Actress Maude Fealy, who heavily influenced Gail Carriger's image of Imogene.
Imogene Hale is a lowly parlourmaid with a soul-crushing secret. Seeking solace, she takes work at a local vampire hive.
Appearance
“A girl too delicate for common blood, even with the muscles of hard labor layered over her tall frame, skin too smooth and clear, hair too dark and glossy. Imogene’s slender beauty was all court lady and little country lass, adding to her aura of arrogance. She’d eyes too big not to be bold and a mouth too lush to hold its peace. Imogene was allure damped by poverty, but not snuffed out.” (Romancing the Inventor, Chapter One)
History
Imogene was born into a poor family. She knew very early on that she didn't have the normal interests for a proper young woman, so she sought employment at the nearby hive: Woolsey Castle.
In the Books
Romancing the Inventor
Imogene Hale takes a job at the local Woolsey Hive because she has a secret: she is attracted to women. She hopes the “perversion” of the vampires will help her with this little quirk. She gets hired on as a parlourmaid when she is asked to deliver tea to the drone: Lefoux. Immediately, there are sparks (literal and figurative). Genevieve takes Imogene on as an assistant after learning the maid had a mind for numbers. Imogene hopes that Madame Lefoux will help her explore her alternative desires, but the inventor keeps her at arm's length. With the meddling of Lady Alexia Maccon, Imogene is finally able to win over the reluctant Lefoux.
Links
Trivia
- Imogene is very good at mathematics without any formal training.
- Imogene’s official title in Madame Lefoux’s laboratory is: laboratory assistant (and chief finder of the elusive x).
Gallery
Quotes
- ”I’ve no artistic talent to speak of. No painting, nor pottery, nor pickling, nor what have you.” (Romancing the Inventor, Chapter One)
- “Let her mother think her haughty. Let the men of the village think her rejections stemmed from arrogance. It was so much safer that way. “ (Romancing the Inventor, Chapter One)
- “She’d no desire to live longer than one lifetime; her current one was confusing enough.” (Romancing the Inventor, Chapter Three)
- “Dear Genevieve,' she would say, 'I love that you are full of finer feelings and insist upon protecting me from myself, but if you do not rodger me this instant, I may perish away for the lack.“
- "Although, did two ladies together call it rodgering? Or was there a proper, more feminine word? Gertruding, perhaps?” (Romancing the Inventor, Chapter Six)
- “When I do decide to talk, it inevitably gets me into trouble.” (Romancing the Inventor, Chapter Four)
- “Imogene had grown to like poetry, now that she understood more of the words.” (Romancing the Inventor, Chapter Nine)