Fancy Day Educated and beautiful, Fancy Day comes to Mellstock from Exeter to work as the village schoolteacher and be near her ailing father. She draws many admirers. Determined to make the best of her situation, she agrees to play the church's new harmonium, not realizing this will upset the traditional men's choir. ...We gain a good view of our heroine as she advances to her place in the ladies' line. She belonged to the taller division of middle height. Flexibility was her first characteristic, by which she appeared to enjoy the most easeful rest when she was in gliding motion. Her dark eyes -- arched by brows of so keen, slender, and soft a curve, that they resembled nothing so much as two slurs in music -- showed primarily a bright sparkle each. This was softened by a frequent thoughtfulness, yet not so frequent as to do away, for more than a few minutes at a time, with a certain coquettishness; which in its turn was never so decided as to banish honesty. Her lips imitated her brows in their clearly-cut outline and softness of bend; and her nose was well shaped -- which is saying a great deal, when it is remembered that there are a hundred pretty mouths and eyes for one pretty nose. Add to this, plentiful knots of dark-brown hair, a gauzy dress of white, with blue facings; and the slightest idea may be gained of the young maiden who showed, amidst the rest of the dancing-ladies, like a flower among vegetables... Keeley Hawes, born in London in 1977, was 'discovered' at age 15 and became a successful, though reluctant, model. After a couple of years a casting agent, who had seen pictures of her in campaigns for Sisley and Benetton, asked her to come in for an audition. Her career -- and life -- then changed direction. Despite her Irish name, she has no Irish links. She comes from Marylebone where her father was a cabbie. She has three siblings and claims to be "a regular Londoner and homebody." Hawes' second husband is actor Matthew MacFadyen (Pride and Prejudice) with whom she has a child, and with whom she stars in the BBC intelligence drama Spooks (also known as MI-5). Hawes's other film and television roles have included Masterpiece Theatre's Othello, Wives and Daughters, Our Mutual Friend, Lucky Jim, and Me and Mrs. Jones. She also appeared in MYSTERY!s Miss Marple: A Murder is Announced.