irish wilderness in the large -- and empty -- manor of Louisburgh Close.
After four years, Adam realized that his boy would need a mother especially as far out in the country as they were. Playmates would naturally follow. He had no trouble securing the affections and hand of Miss Narcissa Earnshaw, apart from a quibble with her family about his being Irish. A small matter, considering his sizeable fortune.
Linus soon found himself head of the list of an ever growing roster of Staunton children. And he soon stopped counting each time a new addition to the family was announced. He was keenly aware that he was the product of a different mother and a different life. Perhaps for this reason, and due to his age, he was never close to the younger Stauntons, though Linus received no different treatment than that of his half-siblings, which included lavish parties and no expenses spared for their happiness. Yet he considered himself engaged in an unspoken competition with them, particularly Felicity, as though to prove his place as eldest son in this family. He struggled to surpass her in things she did with seeming ease.
Linus left and attended Trinity College in Dublin. There he found it ever more important to maintain the image of the Louisburgh heir. Once finished, he now turned his ambitions towards seeking a wife, and one with a large dowry at that, to fund his luxurious life. There was little to come from his now debt ridden family, due to their profuse expenses being a constant drain on their savings.
Staying close to home in an attempt to help his efforts proved to be a mistake. Society in Ireland saw the Viscount heavily in debt, closed away in his happy home, and gave Linus as little attention as an impoverished heir should receive.
So he has now set his sights on London – the town is the perfect distance from home to quench any talk about his family's debts and odd habits, and it is here that Linus continues seeking a wife as well as tasting the delights of town. He's entirely willing to give his title to one who will support him in a manner that properly suits a baron.
Physical Description
At 5'8”, Linus has a lean, sparse frame that belies honed muscular strength. His closely-cropped dark hair and well-trimmed sideburns contrast sharply with his eyes, which are the color of an overcast sky. While usually fair, his skin takes to the sun much better than his sister Felicity's, tanning easily. Beneath a straight nose usually tilts a crooked smile and a night's worth of stubble. Linus carries himself with a casual, borderline lackadaisical carriage. Despite this, he prides himself on being impeccably dressed – shouldn't a baron look the part? – and sees that his clothes are tailored by the finest on Bond Street.
Personality
As the first son and heir to the viscountcy, Linus believes he deserves all that is typically attached to those titles. This entitled attitude is concealed by a carefully crafted veneer that he strives to show to Mayfair – in particular, the rich and eligible. Linus can exude charm, sophistication and the promise of his title. If doing so will get him what he wants – and it's what Linus needs to fulfill his champagne taste on a beer budget – he will play that role.
However, rumors of his own swirl around him, hinting at the truth underneath that veneer. Somewhat self-centered, Linus is driven by his own thoughts and cares, leading him to seek out what he enjoys the most at that moment. He's as spontaneous as a sea wind: there one day, not the next; with little care to whomever he leaves high and dry. He rarely makes plans – or at least, if he does, they are subject to change with little or no notice. He enjoys having this ability to move (or not move) as he pleases.
These traits lead him to dabble in some off-color hobbies: laudanum, gambling hells, and other pursuits down those darker roads. He takes polite society with a grain of salt. There's not much there beyond teacups and doilies, but he'll put up with it with a roll of his eyes and a sarcasm to rival his sister Felicity's.
Much of this bravado is induced by an ever-present fear of failing in his aim to restore the Stauntons to their former prestige. But, seeing Felicity as the first born and symbol of his father's 'new' family, he continually sizes himself against her in an attempt to justify his position as heir in the family. On occasion, he finds himself thinking about his mother, wishing to know her as Felicity has had the privilege of knowing hers.
Many of these rumors don't always match up with what the public sees. While he maintains his image with society, his closer family and friends see a hint of the truth. His friends are carefully chosen for a specific purpose, whether it is money, reputation, or their ability to amuse him. Linus often winds up being a confidant for those around him, but he rarely feels the ability to reciprocate. His own ambitions come first, and the preoccupation with them prevents him from becoming too close with others. He prefers to keep his true self at a distance.