Juxtaposition

AC: Michael held his newborn son protectively in his arms. The infant was now the newest baron in the family line. “He was born on the day I was raised to a dukedom. If that isn't an auspicious sign...”

Morgan stood stiffly beside him, his voice barely audible. “Perhaps. I think our time alone will become even more precious, by my choice.”

“We're alone, Morgan. You can relax.”

“Have you decided on a name?”

“Edward Peter David Wallace, 11th Baron of East New Jersey, heir apparent to the Dukedom of New Jersey, the Earldom of Morris, and the Baronetcy of New Morris.”

“Finley is rattling sabres again. He wants to re-annex New Jersey after you claimed it for the UK.”

“Finley must enjoy being hoist by his own petard. They can always just pay back what they owe.”

“If they could do that, you would not have claimed New Jersey before freezing the debt again.”

“The timing for the president-elect could not be worse. He's coming into an office with a cold war forming. And war with England is not what he'd want.”

“Finley could argue war with the Commonwealth of New Jersey is what he wants.”

“I would not want to see any army's chances against you. By the way, I'm naming you Marquess of North Jersey and the title is honorary because you'll actually be Security Counselor or Chancellor or whatever silly name Her Majesty's Service would deem appropriate.”

“Are you going to ennoble me the Earl of Hudson, too? Her Majesty's Privy Council grants you the power to issue letters patent in the Commonwealths of the Americas, which sounds odd in its own right, but that doesn't mean you're going to issue titles inappropriately?”

“No, but it means that I can soothe feathers by handing out non-peerages and a few real peerages, too. Big, fancy titles impress people and they'll carry them around like new umbrellas on a sunny day. Corzine will probably get the Marquessate of South Jersey.”

“Well, that might save me from... Would not Torricelli be better for that or is it a life peerage?”

“I haven't decided yet. Note that earls will serve as Lords Lieutenant for me.”

“You have spent a lot of this week thinking. We told you to rest.”

“What else am I going to do while I'm laying on my back bedridden?”

Little Edward awoke and started crying. Michael felt a tingle in his nipples. He let Edward latch on. Michael looked up at Morgan who still stood in a rigid position. “Are you truly afraid of me now?”

“No,” Morgan breathed. “I never expected to be a father. And I did not think this was how I would be. And I never thought I would do it again.”