He was Almost Absorbed by the System

Chapter Twenty Four - Two Brides for Two Brothers

There was a festive air about the Lincoln-Kay Household on a day that would also mark the end of summer on the calendar.  But no one yet minded that shortly the leaves would alter into an array of sunset colours as they wilted and fell before winter set in, for there were more important things to be considered at that moment.  For example, seating for guests, how much food to prepare, whether rain would spill from the heavens in the afternoon.  The mother and daughter of the house were excitedly choosing their attire and comparing accessories to enhance their beauty.  The father of the house was slyly considering which of their incoming guests would he cultivate continued business relations, which should he seek to strengthen and which should he drop.  The sons were hiding in their respective rooms, one quietly reading the newspaper, the other tinkering with his small creations.  Both were eventually summoned from their bedrooms.

"Happy 21st birthday, my son," their father greeted Amadeus with a warm hug, as the two men entered their father's study.  It was a fair size space upon the ground floor with two large mahogany desks and bookshelves filled with ledgers and diaries.  There appeared no order to the books, which were positioned flat, upright, diagonally, but Edward always knew where to find what he wanted within this chaos.  The larger of the two desks, the one their father used, was as equally in a questionable state.  The other desk, the one the brothers shared, the elder for the accounts, the younger for learning the business and later contracts of his own, stood as a beacon for calm in the paper storm.  This room was off limits to the women, including the maid.

"Thank you, father," Amadeus stepped out of his father's embrace and inclined his head slightly in respect.

Edward ushered his sons to sit.  Both did so, but not without taking a cautious, questioning glance at each other.  Their father had not summoned them here jointly for a while and the last time happened to be when he had chosen Amadeus to be his heir above Cornelius.  "With Amadeus turning 21 and with Cornelius nearing his 27th birthday in two months, I feel it is time you are both wed.  With that in mind, I have chosen your brides."

The brothers remained silent.  Amadeus' face remained stoic, not a flicker of his personal thought upon the matter to be declared.  Cornelius' pale eyes widened and jaw slackened, suddenly nauseous.  Edward looked at their reactions, his eyes narrowing, but said nothing.  It was Amadeus who calmly spoke through the silence.  "May I enquire who our respective brides shall be?"

Edward nodded in approval at his question.  "Amadeus shall marry Miss Amelia Charlton.  She is the eldest daughter of Stuart Charlton, a business associate of mine.  The girl is quite fair and well mannered and would make a good match for you."  He did not need to state that this marriage was part of a business relationship, both brothers knew their father well as he knew them.  Amadeus had met the girl in passing, though he did not have much recollection of her, so he did not object.

"What of Cornelius?" He asked the question that his elder brother could not.

"Miss Amelia has a cousin on her mother's side, Miss Rebecca Tunstle." Cornelius did not recognise the name anymore than he knew of Miss Amelia, though naturally he had seen paperwork relating to business for Mr Charlton.  As his father did not elaborate in regards to the cousin, the match was clearly a hasty attempt to save face.  It would not look good for the family if not only was the incompetent son too useless to succeed the father, but so undesirable that he could not even wed before the younger brother.  It begged him to wonder if there was something wrong with the girl, that she was to be used this way, but he pushed the uncharitable notion down swiftly.

However, it seemed, his unkind thoughts were not terribly misplaced.  The Charlton's were naturally included in the guest list drawn by Mr Lincoln-Kay, which also included other close business partners and their families.  An invite had naturally been sent to the Lincoln's, for which the current Lord's youngest brother accepted on the family's behalf.  His daughter had begged their father to invite Master Westcott, who despite turning down all of her invitations, had surprisingly developed quite the close friendship with his eldest son.  Never one to turn away opportunities, for he had yet to personally speak with the young man himself, agreed.  Before said young man arrived, however, Edward guided his sons to introduce them to their brides.