Day 170 - 799 words - Prompt: last son of the last son

He's the last son of the last son of the Duke Crawleigh. As such, a great tragidy would have to fall the Crawleigh name before Anthony James ever saw title or estate. So, unlike his oldest brothers and cousins, he had little responsabitly to the family name other than to keep it clean and keep the wheels of the family buisness turning where he could. He'd been educated, but then turned out on his own once it was certain he was essentialy usless to the family. they had more heirs nad spares then they knew what to do with, and it was a relief to all his elders when he showed no interest in playing politics. he knew his way around the estates inner workings, but had no interest in becoming involved further once he reached majority.

first chance he got, he was off to London to play bachelor. as a younger man there had been a few attempts at courting, but while his name might mean something, Anthony was too far down the list for most families to want to marry their daughters off too. He'd had his dalineces over the years - changing his surname slightly to Crowley to distance any scandels to his family, though he in gerneal was much better than some of his elder siblings in keeping himself out of upper circle gossip.

he was... well, he was starting to struggle though. there was pressure to settle down and marry already, and admittadly, Anthony could use some help with someone watching his ledger to keep him in his means. he didn't need a wife so much as a partner. which was becoming even more difficult as he aged. he wasn't old - but his oldest nephew was getting married already, and Anthony was finding it harder and harder to show his face at family functions without the expected plus one at his side.

even shadwell was courting someone... well.mayhaps he was being courted? the surley lonely had become a regualr at Anthony's side when he was out ont he town, the two cmisserating their bachlorhood together. but anthony had noticed the mystic harlet known as madamn Tracy had become a topic of many of Shadwells rants of late, and Anthony was ready to put mony on her having a soft spot for Anthiny's drinking partner. the question was hoe long it would take the man to notice.

Tonight mixed it up abit however, as apperatly the good Mme Tracy had a guest of her own taking up the woman's time, a Lady Fell, hwo Shadwell could decide it he loathed outright or was sypathetic to her cuase.

Apaertaly he'd known the Lady longer than Mme Tracy, and regretted ever introducing them, as she'd recently seemed to move in with the Mme after running her welcome at her brother's estate.

As a crawleigh, anthony had been to just about every estate worth mentioning at one point of his life or another, but he didn't remmber the name Fell.

"Nah," shawell waved his hand drunkenly, "Married into the Fell's - ran off and elopled if i 'memebr it right. was one of the Messangers 'for that. great big scandle, everyone was up in arms about it."

Ah, he did vagualy remmebr the Messangers. [Arch] Gabriel was the family head at this point if he remmebred right. he also remmerbed somethine of one of the daughters running off to get married behind the family's back when he was still young. maybe fifteen, twenety years ago now. His own brother had made a comment about her probably being in a family way, which is why the Messagner's had ended up jsut leaving it be.

"and she's staying with your Madamn why?"

shadwell reddened at the 'your' and took a drink to steady himself, "widowed. nasty illness took mister fell; he was a good man, ran the bookshop 'round the corner. used to give out hot tea in the winter. that was.. maybe ten years now? anyway, his family was gone, there never had any children, and the Messagner's sold the place right from under the poor woman. shame too becuase nobody's done well since then. i think that place is on it's sixth owner now? " shdwell barily paused for a drink, "good lad, private pulisper. i tlaked him and his lady into it, figured they'd have jsut as good a shot as anyone else. plus, the neighbors liked him better, mor elikely to try and keep in aflout, ka know."

Anthony didn't, but ne knodded just the same."Anyway, lass as it her wits end with her family, and just wlked out on dinner."

"And is now satying with the Madamn."

"Aye, and is now staying with the Madamn."

Well... talk about a cockblock. anthony wasn't sure who he felt sorry for the msot at the moment. he took a drink.