Anne Cartwright

• Anne
• Lady Anne

Background

Anne belonged to one of the rising industrial families of the 18th Century. Even as a child she showed a great talent for painting and sculpture. Unknown to Anne, her youthful work caught the attention of the Vicomte Eduard Mourin de St-Simeon, a Toreador who had recently arrived in Leeds. Keen that her talents should not be stifled by marriage, he arranged for her to be engaged to a retainer of his, Neville Harnsworth. Throughout her life, he ensured that she had the best of everything she needed for her art, paying for trips to Italy so she could study with the finest teachers.

Although women artists were still frowned upon, Anne had great success. Like the Brontes, she presented her work as a man's, showing her paintings under her husband's name. Her husband always appeared delighted an Anne's success and had seemed only too pleased to finance her early work. Naturally, Anne never thought to question where Neville's contacts in the art world came from. St-Simon was determined not to spoil his find by bringing her into direct contact with Vampires. Had Anne lived to old age, she might have died without ever knowing of her benefactor.

On Anne's 42nd birthday, she learned that Neville was to have a small exhibition of 'his' works in one of the most exclusive London galleries. She attended the opening but had to leave early because of a troublesome cough which she had been unable to shake off since the winter. Her health worsened and a few months later, the doctors diagnosed consumption. Anne's husband lavished on her all the care she had come to expect, buying the services of the finest London physicians and trying every 'cure'. However, it was clear to Anne that she had only a very little time left. She spent every moment painting, trying to finish the many works she had begun but now realised she would never complete.

Then, one evening in 1840, Neville came to her room to ask if she felt well enough to receive a visitor. She did not, but to please him she agreed. To her surprise, it was someone she had never met before, a Frenchman who introduced himself as St-Simeon. Weak with illness, Anne was overwhelmed by his presence and could scarcely listen to his words. He had come, he said, much against his own will, to offer her a last chance of existance. Although he feared that what he was about to do might destroy her genius, he could not allow such a light to fade from the world.

For many years, it seemed that St-Simeon's fears about damaging Anne's creativity would be justified. She was fascinated by the developments in the arts but did nothing herself. She travelled around Europe, bringing back to her Sire examples of the latest styles and fashions. Although he tried to appear interested, Anne felt that St-Simeon was too locked in the past. Anne sometimes found herself resenting the manipulation and influence he had exerted on her mortal life. Whether this showed in her attitude she did not know but she found her Sire becoming more and more distant. She returned in after one trip in 1902 to discover that St-Simeon had sold the house where they had their joint Haven and moved to live with his Sire, the Marquise Marie d'Anceny.

After this, they grew even further appart. Anne became increasingly absorbed in the new art forms, especially cinema, which her Sire sneered at as "magic lantern shows for the peasants". As the new century began, Anne began to work at her own films, becoming more involved in her own creations. In 1923, Anne showed some of her new work to her Sire, hoping to awaken some interest in him. However, St-Simeon was still hurt by Anne's 'rejection' of him and disparaged her new work, both to her face and to the other Toreador in Leeds.

Anne decided to move to Bradford to escape her Sire's influence. Since her Embrace, Neville Harnsworth had remained as St-Simeon's ghoul. However, when Anne left Leeds for good, Neville announced to St-Simeon that he intended to go with her, if Anne would permit it. Livid at this further 'treachery', St-Simeon locked Neville in the cellar of his Leeds house and stopped feeding him Blood. Neville would probably have died there had he not, in his desparation, spent his last Blood in tearing the bars from the cellar window and escaping. He found Anne only just in time for her to save his life. Although Anne does not like the idea of ghouls, she has fed him since them because otherwise he will die.

Although Anne bore her Sire surprisingly little ill-will, the usual gossip and scandle-mongering of Toreador politics painted them as deadly enemies. Gradually, truth has moulded itself to rumour, especially as the younger more radical Toreador have gravitated to Bradford. Despite her relatively 'youth' in Kindred years, Anne has come to be regarded as an Elder, much to her own surprise.

Anne has always kept up to date with the latest in mortal art and culture. Currently, she is involved in developing the Bradford Festival into one of the greatest Carnivals of Europe. However, she has not entirely abandoned her Sire's ideas. She values the independance of the mortal artists she comes into contact with and tries not to interfere with their creativity.

Clan

Image

Anne's dress style is very individual and varied but always includes something Victorian; a blouse, skirt, shawl or even just a cameo brooch. She dresses rather 'young' for her apparant age, because she interacts mostly with younger people and is influenced by them.

Influence

Secrets

Habitat

Ultimate Goal

Immediate Goal

Resources