Nanny Elspeth is a nanny at Helwater for the Dunsany family.
Personal History[]
Nanny Elspeth was previously nanny to Geneva and Isobel Dunsany, and possibly to their elder brother Gordon Dunsany. After Geneva's son William's birth, she took over as his primary nanny at Helwater.
Lord John Series[]
Brotherhood of the Blade[]
She had moved with Geneva to Ellesmere when she married the Earl of Ellesmere. Months later, she is also present when her charge, Geneva, gives birth. The birth is bloody and Geneva dies hours later. After Geneva's death, she accompanied the now-orphaned William was brought to Helwater.[1]
She appears very protective of William, and is reluctant to let the Dunsanys' friend Lord John hold him as a newborn. As was typical at the time, she slept with William in the nursery.[2]
The Scottish Prisoner[]
Nanny Elspeth is principally responsible for William's care, and Jamie often sees her or the nursemaid taking him out to the balcony for air.
In April 1760, she accompanies Lord Dunsany and the two-and-a-half-year-old William on a visit to the stables. The visit appears to have been Lord Dunsany's suggestion, as she is visibly reluctant to bring William close to the stables.
When stable groom Jamie (who she knows as Mackenzie) greets Lord Dunsany without bowing, she allows her disapproval to show. However, when Jamie glares at her, she jumps back and blushes. She seems to be afraid of him.
With Lord Dunsany's prompting, she reluctantly allows Jamie to take William from her arms and place him on a horse. When William fidgets and seems to dislike being up so high, she immediately states that he's too young and offers to take him back to the nursery. However, William resists and instead she and Lord Dunsany watch as Jamie takes a delighted William to see each of the horses.[3]
She later comes down with the flu, and entrusts William's care to his younger nursemaid, Peggy.[4]
By late 1760, her young charge is spending much more time with Jamie, though it is unknown what Nanny Elspeth thinks of this.[5]
Personality[]
She appears to be very protective of William. As an adult William described her as fearless.[6]
Physical Appearance[]
Betty is an elderly woman, straight-backed and thin.[7]
Name[]
Trivia[]
References[]
- ↑ Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, chapter 6.
- ↑ Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, chapter 8.
- ↑ The Scottish Prisoner, chapter 5.
- ↑ The Scottish Prisoner, chapter 5.
- ↑ The Scottish Prisoner, chapter 43.
- ↑ An Echo in the Bone, chapter 36.
- ↑ An Echo in the Bone, chapter 36.