Invisible String

Chapter 1: First Impressions (Pride and Prejudice AU)

Mitchell asked Cam for the last time, "Are you sure about this? Would it be enough if I can never give you peace?"

Cam looked calmly into Mitchell's eyes, smiled a bit, and responded, "I have never been sure of anything in my life."

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It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a spouse. Though for Mitchell Pritchett, it wasn't that easy. Well, it was a piece of cake if it was a woman. His father had a list of daughters of his friends from elite society who can easily be called for an arranged marriage. How barbaric, Mitchell thought. What he wanted though was to find a man he could love and who could love him in return.

Mitchell looked at the entrance of the mansion his family was renting for the summer and sighed with disgust. It had the same atmosphere the previous summer houses they stayed in. He was assuming the people in this neighborhood probably were the same bland people from those other places they visited in the past summers. People who were too eager to see the Pritchett family throw lavish balls and benefit from it. People who were hoping to marry into the family. Luck had run out though because his sister, Claire was recently engaged to a gentleman called Phil. Phil was from a good, rich family. Mitchell liked him for his sister. He was a treat for company, never a dull moment with Phil. If only Mitchell could find someone like that for him. If only he could find a man suitable to his temperament and a woman tolerable enough to take the role of a wife. He had seen others like him do it successfully. On the outside, married to a woman from the same ranks, being respected in society, their fortunes strengthened, had a child or two, all was well. But the hidden reality, it was a man whom he truly loves and spends his time and fortune with, raising children together. All was also well in this narrative except that it was invisible to civilized society. Such is the painful life of people who are different from what society dictates.

Mitchell believed it would be truly difficult for him to find a perfect match, let alone two. He had surrendered to the idea that his father, Jay, owner of the carpentry business would find some appropriate woman for him. Of course, his father did not know that he was not interested in women at all. Mitchell would be disowned and as much as he wanted to run away, move to a foreign country and find the perfect man to be with, he loved the splendor of the wealthy lifestyle he grew up with. In his mind, he accepted being married to a woman he would not agree with. The best-case scenario though would be to find a kind woman to settle down with to satisfy the dictatorship of society. A woman he could genuinely be friends with. He could never love a woman romantically but an authentic friendship with one was something he hoped for so that life would be easier. All the while being with the man of his dreams, someone who would love him despite his judgmental demeanor. The thing was, Mitchell had never been in love. He had a few infatuations in his youth but nothing that could be called a great love. He thought it was because he despised almost everyone. He could not stand most people. Mitchell was smart. Perhaps too smart for the time period he was born into. He knew the repression he needed to do made him arrogant and angry therefore he could only make a few genuine friendships with people.

****

Cameron was just getting back from his morning walk. He liked to read while taking in the beauty of nature, just before his day of working on the farm starts. He liked farm life. There was nothing that could genuinely make him happy than this life he had with his family. If he could only freeze this moment in time. Later on, he would be grateful that he couldn't do that because he would eventually find the life he craved for.

He had already accepted the fact that for a man like him, it was difficult to find a suitable partner. It was forbidden in society. He had seen others do it with ease, in secrecy of course. For some reason, he didn't think it could be possible for him. He idealized men as he had read countless gems of literature. He had not met anyone he could admire enough, let alone love. He knew his family at some point would pressure him into marrying a woman. He planned to oppose this as long as he could. If it came to a point he must marry a woman for the sake of ensuring the safety of the small estate the Tucker family had for generations, then he must concede. He only hoped the woman would be tolerable enough. Someone he could genuinely be friends with.