Chapter Text
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
Universally acknowledged, that is, in the eyes of those families with daughters of marrying age. So much so that men who meet these criteria have been claimed across the neighborhood before they have even moved in.
“Mr. Irniq, have you heard that Ember Isle has been let?” The elderly lady said to her son, feigning nonchalance.
Her son replied that he had not.
“Well, it is! Mrs. Long has told me all about it; she was here earlier this morning.” When Mrs. Irniq’s son made no response, she grew impatient and snapped at him. “Don’t you want to know who’s taken it?”
“Mother, it is clear that you wish to tell me, so I suggest you do before you hurt yourself.”
That was enough for Mrs. Irniq, and she started off. “Mrs. Long tells me that Ember Isle was let to a gentleman from the east. He came down earlier this week and was so taken with the property that he made an agreement with Mr. Wang immediately! Mrs. Long says that he is to take possession before Michealmas, and some of his servants are already in the house!”
Mr. Irniq stifled a chuckle at his mother’s gossip. “What is this gentleman’s name?”
“Saunik”.
“Is he married or single?” he asked, for he knew that was what the elderly Mrs. Irniq was getting at all along.
“Single, my darling! A single man, rumored to have a fortune of five thousand a year, moving in practically just up the way. How wonderful for our girls!”
“What does the occupation of Ember Isle have to do with our girls?”
“Mr. Irniq, my dear! Of course, I’m thinking of him marrying one of them! How I raised such a tiresome man, I’ll never know.”
“Has Mr. Saunik resolved to move here, to Lapit, for the purpose of marrying one of my daughters?”
“Purpose!” Mrs. Irniq smacks her lips, waving her needlepoint at her son dismissively. “Of course it isn’t. But perhaps he could fall for one of them, and for that reason, you must resolve to visit him at once.”
“I don’t see a reason for that, but of course you and the girls may go. Or better yet, send them by themselves, in case Mr. Saunik finds that he likes you best. You’ve some beauty left, Mother.” Again, Mr. Irniq holds back a chuckle. It was one of his few pleasures in life, teasing his mother.
“Hakoda!” Mrs. Irniq chides her son. “I have had my share of beauty, but when a woman has four grown-up granddaughters, she certainly must resign to being anything more than a homely old woman.”
“Anyway, Hakoda, you must go visit Mr. Saunik. Sir Lao and Lady Beifong are determined to go on account of their daughter. And you know that they don’t visit newcomers, especially when young Miss Toph is in any way involved.”
“I will send along a few lines wit you and the girls, ensuring that Mr. Saunik is aware he has permission to marry any one of my daughters. Though I must throw in a good word for my dear Katara.”
“You absolutely will not! Katara is not a bit better than the others! She is not half as beautiful as Yue, nor half so well mannered as Sesi! Yet you are always giving her the preference.”
“They are all silly and ignorant like other girls”, Mr. Irniq replied. “Katara has something more of quickness to her than her sisters.”
Mr. Irniq’s response has the woman scoffing once again. “You have no compassion on my poor nerves.”
“Ah, and that’s where you’re mistaken, Mother! I have high respect for your nerves; we’ve become very well acquainted the past forty-five years.”
“Ah! You do not know what I suffer!”
“But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four or five thousand a year come into the neighborhood.”
“It will be no such use to us, for even if there were twenty such men, you would not visit them.”
“Depend on it, Mother, that when there are twenty I will visit every one.”
Mr. Irniq got up and left the room then, finally allowing himself his chuckle. Even knowing him his whole life, Mrs. Irniq had yet to understand his strange character. Her mind, however, was easier to understand. The business of her life was to get her granddaughters married; irs solace was visiting and news.