Fanny by Gaslight

A young girl whose life is shaped by shifting identities: Hopwood’s daughter, introduced as Mrs Heaviside’s niece under the name Fanny Hooper, then a ward of the Seymores. She navigates social expectations and the burden of secrets, ultimately caught between love, loyalty, and her own sense of truth.

A nobleman whose involvement with Mrs Seymore and his recognition of Fanny as Hopwood’s daughter drive the central conflict. He embodies aristocratic power and the temptation to use influence to control reputations and futures.

Fanny’s father, owner of the Hopwood Shades club and a man whose life becomes the focal point of scandal after his death. His secrets about the business and his role in Fanny’s life reveal the hidden economy behind respectability.

The husband of Mrs Seymore and the man who claims to be Fanny’s father’s ally. His suicide underscores the heavy cost of reputational damage and the intertwining of family ties with social standing.

Fanny’s mother figure who embodies the tension between loyalty to family and the alienating consequences of a life built on secrecy. She witnesses the unfolding of Fanny’s revelation and fate.

A young friend of Fanny’s father who crosses paths with Fanny during the country holiday and in household affairs. He represents a bridge between old friendships and new, complicated loyalties.

A member of the Somerford circle who embodies the social expectations and constraints that influence romantic and familial decisions around Fanny.