Horace Epworth

Horace Epworth is the nephew of Mrs Penkridge and a suitor to Arabella Tallant. He is a spendthrift and a gambler who depends upon his uncle Penkridge to pay his bills until he gets the idea to marry Lady Dives, with his aunt's assistance. Previously he had been interested in Miss Flint, with only thirty thousand pounds.

He attends the evening party thrown by Lady Bridlington for Arabella and wears a "profusion of rings, pins, fobs, chains, and seals" and an outfit of "wadded shoulders, wasp-waist, and startling waistcoat". Despite being introduced to him previously, Arabella asks Robert Beaumaris who he is at that very same party. Afterwards Epworth, who is aware that Beaumaris casts him into the shade but not why, goes around telling people that he has a good mind to call him out.

He becomes one of Arabella's most ardent suitors, and he drunkenly proposes to her at a masquerade held in the Argyll Rooms. At Lady Bridlington's ball he proposed again, under the guise of fetching her lemonade, but Arabella was distressed by his renewed addresses and was rescued by Beaumaris.

He attends Somerset House (presumably with his aunt) on the same day as Arabella, Lady Bridlington, Lord Bridlington, and Beaumaris, but Arabella and Beaumaris only bow in greeting before moving on.

Beaumaris believes that he will be chagrined by news of Arabella's engagement.