Author's Note: I have had this chapter ready for a few days now, but I've been way too busy to update. Work this week was crazy because it was inventory week which meant that the store had to be counted...but, anyway, the chapter is here at last. Thank you for the reviews and the alerts. I have no idea when the next chapter will be up. Maybe in a week or so...

On another note, although this is set in the regency era in the early 1800s, I have changed a few things such as the perspective that people had about sexuality, so you may think of this as an alternate reality. That will also explain anachronisms that might appear in the future.

Summary: Based off of Jane Austen's Emma. Regency era fic. Kurt Hummel is a well off gentleman with the idea that he is good at matchmaking, except that as he soon learns, he is not always correct on affairs of the heart, especially when it comes to his own.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Fox does...and RIB

Chapter Two

Miss Rachel Berry turned out to be an amiable girl, but she seemed to be very taken by the brother of the two girls she had been sad to be parted from, she had nothing better to talk of than Mr. Finn Hudson. Kurt let her talk, and didn't even have to inquire about the man in question. By the end of their meeting, he knew that Finn was a farmer and tenant to Mr. Anderson and that he knew exactly who Kurt was though Kurt had no idea if he had ever laid eyes upon him. He knew that Finn had only a widowed mother, a Mrs. Hudson, and of course his sisters. They were the sort of people that Kurt had never been interested in and it was only for the sake of Miss Berry that he even listened to her talk of them.

Talk of the Hudsons ceased when Mr. Hummel returned from his walk accompanied by Mr. Anderson who raised an eyebrow at Miss Berry's presence.

"I'd like to present you to my newest friend," Kurt announced to him, "this is Miss Rachel Berry. Miss Berry this is Mr. Anderson. He is the owner of Dalton Abbey."

The two greeted each other as was customary and he then took a seat by them while Mr. Hummel busied himself in taking his usual chair by the fire.

"I am rather interested in how Mr. Hummel came to make your acquaintance," Mr. Anderson said.

"She's a parlour-boarder at Mrs. Cohen's school," Kurt answered, "and with Mrs. Evans settled at her own home and newly married I could not expect the same kind of attention from her. I needed another companion. I spotted Miss Berry yesterday and thought she would do."

Mr. Anderson seemed amused by the answer. Kurt had known Mr. Anderson all his life and for that reason, Mr. Anderson took it upon himself to scold and tease Kurt whenever he could. It was the nature of their relationship and Kurt would never change it.

Miss Berry took leave of them soon after, having promised to return to help Mrs. Cohen at the school, and just as she was leaving, Mr. James appeared.

"Oh, Mr. Hummel, I was talking a walk and thought to stop by, but I see you are already engaged."

Kurt only smiled. He liked Mr. James. "Well, at the very least I might introduce you to Miss Berry. Miss Berry, this is Mr. James. I'm sure you've seen him as he is the new vicar at Highbury."

"To be sure," Miss Berry said and she smiled prettily at Mr. James while she curtsied.

Kurt was struck by an idea in that moment. Mr. James had been at Highbury for almost a whole year and yet had not found a wife or husband – Kurt was unsure of his inclination though most men of the church did not tend to be like Kurt – but Miss Berry might make for a perfect choice for him. Oh, yes, they could make a very handsome couple.

"Oh, Miss Berry, I had quite forgotten that the carriage would not be here," Kurt said, "and I had hoped you wouldn't have to walk."

"It is no trouble—" Miss Berry began.

"Well that could be solved momentarily," Mr. James said, "I could escort Miss Berry to the vicarage not too far, and she can take my chaise. It would be no trouble at all."

Kurt smiled to himself. "Oh, yes, that would do wonderfully. Thank you, Mr. James. It would make me feel much better to know Miss Berry wouldn't have to walk all that way. Thank you."

He watched them go and then returned inside. Mr. Anderson stood at the window. "I do hope, Kurt, that you have put all those matchmaking plans of yours aside."

"Whatever could you mean, Mr. Anderson," Kurt said airily.

"Mr. James will never take Miss Berry as a wife," Mr. Anderson said, "he is not the kind of man to ignore he circumstance of birth."

"I merely wish for my new friend to be acquainted with my old ones," Kurt responded.

Mr. Anderson fixed him with a look. "I sure hope that is the case indeed."

After that, Mr. Anderson took his leave, and Kurt was left once more with his father. He joined him by the fire and tried to entertain himself by seeing pictures in the flames until dinner was set and they could move to the dining room.

The next afternoon, it was Miss Pillsbury and her mother that paid them a visit, thanking Kurt for the fruit that had been sent to them, and rejoicing in Mr. Crawford's visit.

"He will arrive early next week," Miss Pillsbury said, "and we expect he will stay awhile."

"It will be nice for you to have another friend, Kurt," Mr. Hummel said, "I shall be glad to see Mr. Crawford again. He was a pleasant child."

"Indeed," Miss Pillsbury said with a glint in her eye.

Mr. Crawford did arrive early in the upcoming week, and Kurt heard it first from Mrs. Evans when he took a walk to call upon her only to find Mr. Anderson and Mr. Evans discussing the new addition to their society.

