Mr. Shepherd
Mr. Shepherd, a civil and cautious lawyer from the neighbouring market town, serves as Sir Walter Elliot's agent and confidential advisor during the family's financial crisis. His primary concern is to manage Sir Walter's affairs with minimal personal risk, steering the baronet toward solutions that serve his own interests while appearing to defer to others. He is instrumental in the scheme to let Kellynch Hall and in persuading Sir Walter to move to Bath rather than London, a relocation that Shepherd considers safer for a gentleman in debt. His daughter, Mrs. Clay, becomes a companion to Elizabeth Elliot, a connection Shepherd promotes despite Lady Russell's strong disapproval.
Role in the Kellynch Hall Letting
When Sir Walter's debts force a retrenchment, Mr. Shepherd is called to advise alongside Lady Russell. He initially refuses to offer any direct suggestion, instead recommending an implicit reference to Lady Russell's judgement, a manoeuvre that allows him to avoid responsibility for unpopular measures. However, when Sir Walter rejects Lady Russell's economy plan, Shepherd seizes on the baronet's exclamation "Quit Kellynch Hall" and immediately endorses the idea, arguing that Sir Walter cannot materially alter his style of living in a house with such a character of hospitality and ancient dignity. He presents the letting as a dignified solution, one that would allow Sir Walter to regulate his household as he chooses elsewhere. Shepherd also steers Sir Walter away from London, deeming it unsafe for a gentleman in his predicament, and promotes Bath as a place where Sir Walter can be important at comparatively little expense. He is the one who first suggests that naval officers might make desirable tenants, noting their liberal notions and reliable business methods, and he later secures Admiral Croft as the tenant after meeting him at the quarter sessions in Taunton.
Relationship with Sir Walter and the Elliot Family
Mr. Shepherd maintains a deferential but subtly manipulative relationship with Sir Walter. He laughs at Sir Walter's wit as he knows he must, and he carefully avoids mentioning anything that might displease the baronet, such as the connection between the Crofts and Mr. Wentworth, the former curate of Monkford, once he perceives that it does Sir Walter no service. He is described as a civil, cautious lawyer who would rather have the disagreeable prompted by anybody else. His interest is involved in the reality of Sir Walter's retrenching, and he is perfectly persuaded that nothing will be done without a change of abode. He also has a personal stake in the matter, as his daughter Mrs. Clay has become a frequent visitor at Kellynch Hall, a friendship that Lady Russell views as dangerous and unequal. Shepherd's influence extends to the practical details of the letting: he is completely empowered to act, and his clerks are set to work drawing up the lease without any preliminary differences.
Character and Methods
Mr. Shepherd is a shrewd operator who understands the importance of appearances. He knows that Sir Walter's concerns cannot be kept a secret, and he uses this knowledge to his advantage. He is eloquent on the subject of the Admiral's family, pointing out that Admiral Croft is married and without children, the very state to be wished for in a tenant, and that Mrs. Croft is a well-spoken, genteel, shrewd lady who seems more conversant with business than her husband. He also takes care to flatter Sir Walter, assuring him that he is known by report to the Admiral as a model of good breeding. His methods are those of a man who works behind the scenes, guiding events while appearing to follow the lead of others. He is not above using his daughter to advance his interests, and his presence in the Elliot household is a constant source of irritation to Lady Russell, who sees him as a threat to the family's respectability.
