Elizabeth had received an invitation to visit Elouise at the earliest convenience to discuss her urgent news. And as such she found herself walking past the Featheringtons at the exact moment Penelope was leaving her house. "Pen! Don't tell me, you have been summoned too?" She teased waiting for her friend to catch up and linked arms.
"So it seems" She giggled. "I can only assume she has a new clue for who lady whistledown is."
Elizabeth agreed with a chuckle. "You know Lizzie. I am surprised you are indulging her. You don't seem to care for such things."
"I could say the same for you pen" Lizzie laughed. "It keeps Elouise happy, so I am happy to listen."
"Plus you get to be in close contact with The Viscount" Penelope laughed, teasing her friend. Elizabeth blushed remembering her last time at the Bridgerton house and then frowned thinking of how she nearly tried to kiss the man! oh, the horror.
"Lizzie. I was only teasing, I know you dislike the man" Penelope reassured her friend.
Lizzie stopped in her tracks. "That's just it. I am not sure if I do dislike the man anymore"
"That's good, is it not? you can now be civil towards each other"
Anthony had been more than civil towards Elizabeth. That's for sure. she thought. "Oh Pen" She sighed.
"You like him don't you?"
Elizabeth took her friend's arm once more and continued their journey across the square. After a while, both girls realised that Elizabeth would never answer the question. At least not yet. Her friend could see Lizzie definitely had some internal deliberations to do. "How's your family? I know things haven't been smooth sailing since the scandal?"
"I think we are through the worst of it thankfully. It has been trying to be sure." Pen smiled weakly.
"Come let's not dwell on the past! Let us see what wild theories our friend has conjured up" Lizzie smiled practically pulling her toward the Bridgerton house.
The pair soon found themselves entering the drawing room where it would seem the whole Bridgerton clan presided. The newly returned Francesca and Daphne sat on the pianoforte playing a duet while Colin joined in with the singing, who had been the first to catch their new presence and smiled in the direction of the two girls. Lizzie turned to her friend who had turned a considerably brighter shade of red.
"Lizzie, Do you mind if I speak alone with Pen for a moment?" Elouise asked as she jumped up from her seat to greet the pair. Lizzie knew the pair had recently patched up their differences and although she had never really truly known why the friends had fought; she was more than pleased that the whole mess was behind them. "Of course, I have not seen Simon in a while anyway"
She waved at Colin before making her way over to Simon who currently was cheering along with the two youngest Bridgerton Siblings in their dancing. "I did not know you would be here" She announced as she arrived at her destination.
"Lizzie?!" Simon bounced up from his seat to hug her.
"Miss Priestly?!" Anthony stopped cheering clearly surprised by her visit. "What are you doing here?" He cringed at his own tone realising his harshness, he did not mean to sound so interrogational.
"It would seem your sister had some extremely important news for me but I have been cast aside" She laughed. Elouise smiled overhearing her friend from across the room.
"Well it is a pleasure to see you Lizzie" Simon smiled pulling the pair to sit on the sofa.
"Is it?" She teased reminding Simon of Lady Danbury and her sharpness. "You have been back in the ton for nearly two weeks and I have not heard from you. If I did not know any better I would think you are avoiding me and not to mention my aunt"
"Excuse me" Anthony mumbled sensing a private conversation and joined his sisters by the piano.
Simon laughed. "I am not avoiding you."
Elizabeth huffed not fully convinced by her dear friend's words. "You are a bad liar, Simon. Ever since we were kids you had trouble with the art of lying."
"You were a kid, I was your senior." he teased.
"Now you are avoiding conversation topics as well. I see" She countered. "Look I don't need to know what it is the matter but something clearly is. I am your friend, hell I see you as a brother. I just want to make sure you are okay. That's all."
Simon nodded. He was unsure what to say, how was he to tell Lizzie what had transpired between his wife and him. he saw her as a little sister and did not want to discuss his marriage problems with his sister. Even so, he was grateful for her concern so reached out and grab her hand to squeeze. "I have missed you and Thank you"
Daphne smiled at the pair from the pianoforte, she was glad that her husband had some resemblance of a family and even happier it was Elizabeth.
Another song began and Colin began to sing once more in a joyful spirit. Elizabeth looked over to Anthony, He was cheering along his youngest siblings to dance. His smile was a rare sight for a man who she had only known to brood or scold. And to Elizabeth seeing him look so domesticated and carefree.. he had never looked so handsome. Maybe she did in fact have some attraction to the man?
"It seems I am not the only one with secrets to bear" Simon whispered noticing Elizabeth's stare.
"Shut up" she whacked him with her fan earning a loud chuckle which caught the attention of the whole room including Anthony's. Elizabeth fought the urge to fan herself under his watchful eye, she would rather suffer her warming blush than give him the satisfaction that his stare had an effect.
"Simon will you dance with me!" Hyacinth shouted. "Hyacinth, The duke is clearly not going to dance my dear" Violet scolded her daughter.
"Nonsense, of course, I will!" He jumped from his seat towards the youngest Bridgerton girl.
Gregory now partnerless ran across the room to pull Benedict to dance with him. Elizabeth smiled at the sight. "Miss Priestly?" Anthony was now in front of her holding his hand out.
Elizabeth graciously accepted and was pulled up from her seat into a playful swing causing her to laugh. His arm snaked around her waist as the pair spun. Anthony placed her firmly on the ground before stepping back and taking a dramatic bow which only caused her to laugh even more. Elizabeth then proceeded to dip to acknowledge his bow as she tried to hold a serious expression.
The pair began to twist and turn and switch linked arms to the beat of the music. And once the music had subsided they fell into the sofa, earning an enthusiastic cheer from the room. Anthony let out a loud chuckle which vibrated her whole body realising she had practically fallen back on the sofa and onto him. Her cheeks blushed once more as she tried to create a respectable distance.
The pair remain silent for the next ten minutes. Listening to the room conversations until Anthony realised no one was paying attention to the pair anymore. "You know" he began in a low voice.
"Your laugh just may be my new favourite sound" He smiled.