Marian Brook

Frances Montgomery (cousin-in-law)

**Marian Brook** is the orphaned niece of Agnes van Rhijn and Ada Forte who comes to live with her estranged aunts at East 61st Street following the death of her father. During her journey to New York, she befriends Peggy Scott at the train station. Through her paternal family, she descends from old money New York. She currently works as a watercolor teacher at Saint Mary's.

## Biography

### Early life

Marian was born the only child of General and Mrs. Henry Brook, around the year 1860. Whilst her father descended from prominent American families from Pennsylvania and New York, he tarnished his family reputation by spending his inheritance unwisely. According to her Aunt Agnes, Mrs. Henry Brook was from a lower social standing than that of Marian's father. Her mother passed away at some point in her youth.

### Season 1

#### Never The New

In 1882, Marian's father passes away. Upon legal consultation with Tom Raikes regarding her father's finances, she discovers that settling her father's funeral charges and outstanding accounts leaves her with only $30 to support herself. In addition, the lawyer informs her to her surprise that the house wherein she was staying was rented. This leads her to write to her estranged aunts, Agnes and Ada. Ada purchases her train tickets for New York and invites her niece to join them in New York. Agnes is more wary.

After selling her furniture, Marian leaves for the Doylestown train station, but while waiting for her train she has her purse stolen, along with her tickets and money. A distraught Marian is helped by Peggy Scott by purchasing her another train ticket. On arrival to New York, Marian is met with a rainstorm preventing Peggy from catching a ferry to Brooklyn. Marian asks her aunts if Peggy could stay the night with them.

## Personality

Marian is a kind, caring and friendly young woman. Despite coming from an old family of New York, this doesn't stop her and defies social boundaries. She is also a very pleasant and easy going person, capable of befriending almost anyone she meets regardless of their position or race, prove of this is her friendship with Peggy Scott, a woman of color. Her wish is to be able to feel needed by others, have a proper job and stay occupied every day, something she eventually managed to accomplish after becoming a teacher.

## Relationships

#### Peggy Scott

They met at the train station with course to New York. During a fight in the station, Marian lost the train ticket, seeing her having a hard time, Peggy helped her buying to Marian a ticket to travel together in third-class. Once they arrived to New York, Marian thanked Peggy and told her to give her the address of her home so she could pay her back. Later, Marian saw Peggy at the station in the middle of a storm and let her go together in a carriage to the place of Marian's aunts. There, Marian convinced Agnes to let Peggy stay for the night as a payment for helping her arrive. Afterwards, Marian and Peggy start to bond due to the fact both are women trying to do something with their lives and find in New York anything that can make them feel useful.

They begin to develop a friendship when Peggy acted as her accomplice to go to the soiré made by the Russell's. After this, the two become close friends, Marian has expressed to Peggy that she envies her because of her job as her aunt's secretary and writer, saying that she would love to have something loke that, being busy and needed outside of charity events. Marian also helps Peggy with some legal issues introducing her to Mr. Raikes. Peggy is often seen hanging out with Marian acting as her chapherone.

However, they have a fall out when Marian, unexpectedly, showed up at Peggy's home in Brooklyn and by accident makes Peggy's parents feel insulted when she brought a couple of old pair shoes, given that Marian thought they were poor, this makes Peggy feel furious and ashamed for her action, accusing Marian of not knowing her at all and telling that they were not friends, which saddens Marian.

Nonetheless, a few days later, they reconcile after Marian apologizes for what she did. Peggy tells her that it was only a fall out and nothing would change between them, since she knows Marian has a good heart and meant well with her actions, although she reminds Marian that her life is her own, nothing more. After this, their relatioship is restored and continue being close friends.

## Gallery

Marian with Frances Montgomery in In Terms of Winning and Losing.Marian with Dashiell Montgomery in Warning Shots.