"What Is It, Truly, To Admire A Woman?"
[19]
✑
Hope arrived at the soirée just in time to see the almost heinous performances the gentlemen were putting on for Miss Edwina Sharma. It was similar to a circus really, some danced, did tricks, and did music performances. All of the ladies of Ton were huddled around this one area, watching a man trot around.
Almost like a horse.
Hope watched with a raised eyebrow. "At least it is the men who are making fools of themselves this time." She heard someone say beside her. She looked to see a woman in a deep blue dress, her black hair pinned up with a feather in it. She had the most gorgeous skin, almost similar to Hope's.
Hope recognized her. This was Kate Sharma. The prickly elder sister Whistledown wrote about. "Was this your idea?" She asked. "I wish I could take credit, but no. Lady Danbury encouraged a poetry reading. The men, thanks to their spirit and competition, concocted the rest of this farce on their own." Kate said with a satisfied smirk. Hope chuckled before shaking her head.
"Unbelievable." She said, Kate looked over at her. "You are apart of the Bridgerton household, yes? I have heard much about you." She said, Hope turned her head to look at her. "I am sure you have, it seems I cannot keep anything a secret these days." She said, making Kate laugh slightly.
Lady Danbury quickly stopped the man's, quite furious dancing with a loud chuckle. She stepped up in front of the women with a strained smile. "Let us... take a pause." She said. Those words caused a murmur to echo through the room. Hope breathed in before leaving the quite stuffy room and entering the outside. She was met with a garden of some sorts and a path leading to a different building.
She grabbed the ends of her dress and went straight towards the building that had dimly lit windows and people walking in and out of it. Once she got close enough she spotted Anthony and Benedict walking outside like something was of importance. She picked up her pace before they suddenly noticed her walking towards them.
Anthony looked at her with confusion. "I thought you were off promenading at Lady Danbury's?" He said. She tilted her head. "Well, it wasn't all that entertaining watching you gentlemen embarrass yourselves over and over." Hope said, crossing her arms. Anthony nodded his head. "Brilliant, that means I have an advantage." He said with a confident undertone. Benedict sighed, rolling his eyes.
"An advantage to do what?" He asked, the three all stood in front of one another. "I need you to teach me to read that out loud." Anthony said, handing Benedict an open book. The artist glanced at the words before his eyes shot open. Almost as if he was seeing a ghost.
"Byron? Did I strike you much harder than I realized earlier?" He asked with a look of distain. "There is a pleasure in the pathless woods. There is a rapture on the lon—. How does one make that sound good?" Anthony asked as if he could tear his hair out. Benedict scoffs, glancing down at the book again. "I'm afraid that is not possible. That poem is the opposite of good. That's nonsense." He said, giving Anthony back the book.
"I thought this sort of thing was supposed to be your pleasure." Anthony said, utterly clueless. "Poetry, yes. Byron, heavens, no." Benedict said with raised eyebrows.
"Is not everyone supposed to love Byron?" The eldest said. Benedict scoffed. "Many in our year at Cambridge thought my poetry far superior to his." He said. Anthony glanced down at the book. "Does that mean yours is more or less deceitful?" He said.
Benedict looked at his brother with a raised eyebrow. "Deceitful?" He said, making Anthony hum. "Poetry is the opposite, Brother. It is the art of revealing precious truth with words." He said, causing a soft chuckle to leave Hope's mouth, making him turn to look at her.
"Quite right, Benedict..." She said. Benedict tilted his head at her.
"You—You're being serious?" Benedict nodded his head with a hum. Hope groaned with a roll of her eyes. "Oh good God. Goodnight." She said, making her way in between the two brothers and she heard Benedict's words, trying to get her to stay. "I thought this would be fun, but it turns out Violet was right, I need to be at home!" Hope shouted back before disappearing.
Benedict shook his head before he saw his brother beginning to leave him. "Wait, I am not done!" He said. Anthony sighed. "I believe I am quite done here." He said. Benedict rolls his eyes.
"What is it, truly, to admire a woman?" He said, making his brother stop in his tracks. He turned to look at Benedict. "To look at her and feel inspiration. To delight in her beauty." He began looking off, as if he was thinking while he was speaking. He was... nearly daydreaming.
"So much so that all your defenses crumble, that you would willingly take on any pain, any burden for her. To honor her being... with your deeds and words." He said before he looked back at his brother, snapping out of his trance-like state, Anthony looked at him with grin, like he was hearing the most scandalous of gossip. "That is what the true poet describes. It's what... I would describe." He said, face meaningful like the words leaving his lips.
