Post by MR JAMES DELAFORD on May 25, 2013 3:56:21 GMT -5
MR. JAMES DELAFORD
FULL NAME AND TITLE: Mr. James Delaford
GOES BY: James (to his family), Delaford (to his close friends).
AGE: 27
CLASS: Landed Gentry
OCCUPATION: Gentleman
POSITION IN FAMILY: Eldest Son and Heir to Hadleigh Court
FINANCES: £8000/Year
FACE CLAIM: Dan Stevens
EYE COLOR: Blue
HAIR COLOR: Brown
HEIGHT AND BUILD: 6’1”, Athletic
DESCRIPTION:
James has a steady countenance, his amiability easily seen on his gentle features. His warm outlook can also be identified in the pair of blue eyes that match his younger sister’s rather uncannily, though his give away far less than their female counterparts. There is a something about his gaze that can be somewhat enigmatic, perhaps a clue to the slight insecurity of identity that underpins it, but of all that may be uncertain, there is a specific mischievous look that can never be doubted.
As far as build, James generally carries himself with the pride of his father’s station, especially in formal surrounds, but has been known to relax it amongst closer acquaintance. He is healthily built, signaling his love for dancing and club sport and he thinks he looks rather fine in his breeches, thank you.
While Mr Delaford likes to be well-dressed, he does not share his sister’s obsession with fashion and has been known to be scolded by her for wearing last Season’s stockings. As such, he has well and truly put her in charge of all stocking choices and almost pantomimically asks her opinion of his appearance before he leaves the house. Naturally, he doubts that the choice matters all that much, but he delights in the vexation it seems to create in her when she perceived she is being ever so slightly mocked.
PERSONALITY:
James has long been an admirer of the tactful use of a sharp wit, as well as the particular ability to slight his siblings in favour of a charming conversation. Any who have been in conversation with one or more of his siblings present will have noted this. Of course, James is never serious on these matters and can take his own fair share of pointed jibes.
He is, by and large, the very definition of amiable and has a unique talent for ingratiating himself to the comfort of others. He will go out of his way to show respect to others and conducts himself with every dignity of the gentry. He is his father’s son and he has learned, above all, to be humble amongst better men and inspiring amongst the lesser. Of course, the distinction is not always clear, but James seems to move with that ease of relationship that makes him a friend to many.
He detests dishonesty and especially the ill-treatment of women, his sensibilities for such things heartily encouraged by his sister and he hopes very much to one day be married to a woman of wit and intelligence. He has high hopes of her being every bit an addition to his life as he is to hers.
James very much enjoys the vibrancy of life and takes time to enjoy little things as well as the many delights on offer to a man of his station. He adores music, much like his sister, though his is not quite so proficient, and can be seen at the Opera far more often during the season than any other destination in town. He loves to have fun and will do so with every part of him.
This, of course, is within the bounds of his moral conscience. He does not live under the school of thought that declares morality a limitation on mirth, but rather sees it as a decided manner of giving a man the purest of joys of the world without the heavy consequences of the viler elements. He has excellent self-control and delights in the purest forms of joy-seeking. There is nothing so intriguing to him as friendship. That said, he is not above a little wickedness and it is most often to be found in his playful manner of teasing those around him.
A significant flaw in his character is probably his ability to be somewhat irresponsible when it comes to the more serious parts of his inherited title. While he ultimately does his duty on most accounts, he can sometimes be very easily distracted. Mr Delaford continually expresses the seriousness of his position, but James can sometimes apply himself a little too flippantly to it. He tends to avoid the seriousness of matters in general and cannot always be counted on to be truly severe when it is necessary. Especially when it comes to his sister’s behaviour. Every now and then, however, he is struck to be a better man and he will make somewhat heavy-handed decisions to compensate.
CHARACTER GOAL OR CONFLICT:
To find his own way in life: James feels the weight of his father’s title upon him and often tries to crush his more playful urges in order to meet the expectations of it. On the other hand, he is also prone, when amongst others with similar spirit to him, to the more light-hearted elements of life and he can sometimes play towards frivolity. He is earnestly seeking out the balance that will make him worthy of his future without costing him his spirit.
MAJOR FLAW:
People Pleasing: James cannot stand conflict. He dislikes it in all forms and especially when it might be his fault. As a result, he is constantly trying to make himself agreeable to all instead of finding his own voice in the situation and standing resolutely behind it. Thus, he is distracted from his main goal by trying to affect what others most want to see in him.
MINOR FLAWS:
Tends to make fun at the expense of others, sometimes frivolous and flippant about the more serious aspects of life, does not often remember to remind others how much they mean to him, heavy-handed in remedying a perceived weakness in his character and does not know himself too well.
STRENGTHS:
Charming, amiable, honest, respectful (despite his clownishness and occasional faux pas in judgment of another’s feelings), moral and determined to be dignified (even though he does not always achieve this.)
RESIDENCE:
Hadleigh Court, Hertfordshire
FAMILY MEMBERS:
Mr Henry William Delaford (Father),
Mrs Anne Charlotte Delaford (nee Wick) (Mother),
Mrs Maria Anne Lockwood (29 – Older Sister),
Miss Charlotte Amelia Delaford (24 – Younger Sister),
Miss Imogen Christine Delaford (19 – Younger Sister),
Mr Daniel Simon Lockwood (34 - by marriage).
