Beautiful People: Lord Blythe Halyard

This Beautiful People is going to be quite interesting because I'm doing it for the sole purpose of finding out about a very new character. Everyone, meet Lord Blythe Halyard--formerly Blythe Bunting of Tillburrow Topham. I know very little about this chap, only that he's not quite cut out for Society life. He thinks he is--oh certainly--but he's not. Deep deep down he's still Blythe Bunting who frequents the Plow & Onion and likes a cozy evening by the fire. Lord Blythe Halyard is young yet--only in his early twenties, and he is delightfully dotty. I know we'll all come to love him by and by.

He looks something like this, only with longer, wavy hair.

1. What is his favorite type of shoe? Shiny riding boots. His never get much of a work-out so they are always shiny, as Blythe is not much of a horseman...yet. He demands that--shinyness, that is. :)

2. Does he journal? Goodness no. At least, not properly. He likes to keep a running tab on people and events in his mind, but it never makes it down on paper. His handwriting isn't good enough.

3. What is his favorite animal? Fried, stewed, boiled, or basted? Christmas Ham, I'll warrant, or else a nice hot pheasant.


4. What does his average day look like? Get up, dither about finding something for the valet to do--anything, only so he'll stop staring at you like that. Take walking cane and amble about the large country-house of your friend. Take the guns out and Shoot. At what? Anything--you're not a very good shot, you know. Eat luncheon. Take a nap or another amble. Linger around the stables discussing horses--a topic you know nothing about. Go in to tea. Try to make small-talk with the ladies. Go into supper. Smoke afterward. Listen to the ladies air their musical accomplishments. Play cards. Go to bed. Repeat.

5. Night Owl or Morning Person? Night owl, I'd say. Lord Blythe Halyard is up for any sort of a reckless night-scheme. He likes the dark--feels less like people are studying him.

6. Does he have a sweet tooth? Mercy, yes. He's very fond of tarts and biscuits and muffins and puddings and everything else. Thank heaven he burns it all off with all the ambling and shooting and what-not.

7. What colours are his bedroom? Honestly? He'd never noticed, though he'd place his tuppence on a burgundy color if hard-pressed for an answer. But then again, Lord Blythe Halyard is always on the move from one country-place to the next so one can't blame him for not noticing the decor.

8. Can he cook? He's rather good at bangers-and-mash, and he can crisp up a nice rasher of bacon. He learned all this, baching it in the old days before the Benevolent One took him up, and he still likes to prowl about Tillburrow Grange at midnight when his housekeeper and all the maids are in bed.

9. What is his favorite household chore? Polishing his boots. There's something soothing about the smells of leather and shoe-polish and the methodical rubbing that stimulates his mind.

10. Favorite kind of tea? Anything so long as the sugar-bowl is at hand and it is a strong brew.

“Lord Harry Mopfloppham and Lady Harry Mopfloppham!” The sepulchral voice oodling down the length of the hall sent a shiver up Lord Halyard’s spine. He assumed the voice belonged to the butler, though goodness knows there was enough bone-and-grave-clothes about it to pass for that of a hobgoblin. And he’d always been of the mind that butlers were comfortable, porridge-y sorts.               -Third Time's the Charm