History Characters / Belgravia

%%* NiceGirl

!!!Played By: Creator/BenWainwright, Creator/JasperBettles

* MamasBabyPapasMaybe: In the book Jane is one of the people John wonders is Charles' mother.
* PutOnABus: Left for another household after Sophia died. When she returns to the main story it's mentioned that she'll be boarding a ship for America, never to return to Britain.

* GrandeDame: Cold, snobbish, and quick-witted, though she has a softer side as shown with her interactions with Charles and Maria.

* ParentalAbandonment: His father was killed at the Battle of Waterloo and his mother died in childbirth. The Popes told him that his parents are dead and they adopted him.

* WalkingSpoiler: Many of the revelations throughout the story pertain to his identity, parentage and legitimacy.

!!!Played By: Creator/BenWainwright

!!!Played By: Creator/TobyRegbo

* SpareToTheThrone: As Oliver and Susan's younger child and not in line to inherit anything unless Frederick died, he took up a career as a vicar.

** [[spoiler:In the sequel series, in turns out they eventually had a second son named James, whom Oliver doted on. Assuming Susan didn't manage to fool him with her second pregnancy, it seems Oliver wasn't completely sterile but just had a low sperm count]].

* LawOfInverseFertility: She and Oliver had been trying to have a child for 11 years without success. Given that [[spoiler:Susan becomes pregnant with John Bellasis' child,]] it's implied Oliver is sterile.
** [[spoiler:In the sequel series, in turns out they eventually had a second son named James, whom Oliver doted on. Assuming Susan didn't manage to fool him with her second pregnancy, it seems Oliver wasn't completely sterile but just had a low sperm count]].

* LockedOutOfTheLoop: [[spoiler:He's the only one of the Trenchard family who is in the dark about the paternity of Susan's child.]]

* AbusiveParents: A lot of Frederick's negative traits and personality issues can be traced back to Oliver's neglect, resenting him as John Bellasis' child.

!!Bellasis Family

[[folder:Lord Peregrine Bellasis]]
!!The Right Honourable Lord Peregrine Bellasis, 5th Earl of Brockenhurst
!!!Played By: Creator/TomWilkinson

Earl of Brockenhurst. Husband of Caroline and father of Edmund, the deceased Viscount Bellasis.

* BlueBlood: The Earl of Brockenhurst can trace his title back to the Restoration of Charles II in the 1660s and according to John can trace his descent as far back as UsefulNotes/TheCrusades.
* {{Bookworm}}: Spends a lot of time shut up in his library.
* FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: He's the responsible one compared to his gambling brother Stephen.
* GentlemanSnarker: Certainly not above a subtly biting remark, particularly towards Stephen.
* HatesSmallTalk: Peregrine isn't one to engage in meaningless chitchat, even moreso after his son died. After the reception at Brockenhurst House, he finds it blissful when all the guests have left, having tired of inquiring after the health of one acquaintance or other or rejoicing in Queen Victoria being pregnant.
* IWasQuiteALooker: The TV promo describes him as tall and handsome in his youth.
* LockedOutOfTheLoop: Peregrine is kept in the dark about most of the events throughout the story until the very end. The exceptions are his brother's gambling problems and his wife's investing in Charles Pope's company since she'd have to ask him.
* OutlivingOnesOffspring: His son Edmund was killed at the Battle of Waterloo. Years later he's still bitter about the fact that his irresponsible brother has several grandchildren (and even one [[spoiler:or two]] still on the way) while he has nobody.
* TheQuietOne: Not really a talker and this increased after the death of his son.
* StepfordSnarker: Peregrine can make fun of his irresponsible brother in one scene and muse bitterly on the death of his son the next.
%%* TheStoic
* SugarAndIcePersonality: A solemn, morose man at the best of times, but a loving husband in private.
* ThickerThanWater: The main reason Peregrine sends Stephen money is that he is unwilling to have his brother go to debtors' prison.
* UnwittingPawn: John uses him to find out where his aunt is going in an attempt to find out why she's investing money in Charles' business.

[[folder:Lady Caroline Bellasis]]
!!The Right Honourable Lady Caroline Bellasis, Countess of Brockenhurst
!!!Played By: Creator/HarrietWalter

Countess of Brockenhurst, Peregrine's wife and Edmund's mother.

