Bab 11: He could have knocked his friend down with a feather!
"I REFUSE!" Fabian screamed.
Within the Stuart estate, Fabian, Colin and the lawyer Mr William Smith, were all gathered in the study room, the door was shut and all servants were ordered to remain at distance away from this meeting, as it was a private matter.
"Listen young man, I had just about enough of your irresponsible childish behavior!" William said, "I've never been more disrespected in my entire career as I was today by you! From the moment I met you, you have been behaving like you were a manchild!
You're a 30 years old fully grown gentleman for crying out loud so act like it! How could you still be whining about 'Living your life'?! You have no money of your own to be living your life, and God has favored you with an opportunity so take it!" The lawyer said firmly.
"You are asking me to live a life that I do not find pleasing! Does my happiness matters to no one!" Fabian replied, "Mr Smith is not saying that Your happiness does not matters, he is simply trying to help you understand the fact that you may not have a chance of being happy at all if you have nothing to your name." Colin tried to calm his friend down.
"Mister Bridgerton is right.
Fabian listen to me! You're not going to die if you do what The will says you must do.
If anything, you need the inheritance to live, so far you have been supported by your aunt but your aunt is god bless her soul, Dead!" Mr Smith said earning a wide eyed glance from Colin.
As for Fabian, he was enraged, "My poor loving aunt understood me more than anyone in this world! I am certain that if she knew what her husband has wrote in his will, she would have been as furious as I am!" Fabian replied.
"Your Aunt knew very well what was in the will, and honestly I wasn't going to mention it but now that you are successfully getting on my nerves! She knew all about the condition you are so against and supported it." Mr Smith said.
Angry, "No! That is not true, I refuse to believe my aunt would have allowed her husband meddling with my own personal affairs!" Fabian replied.
Sighing, "Fabian...if You'll become the next Lord Stuart yourself, all this money, property and land will be yourself to enjoy if you would just do what your aunt's husband asked in his will! Your aunt would've wanted that for you too! She wanted you to be the next Lord that's why she asked for her husband to put you in the will!" The lawyer added.
"I do not want to be a Lord! I will just take whatever my aunt has left me, she must have left me something...I do not want the Lord's inheritance! She was my family not him!" Fabian replied.
"Whatever was hers was the Lord's as well, so your aunt has left you nothing of her own, if you wish to have anything of hers, you'll have to agree to become the next Lord, Fabian!" Mr Smith explained.
"Oh great! So even my aunt has screwed me over!...I have been stabbed in the back by my own blood, see that Colin?!" Fabian said.
Sighing, "But to be fair Mr Smith, it is an unusual condition to be added to a will.
I do not see why the late Lord Stuart would ask for such a thing from Fabian! He knew how Fabian is and that it's one of the things he would not do even if you put a gun to his head!" Colin interfered.
"Thank you Colin! At least I am not the only one here thinking this is highly invasive of the late Lord!" Fabian said.
Grunting loudly, "UGHH?! My god why I am alive today of all days!" William complained before he took one deep breath and then glared at Fabian.
"I will say this one last time, as of this moment, you have nothing.
Without your late aunt's support, you don't even have the right to be standing in her late husband's estate.
If you want the inheritance including everything owned by your aunt to go to you, I suggest you do what you were told to do!
Find a goddamn suitable wife according to what the will dictates before the next spring season, or leave this place for good!
Now, You have a detailed copy of the Will in front of you so I suggest you read it, and think carefully before you decide what path you're choosing! Is that understood! Now if you'll excuse me! I NEED a drink!
Have an awful day! Both of you!" The lawyer said before he grabbed his belongings and stomped out of the room.
Shocked, "Did he just wish me an awful day?! What an ill mannered gentleman? Can you believe what just happened!" Colin spoke-up, he turned to look at Fabian who had removed his coat and was now sitting in front of the late Lord Stuart's desk gazing angrily at the piece of paper telling him to find a wife or he'd be penniless.
"I always knew My aunt's husband secretly disliked me, I do not understand why would my aunt support his heartless decision...if it was not for my aunt, I would not even be able to travel for as long as I have!" Fabian said.
"She loved her husband, you cannot blame her for choosing him over you." Colin replied.
"Ugh...Ever since I went to live with them, the man had tried to turn me into his own son, he wanted me to be what he considered a proper gentleman should be, but I am not interested in sports, horses or politics...I simply wanted to explore the world, learn new things, read books and work with my own hands." Fabian said, "I know, is that the actual reason you decided to travel around the world then? To run away from your aunt's husband traditional morals?" Colin asked.
