Lady Allendale

Lady Allendale is introduced to Temeraire. (c) Anke Eissmann

## Family

* Husband: Lord Allendale
* Sons: George Laurence, William Laurence

Lady Allendale is Laurence's mother and she is far closer to him than her husband, Lord Allendale. She often frets about her youngest son, because of his chosen professions and that he left home at such an early age. She finds a kindred spirit in Temeraire, who also cares deeply for her youngest son. She is amused that Temeraire has been able to get Laurence interested in reading books, something she herself had no success achieving.

After Laurence's quarrel with his father, Lady Allendale continues to write to him even though she is unable to get the letters "franked" by her husband. (As a lord, Lord Allendale has the privilege of sending mail for free if it is marked with his seal.) Laurence thus has to pay the postage himself in order to receive the letters. After some time, Lord Allendale relents on this point.

### 1807 - 1808

from *Victory of Eagles*

As the Aerial Corps is retreating from Napoleon's invasion a group of them stop overnight at Wollaton Hall to rest and let the Dragon's eat the dear from the forest. Lady Allendale comes down to greet them, bringing food and drinks and inquiring if there is anything else that is needed. It is where she meets Emily and Jane Roland and discovers that Admiral Roland is female as well as a number of other Aerial Corps members.

When Admiral Roland meets Lady Allendale, she was struck by her ladyship's reserved sense of noblesse oblige, a trait that Laurence shares with his mother. For example, when Temeraire offered to take Laurence's family to safety in Scotland, Lady Allendale gently explains to him that it is their duty to stay with their tenants and servants.

Like her husband, Lady Allendale is initially under the impression that Emily Roland is Laurence's illegitimate child. She sends Emily a gift, a necklace of garnets set in gold. Emily's mother, Admiral Roland, found this situation highly amusing. However, once Lady Allendale meets Admiral Roland and learns she is Emily's mother and that they are both in the Aerial Corps, it can be assumed that her ladyship figures out that Laurence is not the father. Emily's birth obviously pre-dates Laurence's meeting Jane Roland by some years.

Lady Allendale inquires with the Corps after anyone who was Laurence's servant, after he was arrested for treason. She finds a place for Gong Su, Temeraire's chef, at Wollaton Hall, and keeps Laurence's things--including the impressive sword Temeraire had chosen for him among Lung Tien Qian's possessions for a gift.

In 1807, Laurence notes that she looks older than she had when he had last seen her. Her hair had gone completely gray. It can be assumed this is due to her son's imprisonment and her husband's illness, which George Laurence implied was caused by Laurence's treason.

After it is announced that "J. Roland" had been made a Peer of the Realm, Lady Allendale invits Jane to dinner with "every Cabinet Minister she could contrive to lay hands on," according to Jane. The ministers and their wives were all shocked to find that Roland is a woman, but they could not say anything under Lady Allendale's watchful eye. Eventually, the ladies warm to Jane, and the dinner is called a success.

Lady Allendale assists Jane once she becomes a peer, in how to go on in society and how to outfit her London house as well as recommending servants.