Regency/Gothic: Thornshire -- The Griffiths

The Griffiths of Calewell (near Scardale Forest)

Evan Griffith was another of those members of the Thornshire gentry who died of the recent plague.  His son and successor, Barnaby Griffith, is an energetic man who always seems to be juggling multiple projects; clearing the overgrown woods around Calewell House and organizing a village constabulary to deal with the bandits in Scardale Forest are his latest endeavors.

Barnaby’s mother, Maud, is a pious woman who nevertheless is plagued with ill-luck.  If she hadn’t such a vigorous constitution, she might well have been felled by a household accident or influenza by now.  Stephen, her middle son, returned from Waterloo with medals of valor and a wild gleam in his eye; he spends his days hunting and riding in the company of Dominick Brightmore.  Broad-shouldered Michael Griffith, the youngest son, is the vicar of Thornton; like many clergymen of the area, he sees it more as a gentleman’s vocation than a religious man’s calling.  Maud’s youngest child, Melissa, is an inveterate gossip who has set her cap to catch the best prize she can – whether that is the infatuated Dominick, the contemptuous William Brightmore, or some other local scion.  Melissa is also – by default of not being snobbishly intellectual like Constance fisher nor irrepressibly flirtatious like Lysandra Colbran – the female best friend of Rosalind Standeford (Robin's character).