High Fortune

"And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges."

November 29th

It was a quiet evening in Andrew Fitzwilliam's study. He was entertaining his father-in-law, Orsino Nowell, who was also the Senior Governor of Verona. While a frequent occurrence, these evenings were not quite what he had hoped for. Before his marriage, Andrew had envisioned a strong alliance which would elevate them above everyone else in the duchy. Reality was somewhat different. While Lords Nowell and Fitzwilliam were often politically aligned, the personal relationship was far less balanced. Nothing delighted Orsino more than to antagonize Andrew - mostly for amusement but also as revenge for marrying his favorite child. Andrew endured the torment to keep the alliance strong, which only encouraged his father-in-law more.

"A sparkling Fae wine, have we? I will not say nay, not when you have finally done your duty."

"It appears it may be so." Regardless of what anyone said, Andrew would believe his wife was with child when he saw a properly swollen stomach. He thought it stupid to trust a few missed courses and abnormalities in a lady who had conceived once in the previous ten years. Naturally, Maria had told all and sundry about her supposed condition the moment the examination had concluded. 

"It is about damn time you made yourself useful. And since I already have a granddaughter, I say we drink to a boy." Orsino raised his cup. 

For reasons other than diversity among Orsino's grandchildren, Andrew agreed. "To a healthy boy."

"If he is a boy, he will be healthy. Nowell boys are born healthy." Orsino frowned. His first wife, Cecily, had died after birthing a stillborn girl. Frances, his second wife, had given him his beloved Maria but died when she miscarried another daughter. His third wife had given him a boy and a girl, but Isabelle and little Louise had died of a fever. It was a bitter thing, for Orsino believed a rich man with a son or two could never have too many daughters. "But you should not undervalue a daughter. A grown daughter is a treasure." 

Andrew smirked. "If it must be a girl, I am sure she will be, considering my experience in arranging good matches." He had no experience arranging matches, but that never stopped him from boasting about anything. 

"God willing, I will be rotting away when the time comes for your children to marry, but do not comfort yourself with the notion that I will not be here to see you make a mess of it." Orsino rather hoped he would not be, for he could think of nothing more tiresome than haunting his son-in-law, but Andrew did not need to know that. "And whatever you do, do not let them wait forever. I would not be up to my neck in trouble if I had insisted on Fabian marrying when he was younger."

Andrew glanced over. His father-in-law had been wrestling with what to do about his increasingly unstable heir for a while. "Then you are going ahead with it?"

"There is no other option. Sebastian isn't getting any better. Bloody doctors can't do anything about a diseased brain and the priest laying hands on him only worked the once. Mary, bless her, has agreed to keep up appearances, and I will arrange a match for his little Cecily before I disinherit Sebastian." Orsino took a long sip of his wine. "Antonio would have done well, but he is with his mother, God rest her. Fabian is next, shameful state that he is in. Heaven above, I never thought a son of mine would be so bad with women! I do not remember having fewer..." At this, Orsino caught the strange look on Andrew's face and thought better of elaborating. "Well, if he will not trouble himself to find a lady, then it falls to me. And if you are equal to the work on your side, I think your niece will do." 

It was all Andrew could do to remain in his chair instead of leaping up to celebrate. Catherine had been sour enough that her daughter, Anne, had not been able to catch anyone better than Lord Audley. Now that Audley had seemingly lost interest in Anne, Catherine had been utterly insufferable. A betrothal between Anne de Bourgh and Lord Fabian would cement the ties between the houses of Nowell and Fitzwilliam and, hopefully, shut Catherine up for good. "I think she would do nicely. I'll bring up the issue with my sister, but I doubt she'll have any objections."

"What about the brother?"

"What brother?"

"What brother?" Orsino laughed. "The one who shoots daggers at anyone who looks her way! The one you have been patting yourself on the back over for months now! Good God, have you got lead in your ears?" 

"But Anne..."

"Not your sister! Her daughter! Anne Darcy's daughter." 

"Georgiana?" Andrew croaked.

"The very one!"

Andrew swore under his breath. This should have been a crowning achievement. Instead, courtesy of his concern for his idiotic, Hell-born brother, he was an inch away from total embarrassment. "I, uh... I don't know. She's young and quite shy. Catherine's daughter is a little older, and-"

"Bah!" Orsino waved his hand. "You know how young men are. You used to be one. They have to have it all their own way, and when I asked Fabian which young lady he admired the most, he said it was your blonde niece. Now, I did promise my daughter-in-law that I would find my granddaughter someone before I displace Sebastian, but I believe I have that in hand. I don't see any reason to waste time in arranging things for Fabian."

"Who did you find for her?" Andrew hoped to waste as much time as possible, starting immediately.

"I spoke to Consort Capulet last night. Nice to see him out in company again, I say. He does not look half bad for a man in his condition." Orsino knew it was more than just ill-health that had kept Consort at home for so long. If anyone ever found Orsino half-dead in a bathtub, he hoped he would have the good sense to finish the process. Illness was bad enough, but it was gossip and pity could kill a man a thousand times over. "Anyway, he is going to arrange it with his grandson to make a match with little Cecily - a good arrangement for the both of them. Then I can settle this business with my sons once and for all, and we can get back to other important matters."

"Sir, I don't know that my sister and her son are ready to part with-"

"Nobody is ever ready to part with their children, but there comes a day when we all must. I let my Maria go to you, and they will have to let go of Mariana-"

"Georgiana."

"Georgiana, yes. Lady Anne and Darcy know they must let go of her someday, and it might as well be now. Fabian is as fine a prospect as they will ever find for her, and if marrying the girl will finally make my son take an interest in something other than a book, I will be delighted. I have every confidence in you to make this succeed."

"Good, then." Andrew's voice all but squeaked out the lie. Promoting this scheme was out of the question. If he could delay the process for a year or two, then... but not now. If he let this plan go forward, almost any outcome would be a disaster for Andrew personally. He had used up all of his good will with his nephew. If the dowry became an issue, regardless of whether he would even consent to the match, the little prig would demand the money on principle. Worse still, Anne would find out what Andrew had done. I am in trouble.

All the while, Orsino had been talking. He spoke of the plan in certain terms. If the girl truly didn't like Fabian, that would be the end of it in Orisno's eyes, but he thought it unlikely. Fabian was awkward, quiet, and nearly twice the girl's age, but he was handsome enough (taking after his father) and would be rich and powerful someday. Ladies had married men old enough to be their grandfathers for less. "If her family quibbles, emphasize the opportunity. Mar- Georgiana is undoubtedly a good sort of girl, but my son is the best match she could possibly hope for."

He plastered on a smile for show. "I have every hope it won't come down to such an argument." Because I have no intention of being murdered by Anne for saying those words to her face.

"Good, then. You bring this up to your sister - gently, mind you. This is a betrothal, not a horse auction. I know tact and concern for others are not your strong suits, but you should at least try. I will work on refreshing Fabian's understanding of making himself agreeable." Orsino raised his cup. "Now, one last toast before I go home: to the high fortune of our united families."

"To fortunes and families."

Next Post: "To do a great right, do a little wrong."