The Notts
& Titus Nott
A mostly traditional UCPB family, who bought up and currently reside at the Hellington Cross estate, a country house near Seething, Norfolk. They are, in Hadrian's opinion, rather mundane and ordinary – so of course he set out to distinguish himself. Now he's home, and they're a happy family again. Or they're... trying to be?
B.1836 | UCPB | MINISTRY / WIZENGAMOT | PB: IAIN GLEN
Brother to Atalanta Hart et al, Hephaestus Nott is a practical man. He is judicious, family-oriented and concerned with being well-respected. He can tolerate some amount of independence or going against the grain, as long as it's carried out sensibly. Unfortunately, the firstborn son he thought he was moulding in his image turned out to be something of a deliquent and disappointment, and not very sensible at all. He lives in perpetual exasperation, though his wife constantly tries to soften his edges when it comes to – well, anything. (He's growing concerned about Hadrian's influence on Cleo, though.) His health has always been his downfall – any wishes for a more active career were stalled in his youth by his delicate constitution, and after years of having been cautioned of this, he is now something of a hypochondriac, and forever making threats about "after I'm gone..."
B.1841 | UCPB | SOCIALITE | PB: HELENA BONHAM CARTER
From an upstanding UCPB family, Aurelia's marriage to Hephaestus Nott was arranged – they got to know each other mostly after marriage. Their children brought them closer, because they both strive to show off their happy family, but as individuals, they are starkly different: Aurelia is shallow, frivolous and fanciful, and forever in want of attention. Hadrian has gifted her at least one exotic pet from his travels, and remains very much a mummy's boy. She doesn't usually care to spread gossip herself (but enjoys receiving it; she would be more of a social busybody, only she's rather lazy and impressionable, and never seems to have an idea of what's going on) but makes a special exception for badmouthing Hadrian's ex-wife Cordelia Emsworth, and never mind that she enthusiastically supported their youthful engagement way back when.
B.1865 | UCPB | SOCIALITE | PB: LILY SULLIVAN
Hadrian and Livia were close in their youth, playmates and near in age – but over the years their paths have diverged considerably, and they have only kept in perfunctory contact with each other. Perhaps their lifestyles have been just too different – Livia had a successful society career, married sensibly and settled down, and has children where Hadrian still doesn't. She may have lost her husband in the intervening years – and if so, Hadrian was not around enough to offer any real sympathies – or is side-eyeing him for his divorce. Although he's looking forward to getting to know his nieces and nephews, he and his sister are not likely to be comfortable with each other nowadays, so it might prove awkward.
B.1872 | UCPB | ASPIRING ARTIST/NATURALIST/SPINSTER | PB: RUBY PEDERSEN
Now that Cleo has graduated and is not-so-busy doing debutante things, she has (eagerly) inherited Titus' old role of being Hadrian's unofficial assistant-in-chief. Her art classes have given her an adept eye for meticulous scientific drawings of plants and creatures, and she is glad to make practical use of her time doing things other than pursue marriage. Bright and cheerful but equally cynical, she imagines her father will try to make a match for her if she doesn't succeed in society, so she might as well focus on her own hobbies and ambitions in the meantime – and if spending her days organising drawers and drawings of moths doesn't make her much of a "catch", then that is society's loss indeed. She would be quite content to spread her wings in life alone, if it comes to it.
Guidelines:
set by bee!