Grace Anne Whittaker
"And it was the touch of the imperfect upon the would-be perfect that gave the sweetness, because it was that which gave the humanity." - Thomas Hardy
Gender: Female
Age: 20
Nicknames: Gracie, a pet name that Grace absolutely loathes. It stuck amongst family members, courtesy of her two brothers who use it to tease her about her naivety when it comes to the outside world, a world that they have done well to keep her away from.
Occupation: If it can be called an occupation, Grace is the daughter of a wealthy aristocrat but aspires to one day publish a novel, much to the distaste of Lady Elizabeth.
Height: 5'5"
Build: Slender, Grace has a somewhat boyish figure.
Hair Colour: Dark brunette
Eye Colour: Dark brown
Scars?: A small burn scar on the inside of her left wrist that she acquired when she was younger, from becoming too curious about the inner workings of the kitchen.
Brief written description: There is no mistaking that Grace Whittaker is a pretty girl, with long chocolate brown tresses and large, expressive doe like eyes; she is very much representative of delicate young ladies of her class and of her era. However, being far from perfect, it is the imperfections that create the finishing touches to Grace, building a character with a rather raw and naive kind of humanity. In stark contrast with her dark hair is a pale skin tone that can sometimes only be described as sickly, creating the image of a frail kind of character, much to Grace's frustration and much to the delight of her brothers, being that it apparently gives them just another reason to shelter her away from apparent outside dangers. Grace has naturally very high cheek bones and a heart shaped face that adds to her innocent appearance, making her altogether uncomfortable with the way that she looks. Wishing to break free a bit from her family and from the suffocating control of her brothers, if only Grace weren't so small and young looking, she might find it easier to feed the curiosity that is constantly niggling away at her.
Clothing preference: Being from a strongly class orientated background, there are certain expectations that are put upon Grace to look a certain way, so she can often be seen in upper class finery and jewelry that is telling of her status. Although, living in a small village can often make it difficult for her to keep up with the latest fashions, but this doesn't mean she doesn't try. With political upheavals and the slow liberation of women, Grace can often be found trying to keep with the times when it comes to her clothes, trying new and daring city fashions, must to the distaste of her family.
Skills: Grace was home schooled from an early age, and so holds all of the skills that are expected of women of her social position. She can play the piano fairly well, as well as paint and complete stitch work to an acceptable standard. However, as well as being average in the arts, Grace also took it upon herself to learn literacy, mathematics and language skills, paying particular detail to writing and reading. Having been cooped up in family life for most of her life, Grace uses writing to let her imagination run riot in a way that she isn't allowed to.
Quirks: - If Grace gets frustrated, which is often, a pink blush will creep from her chest to the top of her neck until she's calmed down. Furthermore, she gets fidgety if she feels trapped, often chewing her lip or maybe pacing around the room.
- Anger often leads to tears with Grace, especially if she's frustrated with someone.
- Being as stubborn as she is, if Grace looks away from you during an argument, it's because she's given up trying to convince you. It also means there's no way she's ever going to see your side of the story.
- At least once a day, Grace chooses something to write a descriptive paragraph about. It can be a view from a walk, or just a pebble she found outside. She believes that practice will improve her writing skills and take her one step closer to her goal.
Likes: + Long walks
+ Autumn weather
+ Writing on parchment
+ Sneaking out of the house
+ Spending time with Sara
+ When her brothers treat her like a sister, rather than a child, which isn't often
+ Talking to different people, hearing their stories
+ New fashion
+ Feminist theory
Dislikes: - Fighting with her brothers
- Spending too long in her mother's company
- When people treat her like a child
- Her brother's behaviour towards women
- Being indoors for too long
- Getting ink smudges on her hands
- The class system, because she doesn't really understand it
- Cook's leftover stew, yuck!
Fears: ~ Despite the freedom it might give her, the thought of her brothers having to go to war.
~ Illness and hospitals, even with the medical advances that have been made recently.
