Name: Elayne McArthur Hampton Gregory Nickname: Layne, Laynie Age: 27 Romantic Interest: Buck Wilmington Physical Characteristics: Tall, slim. Dark, curly hair. Blue green eyes. Sometimes wears glasses, for reading.
Family:
Parents: Father, deceased. Mother: Magda
Background:
Layne grew up in an aristocratic family in New Orleans. Her
childhood was indulgent and comfortable. Layne and her mother and sister
often attended balls and society dances and generally led the life of the
upper class.
When Layne's father died suddenly of tuberculosis when Layne was only 17,
the Lindsey women were surprised to learn they were virtually penniless.
Mr. Lindsey had been concealing the fact that the family was living over
its means for years. Now that the time had come to pay back his debts,
Layne and her family were forced to deal with the truth.
For years, a wealthy man by the name of Hubert McArthur had fancied Layne
and it was at this time that he approached the young girl with a
proposition: he would marry Layne and in turn support her mother and
sister. Reluctantly Layne agreed. Hubert was forty years her senior and
the idea of being married to him repulsed Layne. But her mother had
never worked and had no skills and Layne was determined that Eleanor
shouldn't have to start work at such an early age. Finally Layne agreed
and she and Hubert were married two weeks later.
Although Layne never learned to love Hubert, he wasn't unkind to her.
True to his word, he supported her family and provided Eleanor with the
best education money could buy. Hubert's only dispute against Layne was
her seeming inability to provide him any children. Widowed at an early
age, Hubert had long hoped to find someone who could sire him a son and
he was very disappointed when Layne didn't fulfill that need.
When Hubert died five years later, Layne felt relieved. Finally she
could live her own life. However, she soon found that her mother and
sister still depended on her to provide for them and they had quickly
gone through what was left of Hubert's estate.
Six months after her husband died, Layne met Georges Hampton. Georges
was in his early sixties and extremely well off. Within two months he
and Layne were married. When he died a year later of influenza, Layne
once again was beneficiary of his estate and once more was looking for a
new victim.
She found it barely a year later in Grayson Gregory, almost sixty, an oil tycoon in
Texas who after retiring had decided to move to the town of Rock
Creek Nebraska. His new bride reluctantly agreed to accompany him.
Layne had thought she was resigned to her life but that was before she met Buck Wilmington...
Written by: Cristy
Siblings: one sister, Eleanor Lindsey, four years younger than Layne
Spouse: Grayson Gregory