Venetia

Venetia is the main character of this novel. She is a woman whose virtue is questioned only by a few. Those few question her because of who her mother is, although she doesn't learn about this for a long time. When Venetia's mother leaves her father, he leaves Venetia to live at Undershaw in seclusion, with only a handful of people allowed in. She has taken care of herself, Aubrey, and the estate for years. She feels no emotional connections to any of her family except Aubrey, who she has taken care of for a long time. When her father dies, she remains at Undershaw and cares for it for her brother Conway.

Venetia is a respectable woman, but cares nothing for what society thinks. This trait causes Damerel to love her, but causes others to think ill of her. The fact that she always says what she...