HISTORY:
Master James Edward Delaford was born on the 14th of May 1784 and was much welcomed by the family as the heir to his father’s estate, especially after the arrival of his older sister. He was doted upon by his father, who looked forward to showing him all of the wonders life had to offer and this coupled well with James’s enjoyment of the great fortune and responsibility of being his mother’s darling boy. At a young age, he showed his great amiability and had the comfort of conversing easily with all that met him. As such, he developed several well-formed attachments to the servants of the household and held great rapport with his siblings, excepting Maria, who was entirely too serious for him in general. While he never showed any specific dislike of her, he has owned to Charlotte that he is sometimes unsettled when with her.
As he grew, he was fond of both riding and archery, partly for the opportunity of sharing in innocent flirtation with some of the young ladies of the sport (although he is always kept in line by the watchful eye of his conscience, not to mention his sister) and partly owing to the joy of being able to perfect the skill. He also has a love for fencing and finds himself engaged in it as often as he can. This became a focus for him when he was schooled at Winchester College, representing the school as one of its finest fencers. He applied himself in fluctuating measure to his studies, a sign of his slightly unfocussed disposition, but managed to come away with a decent education and a keen circle of friends. He then went on to Oxford, where he also shone in the fencing clubs, and began to learn more of his future as the master of the estate. While he understands the import of this, he is still somewhat reluctant to give himself over to being completely serious about it.
As Maria married, more for connection than affection, James became aware of a glaring juxtaposition in his household. On the one hand, he was surrounded by the duty and honour upheld by Mrs Delaford and her eldest daughter and, on the other, there was a zest for life and a spirit of independence that was most readily exhibited in his younger sisters and largely permitted by the Mr Delaford. Thus, he found himself wondering where in that mix he considered himself and began to learn about the far-reaching implications of his decisions. He has always been Charlotte’s greatest supporter in the family, discounting Imogen, and his indulgence of her has been a slight vexation for his mother, who, very good-heartedly, is worried that Charlotte will do herself out of all good society and be abandoned to the harsh state of things. She understands how violently cruel society can be and, thus, has urged her son to use his influence with his sister to make her see the dangers to which she is exposing herself. Clear to James that her motives are not selfish, he is often inclined to agree with his mother, but finds himself unable to cut into Charlotte’s mirth.
As such, as he continues under his father’s tutelage and building his circle of friends as he learns to take his place as the master of Hadleigh Court, he is stuck in a world of indecision between the heavy-handed duty of his future and the family name and the vibrant love for life and the independence of thought that is so represented by his sister. He must either find a way of charting a middle course, or he will find himself a disappointment to one side of his family and most certainly his conscience.
YOUR NAME: Mdme Butterfly
YOUR AGE: 24
YOUR RP EXPERIENCE: 9 Years
YOUR SAMPLE:
It was a glorious thing to welcome a fresh acquaintance to the neighborhood, and it seemed that Hertfordshire was not to go without her fair share of new inhabitants, even if they were only to arrive so late in the Summer. Of course, while general excitement had overcome many, owing to the letting of Netherfield Park, it was an excitement of a more particular nature that had captivated Mr James Delaford. For it was the arrival of this new face that would be the final nail in the coffin of his dear friend’s good humour and he could finally declare him to be ‘the iciest character in Hertfordshire’ without fear of denial.
He would no doubt still receive it, of course, but he now no longer had to give care that Mr Goulding’s protestations might be arguable.
James smiled gaily at the thought as he approached Haye Park and wondered if he had better wait to have his tea before he commented on the alteration in circumstance. It should be an awful pity to have to return to Hadleigh having had not a drop to quench his thirst on account of his being unceremoniously dismissed. Charlotte would, no doubt, be scandalized in that instance, – though caught delightfully between amusement at her brother’s misfortune and her continuing willful, and entirely practiced displeasure at anything Mr Goulding saw fit to do – it would be a delight to see the conflict contort her pretty features.
Almost so delightful as watching her reaction to having him describe her face in such terms.
It would have done well that she should be here, but Mama had gone about paying calls today and Charlotte could not be spared. He made his way alone then, certain that – in light of the description attached to this new acquaintance – a meeting with his sister must follow. For Mr Goulding was about to become guardian to a vibrant, young cousin and, while James could not be sure of Charlotte approving of the girl on her own merits, he was certain that his sister would approve of her on account of the manner in which her very presence must vex Mr Goulding. Despite all that divided them on some accounts, Mr Delaford and his sister were remarkably of a kind.
That said, he had prepared in every way to make himself agreeable to the young woman – who must be at some difficulty being removed from all she had previously known and having to throw her lot in with Goulding – and he was eager to make her acquaintance. Thus, it was in high spirits that he asked to be presented and mirth could be easily discerned about him, his walking stick in hand and his hat gone as soon as it was polite that he should remove it. He bowed low upon entering the drawing room.
“Good morning, Mr Goulding,” he almost never called Goulding by his full name, but on special occasion, the forms were to be observed, “I trust the merriment of today finds you in as perfect a mood as it does myself.”
