Character profiles: Inflexibility vs outmanoeuvring

Continuing the series of posts introducing new readers to some of the key characters in A Motif of Seasons, here is the third pairing. Count Joseph von Deppe and his wife Countess Beatrice offer a perfect juxtaposition of Prussian-style inflexibility against a woman’s determined and clever outmanoeuvring.

Count Joseph von Deppe

He is head of the von Deppe family and a senior official and counsellor in the Prussian (later German) Parliament. Though warm and approachable, he is overly principled, stiff in attitude and a strong advocate of German nationalism.

Countess Beatrice von Deppe

Joseph’s wife Beatrice is softly spoken. Yet behind her gentle exterior is a determined and strong believer in fairness and honour. She is a worthy opponent of her husband’s frequent inflexibility and a persuasive exponent of pursuit of the future rather than stuffy adherence to outmoded traditions and outdated attitudes.

Does this relationship sound familiar to you?

A Motif of Seasons is published in paperback and ebook edition on 18 November 2016. You can pre-order the book here.