* TheChessmaster: Nearly every character is a pawn in her scheme to take control of Edmund's legacy.
* GrandeDame: Cold, snobbish, and quick-witted, though she has a softer side as shown with her interactions with Charles and Maria.
* HiddenDepths: Shown to be an avid artist.
* HistoricalCharactersFictionalRelative: A fictional younger sister of the Duchess of Richmond, who hosted a famous ball before the Battle of Waterloo.
* IGaveMyWord: As a lady, she is honor-bound to say nothing of her secret grandson. Besides, she isn't going to say anything about her son's possibly disgraceful conduct. [[ExactWords However]], she has no problem with ''other'' people figuring out the truth by piquing the interest of everyone in London she knows.
* IWasQuiteALooker: While meeting with Anne Trenchard, Lady Brockenhurst points out a portrait that was painted when she was 17, just before she married her husband Peregrine. She notes it was a fair likeness back then... not so much now.
* MamasBabyPapasMaybe: Defied. John wonders if Charles is Lady Brockenhurst's illegitimate son with James Trenchard, but Susan dismisses this.
-->'''Susan''': She's the daughter of a duke and the sister of a duchess. 26 years ago, [James Trenchard] was a dumpy man with a working-class background and the face of a butcher. With his looks, to get her into bed he'd have to be the Czar of Russia.
* MamaBear: Willing to accuse Sophia of seducing Edmund to defend his conduct.
* MyGirlIsNotASlut: Gender-reversed and applying to parents. When Anne accuses Edmund of seducing Sophia into a false marriage, Caroline slams on the accusation hard, declaring he couldn't have conceived of such behavior. [[spoiler:Turns out Caroline was right as the marriage was legitimate.]]
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Everyone takes notice when the stoic and snobbish Lady Brockenhurst takes interest in the business ventures of a tradesman. In this case it's because the tradesman is the grandson she never knew existed.
* OutlivingOnesOffspring: Her son Edmund was killed in the Battle of Waterloo.
* ShipperOnDeck: Winds up becoming this (alongside Anne Trenchard) to Maria Grey and Charles Pope as Maria seeks to escape her impending ArrangedMarriage to John Bellasis.
* TheStoic: Known for her icy façade, which makes her interest in Charles' business all the more noticeable.
* ThickerThanWater: Lady Brockenhurst is determined to find a place for Charles in the family, regardless of his legitimacy.
* ThisIsGonnaSuck: When she hears that the Greys know about the slander against Charles, knowing that Lady Templemore will use the information to force Maria to marry John.
* TragicKeepsake: Keeps a portrait of her son Edmund at her desk.

[[folder:Edmund Bellasis]]
!!Edmund Bellasis, Viscount Bellasis
!!!Played By: Creator/JeremyNeumarkJones

Peregrine and Caroline's only son and heir. Killed in the Battle of Waterloo.

* BrokenPedestal: To the Trenchards after he deceived Sophia into a false marriage. Becomes a RebuiltPedestal when [[spoiler:they learn he and Sophia were ''actually'' married]].
* DisappearedDad: To Charles Pope.
* HistoricalCharactersFictionalRelative: A fictional nephew of the Duchess of Richmond, the hostess of the ball before Waterloo.
* ICouldaBeenAContender: It's stated that Edmund would have been a great Earl of Brockenhurst had he survived the Battle of Waterloo.
%%* InnocentBlueEyes
* KilledOffscreen: Killed at the Battle of Waterloo, but his death is only reported by James Trenchard.
* LovedByAll: Everyone has something nice to say about him except for the Trenchards (and even Anne is publicly respectful when discussing him). According to his mother, Edmund could have found his way around Lymington (the Brockenhursts' main estate) blindfolded, but didn't have to because everyone was willing to help him find his way back.
%%* OfficerAndAGentleman
* PosthumousCharacter: After the first chapter.
* SheepInSheepsClothing: The Trenchards believed he dishonored Sophia by deceiving her into a false marriage. It turns out that [[spoiler:he had his ''clergyman comrade'' marry them, but neglected to explain the situation to Sophia when she saw the priest who'd married them dressed as a soldier and assumed she'd been tricked. Then both he and his friend died in battle]].
* TallDarkAndHandsome: Edmund is frequently described having a dark, masculine beauty about him.

