Leigh VanVoreen
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Leigh Diane VanVoreen, or Angel, is a fictional character created by Virginia Andrews in her beloved Casteel series. She is the protagoniat of the prelude, Web of Dreams, the story of how she was raped by her wealthy stepfather Tony Tatterton, and ran from him into the arms of Thomas Luke Casteel, the poor circus boy from the hills where she died in childbirth.
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[edit] The Portrait Doll
The portrait doll was created by Tony Tatterton, who used Leigh as his first model. Leigh was forced by her mother to pose nude for him, and this essentially led to Tony believing he had created her, as she herself was innocent and sweet like a portrait doll and he thereby he believed he owned her. During the modeling sessions, he tried to seduce her, yet it was only after the doll was crafted that he raped her.
Leigh however, believed the doll had more of herself in it that Tony, and took it with her when she fled Farthingale manor. Her husband Luke later bought a bridal outfit for the doll, as he reasoned that Leigh never got a proper wedding or wedding dress, so at least Angel should get one.
The doll was later destroyed by Kitty Dennison who wanted to decimate Leigh, her memory, and her daughter.
[edit] Angel
Leigh is constantly referred to as Angel, or Luke's Angel throughout the series. This is the name she originally gave to her portrait doll, as she believed it to be her guardian angel. When Luke heard this, he thought it was fitting of Leigh as he believed she had been sent to him to save and redeem him.
[edit] Winterhaven
Leigh's time at Winterhaven was spent with roommate and best friend Jennifer, and her boyfriend from neighbouring boys school Allendale, Joshua. Leigh was seen as an outcast as her parents were divorced, yet she, like her daughter to come, was proud, and held her own against them.
[edit] Heaven Leigh Casteel Tatterton Stonewall
Heaven Leigh, or Heavenly as she is called by Tom and Troy, is Leigh and Tony's daughter. Leigh died giving birth to her as she was too young and had no medical care other than the midwifery skills of Luke's mother Annie. It is said in the first novel of the series, 'Heaven', that Leigh named her daughter on her deathbed and she was later given her mothers maiden name as her middle name. Yet, In the prelude, it is Luke who comes up with the name Heaven. This is believed by many fans however to be one of many errors by ghostwriter Neiderman who wrote the prelude after Andrews death. As a result of the premiture death of her mother, Heaven spends her whole life unsuccessfully seeking the love and wisdom of a mother figure, until she herself becomes one to Leigh's grandaughter Annie.
[edit] Jillian Jenkins VanVoreen Tatterton
Jillian was Leigh's mother. Upon her divorce from Cleave to marry Tony Tatterton, Jillian, believing sex ages a woman, is said by Tony to have encouraged him to use her own daughter as his mistress as she wanted his wealth, not his intimacy. Tony, desiring Leigh himself, raped her, leading to the start of Heaven's tragic story.
[edit] Tony Tatterton
Leigh's stepfather and the father of her daughter, Heaven. Tony was obessed with Leigh, and loved her for all that she was because she wasn't anything like her mother. Tony's lust results in her death and his brothers destruction, as Leigh runs from him into the arms of a man whose lifestyle she couldn't survive, while Troy fell in love with their daughter, who was subsequently his niece.
[edit] Cleve VanVoreen
Leigh loved her father, and was resentful towards her mother for breaking his heart when they got divorced. Cleave was revealed not to be her true father however, as Jillian had had an affair, then married Cleve and passed Leigh off as his. Cleve eventually drifted away from Leigh when he married a woman named Mildred, and Leigh lost the father she had always adored.
[edit] Luke Casteel
Leigh's husband. When fleeing the grasp of her stepfather, thirteen year old Leigh met seventeen year old Luke and he charmed his way into her heart, as Romeo and Juliet. Needing someone to love her and treat her well, her vulnerability led her to marry him after just one day, after she had confessed the rape and her pregnancy to him. Luke, who had fallen in love with her, took her back to the Willies, and wanted to raise her baby as his own. Yet, upon her death in childbirth, Luke turned against her daughter Heaven, knowing she was the result of Tony's rape and subsequently, the death of his beloved Angel.
