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Characters
The Deceit and Desire
Find out who the main characters are in the screenplay for The Deceit and Desire.
Arthur Delaney
A hard-working 25 year-old Irish descendent and grandson of Helen Delaney, a family that had immigrated from Ireland and settled in Edinburgh.
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With a stubborn streak in him, he is fallible to the pressures that come his way after the death of his young wife Mary and their newborn child.
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Struggling to raise his children, he is reluctant to hand them over to a charitable boarding school run by Emma Stirling but when he eventually does, it is a decision he regrets.
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When his life reaches the lowest point, he finds salvation in the church he had rejected and Cecilia who helps bring him back from the brink.
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Indefatigable, he will do anything to get his children back even if that means leaving his homeland for the first time and venturing across the Atlantic to Nova Scotia.
Emma Stirling
A 48 year-old wealthy woman with the drive and commitment to establish a charity boarding refuge for poor and abandoned children, her disability does not diminish her determination.
Raised with a strong Presbyterian faith, she possesses a bigoted dislike for the Catholic Church which impacts her honourable intentions.
Strong-willed, no-one within the charity is willing to challenge her decision to take children to Canada without the permission of their parents if they were not orphans.
Mary Delaney
By the age of 25, Mary has already given birth to three children (James, Annie and Robina) with a fourth soon to arrive.
A loving mother and a wife besotted by Arthur, she keeps a good home but tragedy will befall her at such a young age which will leave Arthur questioning the cruelty of God and fate.
Miss Guthrie
Emma Stirling's 36 year-old assistant is dedicated to her role within the charity and, blindly following her leader, it is she who encourages Arthur to place his children in the care of the charity.
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With an air of condescension, she looks down at Arthur and his children for the way they appear due to their poverty and there is almost a cold approach to how she perceives the reason for the charity and its objectives.
Cecilia Delaney
Arthur meets the 25 year-old Cecilia, when he is downfallen and at his lowest ebb, in St. Patrick's Church. A young woman of charitable persuasion, she finds Arthur bereft and approaches him, offering assistance.
Fully aware of his background, she supports his endeavors and they eventually marry, after which she gives birth to two children.
Mr McGregor
The 57 year-old runs Leadburn Farm with his wife in the Scottish Borders for Emma Stirling's charity.
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A burly man with farming experience, he is a practical, no nonsense figure who asks no questions but gets the job done.
Walter Durham
The 38 year-old runs Hillfoot Farm in Nova Scotia where the children are destined before being sent out as child labour.
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He does reveal that, despite the intimidating personality of Emma Stirling, he possesses a conscious that questions how the children are being farmed out, but it is not something he will pursue. Furthermore, his dedication to the work of Emma deepens his involvement in the movement of Arthur's children to the point where he is prepared to break the law.
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Maggie Clark
The 35 year-old neighbour of Arthur and Mary, is an experienced woman in the practice of midwifery as she is relied upon to help Mary through her final pregnancy.
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A solid, trustworthy and reliable individual, Arthur unfairly blames her for the tragedy that befalls his wife and newborn which ends their friendship.
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In time, Arthur realises his mistake and her compassion is revealed in her forgiveness for her ex-neighbour.
Nellie Delaney
Arthur's 18 year-old sister works for his step-brother Luke in his pawn shop and does her level best to support her brother despite Arthur's drinking habits and his estrangement from his mother.
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She becomes the only connection between him and his family through turbulent times while berating him for the state he has allowed himself to descend to.
Rufus De Wolfe
The 39 year-old fur trapper lives alone in a remote cabin in Nova Scotia. A rough man who is inclined to shoot first and ask questions later is questioned by Arthur and the detective agent Grant Cunningham.
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Derogatory about young James Delaney, Arthur is angered by his demeaning attitude towards his son and his need to have a child in his possession, in what become a tense moment of conflict.
Ross Stewart
The 45 year-old lawyer is hired by Arthur through the help of Father Hannan and displays the skills and character required to pursue his client's desires through the court.
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A calm, refined individual who offers an air of confidence and assuredness.
Luke Boylan
Arthur's 25 year-old step-brother and son to his grandmother's second husband, he is a confident businessman who runs a pawnshop.
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His relationship with Arthur is convivial that shows no signs of rivalry or jealousy to the point where he is willing to financially support his step-brother in his hour of need.
Helen Delaney
The matriarchal 64 year-old widower may be less able to get around but she is still keen to keep up with family issues.
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Arthur illustrates his respect for his grandmother with regular visits with the children and the go-to person for advice.
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Despite her reservations about her grandson marrying a presbyterian, she does not allow it to cloud her judgement like others while she retains a strong connection to St. Patrick's Church and Father Hannan.
Father Hannan
The 52 year-old priest is a warm and welcoming figure who comes to Arthur's rescue even though Arthur had ostracized himself from the church and he displays his familiarity with the Delaney family.
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A soft spoken Irishman, he brings a calmness to the situation, advising Arthur to let the law take its course.
Grant Cunningham
The 41 year-old experienced private detective accompanies Arthur to Nova Scotia on the orders of the court.
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Offering leadership, he guides Arthur in his pursuit of the children across this strange land where they confront an assortment of individuals both unsuspecting or voluntary of their involvement in the disappearance of the children.
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The private detective is quick to apply his professional nouse over Arthur's emotional drive that is illustrated when they confront Walter Durham at Hillfoot Farm.
James Delaney
Although only 7 years of age, James (like Annie) holds a strong bond with his father and their relationship is shown to be unwavering.
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The scene where Arthur shows his son how to whittle wood illustrates the intrinsic bond between father and son and is a significant scene.
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When Rufus de Wolfe informs Arthur and the detective that the boy ran away, it reveals the strength of character that the boy was determined to escape the situation he had been placed in.
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Additionally, it is he who questions Emma Stirling about when he will see his family again and he displays an understanding of his predicament.
Annie Delaney
Along with the other children, 6 year-old Annie does not under why they are in the situation they have found themselves in and she clearly misses her father.
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Although the story focusses on the relationship between father and son, it reveals the sister's desire to be with her brother and her pleasure when she meets him.
Robina Delaney
Arthur's youngest child, the 4 year-old is too young to understand her plight and relies upon her sister who she is kept with throughout their movements on each side of the Atlantic.