[[folder:Stephen Bellasis]]
!!The Honorable and Reverend Stephen Bellasis
!!!Played By: Creator/JamesFleet

Peregrine's younger brother and heir presumptive, a vicar. Husband of Grace and father of John and Emma.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: The miniseries leaves out his lecherous tendencies.
* AdaptationalVillainy: The book version doesn't try to blackmail Lady Brockenhurst directly.
* BeardOfEvil: The miniseries gives him a goatee beard to go with his odious character.
* BerserkButton: Being called "little brother" irks him a lot.
* {{Blackmail}}: It's Stephen's idea to blackmail Lady Brockenhurst in order to get more money to cover his debts.
* BlackmailBackfire: His attempt to leech money off of Lady Brockenhurst blows up in his face in the miniseries because she can out-leverage him (he doesn't try anything like that in the novel).
* DirtyOldMan: In the book Stephen likes to feel up younger women and the maids never stay employed at his house for long.
* FailedASpotCheck: Of everyone who is investigating Charles to find blackmail fodder, Stephen is the most likely to have figured everything out since Charles resembles Stephen's nephew Viscount Bellasis yet the thought never crosses his mind.
%%* FatBastard: In the book.
* FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: The foolish UpperClassTwit and gambler compared to his responsible elder brother.
* TheGamblingAddict: By the time of the story, Stephen has gambled away nearly all his inheritance. According to Peregrine, he can't remember a time where he and Stephen interacted where he ''didn't'' ask for money to pay off his debts.
* HandRubbing: In the novel, Grace can tell when Stephen has a good day gambling because he'd be rubbing his hands together (which wasn't often).
* {{Hypocrite}}: In the adaptation he gives a sermon on the dangers of money while he deals with a massive gambling problem. Peregrine and Caroline are in the congregation and are fighting the urge to laugh the whole time.
* InformedAttribute: Stephen is mentioned to be in poor health, or at least worse shape than his brother, but it doesn't show up directly and the emphasis is more on Peregrine's determination to remain alive so that Stephen can't inherit.
* KickTheDog: Stephen never wastes an opportunity to remind his older brother that his family will inherit Peregrine's estates because he has no living descendants. Unfortunately, Peregrine can hit back with a quip or two about Stephen's gambling problems, as shown when Stephen attempts to ask him for money; when Stephen tells him that John will inherit everything, Peregrine responds that by definition, Stephen will be dead and John won't have to worry about his father's problems.
* LaserGuidedKarma: Stephen believed his position was secure and everything his brother had would pass to him and his son, which would alleviate all his debts. By the end of the story, [[spoiler:his future is in shambles thanks to said son accidentally putting everything together in a blackmail scheme and Stephen's family is reduced to being a "penniless sideshow".]]
* TheLoad: Peregrine views him as an embarrassment and everyone else who knows him, such as his son John, is waiting for him to die because of his poor health.
* NasalTrauma: Gets a cut on his nose from getting slammed headfirst into a table and a bottle smashed near his head after a failed gambling round.
* TheResenter: Towards Peregrine because he's the elder brother who gets everything just because he's two years older.
* SinisterMinister: Not so much in the novel where he's merely foolish, but in the miniseries he attempts to blackmail his sister-in-law about Charles Pope.
* SmugSnake: More pronounced in the miniseries. Stephen thinks he and John are secure through inheriting the Earldom of Brockenhurst and tries to use this fact to blackmail Lady Brockenhurst into giving him money, but she's able to out-leverage him and [[spoiler:his inheritance was never as secure as he (or anyone else) thought]].
* SpareToTheThrone: Deconstructed. Stephen is heir to Peregrine, but doesn't actually feel any need to do anything useful in his life (he likes to do his actual job as little as possible) and everyone thinks he's going to die before Peregrine.
* SpoiledBrat: It's stated in the novel that Stephen was coddled by his and Peregrine's mother, particularly after their younger sister died.
* UpperClassTwit: He never wants to do any work connected to his parish and admits he only took the job as the son of an Earl, as being a minister was a traditional job for members of the upper class who were younger sons.

[[folder:John Bellasis]]
!!John Bellasis, Esquire
!!!Played By: Creator/AdamJames

Stephen and Grace's son and Peregrine and Caroline's nephew.

