Disappearing Act

iii.

iii.

"In my old life," he began, "I was never satisfied. I always wanted more."

Her brow rose. "Even though you were already wealthy?"

He shrugged. "It wasn't about money for me—it never has been. I sure as hell wouldn't have taken up this kind of work if it were," he replied. "It was more that I... didn't feel important, or respected. I didn't think I had any purpose in this world, except to watch all of my brothers succeed and thrive where I couldn't."

She frowned. "And why couldn't you, as well?"

His shoulders tensed, rising nearly to his ears. "Because I was – am – the last of them. I would inherit nothing, be responsible for nothing, take pride in nothing—and yet be wanting of nothing all the same, because it would have been unthinkable to allow one of the Westergard sons to become publicly destitute."

"Is that your real family name? Westergard?" she asked.

He nodded, flexing his hands in his gloves. "Yes. And with that name, I didn't know who I was outside of it. It felt as though I had nothing to live for, save for passing fancies at cards or in brothels. And so, I made something up," he said, and glanced at her. "Something you won't like."

Elsa's lips pursed. "Try me."

He sighed. "One of my oldest brothers – Kristian – was engaged to a young noblewoman by the name of Lady Therese. It was arranged by my father, of course, as the marriage would bring quite a lot of wealth to our family, and Kristian was a renowned and admired naval admiral who would likewise bring good repute to hers, which had obtained their wealth through... less than honorable means, to put it kindly." His nose twitched at the recollection. "But Kristian seemed to be genuinely infatuated with the girl, and made that infatuation well-known to anyone who would listen to his blathering. Naturally, I hated it, and, well... I couldn't help but want to test his true feelings—to see if he really cared at all for her, or just for her money."

Elsa sucked in a breath. "... Hans, you didn't."

He chuckled. "Indeed I did—I went after his bride-to-be with my most convincing lovesick act, figuring that if she didn't leave Kristian for me and offer me her money instead, then at least I got to get under the Admiral's – and my father's – skin," he said, and added: "I knew it was risky, but... if I'm honest, the whole affair made me feel really alive for the first time in a long while. Even if it ended up with me here, and their lives largely unchanged."

"So what happened?" she countered. "I take it that your scheme didn't go as planned."

"Indeed not. Needless to say, the first part went off without a hitch and the girl was madly in love with me and promised to me within a week, but the second part..." He wore a cynical smile. "Well, her father didn't take too kindly to the idea of marrying his prized filly off to the youngest son, who had no standing or character to speak of. So he called off both our secret engagement, as well as the official one to my brother, and I was made to tell Therese that I am a scoundrel and a charlatan who was only after her money, so that she might forget about me and move on to find a more suitable match—who, I might add," he continued with a chuckle, "would probably also only be after her for her money, anyway."

She crossed her arms. "That's it? That was your only punishment?"

Hans scoffed. "Of course not. My father put me on house arrest and took all of my privileges away – spending allowances, attending parties, even reading in the estate's library, which was, to be honest, my only real pleasure – and arranged a marriage for me to a homely and dull creature from a rich family in a backwater province, with whom I would be sent to live after the papers were signed." He eyed his hands for a moment, and began to loosen the gloves from his fingers, his smile widening. "Obviously, that never happened, as I fled well before the ceremony could ever take place. However, I must hand it to the old man—it would've been a very fitting punishment, and it still amuses me on some level to consider."