TOPIC TITLE: Agnew, Louis
TOPIC DESCRIPTION: Marquess of Abingdon.
Your Name: Malin.
Age: I'd rather not say? I'm hardly underage, though.
Contact Info: PM me! I'd LOVE IT!
Where'd You Find Us: Boardhopping.
____________________
Name: Louis Fitzwilliam Agnew
Nickname (if applicable): Abingdon. Lowe.
Age: 30
Date of Birth: January 11th, 1781.
Title: Marquess of Abingdon
FAMILY
Alice Elizabeth Agnew, nee Prescott. (1763 - ) Mother.
Fitzwilliam Alexander Agnew. (1748 - 1798) Father.
Philippa Jane Agnew. Also known as Pippa. (1794 - ) Sister.
Anthony Dunford, 12th Duke of Claitonborough (1784 - ) Cousin
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Dunford. (1793 - ) Cousin
A fun little family tree, courtesy of Liz.BACKGROUND
Viscount Lowerton was seventeen years old when his father, the Marquess of Abingdon passed away after a particularly bad hunting accident. Or at least that is what the story says. Whatever happened, the marquess died, and his son was left with both the title and the estate.
Louis Agnew hadn't been in much of a hurry to become to next marquess, to be honest. Indeed, he was more than happy being Viscount Lowerton. He had few responsibilities, no obligations to speak of, and was still young enough to not have any match making mamas on his back. Still, he had the all the pride, money and glory that came with being the heir to a prominent title. He was happily enjoying his days at Eton, not having a care in the world that actually mattered. He was going to study at Oxford, life the life as Viscount Lowerton and then perhaps when he was thirty or forty, inherit the estate. Sadly for Louis, he had no such luck. He did study briefly at Oxford, but he never actually finished. He was more eager to manage his estate. It was his job, after all. No matter how helpful the Duke of Claitonborough was being.
So, with his father dead, and with Louis as the new Marquess, things changed from his previous plans. He suddenly found himself responsible for his mother and sister, the estate, their finances, the title, the London town house, other properties and so on. It seemed to never end. Of course, Louis was not actually managing the estate when he was seventeen years old. Until he was one and twenty, late duke of Claitonborough, George Dunford, stepped in to manage things. But in the end, Louis was too proud to accept that his uncle would simply take over, and insisted on doing as much as he could himself. Needless to say, the young Marquess grew up quickly.
It was a well established fact that any young man, or old man for that matter, in line for a title was quite eligible. But a young man with a title, seemed even more eligible. People he had never talked to before started to pretend to be his friend. Coquettish young ladies tried to trick him into an agreement, men tried to talk him into making investments, and widows or married women tried to persuade him into games of their own. He fell for the temptations and the fake promises a few times, what young man wouldn't? But he soon saw through it all, and it made him more or less cynical.
He always attended the social functions he had to, but he never really enjoyed it. His mind tended to be elsewhere, in a book he had read, in a philosophy he had thought out, pondering over a problem with the estate or so on. But he did go when he needed to, mostly because of his sister and his mother. Especially now that Pippa is about to come out into society next season, he will do whatever he can to support her. Being the sister of a Marquess, having a handsome dowry and a pretty face might probably be all well and good, but having a limp never really helped her much. Perhaps Louis blames himself for the accident that lead to her ruined leg because she never did blame him, and that might be the reason he is such a loving, caring and protective brother. Perhaps he's just not as cynical as he wants people to believe. Whatever it is, he always shared a very close relationship with his sister. He shares a good relationship with his mother, but nothing near the one he has with Pippa. In fact, Pippa is probably the person Louis cares about the most.
Louis always was very proud of his little sister, and even if his parents would not allow it, he would bring her along on his little boyish adventures. Like one day, when Louis was sixteen, and Pippa only three, he took her riding. He knew he was absolutely not allowed to do so, but she said yes when he asked, so he positioned her in front of him on the horse and rode along. The little girl squealed with joy as they went faster and faster, and Louis himself was pleased that the little one was having fun. Of course, he was not much pleased when she fell off the horse, and her screamed turned from joyful to the screaming of intense pain and fear. Broke her left leg, just above the knee, the doctor said, and assured them that all would be well. Sadly, the doctor was wrong; the bones didn't seem to heal just right, and even when she learned to walk again, it was always with a bit of a limp. That day out riding, and the accident that followed, is probably Louis's biggest regret.
The fact that Louis is not yet married, and have never actually encouraged any young lady, is something he doubts will change any time soon. He realizes he needs an heir, but there is still time for that, so he is not exactly in a hurry to find a wife. But when he does find her, he will not hesitate to get married. It's just that the woman Louis has in mind will probably be a bit difficult to find. She should be pretty, have a nice dowry and be the daughter of a Lord, obviously, and preferably a débutante. At least according to his mother. Louis, on the other hand, find it more important that the lady in question is nice, smart and actually likeable.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Louis is a large man. He is not chubby, but he is tall and he has broad shoulders. In fact, he is almost too tall, ranging at one hundred and eighty-one centimetres ( ~5'11"). He is usually dressed correctly, even if he absolutely cannot stand neck cloths, clean shaven, hair combed back and seen in a straight posture.
Indeed, Louis's appearance suits him very well. Everything from his tall frame to his blonde hair and blue eyes. It even suits him to be taller than most people. At least he thinks so. He rarely smiles in the company of other people, but carries this sort of aloof expression on his face. When he is around family, friends or even just children, his face lights up and he actually smiles genuinely.