"He was a bore! A man of few words and even fewer actions, he did not care for anything but my aunt, his afternoon nap and his money...I do not want be the next Him!" Fabian said grunting as he rubbed his face frustratingly with his hands.
"Did Lord Stuart ever mention he wanted you to have a wife?" Colin asked.
"Lord Stuart was madly in love with my aunt...No, it was more of like he was tied to her and unable to free himself like a ribbon that has been knotted too many times you cannot untie it anymore...he must have thought every man wants such fate, to be stuck at a lavish estate with a beautiful woman and a bed!
If God did not wish for the man to remain childless, he would had an army of babies with my aunt." Fabian replied.
"I do not see how that is a bad thing? is it that bad of a fate for you to marry and have a family?" Colin asked while taking a seat.
"When we first met in Paris, I told you I wish to keep traveling because I was looking for my passion.
I am a man who does not know where he stands in this world, I have fascination for anything and everything that is not traditional and boring, yet still I have yet to find what makes my life worth living, a goal of my own!
I want to make a name for myself, know who I am and make my own path, I am not interested in living the shallow extravagant life of the Ton, I am terrified of becoming just another mindless dandy looking gentlemen enjoying a wealth I do not even deserve." Fabian said.
"Yet you were so eager to get whatever you thought your aunt has left you!" Colin said jokingly, "Do you blame me! I may not deserve any money but I do need it, I have nothing left...even my aunt I have lost." Fabian said fighting his tears.
With a smile filled with sympathy, "I know I have already said this, but I am here for you my friend...I know it is not a simple ordeal to lose family...it was not easy when my father died." Colin replied
Sighing, "I am sorry too...earlier I have embarrassed you a great deal, I just still... cannot believe it, had I known she was sick and dying...I would have returned so quickly.
Why did my aunt not tell me?" Fabian questioned, "Maybe that is the reason why...she knew how much your journey meant to you." Colin replied.
"Why do you think she agreed to her husband's will?" Fabian asked, "I assume she wanted you to be happy, she was happily married was she not? Maybe lady Stuart thought you would find happiness in marriage just like she did." Colin replied smiling.
"I do not wish to marry but if I do It would take a miracle for me to find a love match, I will not marry a woman unless I love her, Colin."
"I want you to find a love match as well, love matches are sort of the latest trend amongst the Ton.
I am sure we can find you a wife who would even love to travel with you! A woman who shares your love for knowledge and would not mind your quest of looking for yourself.
I mean just thinking about it, Would that not be just wonderful?" Collin suggested.
"Such a woman cannot be found among the Tons..." Fabian protested, "Then maybe she might not be amongst the Ton!" Colin simply pointed.
"The will clearly states I should find a suitable wife, a woman of means and from a respectable background, not just about any woman, she has to be of equal standing as the Struats.
I can only assume such a Lady exists amongst the Ton, but the woman I would love would never be one of them.
Most women of the Ton are raised to be these shallow obsessed with looks ladies who are just copies of each other, they are not allowed to even think for themselves or have different views than society...noble Women with their own interests, opinions and goals like the ones your family is blessed with Colin are as rare as jewels." Fabian explained.
"Although rare, jewels are still found, I am sure that if we search well, we can find you a suitable wife amongst the Ton.
One that can be your friend, and wife." Colin said smiling.
Smiling back, "You have changed again Colin." Fabian stated, "This is what love does to a man, Fai." Colin replied.
With his smile fading gradually, "I admire your optimism, but With the promise of money and title I can find myself a wife in no time, however I know for certain that I will never find something as real as my aunt did, or you and your brothers..." Fabian said.
Suddenly, an idea came into Colin's mind.
Colin asked, "You know who can help us?"
"Who?"
"Lady Danbury!"
"Lady Danbury?" Fabian questioned, he looked at Colin like Colin had grown a second head.
"Lady Danbury!" Collin repeated.
"Colin I heard you the first time, what are you talking about?!"
"Lady Danbury in a way or another has helped My mother secure matches for my siblings.
She seems to know a great deal about matchmaking and is favored by the queen, I can ask my mother who in return can ask for lady Danbury's help.
If anyone can find you a suitable wife matching your preferences, it would be her." Colin suggested excitedly, he smiled very proudly at Fabian who continued to look at Colin as if he just said the most unbelievable thing.
"I am so going to quit drinking..." Fabian replied.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
QW_JiHi
QW_JiHi Fun fact: knock me down with a feather, is an old-fashioned British saying that is said to mean that you were extremely surprised or shocked by something.
[I wish you a much more better day than what Mr Smith had wished upon Colin and Fabian!]
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