Written description: There is a certain amount of predictability about Grace's character, given her upbringing and the nature of her background. She is well to do for want of a better term, and has an air about her that can only be representative of the upper classes. The delivery of herself is soft, feminine and somewhat delicate and she is well aware of the expectations upon her to act in an appropriate way. However, contradictory to this, if Grace disagrees with you, or you in anyway cross with her beliefs, she can change instantly, becoming stubborn and strong-willed with the click of a finger. In many ways different from her mother, Grace likes to think of herself as a modern lady, or at least that's what she tries to be, when she is able to escape the barriers that her brothers have created for her. Grace has always had a deep yearning for adventure and often her curiosity can get the better of her and sometimes even get her into trouble. She almost has a childlike naivety to her, believing wholeheartedly that the world is a good place, you just have to search hard for the positives. Having second to no life experience however, she can often be found surprised at the cruel nature of some individuals as she has rarely been exposed to such behaviour. Grace is a kind girl, who likes to ignore notions of class and becomes increasingly frustrated when the hierarchy is upheld for the most pointless of reasons. Willing to speak to anyone, the Whittaker daughter can be stubborn to the end, often like a dog with a bone who won't give up on anything she truly believes in. She's usually willing to help if you need it but has been known to speak before she thinks, and doesn't have a great deal of sensitivity. Don't get her wrong, she doesn't mean any harm but with her lack of real people skills, sometimes her mouth can get carried away with her.
Relationship Status: Single, Grace likes to think of herself as a strong independent woman.
Family: Lady Elizabeth Whittaker (mother), Lord Andrew Whittaker (father, deceased), Henry Whittaker (eldest brother), Joseph Whittaker (twin brother).
History: Grace Whittaker was born in the village, on an early May morning, exactly ten minutes after her twin brother. As expected, she was whisked away rather quickly from her mother and given to her nurse maid, who brought the two twins up as if they were her own children. Grace has never been particularly close with her mother, and she merely tolerates her presence with a respect that she has been taught to provide for her elders. Their mother and daughter relationship is somewhat formal, with very rare displays of affection. It isn't that the two don't get on, but Grace simply feels as though she doesn't know her mother and that it is too late to get to know her. She is sure that she wants nothing but the best for her, but Grace often thinks that her mother will only want this as long as the best comes in the form of hierarchical expectations. She's aware that Lady Elizabeth doesn't appreciate her strong-willed persona and her stubbornness at times but she refuses to drop her beliefs for someone who is somewhat of a stranger to her. Grace's relationship with her mother has always been distant but they aren't afraid to exchange pleasantries to keep a harmonious household.
As a child, Grace often sought comfort either from her nurse maid, a solid mother figure that her own mother didn't provide, or from her two brothers, her twin especially. As a bit of a tomboy at heart when growing up, Grace loved to run off with her brother to explore the grounds of their home, often returning with her long cream dresses caked in mud and leaves, much to the distaste of Lady Elizabeth. Similarly, many other little girls of Grace's age, that she was expected to grow up with weren't particularly fond of her and her boyish antics and so she often had a hard time with other children in the village. At one point, Grace became quite a shy little girl, during which period she met Sara. Being wary of how Sara would treat her after so many bad experiences with other children that weren't her brothers, Grace thought it best to treat Sara with the contempt that she thought she deserved, trying to hurt the other party before it could hurt her. This feud went on for quite some time before the two matured and actually realised that, despite their differences in backgrounds, they actually had a lot in common.
During her childhood, there was an absence of a father figure, as Lord Andrew Whittaker died in a carriage accident shortly after Grace and Joseph were born. It made sense then, for Grace to attach herself to her brothers, almost as a need to replace the father figure that she didn't have; she especially looked to Henry for this, expecting protection and love if she ever hurt herself outside or something of the like. The three children grew up to be quite close, so it's no wonder her brothers are so protective of her now. But as Grace became older, she became more and more restless as Henry and Joseph's protection of her grew. Many times have they burst into heated arguments and with Joseph being like he is towards women these days, Grace has become somewhat distant from the two of them. Of course, she still loves them to bits and always approaches them if she has a problem, but with her want for freedom and their ever-growing worry, the most recent clashes have been inevitable.
Secret Word: Village Life
