It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. And so Mr Hummel of Lime Hall, upon his return to Hartford, was astonished to find the lady who had been promised to him ever since their mothers had been mere children, already married to someone else. The thing was that, well, the lady had lost her heart to his older brother, Mr Finn Hudson, brother by marriage only, but just as dear to him as any brother could be.

“One would think that you were more heartbroken about the affair, old friend,” his former betrothed’s cousin, Mr Anderson, commented, as he nipped at Mr Hummel’s best white wine. “After all, Rachel did promise she would wait for her war hero.” Mr Anderson smirked and Mr Hummel found that he could not be very angry about the mishap. For more than his promised wife, Rachel Berry had mostly been his confidante and good friend since childhood. Mr Hummel smiled wistfully, and turned back to their game of chess, before saying that, for sure, it was a shame that dear Rachel was no longer part of his future at Lime Hall, now that the estate was finally his, but he was quite delighted to see the young lovers’ happiness when he had visited them earlier that day. “Who am I to deny true love when I see it?”, he asked and Mr Anderson nodded before saying “Check mate. You are out of training, dear Mr Hummel”, the light of the candles dancing in his honey-brown eyes.

“Hm, yes, indeed,” Mr Hummel sighed, “but I will ask you for a rematch.”

“And that you will be granted. Tomorrow. I promise.” He stood and smoothed down his waiste coat. As he took his hat from the coat hanger, he turned around to face Mr Hummel once more before bidding his goodbyes. “I.. It is good to have you back, Kurt. You were dearly missed.” He bestowed a tight-lipped smile upon him, bowed his head, and left through the study’s doors.

~*~

A few days later, Mr and Mrs Finn Hudson threw an evening party for their closest friends, including Mr Hummel and the daughter of their new neighbours, a Miss Patricia Portman. She was a moderately clever girl, pleasing to the eye, pretty head covered in blond ringlets, and capable of delightful conversation, as far as Mr Hummel could tell. She was everything one could have wanted for in a future wife, and everybody present was certain that that had been the deciding factor in inviting her to a round that was otherwise mostly consisting of old friends.

Kurt had been seated next to Miss Portman during dinner and had shared more than a few laughs with her. Witty banter was what he liked most in a dinner companion. It was the first thing to be noted when the men excused themselves to the study where Mr Hudson would offer them his best cigars.

“She is a delight, I will say as much”, Mr Evans complimented the lady in question as soon as he had lighted his cigar and dropped unceremoniously into the next stuffed chair. “Pretty, funny, and Mrs Evans tells me that Miss Portman is quite talented on the pianoforte. Now, I remember you, Mr Hummel, being quite fond of music once. I am sure that the sweet lady and you will find a tune or two to sing to us later. Besides, I am sure that old Anderson will be happy to give up his place next to you on the instrument if the seat will be taken by such a pretty creature,” he smiled and waited for Mr Anderson’s affirmation. The gentleman stood at the window, gazing at the fields below, apparently in thought.

“Mr Anderson?” Evans tried again and succeeded this time. The gentleman turned around and raised his eyebrows before shaking himself a little. “Oh, I am sorry, I was not paying attention,” he said and ran a hand through his hair. “But, yes, yes, of course, I am sure that could be arranged.”

~*~

When they had gathered in the drawing room later, everyone was quick to demand a song of Mr Hummel, who was known for his beautiful voice, clear as the song of the mockingbird. Miss Portman blushed prettily when he asked her to play for him and maybe join him in song. And so she sat on the little bench, Mr Hummel next to her, turning the pages with an elegant hand, voices coming together in a song about young love. They finished to a round of applause, Mr Hummel bending to bestow a chaste kiss upon Miss Portman’s hand, and a call for just one more song from their friends.

Nobody saw the tremble in Mr Anderson’s hand, the shaky breath he drew, when Mr Hummel and Miss Portman finished the second song to another round of highest praises. He had missed his dear friend’s voice, o, so much and he would have given the world to play for him again, to have him sing beside him, while his own fingers danced over the keys, his voice joining Mr Hummel’s for the chorus. But if he was right, such a thing would rarely ever occur again. He forced a smile, trying to drown the tugging feeling that overcame his heart as he watched Mr Hummel fall in love with Miss Portman.