* AdaptationalIntelligence: John fumbles on a couple possibilities in the book on who Charles' mother is in the book. In the miniseries John speculates only once.
* ArrangedMarriage: To Lady Maria Grey.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: John (and Stephen to a lesser extent) wished to find dirt on his aunt Caroline. He found dirt all right, and [[spoiler:it led to his ruin.]]
* BigNo: In the miniseries when [[spoiler:Susan escapes from him with the documents on Charles.]]
* TheDandy: One of his first lines is about how many clothes he has to have to appear fashionable in London. Apparently it's a big expense.
* DeadpanSnarker: When Stephen shows up for lunch and tells John to not ask about his face, John replies "Good day to you too, father."
* DisappearedDad: [[spoiler:John is the father of Susan's child and given that he rejected Susan and is wanted for attempted murder, it's unlikely that he'll be playing any part in that child's upbringing.]]
* DragonInChief: While Stephen makes the initial suggestion to blackmail Lady Brockenhurst for more money, it's John who actually does the legwork by bribing the servants and persuading Susan to get information from her mother-in-law. Stephen's more direct approach winds up being [[BlackmailBackfire much less successful]].
* EvenEvilCanBeLoved: The main person who cares for him is his mother, while Stephen doesn't really give any opinion on him. Grace is [[spoiler:heartbroken when John is forced to flee Great Britain.]]
* EvilNephew: Downplayed. He certainly is evil, as shown by his actions towards Charles Pope, but he never moves against his aunt and uncle directly.
* TheExile: [[spoiler:After his failed attempt to kill Charles Pope, John flees to the continent and will likely be on the run for the rest of his life. In fact he's being ''paid'' to stay out of Great Britain or the money he's being given to live on will stop coming.]]
* FailedASpotCheck: John is in a room with Charles Pope several times, yet he doesn't even think of the possibility that his cousin Edmund could be Charles' father until he gets the papers from Jane Croft.
* GreaterScopeVillain: [[spoiler:In the sequel miniseries, John's affair with Susan and subsequent abandonment of her child caused no end of issues, particularly in Frederick's personal life.]]
* HatedByAll: Nobody really likes him, except for maybe his mother and his fiance's mother; the latter is probably because of his status. Most everyone else considers him worthless and smarmy.
* IHaveNoSon: [[spoiler:He has no interest in raising his illegitimate child with Susan, even when it's in his best interest.]]
* InheritanceMurder: [[spoiler:When John realizes that all the secrets lead to him not getting anything, he attempts to murder Charles Pope.]]
* LackOfEmpathy: Lady Brockenhurst describes him as being a peacock who has no care for the people of her husband's estate than if they were stones in the road. Susan even lampshades it by saying he isn't tenderhearted, to which John bluntly states an affirmative. He doesn't really care for his parents (he resents them for a lot of things they can't have), never says anything about his sister, and [[spoiler:dumps Susan when she reveals she's pregnant, even when she offers him a way out of his financial and societal straits.]] When John [[spoiler:shoves Charles into the Thames and James confronts him, John acts like nothing happened and that he doesn't know what James is talking about.]]
* NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction: John admits to his father that he's unhappy with his ArrangedMarriage to Maria because he doesn't get any fun out of doing what he likes with someone.
-->"When a woman is to be served up on a platter, to do with as one likes, it rather takes the sport out of it. At least it does for me."
* TheNondescript: John's physical appearance isn't really described in the book outside of being handsome.
* OhCrap: When he throws Susan out of his rooms and realizes [[spoiler:she took the papers on Charles Pope, incriminating him.]]
* TheOneThingIDontHateAboutYou: Peregrine prefers John a little more than his father because he actually seems to have brains.
* ParentPreferredSuitor: The Countess of Templemore would prefer that her daughter Maria marries John over Charles Pope.
%%* PsychoticSmirk: Seems to have this as a permanent expression in the miniseries.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler:Stephen thinks that John saw the writing on the wall regarding Charles and left for greener pastures, but the [[DramaticIrony audience knows he is in exile]].]]
%%* SmugSnake
* TheSociopath: Fits most of the criteria. Superficially charming? Check, given he gets the Countess of Templemore to arrange a marriage between him and her daughter Maria and start an affair with Susan on the side. ManipulativeBastard? Check; weasels his way into getting information on the Trenchards through their servants. LackOfEmpathy? He only got engaged to Maria just to keep up appearances, dumps Susan when [[spoiler:she reveals she's pregnant]], and is the only person in the entire novel/miniseries to [[spoiler:attempt murder (and act as if nothing happened)]]. The only person he might care for are his parents, and even then he resents them and [[spoiler:has no problem stealing from them just to pay his spies.]]
* SpareToTheThrone: Like his father, but everyone believes he will inherit the Earldom because it is more likely that Stephen will die before Peregrine.
* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Everything falls apart for him in the last two chapters/last episode, starting from when he realizes that Charles is the true heir to Lord Brockenhurst; then he foolishly leaves the proof near Susan who steals them when his back is turned, and it culminates in his attempt to murder Charles for a chance of getting his inheritance back.]]

