Very AU in Austen's universe. A great place to be.
This is unbeta'ed.
Castiel McCrae had travelled the long journey from Stirlingshire down to Devon. He was tired; the coach had not been comfortable and now all he wanted was to wash up and go to bed. The maid brought him some hot water and the butler unpacked his trunk and apologized that his master had not stayed up to greet him. He had had a busy day and since it was late he had decided to go to bed. Castiel reassured him that it was fine. He had known his uncle would not be up. George Brumley was 63 years old and he had a lot to do during the day taking care of his big estate. He also had three sons and four daughters who wore him out. Two of the daughters were married, thank God, as George used to say. Mary, 24 years old, was married to Adrian and they had a son, George, who was two years old and Sarah, 21, had been married to Stephen for about a year.
The three sons, George, 26, Daniel, 23, and Harry, 18, were all at university and there was a never-ending request for more money. Castiel knew they spent too much time at the gambling tables and had debts to pay. He wasn't sure how much their father knew about this but Castiel wasn't going to tell him. He didn't want to add to his burden. Castiel himself had had to help the youngest son, Harry, out on one occasion. He owed a large amount and he couldn't ask his father for it; he would have become too suspicious. So he had written Castiel and asked for help. Castiel wasn't married and had no children and his estate was doing good so he had money to spare and sent some to Harry. With strict instructions to stay away from the gambling tables! He knew he wouldn't, though, but he was family and family was important to Castiel.
Castiel had lost his father when he was 19. He had never really been close to him because his father was 50 when he was born. He had married at a late age when he had suddenly realized that he needed an heir for the estate, Rosehill Mannor, and had decided on the young Harriet Wills. Harry had been named after her. She had died the year before he was born, only 30 years old. Castiel was here for his almost yearly visit. It was a long journey and even though he would have liked to go every year he sometimes had to stay home and look after the estate.
Aunt Phillippa and uncle George had taken good care of Castiel after both his parents had died. The loss of his mother was overwhelming. They had always been close and she had given him all the love he needed in his childhood. After her death his father didn't know what to do with Castiel; he felt he didn't really know him, like Castiel felt he didn't know his father. His father had decided to send him off to boarding school and Castiel had been happy there, making lots of friends and doing good in all his subjects.
He had been shocked to get the message of his father's death. He had had to go back home to take over the estate and finished his education with a tutor. He was especially interested in learning about the land. He had been quite happy there, he loved the estate and everywhere there were memories of his mother. He had kept her rooms like they had been when she had been alive, his father had never touched them. He hadn't expected his wife to die before him and to deal with the loss he had kept the rooms so he could sometimes go in and pretend she was still there, just somewhere in the garden maybe.
Castiel's aunt Phillippa, his father's sister had married George and moved to Devon. And though he loved Rosehill Mannor he was sometimes sad it was so far away from his family in England. His cousins were good at coming to visit, though, and they were really more like brothers and sisters to Castiel so he was only happy to help Harry out but he would have to have a talk with him this Summer. All the children would be there as well as Adrian and Stephen and little George. It would be a Summer in the sign of the family and Castiel had been looking forward to it.
The maid poured the water for Castiel and she looked at him like she was willing to spend the night if he wanted her to. But Castiel was wise enough not to get involved with the women at the house. At a neighbour's or friend's house, maybe, but not the family's. He gave her a sign that she could leave and she did so, looking very disappointed. Castiel smiled to himself. He always had that effect on women but he was in no hurry to bed a woman because she offered. He knew he would get a chance another time with another woman. He quickly washed up, jumped into bed and fell asleep immediately.