I've yet to decide whether he was blindsided by an unexpected inheritance, or by the king's deciding to ennoble him. Blindsided is definite, he does not like the duties of the new role. . . .
The thing about being ennobled is that like medieval England, where prosperous men were coerced into accepting knighthood so that, for instance, they could impanel enough knights for certain legal proceedings in a county, it comes with duties.
He really hates the duties. Which will do double-duty as a plot device, as well.
If I make a new title, it underscores the problem. If it's an inheritance, OTOH, he's being unreasonably acting as if it were a deliberate insult.
Hmmm. . . and our heroine's inheritance is also going to be a factor. Juggling themes in variable gravity. . . .