That is the thing about Louis, he absolutely will not smile unless he means it. And because he usually does not, most people have never seen him do so.
PERSONALITY
Let us make one thing perfectly clear at once; Louis Agnew is not the romantic hero kind of gentleman. His personality is as flawed as his mind is, and his heart is not one made of gold. He cares very little for the well-being of other people, he is not more polite than what is actually necessary and he is simply not a very sympathetic person.
The fact of the matter is that Louis simply does not like most people. He usually find them stupid, uninteresting, too eager, too crude or too concerned with proprieties. He does not like to exchange pleasantries or share a dull, meaningless conversation with someone just because they happen to be of the same social standing, either. Therefore, the Marquess of Abingdon does not speak much when attending balls or soirées. When he does engage in conversation, he will answer correctly but with very few words. Indeed, the marquess often seems either bored, arrogant or both. Sometimes he is even downright rude.
He is not really mean or cruel deep down, he is simply uninterested in meaningless chatter and not at all fond of speaking with people he does not really know or like. Sometimes he finds his own thoughts more interesting than speaking with others, and he believes this a fair idea. His thoughts are usually about the important things; books he has read, philosophy, women, brandy, his family or estate, his horse or something like that. All of these things are important, or at least enjoyable.
From he was a young boy, he was told he over-thought things. Perhaps that is the truth. What he knows is true, is that he rarely accepts something without making up his own opinion. He may not share his opinions with others, but his head is filled with them. But because he does not voice his sometimes radical thoughts, it doesn't really matter that his opinions often differs from that of most people. He can't for the life of him understand why a woman is considered on the shelf by her mid-twenties, for example. Why, he has had mistresses older than that, and he has been very much pleased with them. He also finds etiquette tiresome and unnecessary, especially when in the company of friends. Then again, he may suddenly be offended or angered if someone choose not to follow etiquette. It makes little sense, so he keeps this thoughts to himself, happily aware that no one can know what is going on inside his head.
When it comes to himself, people seem to have one of two opinions. They either think he is horribly disagreeable and rude, or they think he is simply shy or a bit stupid. None of which are good qualities in a marquess, but because he is in fact a marquess, it is all forgiven.
His family would probably not call him neither rude nor shy. When he is around them, he is the big brother, the cousin, the son, or the nephew, and he plays the part well. He will talk, joke, laugh, tease, support and do all the things brothers does for their siblings. He cares about his mother, enjoys the company of his sister, plays with any children of the family and cares for any elderly family members. And he would protect all of them with all means necessary. Indeed, with the people he trusts and cares for, Louis is actually a very nice man. The women is his life is showered with gifts, and the men often invited to share a particularly good brandy over stories the women should never hear, to come hunting with him or simply share a night out or go to his club.
Louis is a loyal man. The friends from his youth, who still calls him Lowerton, or simply Lowe, are the people he still calls his best friends. With them he shares a bantering kind of relationship, and rumour has it, these men often get to see the marquess laugh or even talk at length about himself. His family would probably say that this is the kind of man Louis is, but it is doubtful anyone else would believe it. Simply because Louis is not really very nice to the people he does not care about.
It is perhaps uncharacteristic of a man of his social standing, but Louis enjoys physical labour. Not necessarily work, but just something as running, as fast as he can, and perhaps be faster than last time, is something he enjoys. Of course, this is not something he talks about, but he quite enjoys pushing his own limits. He also very much appreciates how well he sleeps after some kind of exhausting physical activity. It works even better than whiskey. Of course, he also enjoys fencing and riding, but that is hardly a secret.
And, if he happens to be in Eastborough Hall, the family estate in Surrey, and there are children there, he is more than happy to run around with them, fencing little pretend duels and always loose and so on. Indeed, Louis is actually good with children, and he very much enjoys their uncomplicated company, that usually happens to be blissfully free of ceremony. Especially if they are part of the family and they are children he knows. But, this is not something he speaks about or want to be known. As far as he's concerned, women should be the ones to take care of children, not men. And especially not a Lord. Then again, he does enjoy their company. So this, too, would be one of those thoughts he's more than happy to keep to himself.
Louis is an ambitious man, in his own way. He takes pride in managing his estate and making sure it is a profitable one. It is his job, if one could say that, and he would like to do it well. Why do something if one cannot do it adequately? He likes money, too, and he is perfectly sure that had he not been born a nobleman, he would have been a most eager merchant. As it is, though, he is indeed a gentleman, and he is very aware of the fact. He is a marquess, for god's sake! In his mind, this simple fact excuses him from not liking others, or treating them as well as he probably should.
Not that it matters if he is forgiven or not. He cares little about what others think about him. Had it not been for the fact that his reputation would affect the people he cares about, he would not have cared at all. They might be the only reason he acts as well as he does.
In the end, it's all relative. He's full of flaws, has more sins on his conscience than he'd like to admit and no intention of changing his ways. Debauchery happens to be his favourite sin, but gambling is also high up on the list. Especially if he knows he'll win. He's arrogant, too, almost proud, but he doubts he's proud enough for it to be too sinful. Then again, the fact that he's not always nice probably does not speak in his favour when it comes to measure up his sins and his virtues. It's okay, though. God will forgive him in the end. It's his job, after all.
