Undissuaded

Lord Bernard Argon — the second (“spare”) son of the late Duke of Kendal and a current successful merchant with dealings in the east — is a stern business man whose sternness is not only in business, he is also such a man with very strict rules in his life and such solid beliefs about how the right society should be, this includes; number one, that there are classes and the lines between these classes should be respected, as such he has no dealings with those beneath his class and you would never find him dallying with someone such as a maid no matter how pretty.

Number two, that scandals are for the irresponsible, he believes that as a noble you should at least be responsible for your actions and inactions, carefully avoiding scandals.

Number three (and very important), that there is a certain standard way a good noble wife should look, mostly plain. You see, to Bernard, women who are physically overly beautiful and curvaceous in such a way that commands attention are most likely harlots and would marry you for one of these reasons— status, money— and if they don’t see that they go to whoever can provide their lifestyle. His reasoning for the third, being concluded from experience, is that such beautiful women are naturally equipped with the feeling of entitlement, they feel they deserve all your goods simply because they are beautiful.

Number four, that single noble men should not marry unwed women who have children, especially where they have multiple children (be it from one man or no).

Number five, that if you want a successful marriage, that is if you must marry (he is not an advocate for marriage), you should not be foolish in looking for the illusion of love rather look for someone of your class who you can have a right arrangement with both knowing what to expect in the marriage, each party knowing their duties in the contractual union. To Bernard love doesn’t exist, people who think they are in love are merely persons who have let themselves be deceived by an illusion, such illusion being commonly caused by prolonged proximity, physical attraction, environmental or external influence (such as others being “in love” around you) and basically sheer foolishness.

As he listens to his friend, Captain Anthony Bainbridge, third son of an Earl, ramble before him in his study, talking for the past hour —uninterrupted— about this woman he has fallen in love with, he is certain his friend’s disillusionment is caused wholly by sheer foolishness. The young man has been determined to fall in love ever since their days at Eton because he fancies his parents marriage to be a love match, he had been so lost in the idea that he now thinks himself in love, Bernard shook his head.

If the object of Anthony’s love was some demure, plain (wifely standard according to Bernard) noble woman of his class with no dependent, then by all means he would have let his friend be blissfully deceived by his illusions of love, but no, because of all people, Captain Anthony Bainbridge chose a widowed mother of no-class who, according to Anthony’s own descriptions, is very beautiful.

All the years he spent teaching his friend the rules have been wasted, it seems.

“…. Oh you cannot begin to comprehend it my friend, the feeling, I feel as though I am under a spell of some sort” Anthony was saying.

Bernard Argon has no believe in spells or their power, but with the way his friend’s disillusionment is going, he may just be right. “It does seem so” he agreed sounding disappointed, his eyes narrowed at his friend who has now stopped walking and stood before his desk.

At his words, Anthony laughed hard and threw his head backward, sobering up he sat down on one of the two chairs in the study and looked at his friend, his face having its signature amused smile, as he said “I am sure you will come to like her as I do once you see her” then as though reconsidering his words, he corrected, “Well, not actually as I do, because I love her and intend to marry her, wouldn’t want you contending for her hand with me” he laughed at his joke.

Bernard’s stoic face remained expressionless. He saw nothing funny in what Anthony had just said, he is not foolish to want to marry such a woman, much less go ahead and think himself in love with her.

Leaning forward, his hands stretched out on his desk, he considered advising his friend for the umpteenth time, “Think about what you want to do, Anthony, I mean deeply, do you really want to marry this…. What’s her name again?”

“Miss Urania Robbins fondly referred to as Ania by myself and her loved ones, which is pretty much the entire townsfolk” Anthony answered, Bernard muttered something about it being a fitting name for a peasant harlot, Anthony ignored him and continued, “And yes I want to marry her”

Bernard sighed, “And do you think she would make a good wife for someone of your status?”

Anthony shot up from his chair, “Here you go again with the matter of class!” It is one of the topics on which the friends have different, very conflicting, views. “I have told you, her class does not matter to me whatsoever. And what if she is some commoner, daughter of a man with no name, so what? It doesn’t change who she is. Oh and what if she has been married before, works for her living, is older than twenty and three years, and has three children? None of it matters to me”

Mr Bernard let him finish before asking, for the sake of clarity, “She has what? How many children, did you say?”

“You heard me right, she has three children” Anthony replied an appalled Bernard whose stoic face shifted a bit to show his disgust. “Two lovely daughters and a strapping young boy of six years who has come to love me so, and I him”

Pouring a glass of scotch for himself, to help him wash down the rather disturbing things his friend was saying, Bernard said, “You really are out of your mind, wanting to marry a woman like that. I only hope that something unforeseen occurs and you are unable to make known to this woman your foolish intentions of marriage”

Smiling even wider, Anthony came closer, placing his hand on the oak desk top he replied, “Actually I have done that already and she said yes, our wedding is in a fortnight, friend”

Seeing he was serious, Bernard sighed and poured himself an even fuller glass as he cursed, “Oh bloody hell!”