Anthony's eyebrows furrowed. "There is something you are not telling me, Brother. Who is the young lady you so bravely spoke of in between these solemn lines?" He said with a growing smirk. Benedict looked at him with confusion. "It is no one, I assure you." He said defensively. Anthony steps up to his brother.
"No one speaks like that unless they, themselves, are in love. Brother... you need not hide from me." He said. Benedict glanced away. "I have nothing to hide." He said, shaking his head. Anthony chuckles with a smirk before he stepped back slowly from his brother, who looked at him with a bewildered expression.
"I will see you later this evening, Brother." Anthony said as he left Benedict with his own thoughts.
✑
Dear gentle reader,
There are two things that lurk within the dark and shadowy places of our fair city. Vermin and secrets. I shall leave it to you, dear reader, as to which do the most harm.
One has to wonder what secrets the season's diamond is holding near and dear to her heart. And shall she chose to share them with? The Viscount Bridgerton, perhaps? At least the elder Sharma's opinion on such a matter is certainly no secret at all.
To be fair, one might call this author the biggest secret-sharer of all. For who else could possibly keep all of you honest? When even the most well-kept of secrets must eventually come to light.
✑
Dear gentle reader,
We all know the great lengths a young lady will go in pursuit of a proposal. And apparently, she will travel great distances too. Lord Anthony Bridgerton appears to be inching ever so closer to selecting his viscountess, and to that end has invited our diamond to join him for an excursion at his ancestral home, Aubrey Hall.
Country air indeed clears the mind and invigorates the body. Might this be the final gust that pushes the viscount over the precipice of a proposal?
Of course, the luckless souls remaining in town will have to find new diversions in the absence of their most precious of stones.
✑
Yes, it was announced that Anthony was inviting over the Sharma family to promenade at the Bridgerton's family home. I had never been here myself but I have heard much about it from Violet and Benedict. But, what I did figure on my own was that this was estate the late Vicount Bridgerton passed away at.
I was never told how he died however.
The estate was bigger than the one back in town. It had beige marble pillars and pathway that led up to the door that was adorn with lilies and tulips. It had a beautiful backyard that was used for an occasional game of croquet.
I simply adored this manner already.
I walked around and watched as the sun beamed through the wide windows and into the hallways. The silk vermillion colored dress I wore dragged behind me. I heard the sound of buzzing conversation coming from the drawing room that was just down the hall.
I breathed in and walked straight towards it and through the white open doors to see the entire Bridgerton family inside... ah, including Daphne, with her baby son Augie in her arms. You could clearly see that the Duke's genes were quite strong.
Daphne turned to look at me before smiling. "Hope!" She said, I smiled back softly. I hugged her gently, minding the babe. "You look radiant." She commented. I scoffed. "Not as nearly as you, motherhood suits you well." I said, my eyes landed onto Augie, who peered up at me curiously.
"Augie meet your Auntie Hope." She said with the brightest grin, she handed off her son to me and my eyes shot open as I grabbed him. He cooed softly and I could feel the family's eyes on me. "Hello." I said softly.
The Bridgerton's all began taking seats and I walked over to the unlit fireplace.
"Enjoying your brief respite from the ferocious packs of marriage-minded young ladies, brother?" Daphne asked Anthony as they both sat down a crème colored couch. "Quite the opposite, sister. I have invited one such young lady and her family to join us today." Anthony said with a turned up nose, he seemed to proud of himself, indeed. Daphne looked over at her mother with disbelief.
"Anthony has invited a young lady to Aubrey Hall?" She asked. "Yes, and she is quite lovely." Violet said. I looked away from the conversation and back to Augie who's eyes didn't seem to leave me. He had worn a white bonnet that covered his black short tendrils. I smiled sweetly before bouncing him softly, humming a tune.
He slowly smiled before a giggle left his throat. I chuckled, I grabbed his tiny hand and I felt his fingers wrap around my pointer finger. The most profound laugh left the babes mouth and the room grew slowly silent. I chuckled at him before looking at the others.
I had seen Daphne and Benedict looking directly at me with a smile as sweet as honey.
"He seems to have taken a liking to you, sister." Anthony said, everyone began chuckling softly. "Indeed." I suddenly heard Benedict say which made my eyes return to him. I smiled softly.
