john William Bertram Armstrong grey
John Grey
Full name: Lord John William Bertram Armstrong Grey
Also known as: William, Bertram Armstrong, Wee Goldie (V, chapter 11)
Born: ca June 1729
Parents: Gerard and Benedicta Grey, the Duke and Duchess of Pardloe
Sibling: Hal, Lord Melton & Duke of Pardloe
Half Siblings: Paul and Edgar DeVane
Wife: Isobel Dunsany
Adopted Child: William Ransom
Occupation: Soldier, Spy, Plantation owner, Governor of Jamaica
Physical Characteristics: John has a small fine-boned face with big long-lashed eyes. He has fair hair (DIA, chapter 36) He is an inch or two shorter than average (V, chapter 8)
Lord John Grey is a member of the extremely honourable and extremely likeable Grey family, whose informal motto is 'a Grey never forgets an obligation'. John is a homosexual which was not only considered a sin in 18th century England, but was also a capital offence. Because of this John is forced to live a large part of his life in secrecy and at times fear. From very inauspicious beginnings, John and Jamie develop a significant friendship which is tested on many occasions and is bittersweet for John who falls in love with Jamie. John becomes the step father to Jamie's biological son, William. John always carries a small monogrammed penknife (V, chapter 10)
Significant Moments:
1745:
At the age of sixteen John is travelling with his brother Hal's regiment. While alone, he chances upon Jamie and Claire. Recognising Jamie from broadsheets naming him as an outlaw, and hearing Claire's English accent, John leaps to the wrong conclusion. He assumes that Claire is being held hostage by Jamie and in an act of gallant bravery, John attacks Jamie from behind and tries to cut his throat. Jamie hears him and wrestles him into submission, breaking his arm in the process (DIA, chapter 36)
Jamie questions John but John refuses to talk. Jamie threatens him with a heated knife but he still refuses to talk. Then Jamie rips Claire's bodice, exposing her breasts, and tells John that if he doesn't talk, Claire will be raped. John agrees to talk on the condition that Claire is released (DIA, chapter 36)
John tells Jamie that his name is William Grey and that he is with a troop of 200 men marching to join General Cope's army and they have cannon and mortar with them. After giving up this information Jamie says he must kill him as he is a spy and he asks John if he'd like the bullet in the head or the heart. John chooses the heart. When John demands to know whether Claire will be safe after his death, Jamie reveals his deception and that Claire is actually his wife. Claire pleads for Jamie not to kill John. Jamie orders his men to take John in the direction he has said his camp lies. If he is telling the truth they are to tie him to a tree where he will be found in the morning, if he is lying they are to shoot him. Jamie tells John - "I give you your life, I hope ye'll use it well". John tells Jamie that he regards this as a debt of honour and once it is discharged he will kill him (DIA, chapter 36)
John is a pariah in the regiment after this and the only people who will still speak to him are his brother Hal and his lover Hector (V, chapter 8)
1746:
John's first love, Hector, is killed at Culloden (V, chapter 8) Hal makes John go and look at Hector's body so that he would know he was really dead and would be able to grieve, heal and forget but John knows he will never forget Hector (V, chapter 11)
1746-17??
John is posted to Italy and France and takes no part in the Duke of Cumberland's subjugation of the Highlands (V, chapter 10)
Full name: Lord John William Bertram Armstrong Grey
Also known as: William, Bertram Armstrong, Wee Goldie (V, chapter 11)
Born: ca June 1729
Parents: Gerard and Benedicta Grey, the Duke and Duchess of Pardloe
Sibling: Hal, Lord Melton & Duke of Pardloe
Half Siblings: Paul and Edgar DeVane
Wife: Isobel Dunsany
Adopted Child: William Ransom
Occupation: Soldier, Spy, Plantation owner, Governor of Jamaica
Physical Characteristics: John has a small fine-boned face with big long-lashed eyes. He has fair hair (DIA, chapter 36) He is an inch or two shorter than average (V, chapter 8)
Lord John Grey is a member of the extremely honourable and extremely likeable Grey family, whose informal motto is 'a Grey never forgets an obligation'. John is a homosexual which was not only considered a sin in 18th century England, but was also a capital offence. Because of this John is forced to live a large part of his life in secrecy and at times fear. From very inauspicious beginnings, John and Jamie develop a significant friendship which is tested on many occasions and is bittersweet for John who falls in love with Jamie. John becomes the step father to Jamie's biological son, William. John always carries a small monogrammed penknife (V, chapter 10)
Significant Moments:
1745:
At the age of sixteen John is travelling with his brother Hal's regiment. While alone, he chances upon Jamie and Claire. Recognising Jamie from broadsheets naming him as an outlaw, and hearing Claire's English accent, John leaps to the wrong conclusion. He assumes that Claire is being held hostage by Jamie and in an act of gallant bravery, John attacks Jamie from behind and tries to cut his throat. Jamie hears him and wrestles him into submission, breaking his arm in the process (DIA, chapter 36)
Jamie questions John but John refuses to talk. Jamie threatens him with a heated knife but he still refuses to talk. Then Jamie rips Claire's bodice, exposing her breasts, and tells John that if he doesn't talk, Claire will be raped. John agrees to talk on the condition that Claire is released (DIA, chapter 36)
John tells Jamie that his name is William Grey and that he is with a troop of 200 men marching to join General Cope's army and they have cannon and mortar with them. After giving up this information Jamie says he must kill him as he is a spy and he asks John if he'd like the bullet in the head or the heart. John chooses the heart. When John demands to know whether Claire will be safe after his death, Jamie reveals his deception and that Claire is actually his wife. Claire pleads for Jamie not to kill John. Jamie orders his men to take John in the direction he has said his camp lies. If he is telling the truth they are to tie him to a tree where he will be found in the morning, if he is lying they are to shoot him. Jamie tells John - "I give you your life, I hope ye'll use it well". John tells Jamie that he regards this as a debt of honour and once it is discharged he will kill him (DIA, chapter 36)
John is a pariah in the regiment after this and the only people who will still speak to him are his brother Hal and his lover Hector (V, chapter 8)
1746:
John's first love, Hector, is killed at Culloden (V, chapter 8) Hal makes John go and look at Hector's body so that he would know he was really dead and would be able to grieve, heal and forget but John knows he will never forget Hector (V, chapter 11)
1746-17??
John is posted to Italy and France and takes no part in the Duke of Cumberland's subjugation of the Highlands (V, chapter 10)