Eloise Bridgerton

Eloise Bridgerton - Chapter 18

Eloise gazed out of the window of the carriage as she made her way to the family's country estate. Violet was in the carriage with her along with Benedict.

Anthony and Kate had made their way to the estate the previous day along with the rest of the Bridgerton siblings.

"Penny for your thoughts, sister?", asked Benedict sliding onto the bench next to her in the carriage.

Eloise shook her head and said "This gathering is going to be a disaster. I know it already."

"Now Eloise, dear. You are not to think that way", said Violet, disapprovingly. "It's been a while since we have visited the country estate. Kate and Anthony have gone to quite some trouble to arrange this and I am sure it will be wonderful. They are sure to have lots of activities to engage young ladies."

"Mother, have you ever thought that young ladies don't need to be engaged or entertained but rather we have minds of our own? And we are capable of discerning what interests us and what does not?"

Violet raised her eyebrows at Eloise while Benedict chuckled and said " Ahh... I haven't heard a speech like that from you for a while now. You have been far too busy enjoying yourself at dances."

Eloise glared at him while Violet gave a soft smile and looked out of the carriage window.

"Dinner this evening will be just the family I assume?", asked Eloise as the carriage came to a halt outside Bridgerton Manor.

Violet nodded as she descended and moved forward to greet her eldest son, the Viscount and his wife, the Viscountess.

All in all, thought Eloise as she strolled around the estates after dinner, it had been a pleasant evening with her siblings. Time in the country somehow mentally took Eloise away from the ton.

"Just for a brief while though, I'll be seeing most of the ton tomorrow. Along with Penelope and Theo", thought Eloise to herself as she sat down on a bench in the gardens.

Eloise still felt enraged at the very thought of Penelope. But there was an edge of worry attached to the rage now; it was around Theo. Theo's statement the other day about Penelope's reaction made Eloise wonder if Penelope knew who Theo really was.

"I was the one who fed her that gossip", Eloise thought to herself in annoyance. "I mentioned Theo's name, I spoke of my frequent visits to the print shop to find out the truth of Whistledown. It wasn't something she heard from any of the servants. But did she ever see me with Theo herself? More importantly, did she ever see Theo? Either way, it's dangerous for Theo to be in such close quarters with the Featheringtons. Although, even if she did know who Theo really was, Penelope wouldn't dare publish about him. She would be too afraid that I would reveal her identity."

Elois shook her head wearily and felt in her pocket, she pulled out the parchment that Theo had given her the previous day. She had carried it around with her since then.

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Theo sat down at a table wearily in the country manor of the Marquess of Barclay. The day had been long. He had arrived at the estate in the morning and spent the day being introduced to people and walking over the estate land.

When working in London, he had often heard of the ton's vast estates, but seeing it in reality was far different. Theo's head reeled as he walked across acre over acre of the estate.

"The number of people who are dependent on the estate for their livelihood", thought Theo. "And I used to be one of them. But at least I aspired to make a difference through my writings. Now.......now I am nothing more than another senseless member of the ton. Attending soirees and making country visits", he thought in disgust.