People/Characters Mr. Belfield

(Fictitious character) Mr. Belfield's family was in trade, and his father made a very good living. His mother, who doted on him, persuaded her husband to allow young Belfield a gentleman's education, and to support him when he was unable to find a vocation that he liked. Young Belfield had made a lot of friends among the fashionable, but there was no income in that.

When his father died, he had no idea how to run the business that he inherited, and was cheated by the manager he hired. Fortunately, all of his sisters had married with good dowries, except for the youngest, Henrietta. She lived with her mother, who had an adequate income. Belfield kept up the pretense of a gentleman's lifestyle with hiw mother's help. He met Cecilia at Mr. Moncton's house. After his duel with Sir Robert Floyer, Belfield put it about that he had a slight injury, but in fact, he was seriously wounded. He pretended to leave town, but moved to poorer quarters, lodging with Mr. Hobson where his mother and sister came to nurse him. Mortimer Delville and Cecilia separately came to offer aid.