!!The Trenchards' Servants

[[folder:Turton]]
!!Amos Turton
!!!Played By: Creator/PaulRitter

Butler to the Trenchards.

* AllThereInTheManual: His first name is Amos in the novel.
* BlackMarketProduce: Runs a side business where any surplus food grown at the Trenchards' estate goes to the black market.
* GetOut: [[spoiler:The Trenchards fire him after they learn he copied the papers for John Bellasis.]]
* {{Greed}}: Speer mentions he's money-hungry, and through his dealings in the black market and [[spoiler:John Bellasis,]] it's an accurate description. He even holds letters hostage because he knows [[spoiler:John]] will need them, just to fleece off a few more pounds.
* TheMole: [[spoiler:John Bellasis persuades him to steal papers from the Trenchards.]]
* PerpetualFrowner: Always has a scowl on, as befitting a professional British butler.
* TheScapegoat: [[spoiler:Ellis throws him under the bus to prevent herself from receiving a larger share of the blame, saying he made the copies and had Ellis bring them to John Bellasis, while she actually suggested he make the copies.]]
* SpottingTheThread: Outside of the Trenchards and Lady Brockenhurst, Turton is the first to figure out that Charles Pope and the Reverend Pope are not related because the latter writes about Charles not as a father, but as if he were an employee filling out a report.
* TheStoic: Has a cold, professional demeanor, even while engaging in illegal work. When Ellis is [[spoiler:unable to find the papers Turton copied, he reacts with little more than an apology and that he isn't sorry for John Bellasis' downfall.]]

[[folder:Ellis]]
!!Mary Ellis
!!!Played By: Creator/SaskiaReeves

Personal maid to Anne Trenchard, Ellis is the longest-serving current member of the Trenchards' household.

* AllThereInTheManual: Her given name is Mary in the novel.
* CountryMouse: She actually likes staying at Glanville, the Trenchards' country house, because she gets to boast about all the new fashions and gossip.
* GetOut: [[spoiler:The Trenchards fire her after learning she assisted Turton's treachery.]]
%%* {{Maid}}: A lady's maid to Mrs. Trenchard.
* TheMole: [[spoiler:Reports on her employers to Mr. Bellasis.]]
* NeverLearnedToRead: Or Never Learned to Write; what she can write is illegible, which is why [[spoiler:she has Turton make the copies of Jane Croft's papers.]]
* OhCrap: Has a few moments of this in the second half when [[spoiler:she can't get to the original documents held by Jane Croft]] and when [[spoiler:she sees her employers holding the copies made by Turton.]]
* OldRetainer: Ellis has served the Trenchards for more than 30 years and the only member of the household who served them before Waterloo.
* OnlyOneName: Only referred to as Ellis. The book gives her the name Mary but it isn't mentioned in the miniseries.
* TheResenter: Ellis admits to Speer that she doesn't like working as a maid, but does it because she'd prefer doing this to other work like being a nurse in a blood-soaked, disease-ridden hospital.

[[folder:Speer]]
!!Speer
!!!Played By: Creator/BronaghGallagher

A maid for the Trenchards who serves as Susan Trenchard's lady's maid.

* AdaptationExpansion: The miniseries gives Speer several more scenes of interacting with other characters, such as discussing life choices with Ellis, shadowing Susan to her public meeting with John Bellasis (and good-naturedly calling Susan a card to her face), and creating an alibi to conceal Susan's affair with John.
* AdaptationalNationality: The book is vague on Speer's background but the miniseries mentions she hails from Ireland, Belfast specifically.
* CityMouse: Susan mentions she hails from Belfast and prefers city life to living in the country.
%%* DeadpanSnarker
* HypercompetentSidekick: Whenever Susan meets with John Bellasis, Speer has a lie cooked up as an alibi. And by the end she's made herself indispensable to Susan.
%%* {{Maid}}
* NeverBareheaded: Speer is always seen wearing either a maid's cap or a bonnet.
* OnlyOneName: Only ever referred to as Speer at any point; unlike Turton and Ellis, she doesn't get a first name.
* SecretKeeper: Speer is the main person who knows about Susan's affair with John Bellasis and his bribing of [[spoiler:Turton and Ellis]]. And she's also aware of Turton's BlackMarketProduce dealings.
-->'''Speer''': I'm a servant [Mr. Bellasis]. We don't tell anything they don't need to know.
* SocialClimber: Downplayed. Speer wants to rise, but is content to do so on Susan's coattails.