“Jealous?” Mrs Hudson inquired, when she sat down next to him. “You could have had her, too, you know? She once confessed that she found you quite dashing.”

“No, not at all. Miss Portman is.. she is the sweetest girl in town. She deserves only the best man. Kurt.. Mr Hummel is such a man.”

“Well, well, I hope Kurt will let me plan his wedding, since you, dear cousin, have apparently resigned yourself to the life of a confirmed bachelor - though I am not sure why. Blaine, there are numerous girls of good family who-”

“Stop it, Rachel. There’s no point in- I wish you wouldn’t always bring that up. Now if you’ll excuse me. I am not well. I shall go to my room now.” Mr Anderson bid his cousin goodnight with a kiss on her cheek and left the room quickly, without anyone noticing.

~*~

The following weeks were a whirlwind of social gatherings - balls, picnics, boating tours, dinner parties, concerts. The whispers of a wedding between Mr Hummel and the delightful Miss Portman seemed to grow louder by the minute. More often than not, Mr Anderson excused himself from outings if it could be helped; He needed to supervise the construction of a new mill, talk to the farmers, and tend to his ailing uncle now that Rachel was no longer around.

“I will eat my hat if Miss Portman won’t be engaged to our dear Mr Hummel by Michaelmas,” Mrs Hudson had sworn during dinner the previous night and Mr Berry, as well as Mr Hudson had agreed that it could only be a matter of time until he would propose. “A Christmas wedding would be most wonderful!” Mrs Hudson had exclaimed and immediately started to plan for such an occasion.

Mr Anderson tried to concentrate on the book that he was reading, but found that it was too warm and stuffy in his study. He closed the book with more force than was warranted and put on his coat to take a walk outside. Once he had shut the heavy doors behind himself, he started walking down the path and was halfway to Lime Hall before he noticed where he was headed.

The mist uprose from the meadows and night was swiftly falling around him. Images of lean and strong limbs were running through his head and he started quietly singing a song remembered from youthful days spent at the nearby pond. He was suprised when a second voice joined him halfway through. He looked up to find Mr Hummel across from him, smiling as he finished the song.

“I was actually on my way to you, old friend,” he smiled and took a step further. “I’ve missed you on our picnic last week. And at the ball at the Portman’s home. And at a million other outings. What is it, Blaine? What are you hiding from?”

“I’m not-” He drew a shaky breath, his head bowed so he wouldn’t have to look the other man in the eye. “I just.. I wish we could go back to how things were. I wish we could simply spend our days making paper boats and letting them sail on the old brook. I wish..” He trailed of, but lifted his head again. “I wish you wouldn’t hate me for what I have to say now. Kurt, I am a horribly selfish creature, jealous, greedy, and I hate having to share your attention, having to share you. I-” He was cut off when lips were crushed against his and strong arms tugged at him to pull him closer. His back collided with a nearby tree and the sudden impact made him break the kiss.

They were both breathing heavily, eyes searching the face of the other.

“I.. are you going to ask her for her hand in marriage?” Mr Anderson whispered, which made Mr Hummel shake his head. “No, you idiot,” he laughed. “I told her weeks ago that I was not looking for a wife and she confessed that she was already engaged to some other gentleman.”

“Then why-”

“I was trying to determine my feelings for you. Blaine, I love you. Come to think of it, I always have. I just didn’t always know what it was. But the truth is that I don’t want to imagine a future without you.”

Their lips met again in another passionate kiss, hands holding onto fabric, not caring about wrinkles or tears.

“But how.. what’s your plan? I am sure you already have one,” Blaine inquired in perfect wonder.

Kurt smirked and cradled Blaine’s jaw in his right hand. “Since you have already made your decision of living as a confirmed bachelor public”, a kiss, “I will declare the same. And thus we shall both live as such. During the season, we can both stay at my townhouse in London, if you please, and then we’ll go back to our respective estates.”

“Are you certain?”

“Quite so.”

“I love you, so so much”, Blaine breathed, before he closed the gap between them once more and kissed Kurt with all his might.

And so they lived in happy companionship until old age. Whenever someone would comment that they were like an old married couple, one of them would smile and say, “we kind of are, huh”.

FIN