Character guide

Julie Le Breton

major

Also known as Julie, Mademoiselle Julie, Mademoiselle Le Breton, Miss Le Breton, Dear Julie, Julie Dalrymple

The novel's protagonist, a brilliant and enigmatic woman whose past and ambitions drive the central plot.

Sir Wilfrid Bury

major

Also known as Wilfrid, Bury, Freddie

A prominent politician and Julie's father, whose career and reputation are deeply affected by her actions.

Jacob Delafield

major

Also known as Delafield, Mr. Delafield, Mr. Jacob

A wealthy, influential man who becomes entangled with Julie and the Delafield family's affairs.

Captain Warkworth

major

Also known as Warkworth, Harry, Harry Warkworth, Major Warkworth, Young Warkworth

A military officer and a central figure in the romantic and social intrigues of the novel.

Lady Henry Delafield

supporting

Also known as Lady Henry, Henry Delafield, Poor Lady Henry

A society matron whose life is intertwined with the Delafield family and Julie's schemes.

Lord Lackington

supporting

Also known as old Lord Lackington, Lackington

An elderly nobleman and political figure, often a voice of wisdom and tradition.

Mr. Montresor

supporting

Also known as Montresor

Montresor belongs to the older generation of political and social insiders who gather around Sir Wilfrid Bury, and his grief over his son's death in the relief of Lucknow gives him a gravity the others lack. He is a confidant rather than a combatant in the novel's quarrels, listening while Meredith and Sir Wilfrid spar over Julie Le Breton's fate. His presence anchors the early drawing-room debates in a sober awareness that reputations, like sons, can be lost beyond recovery.

Lady Blanche Moffatt

supporting

Also known as Lady Blanche, Blanche, Blanche Moffatt

Lady Blanche moves through the novel's fashionable world as a woman of rank and careless cruelty, especially toward servants and dependants, a trait that both fascinates and repels Captain Warkworth. Her gossip about Simla and her friendship with the watchful Miss Lawrence shadow Warkworth's reputation and complicate his standing with Julie. She matters because the damage she casually inflicts keeps the question of his past alive just when he most needs it buried.

Aileen Moffatt

supporting

Also known as little Aileen, Aileen, Moffatt

Aileen belongs to the wealthy Moffatt family, and her money is the quiet engine behind Warkworth's calculations even as her guardians watch him with suspicion. She knows nothing of the world and loves him with a child-angel's simplicity, which makes her both pitiable and useful to a man weighing affection against fortune. Her existence forces Julie to confront what Warkworth is really choosing, and her innocence sharpens the moral stakes of the novel's central triangle.

Dr. Meredith

supporting

Also known as Meredith

Meredith is a self-made man of mysterious origins whose mastery of German and Russian and whose rumored Jewish descent set him apart from the aristocratic circle he moves in. He has promised Julie four hundred pounds a year for her writing, and he defends her against Lady Henry's claims with a passion that surprises Sir Wilfrid. His fierce, almost personal investment in Julie's cause gives the early quarrel its moral heat and hints at depths the drawing-room cannot account for.

Evelyn Crowborough

supporting

Also known as Crowborough, Evelyn, Evelina

The Duchess moves between the Duke's exasperated pragmatism and her own impulsive generosity, arranging the little Heribert Street house and defending Julie against every charge Lady Henry can raise. Her manners shift so unpredictably that Warkworth cannot tell whether she likes or dislikes him, and he suspects she ruffles her feathers purely for Julie's sake. Her willingness to spend her husband's property and her social capital on a woman the family disapproves of makes her the novel's most effective early advocate for Julie's independence.

Lord Uredale

minor

Also known as Uredale

A nobleman and political figure, part of the broader social and political landscape.

Duke of Chudleigh

minor

Also known as Chudleigh, The Duke, Duke

A high-ranking nobleman, part of the social elite.

Duchess of Chudleigh

minor

Also known as Duchess, Chudleigh

The wife of the Duke of Chudleigh, a society hostess.

Cousin Mary Leicester

minor

Also known as Mary, Cousin Mary, Lady Mary Leicester, Lady Mary

A relative of the Delafields, a quiet presence in the family circle.

Mrs. Warkworth

minor

The mother of Captain Warkworth, concerned with her son's future.

Hutton

minor

A servant or associate in the households of the main characters.

Susan Delafield

minor

Also known as Susan

A member of the Delafield family, possibly a relative of Jacob.

Madame Bornier

minor

Also known as Madame, Bornier

A French woman, possibly connected to Julie's past in France.

Thérèse

minor

Also known as Presently Thérèse

A servant or companion, likely in Julie's household.

Colonel Delaney

minor

Also known as Delaney

A military officer, possibly connected to Lady Rose Delaney.

Marriott Dalrymple

minor

Also known as Dalrymple

A character whose name is linked to Julie's later identity.

Lady Rose Chantrey

minor

Also known as Lady Rose

A woman from the past, possibly connected to the Chantrey family.

Miss Lawrence

minor

Also known as Emily, Emily Lawrence, Miss Emily Lawrence

A young woman in the social circle, possibly a friend or rival.

Lady Rose Delaney

minor

Also known as Rose, Rose Delaney

A woman connected to Colonel Delaney, possibly a widow.

Lady Hubert

minor

A society matron, part of the aristocratic circle.

General Fergus

minor

Also known as the General

A military general, possibly a friend of the family.

Aunt Flora

minor

Also known as Flora, Florence

An older relative, possibly of Julie or another character.

Poor Lady Rose

minor

Also known as Lady Rose, Rose

A tragic figure, possibly a different Lady Rose from the Chantrey one.

Mrs. Delafield

minor

A married woman from the Delafield family.

The Delafields

minor

Also known as Delafields, Hubert Delafields, The Hubert Delafields

The collective Delafield family, often referred to as a group.

Léonie

minor

A French character, possibly a friend or servant of Julie.

Bill Chantrey

minor

Also known as Bill, The Chantrey

A member of the Chantrey family, possibly a brother.

Hubert Delafield

minor

A member of the Delafield family, possibly a relative of Jacob.

Duke of Crowborough

minor

Also known as Duke

A nobleman, head of the Crowborough family.

Mrs. Montresor

minor

The wife of Mr. Montresor, part of the social circle.

Dixon

minor

A servant in one of the main households.

Dick Mason

minor

A minor character, possibly a friend or acquaintance.

General M’Gill

minor

Also known as The General

A military general, possibly a friend of the family.

M. du Bartas

minor

Also known as Bartas

A French gentleman, possibly connected to Julie's past.

Don Enrico Tazzoli

minor

Also known as Don Enrico

An Italian character, possibly a political or religious figure.

The Buncombes

minor

Also known as Buncombes

A family mentioned in the social circle.

Mervyn

minor

A minor character, possibly a friend or relative.

George Chantrey

minor

Also known as Uncle George Chantrey

An older member of the Chantrey family.

Miss Moffatt

minor

A young woman from the Moffatt family.

Lady Froswick

minor

A society matron, part of the aristocratic circle.

Cecil Ray

minor

A minor character, possibly a young man in society.

Sir John Moffatt

minor

Also known as John

The head of the Moffatt family, a baronet.

Clarisse

minor

A French character, possibly a servant or friend of Julie.

Lord Elmira

minor

Also known as young Lord Elmira, Elmira

A young nobleman, part of the social scene.

Greswell

minor

A minor character, possibly a servant or acquaintance.