[[folder:Croft]]
!!Jane Croft
!!!Played By: Creator/RebeccaCallard

Sophia Trenchard's maid in 1815, left the Trenchards for another household after Sophia's death.

* ChekhovsGunman: First appears in the first chapter and is mentioned a couple times during the main story before showing up again when Ellis wrote to her about Charles Pope.
* TheConfidant: [[spoiler:Sophia exchanged letters to Jane until her death. She's also one to Ellis, as her letter about Charles is what summons her to London to give the papers to Anne.]]
* DestroyTheEvidence: Subverted. Sophia ordered Jane to burn the papers about her secret marriage to Viscount Bellasis, but Jane couldn't, feeling they weren't hers to destroy.
* MamasBabyPapasMaybe: In the book Jane is one of the people John wonders is Charles' mother.
* PutOnABus: Left for another household after Sophia died. When she returns to the main story it's mentioned that she'll be boarding a ship for America, never to return to Britain.
* RankUp: It's mentioned that Jane rose to become housekeeper of an estate in Kent.
* SecretKeeper: [[spoiler:Jane was the only person aside from Mr. and Mrs. Trenchard (and Lady Brockenhurst) who knew of Charles Pope's true parentage, though she, like the Trenchards, believed the marriage to be a lie.]]
* TragicKeepsake: Jane has a number of letters from Sophia and documents about [[spoiler:Sophia's marriage to Edmund.]] When she hands them over to Anne, Jane mentions she kept one of the letters for herself to remember her by.

* GrandeDame: A more melancholy version due to the loss of her son.

* SecretKeeper: [[spoiler:Jane was the only person aside from Mr. and Mrs. Trenchard (and Lady Brockenhurst) who knew of Charles Pope's true parentage.]]

* UnexpectedSuccessor: [[spoiler:A young businessman who becomes the heir to a grand estate.]]

* AdaptationalJerkass: In the miniseries it's implied that Lady Templemore never really warms up to Charles being her son in law.

%%*AbusiveParents: A lot of Frederick's negative traits can be traced back to Oliver's neglect, resenting him as John Bellasis' child.

* BastardAngst: A lot of his problems can be traced back to Oliver resenting him as another man's child and telling him he's a bad soul and unlovable. Poor Frederick didn't even know he was the result of an affair, and as an adult he still has no idea why his father hated him.
* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: With Charles Pope (who is his first cousin legally and his second cousin biologically). While Charles knew he was adopted but not who his birth parents were, the Popes accepted him as their child and were reasonable parents, Frederick is filled with self-loathing because Oliver never accepted him as his son, and Frederick had no idea why.

* TheExile: [[spoiler:After his failed attempt to kill Charles Pope, John flees to the continent and will likely be on the run for the rest of his life. In fact he's being paid to stay out of Great Britain or the money he's being given to live on will stop coming.]]

* PhraseCatcher: The narration twice refers to him as an "interloper who threatens to overturn the cart", referring to his status as a SpannerInTheWorks.

* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: With Charles Pope (who is his first cousin legally and his second cousin biologically). While Charles knew he was adopted but not who his birth parents were, the Popes accepted him as their child and were reasonable parents, while Frederick is filled with self-loathing because Oliver never accepted him as his son, and Frederick had no idea why.

Oliver and Susan's younger son, a vicar.

!!Susan Trenchard, nee Miller

Oliver and Susan's elder "son" and the owner of Glanville in the sequel series.

* BastardAngst: A lot of his problems can be traced back to Oliver resenting him as another man's child.
* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: With Charles Pope. While Charles knew he was adopted but not his birth parents, the Popes accepted him as their child and were reasonable parents, while Frederick is filled with self-loathing because Oliver never accepted him as his son.