anghraine | Entries tagged with ch: unknown viscount

An anon said:

I just reread Subsequent Connections on AO3, and was wondering in that universe, what the Fitzwilliam family reaction would be to a Darcy/Elizabeth relationship? If they had any ambitions for Darcy's marriage, I guess there would be some disappointment with Elizabeth, but at the same time she is family, and the coming back from the dead thing makes it hard to begrudge her I guess! And I'm curious about Lady Catherine's reaction to her daughter being jilted for her favourite niece this time...

I replied:

Yeah, that’s pretty spot-on, I think. One of Lady Catherine’s objections to canon Elizabeth is that she’s unallied to the family at large, which wouldn’t be an issue here, even while they certainly had higher ambitions for Darcy than a quasi-poor relation. But SC!Elizabeth is still a Fitzwilliam and they already love her, so it’s easier.

Also, I imagine that some of the Fitzwilliams would guess what was going on before Elizabeth did herself, lol. Eleanor, certainly James, and oddly enough, probably Milton. Cecily would like to see it but can’t quite associate Darcy with romance. Lord Ancaster is completely oblivious, as is (in a sadder way) Lady Ancaster. And Lady Catherine, of course.

It would definitely be hardest for Lady Catherine, both because of her plans for Anne and Darcy, and because she’s genuinely fond of Elizabeth and has planned for her advancement. I think she’d be less angry, but more upset, if that makes sense (there would still be a Scene) but come around much more quickly when the usurper is an actual Fitzwilliam.

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An anon asked:

Based on your family trees, who is Darcy close to, on both sides of his family?

I replied:

Okay, it is very cool to be asked—thank you, anon. And I needed a break from exam stress, so … here we go with the Fitzwilliams. I’ll do a separate one for the Darcys.

The short version: Colonel Fitzwilliam, Lord Rochford, Lady Mary, and Lord Ravenshaw.

The long and rambly version:

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I reblogged my Fitzwilliam headcanon dramatis personae post, and added:

Note: when I was re-conceptualizing my Fitzwilliam headcanons, I had the idea of using an actual title invented by Austen, and then actually having the earl be that person and going from there. So:

The dowager Lady Ravenshaw here = the grandmother whose death puts an end to the theatricals in MP
Lord Ravenshaw here = P&P’s Lord ___ + MP’s Lord Ravenshaw, “one of the most correct men in England”
Lady Catherine = P&P’s Lady Catherine (of course)
Lady Ravenshaw = MP’s Lady Ravenshaw, who was playing Agatha very well
Lord Rochford = Colonel Fitzwilliam’s implied older brother in P&P
Lady Anne Brydges = mine, all mine!
Lady Mary Carlisle = the mother of the children whose existence necessitates the governess (playing the cottager’s wife) in MP
Colonel Fitzwilliam = P&P’s Colonel Fitzwilliam
Anne de Bourgh, Fitzwilliam Darcy, Georgiana Darcy = P&P
Sophia and Margaret Carlisle = children overseen by MP’s governess

Tagged: #me overthinking things? it can't be

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Anyway, the actual current Fitzwilliam headcanons c. 1796 [assuming a 1795-6 calendar for P&P, which I do], dramatis personae-style

CATHERINE, Dowager Countess of Ravenshaw—the very elderly grandmother to Lord Ravenshaw, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and Lady Anne Darcy. She is reserved in person, though opinionated when she does speak, and maintains a lively correspondence with her family and friends while living quietly at one of the smaller Fitzwilliam estates.

EDWARD FITZWILLIAM, Earl of Ravenshaw—the wealthy and powerful (if short) head of the Fitzwilliam family. Lord Ravenshaw is interested in his near and extended family, Whig politics, and private theatricals. He is otherwise a severe but good-natured man with a good reputation among his peers and dependents alike.

LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH, née Lady Catherine Fitzwilliam—the elder of Lord Ravenshaw’s two sisters. Despite her arrogant, domineering personality, she is generally on good terms with the other Fitzwilliams, whom she regards with pride and something like affection; in particular, she genuinely loved and was loved by her sister, Lady Anne Darcy.

MARY, Countess of Ravenshaw—the earl’s gracious, accomplished, and generally accommodating wife. Lady Ravenshaw is conscious of coming from a family of lesser fortune but greater age than the Fitzwilliams, but also somewhat daunted by the strong personalities around her. She is, unexpectedly, an excellent speaker and happily joins in her husband’s theatrical enthusiasms.

RICHARD FITZWILLIAM, Viscount Rochford—the eldest of Lord and Lady Ravenshaw’s children. He is handsome, kind-hearted, and agreeable enough in his way, but withdrawn, shy, and intensely high-strung. At thirty-five, he has never married, courted, or even seriously flirted with anyone, preferring books and the company of those he already knows.

LADY ANNE BRYDGES, née Lady Anne Fitzwilliam—Lord and Lady Ravenshaw’s elder daughter. She was a generally pleasant but very stubborn girl, and remains a generally pleasant but very stubborn woman, though she has become more assertive among her easy-going husband and in-laws than among her own intense and generally forceful relations.