"I have always felt that Mr. Crawford belonged to Highbury," Mr. Evans said, "just as much as my Sebastian."

Mr. Anderson nodded agreeably, "His aunt is certainly happy with his arrival, and I've always thought him a very learned young man, at least of what I've been told."

"What we have all been told," Kurt said, "by Miss Pillsbury who is not a just judge of his accomplishments. I have heard so often of all the tongues he's learned and his proficiency at the pianoforte and even as to all the volumes that he's read but that does not alone impress me."

"Come now, Kurt," Mrs. Evans said, "that is too harsh."

"So is having to hear about everything Mr. Crawford does as I have for my entire life. At least his being here might put a stop to that unless Mr. Crawford too likes to sign himself praises."

Mrs. Evans understood better than anyone else how Kurt felt about Mr. Crawford seeing as she had always been the one that had to listen to Kurt after every visit to Miss Pillsbury.

For Kurt, Mr. Crawford had always been a rival, though he didn't always understand why. It was perhaps that no other young person could be said to best Kurt. He, Kurt, had never managed to read as many books as Mr. Crawford, and his voice was not quite deep enough to sing many of the songs meant for men.

"And what about Mr. Smythe?" Kurt asked, "will he not come into Highbury at last?"

"He writes that he shall," Mr. Evans said, "when his aunt is in better health."

"I fear we shall never meet the man," Mr. Anderson said, "I think it very badly done of him to not have come to your wedding at the very least, Mr. Evans, it is not the sign of a gentleman."

"Oh but you must forgive him," Mrs. Evans said, "for it was not of his doing."

At that moment, a servant entered to announce the arrival of Miss Pillsbury, Mrs. Pillsbury, and Mr. Crawford.

Kurt had not laid eyes upon Mr. Crawford since they were both children, and he could admit, at least, that the boy he'd known, had grown up into a very good looking gentleman. He was of a light complexion, with blue eyes, and sand colored hair.

"Oh, why isn't this wonderful," Miss Pillsbury said when she entered, "I had thought to call on you next, Mr. Hummel, and yet here you are. I know you are eager to meet Mr. Crawford."

They were all introduced. Mr. Crawford was not as bad as Kurt would have thought him. In fact, he was sort of the opposite of Miss Pillsbury, and almost did not even speak except for when someone addressed him directly, and even then Miss Pillsbury tried to answer for him. He didn't seem to enjoy how Miss Pillsbury, so used to talking of his accomplishments, would go on about him.

"Dear Aunt, I'm sure they do not wish to hear about that," he said after his aunt began to tell them what Mr. Crawford had done right before leaving for Highbury.

"But you saved someone, Adam," Miss Pillsbury said, "he was with his friend Miss Lopez and her fiancé Miss Pierce when Miss Lopez slipped and almost took a tumble down a cliff if it hadn't been for Adam catching her."

Mr. Crawford's cheeks rose in color and Kurt thought it a bit strange. There was nothing wrong with a gentleman saving a young lady from falling, and yet Mr. Crawford didn't seem happy with the tale being told. Kurt had to wonder at his relationship with Miss Lopez. Mr. Crawford had grown up with her seeing as her father was a friend of his fathers. The decision by Coronel Lopez to take Mr. Crawford in had been a great help to Miss Pillsbury when her situation in life changed.

Once, Miss Pillsbury had lived in one of the great houses of Highbury, but after the death of her father, and with no husband or any kind of great fortune, she and Mrs. Pillsbury had moved into a smaller home and found a way to make their small income work for them. Mr. Crawford would have been an expenditure that they could not handle.

Kurt extended an invitation to everyone present for a dinner party at Hartfield before he left and decided on his way home that he would invite Mr. James and Miss Berry as well. It might be the right setting to see if the two might get along enough to begin a courtship. He was excited at the prospect.

Mr. Anderson walked back with him.

"Your father expects me for dinner," he told Kurt, "and it would not do to upset him."

There were many things that Kurt admired about Mr. Anderson, and one of them was definitely his attention to his father.

"He does value your friendship, Mr. Anderson," Kurt answered, "how did you like Mr. Crawford?"

"Well, we've all heard your feelings about the poor man, and I hope you've been disappointed, but for myself I am not. He is just the sort of man I expected. He is a polite young man, a bit quiet perhaps, but that might just be weariness from his trip."

Kurt sighed. "Well, I thought he was boring."

Mr. Anderson opened the door for Kurt, and followed after him. "You will find fault in him no matter what he does."

"Although," Kurt said, "I did find it interesting that he blushed at the mention of Miss Lopez."

"Mrs. Lopez Pierce," Mr. Anderson said, "and I do not think the color on his cheeks was connected to his dear friend. No, he seems a private man."

"If only his aunt knew that," Kurt said.

"Kurt! Kurt! Is that you?"

"Yes, papa, I am back and I have brought Mr. Anderson. He is to dine with us."

Author's Note: So, there it is, chapter two. Hope you all liked it.

You will also find me on tumblr as: emquin

Thank you for reading. Hope you all liked it.

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-Erika