✑
The carriage the Sharma family was occupying finally arrived and the Bridgerton's and I were filing out one by one. I passed Augie off to his mother so I could formally meet the woman who has captured my brother's heart. I saw Lady Danbury come out the carriage with a grin.
"Now, the only reason to endure such a journey is to see my great-godson." She said as Daphne passed off the babe to her. "Well, it is a joy to see you as well, Lady Danbury." She said sarcastically with a chuckle.
"Oh, Your Grace." Lady Danbury said. I breathed in slowly before I had seen Kate Sharma, the eldest sister of Edwina, step out of the carriage. She had on a dress that was the color of lapis almost. She bowed before Violet before she looked over at the house in awe.
I walked down the stairs that led down to the pebble ground. Miss Sharma's eyes landed on me before she bowed. "It is a pleasure to meet you again, Miss Buckingham." She said. I finally approached her before bowing. "The pleasure is all mine. I hope your stay here is perfectly comfortable." I said. Miss Sharma hummed with a strained smile.
"I am not sure that will be entirely possible. I am sure you have heard about my... slight... disliking in the Viscount Bridgerton." She explained, my eyebrows furrowed as I looked at the woman with confusion. "He cannot be entirely unbearable. Every Bridgerton man I've known has some sort of likeness to him." I said with a tilt of my head. Kate hummed before looking off to the side.
"Dear Hope, I hope you realize you cannot entrap Miss Sharma forever." I heard Benedict's voice which made me turn my head with a strained smile. I saw him walk up to the two of us. "I stand corrected." I mumbled to myself.
"Miss Kate Sharma, Benedict Bridgerton." He said, giving the woman a quick nod. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, I am assuming you two are married?" She asked, glancing between the two of us. My eyes widened before my eyebrows furrowed. Benedict smiled sweetly.
"No. Though we should just marry one another once the ton realize we are both running from the shackles of marriage." He said, placing his hands on his waist. I sighed, rubbing my eyebrows. "Forgive him, he is... special... in his own way." I said, before looking up at Miss Sharma. Benedict hummed with a smirk.
"Special? Might I be dreaming, dear Hope?" He said, making Kate Sharma chuckle. "The two of you must be great friends, then. I have not seen any one of the Ton act as drastic." She said, I chuckled before glancing down at my slippered feet. "That is just a taste of what it is like here." I said. I suddenly heard Benedict hum before I looked over at him, he was standing before us and he glanced between our faces.
"What is it?" I asked.
"If I dare say, the two of you look incredibly similar. But, I can say... Hope your look of disdain is an incredible difference from Miss Sharma's." He said before chuckling. I rolled my eyes. "I made a mistake in my wording. It seems you cannot find a likeness in every Bridgerton man." I said with a teasing smile, Benedict gasped dramatically.
"Enough! The both of you. Quarreling like an old married couple in front of our guests." Violet said, shaking her head with a sigh. I heard Kate laugh once more, Benedict took my hand and we walked away from the young lady. "Another set of sisters to entertain, how lovely." He said, looking down at me. I scoffed.
"You surely did not mind entertaining my older sister." I said with a raised eyebrow. "I jest." Benedict said with a chuckle. I shook my head softly, rolling my eyes. A silence settled.
"Are you well? Has Mr. Isaac Riddle paid a visit as of late?" He asked. My mouth went agape before I glanced down at my slippered feet. He hadn't spoken to me since the day I proposed the idea of furthering our relationship—if that's what you would call it. I shook my head, closing my lips.
We stopped walking and Benedict stood in front of me with a look of concern.
"If does decide to show up..." He trailed off before cupping my jaw. I looked up at him. "He will be in hell and high water." He said with a soft grin. I nodded my head, there was something I knew about Benedict that was true.
If he has a seriousness in his tone, there is no lie to be told. "Let me suggest that you tour Miss Kate Sharma around the estate, it will get you accustomed to her." He said, I nodded my head before walking away from the man and towards Kate Sharma who was making small talk with Anthony. "Let us get you settled." I announced with a smile.
She nodded her head before I suddenly saw a dog by her side, more specifically, a corgi. The two of us walked over to the grand stairs and walked up them. "Hope!" I heard my name being called and I looked over to see Benedict looking directly at me. He playfully blew threw a kiss through the air towards me, I smiled before catching it and placing a hand to my heart.
I chuckled before turning back towards the estate and walking inside with Miss Sharma.