Bevil Jr. is the sensible, kind, and dutiful son of Sir John Bevil. He struggles to balance his father's command to marry the wealthy Lucinda Sealand with his secret affection for Indiana, a vulnerable woman he rescued from an abusive guardian in Toulon. He adheres to a strict personal code of moral restraint, leading him to support Indiana financially without confessing his love, which unintentionally creates confusion and tension.

Myrtle is Bevil Jr.'s loyal but hot-tempered companion. Deeply in love with Lucinda Sealand, he faces numerous obstacles to marrying her, primarily her parents' competing marital arrangements. Prone to quick anger, he often assumes the worst when he feels his honor or romantic prospects are threatened, yet he eagerly participates in elaborate legal disguises to thwart his rivals.

Indiana is a young woman of ambiguous social class living in London under the protection of Bevil Jr. Kidnapped at sea as a child, she lacks family connections or a dowry, making her a socially precarious match in high society. She is patient and modest but privately struggles with deep insecurity regarding her benefactor's repressed affections.

Lucinda is the daughter of a wealthy merchant family, caught in the middle of her parents' competing ambitions. Her father wishes her to marry Bevil Jr. for a financial alliance, while her mother pushes for the foppish nobleman Cimberton to elevate their social rank. Secretly in love with Charles Myrtle, her strict upbringing and societal expectations prevent her from directly defying her parents.

Sir John Bevil is an aging aristocrat who regrets his libertine youth and now prizes morality and filial obedience. He arranges for his son to marry the wealthy Lucinda Sealand to secure their family's financial future. Despite his strict expectations, he genuinely worries about his son's happiness and fears pushing him into the same secret vices he once indulged.

Tom is Bevil Jr.'s boisterous and fashionable servant. He mimics the manners and lifestyle of upper-class gentlemen, pursuing a passionate affair with Lucinda's maid, Phillis. He acts as a messenger and occasional co-conspirator for the younger generation, eagerly participating in schemes and disguises despite his tendency to accidentally reveal secrets.

Phillis is Lucinda's sharp-witted maid. Unlike her mistress, she enjoys the freedom to express her passions openly, maintaining a playful and physically affectionate affair with Tom. She serves as a vital messenger and strategist in the Sealand house, actively helping coordinate the secret communications and impersonation schemes of the younger characters.

Mr. Sealand is a highly successful and wealthy merchant who takes pride in his self-made fortune and industry. He defends the dignity of the middle class against the condescension of the nobility. Protective of his daughter's future, he insists on investigating rumors of Bevil Jr.'s affair with an unknown woman before finalizing any marriage contract.

Mrs. Sealand is Lucinda's mother, a woman highly invested in elevating her family's social status. She aggressively pushes for Lucinda to marry the nobleman Cimberton, dismissing her daughter's feelings and valuing aristocratic connections over personal compatibility or respect.

Cimberton is Mrs. Sealand's cousin and a foppish, arrogant nobleman. He views marriage purely as a transactional way to acquire wealth and heirs, completely disregarding Lucinda's personhood or objections. He depends heavily on the approval of his uncle, Sir Geoffry, to proceed with any legal agreements.

Humphrey is Sir John Bevil's older, traditional servant. He guided his master out of a libertine youth and now tries to offer honest, balanced counsel regarding Bevil Jr. He respects the established hierarchy and often disapproves of the younger, more fashion-conscious servants.

Isabella is Indiana's protective aunt and guardian. Having suffered ruin in her own youth, she is deeply cynical about men's intentions and fiercely warns Indiana to maintain her honor against Bevil Jr.'s ambiguous financial support. She views all male generosity as a mask for seduction.

Daniel is a young servant boy working at Isabella and Indiana's home. Recently relocated from the country, he struggles to navigate the complex social lies and etiquette expected of London servants, occasionally failing to grasp when a literal truth is a social mistake.