Maude Leighton

Maude Leighton, a character in The Unexpected Heiress series, is Your Character's and Amelia's aunt. Although she is first mentioned in Chapter 3, she makes her first appearance in Chapter 6.

Appearance
Aunt Maude has brown eyes, short wavy brown hair cut in a bobbed style, and tan skin. She wears a green dress with a peacock printed on the front under a transparent green coat with pearl trim and darker green roses on the sleeves, a green hat with peacock feathers, emerald earrings, and an emerald and beaded necklace.

Personality
You consider Maude to be rather eccentric. She can also be charming, and is "somewhat notorious for the number of lovers she's taken." She doesn't plan on settling down anytime soon, and you also mention she has a "nose" for scandal.

The Unexpected Heiress

 * Chapter 3: Lay of the Land (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 6: A Sordid Affair
 * Chapter 9: The Cause
 * Chapter 10: Power Play
 * Chapter 11: Upper Echelon
 * Chapter 15: Reckoning (Determinant)
 * Chapter 16: The Bride

Delia Hayes
Delia is her younger sister. While Delia has always been more concerned with appearances and propriety, Maude cares more about having a good time and enjoying what the world has to offer. This naturally irritates Delia.

Amelia Hayes
While Amelia lived at Windcroft, she borrowed a large amount of money from Maude. In Chapter 6, when Aunt Maude calls you and you ask her about Amelia, she says that she thought Amelia was meeting up with Francis at the parties in London so she felt she didn't need to chaperone her. She assumes the money that Amelia borrowed was for a romantic trip with a very special someone, and she didn't pry.

Francis tells her that Amelia spoke fondly of her, which surprises Maude a little. She thought Amelia thought she was too frivolous. While Amelia stayed with her, Maude thinks a few of Amelia's society friends became impatient with the latter because she stopped spending time with them and instead went to do charitable work.

Your Character
In Chapter 3, your stepmother Delia calls you from New York and tells you about the loan Amelia took with Maude. While your stepmother convinces your father to repay the loan, Delia asks that you buy your aunt a gift to soothe her worries. According to Delia, Maude has a soft spot for you and that she is looking forward to hosting you in London where she lives.

In Chapter 6, you, Effie, and Gemma go to London. When you arrive at Aunt Maude's townhouse, she isn't there. Later, she calls you. She tells you that she is wrapped in a love story of her own with her dear Raphael and can hardly be expected to stay at home. Since this is typical behavior for Maude, you believe that she wouldn't have discouraged Amelia from having an affair of her own.

In Chapter 9, when she takes you dress shopping, she mentions that you remind her of herself. She says you have a glow about you and mischievous gleam in your eyes, and you look like you are in your element in England. She believes you will thrive there. Later at dinner, she mentions that she thinks of you like a daughter, especially as she never intends to have children of her own.

Trivia

 * Her character model resembles Madame Laurent from Desire & Decorum, Book 3.
 * In Chapter 9, she mentions that she is romantically involved with a female violinist, making her LGBT.