𝐿𝒜𝐵𝒴𝑅𝐼𝒩𝒯𝐻 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘯

Chapter 13

"Colin!" Their mama says, "could you set aside the latest family squabble and embrace me?" Colin asks, making them all chuckle happily as they each give him hugs, "i thought you said in your letters you wouldn't return so soon, brother" Ester asks as she separates from the hug as her mama gives him a hug, "well i missed you all. What can i say?" Colin chuckles as he and Benedict hug, when he looked at Penelope— the two looked in their eyes— of course Ester's known of Penelope's childhood crush on him

"Brother!" Hyacinth and Gregory all call out as they run inside and give him hugs as Francesca enters as well with peaches in her arms, and she hands peaches into Ester's arms before she was near her mama and Benedict, "i believe we must get you to the doctor post-haste. This strange; fuzzy growth on your chin is some kind of disease" Benedict says in regards to his small beard— making Ester step on his foot, "ouch! Oh how you wound me again, dear sister" he feigns hurt like last time as he threw his nonexistent long hair over his shoulder while she gave him a look in response

"And you seem to have taken to the sun too. How peculiar" Francesca teases, "i think he looks distinguished" Penelope's voice is drowned out by hyacinth and Gregory's, "i'm now two inches taller than Gregory" hyacinth brags, "you are not!" Gregory argues back, "and where may i ask, is our intrepid viscount?" Colin asks, "he is—" their mama went to say when Anthony entered the place in a rush, "back from courting already" their mama finishes as he stops near Colin

"Colin! You are returned. Even better. Family, i should like you all to ready yourselves for the races today. We will be attending, united as one" Anthony states breathlessly, dropping the ball on them all

Ester blinks her eyes in surprise, though she didn't mind, she just might find herself some more suitors, or even a horse that she may like

As Ester was at, the races as they were near the sellers, "just look at your brother, the social season frustrated him at first too, but now it seems this miss Edwina Sharma has quickened his interest and pleasure in courtship" their mama tells eloise, who scoffs as Ester looked at some of the panflants that were there

"I only mean to say Eloise, that we must be willing to look to find the partner that will excite us" their mama tells eloise quieter as Ester looked over at them as she eyes them silently before looking forward again, "so dance with a bevy of frogs and one of them might turn out to be a prince?" Eloise complains as she takes a panflant and looks at it

"If that's what you must do. Your father you know.." their mama goes to tell Eloise, but the later wasn't really listening, the panflant in eloise's hand peaks Ester's interest, "what panflant you have in your hand sister?" Ester asks, "nothing, it is only a pamphlet on.. new methods for the tidying of dogs apparently" eloise says— making Ester hum in intrest as she looks at the other pamphlets, "well, a lady is allowed her hobbies, is she not?" Eloise scoffs to her mama before buying the pamphlet

Meanwhile, one lord coltan saw the face of Ester, a face that he couldn't forget even if he lost all his memories, so he did the only right thing. He went over to them as he can guess she was with her mama and her sister, "lady bridgerton, miss bridgertons, you've came to the races too it seems" he calls out as the three of them turn towards him- eloise's expression in a panic, thinking he was regarding to her

While Ester's face flashes with surprise, "hello lord coltan, and i have, i came with my family today— my brother, Anthony, was the one to think of coming here all together" she tells him as the corners of her smile pull up lightly, making eloise untense, but now she simply eyes him up and down, judging him silently, while her mama's lips pull into a polite smile

"Have you placed your bets yet?" He asks in interest, "oh! No, i haven't" she tells him, "do you want a escort for you, lady bridgeton, and your sister? I'm happy to be of service, it is one of my special talents that i have" he says as he grins, and Ester looks at her mama, who gives her a look saying 'go ahead' and she looks back at him

"I'd be delighted too, is one of your special talents able to detect which horse should win?" She asks as she and him hook arms, eloise lets a small groan out as she walks with their mama from behind the two of them

"In a matter of fact, i do" he says in pride, making her let a laugh, "let's see if it holds up, my lord" she tells him with a challenging smile, "ohh, is that a challenge i hear?" He asks with a smirk, "perhaps" she tells him before he manages to let a small laugh out as they head towards their seats together.

Now at their seats, they sit down side by side, "now miss Bridgerton, which horse are you placing your bets on?" He asks with a interested look on his face, "oh i don't know... how about nectar?" She suggests in interest, "hm... good choice, but i prefer that one" He suggests as he points to another horse, making her blink her eyes in interest

The bell than rings and the race starts, the horses running, "oh go on nectar!! You can do it!!" Ester calls out in hope, "go high flyer!!" He yells as the two cheer out as then high flyer won, "it seems that your choice was right" Elora comments with a brightened smile as she grinned at him, not very much affected by the loss, though she smiled warmly towards him, "it seems i won our little challenge, miss bridgerton" he tells her with a smirk that made her laugh out a bit

"Very well then, what will your award be from winning our challenge?" She asks with a smile, "nothing... at least for now, of course when i think of it, i'll tell you just when i've found it" he tells her with a grin, making her chuckle lightly as they began to depart, and before she left with her family, he bid her goodbye and she went into her carriage

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