LADY MARY CARLISLE, née Lady Mary Fitzwilliam—Lord and Lady Ravenshaw’s younger daughter. She bears a strong physical and temperamental resemblance to her sister Anne, though she is more reserved and abrupt. She was married young to a baron’s heir, but he predeceased his father and Lady Mary returned to her family with her two daughters.

COLONEL THE HONOURABLE JOHN FITZWILLIAM—the younger son of Lord and Lady Ravenshaw, and at thirty, their youngest child. While conscious of his comparatively disadvantaged position among his relatives, he is very loyal and close to them, especially his Darcy cousins. He is usually easy-going, but strong-minded and very pragmatic, all of which won the approval of his uncle Darcy.

ANNE DE BOURGH—the only child and heir of Sir Lewis and Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and thus niece to Lord Ravenshaw and Lady Anne Darcy. This Anne is quite genuinely frail, unlike the usually hearty Fitzwilliams, and has been sheltered to the point of suffocation by her mother, but also over-indulged by her. At twenty-eight, she is passive and resentful of slights, but not malicious.

FITZWILLIAM DARCY—the only son of Christopher Darcy, a wealthy, influential Fitzwilliam ally, and Lady Anne Darcy, the beloved sister of Lord Ravenshaw and Lady Catherine. Their affection extends easily to Darcy, whose personality falls well within the ordinary Fitzwilliam range—proud, intelligent, and forceful, but combining reserve and awkwardness with a basic good nature and competence.

GEORGIANA DARCY—the younger child and only surviving daughter of Christopher and Lady Anne Darcy. Her brother was the indulged youngest of the Fitzwilliam grandchildren until Georgiana’s birth twelve years after his own, yet he doted on her from that moment, as did their relatives and servants. She is nevertheless not at all spoiled, but shy, anxious, and uncertain of herself.

SOPHIA CARLISLE—the quiet, intelligent daughter of Lady Mary Carlisle and the Hon. Stephen Carlisle. Her father’s sudden death left her family as something like dependents on the new heir, which grated on Lady Mary. She received permission to return to her father’s household with the girls, and Sophia and Margaret were gladly welcomed by the Fitzwilliams.

MARGARET “MEG” CARLISLE—the younger daughter of Lady Mary Carlisle and the Hon. Stephen Carlisle. Meg is more outgoing and high-spirited than Sophia in general, but prone to fits of absent-minded silence. As the first children living at Ecclesford in a generation, Sophia and Margaret are particularly beloved by their grandparents, uncles, and most of their cousins.

Tagged: #i know this is probably of interest to like ... no one #but it's helpful to me and was fun to do SO

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Also in response to this post, cosmonauthill said:

Is it also possible that the viscount was just enough older that he was already paired off to, if they’re new-but-rich, the daughter of an old-but-poor family, or vice versa? I’ve seen it in a few fics that he’s married to the daughter of a Notable Family and it does make sense, I think

I replied:

Possible? Sure.

Also, by that time, arranged marriages between young children were pretty odd—imo it’s one of the things that’s meant to make Lady Catherine ridiculous and old-fashioned. So it’s possible that her brother wouldn’t have been up for it, or he’s enough like her to have already tried the same thing with someone else, or any number of reasons that an Anne/viscount match wouldn’t have turned out.

But I think that if Lady Catherine had ever considered the viscount a viable option, she’d be less obsessed with Anne/Darcy in particular. Anne could have made a good match already, given her birth, connections, and vast wealth (unusually so even for aristocratic women), but Lady Catherine seems set on her marrying Darcy specifically, from the moment of his birth.

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emily-elizabeth-rose said:

Re your meta on Ladies Catherine and Anne being close due to a distant father, I realised that Lady C was likely not close with her brother the Earl. Her father likely doting on the son while being distant to the girls causing resentment. So even with Darcy slow to marry Anne, Col. Fitzwilliam not raised as an alternative, even though he would come to Rosings rather than Anne leaving. Why not Col. Fitz? Because Lady C doesn't like the Earl and doesn't want his son to marry her daughter :0

I replied:

Hmm. While we know that Lady Catherine firmly believes daughters never matter to their fathers, which presumably extends to her relationship with her own father, all we know about her relationship with her brother is that his son comes to visit her. So it’s hard to extrapolate much from that. It does seem probable that someone with Lady Catherine’s personality would likely not have taken favouritism over her well, but the form that displeasure would have taken …?

The question I have isn’t about Colonel Fitzwilliam, since marrying a younger son without a significant fortune of his own wouldn’t be a great match for Anne. Sole, well-born heiresses of large estates were rare, and could hold out for very good matches; Fitzwilliam would only be a real possibility if Lady Catherine was absolutely set on Anne marrying within the family and his older brother was already married.

The real question, for me, is why Lady Catherine preferred baby Darcy over the viscount.

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I felt like putting together dramatis personae of my headcanons for the Fitzwilliam and extended Darcy families, and by the time I was putting together a chart for the latter, was zooming merrily along. (Am I procrastinating grading? Maybe.)

Anyway, the actual current Fitzwilliam headcanons c. 1796 [assuming a 1795-6 calendar for P&P, which I do]:

( Read more... )

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