Oh, he knew the reason for it. He had no doubt as to why his name and reputation were suddenly poison. That was, after all, what he wished to speak about with his brother.
“I cannot believe it,” Elias declared in shock. “Is your money not good enough? I know you, brother, and it is not as if you were trying to scalp them. Likely, you offered too much. Perhaps that is it? They realized they could squeeze you for more.”
“I wish that were the case,” he sighed. “Sadly, and most frustratingly, I know the reason—Mr. Andrews was kind enough to tell it to my face.” He exhaled and shook his head, his stomach twisting itself into knots because he hated that it had come to this. “It is my status as a bachelor that has tainted my good name.”
“What? Surely not!”
“Alas, it is true. I am thirty now, Elias, a known bachelor who has shown no signs of wishing to settle down. When I was a youth, it was easy enough to ignore, the obvious assumption being that once I aged that I would find a wife and start a family, as most expect me to do.”
Elias scoffed. “Most do not know you as well as I, then.”
“Nevertheless, it has occurred to me that until I marry, I will continue to find my way impeded.” Hudson gritted his teeth. “It is this damn ton, and you know it as well as I do. It is not enough that I have lived a life free of scandal, that I do not spend every other week bedding impressionable maidens like a common sailor. No, no, I must marry because to be single at my age must mean there is something wrong with me. Pah!”
“To be fair, perhaps it is not just your status as a bachelor that has colored the ton’s perceptions of you, brother,” Elias said with a smirk. “Maybe if you were…how can I put this gently? Not quite so mean all the time?”
Hudson leveled a glared at his brother. “I am not mean.”
“Cold, then,” Elias shrugged. “Socially closed off, certainly. Not treating every social interaction as a business transaction might help. You know, not every man and his dog who speaks with you is after something. Sometimes, they just wish to appear friendly.”
Hudson scoffed. “And waste my time while they are at it.”
“Thank you for proving my point,” Elias chuckled.
“This is no laughing matter,” Hudson snapped. “I assure you, I have thought long and hard about this and despite how much I would love to turn my nose up at expectation, my damn hands are tied! It leaves me little choice but to fold like a house of cards or be left out in the cold.”
Elias came to a sudden stop. Hudson turned back, noting the look of sheer bewilderment across his brother’s visage. “Hudson...you do not mean...” His frown deepened. “Say it is not so.”
“It is very much so,” Hudson said with a grimace. “I have no choice but to find a wife, and quickly.”
“Ha!” Elias beamed and hurried to his brother, positively delighted by the announcement. “And might I say, it is about time!”
“Try not to look so pleased with yourself.”
“Pleased I am, and pleased I will remain.” He slapped Hudson on the back. “I know, I know. You despise the concept of marriage and would rather pull out your toenails one by one than acquiesce to its institution. But brother...” A smile took his face, reaching his eyes which sparkled as if he was speaking about his own recent love match. “Let me be the first to say, this is not the life sentence that you think it is.”
“It is worse.”
“On the contrary, there is little as pure in this world as married life. And while I know you aspire to be alone forever, I cannot help but think even you might find something in it to take pleasure from.”
Somehow, Hudson doubted that greatly.
Since he was a boy, never had Hudson aspired to be married. Not that he thought it to be a waste of time or pointless, for he knew many a happy couple that seemed to enjoy it. It was just his own opinion, one which he knew would not change, and one that was now forced to bend for the sake of his reputation.
As to who he was going to marry? There was the reason he wished to speak with Elias.
“Can you help me, brother?” he asked.
“Nothing would make me happier.”
“You know what I like,” Hudson said, ignoring the way his stomach twisted. “You know what I desire. There are few I trust as much as you, and I know at least you won’t saddle with a woman for pure political gain.”
“No, no,” Elias assured him. “Your happiness is what matters here...if such a thing is possible.” He laughed and slapped his brother on the back again. “Leave it with me. I shall search highand low, long and far, to the edges of the world to find you the perfect bride.”
“Wonderful,” Hudson muttered.
“And if you just so happen to fall deeply in love with this lucky lady to be...” He shrugged and winked. “Let us call that an added bonus.”
To that, Hudson scoffed, for it seemed to be the appropriate answer. A wife he could stomach. The change she would surely bring into his household, he would have no choice but to bear. But falling in love? Finding happiness in this most pointless of institutions?Now that I very much doubt.
