The Brigderton's Ball was in full swing with their guests fluttering around the ground without a worry in sight. Benedict and Elizabeth sat in the corner of the room, admiring the dancing figures as they distanced themselves from the crowd.
"Watch him" Elizabeth hushed as she pointed her husband to her twin brother. Elliot was across the room with a wide smile on his face as he danced with the diamond of the season. Benedict, although surprised at what he was watching was even more shocked by the pair next to them, Anthony and Kate.
"Isn't that a bit odd?" He asked as he leaned on the arm of his chair to get closer to her,
"It is...." Elizabeth pondered, raising her brow she now laid her hands on her stomach and narrowed her eyes. There was chemistry there as Anthony's dark eyes seemed to become latched onto Miss Sharma's and his often tense frame seemed to loosen slightly. Just then Edward had stood between the pair, following their eyelines to the pairs.
"Father has been talking to Lady Danbury" He hushed which forced Elizabeth's head to whip around. Edward saw the serious glance in his sister's eyes and bent down to whisper in her ear
"He knows" Her jaw clenched as she sat up in her seat and quickly flashed her eyes across the ballroom to her father. His face was blank like it was most of the time, but from a distance, she thought she could notice a hint of despair in his eyes "Lady Danbury is trying to convince him to take us home tonight" Edward continued but Benedict had now caught on to the conversation and rose from his chair.
"What?!" His calm voice was now raised to a normal level as he crossed his arms and noticed the conflicted look on Elizabeth's face.
"This is nonsense I invited you both for the summer because we enjoy your presence, I will not have my brother's lack of a romantic charm be the ruin of Elliot's" Edward was startled by Benedict's reaction, the way he immediately defended Elliot, it was almost as if he saw him like one of his own brother's.
"Help me up" Elizabeth huffed,
"What?" Benedict raised his brows.
"Help me up and I will go speak with him" Edward shook his head,
"Lizzie do not exert yourself he won't listen-"
"He will if I say it now help me up" She repeated, now outstretching her hands to him. Benedict obliged as he quickly took her hands and pulled her gently from her chair. Elizabeth sighed, now placing a hand on her lower back for support as she found her father's eyes from across the room once again.
"The Viscount is leaving" Edward commented as Benedict and Elizabeth positioned themselves at the edge of the dancefloor just in time to catch a glance of Anthony quickly rushing out with Daphne on his tail. But the music continued as did most of the chatter of the party. "I'll be back"
Alexander was shocked to see his pregnant daughter pushing through the crowd toward him with a chilled glance. He had only seen her look at him like that once before when she was a child, no more than eight, it was when the rumors of him taking another wife had begun for the first time. He'd of course reassured her that he was to remain faithful to their mother but the young girl didn't speak to him for three weeks.
"Care to dance father?" Elizabeth outstretched her hand and drew back a plastic smile.
"I don't think that is wise in your condition my dear" He softly smiled,
"Then a stroll outside perhaps? I do feel a bit warmer than usual" The Marquess nodded as he gave up and took her arm knowing fully well that she would've pestered him until he gave in. They had passed Lady Danbury along the way although Elizabeth couldn't bring herself to look at the woman, instead, she simply kept her back straight and remained silent as she headed her father towards the back patio of the home where they could easily venture further into the Bridgerton's gardens without worrying about uneven terrain or sub-par pairings that were about to commit a scandal.
"What did she tell you?" Elizabeth asked as the pair broke the thick air of the ballroom and emerged into the cool night's winds.
"Who is she?" Her father awkwardly answered, though he knew exactly what she meant, and she knew he was lying. She paused, giving him another glare that sent a shiver up his spine.
"Auntie Danbury, what did she say?" She asked once more, giving her father a final opportunity to fess up.
"She talked to me about Elliot" He bit down on his lip and pushed back his glasses.
"And?" She stopped, now growing impatient with him.
"And there is nothing I can do, the Viscount began courting her first. As for your brother, I'm sure he will get over it, most boys his age do"
"Have you gotten over mother?" A breath lodged itself into the Marquess' throat at her sudden words.
"Wh-what?" He dropped her arm and fully faced her "Of course not no!" He urged as he ran his hands through his hair and avoided her gaze.
"Then why must you assume he will get over it?" She asked genuinely as she allowed her gaze to soften in order to lull him again
"Because it is Elliot, he jumps from one thing to the next with no sense of maturity, and after Lady Danbury's words I can fully asses for myself that your brother is simply attracted to Miss Sharma, he is not in love" Elizabeth clenched her jaw and sighed,
"I know him better than anyone, yet you still take her word?" At that moment the Marquess had straightened himself up again and met her eyes, challenging her for the first time in years.
"I passed my own judgment on your brother years ago, this is a phase, he will get over it" Elizabeth froze, she had never heard her father speak a harsh word to any of his children outside of disciplining them, this was a whole new territory to her.
"And what if he never does?"
"Then there's always Edward" Her stomach churned and the feeling of his eyes settling into her made her nauseous. She desperately wanted to go back inside, to forget everything that had just happened but she couldn't. Alexander Sheppard was settling for his son's misery, and he had just admitted that it was bound to happen. And that's when she saw the ghost of her father and now saw the tired, aged face of a Marquess whose only goal was to pick a son to continue his legacy. He reached out for her arm to continue their stroll but she recoiled.
"Mother would have never allowed for this to happen" She blurted out as her hands began to shake. Her father remained silent as a glossy tint appeared across his eyes. "I think it's best I retire for the night" She hushed, now trying to hold back tears as she hiked her skirt up an inch and proceeded inside as fast as she could.
The next morning the Bridgertons stood outside of Aubrey Hall with wide smiles as their guests concluded their visits and returned to their various homes. It was however a completely different situation for the Sheppard boys as they stood silently beside their sister who wore a stoic face. The anxiety of Anthony's decision to propose was still in the air and yet the uneasiness that surrounded the union was rippling through both families. However, when it came time for the Sharmas to leave everyone took notice. Lady Danbury lead the woman to their carriage, shortly behind them was their last guest, the Marquess Sheppard who'd join Lady Danbury back to the city. But the sudden relief of Anthony's absence mixed with the already confused faces of both the Sharma sisters nearly brought Elliot some relief.
"I will go to her" He hushed but Edward shook his head.
"Father is watching and the idea of his sons trampling on their host's toes would make him angry"
"Good" Elizabeth butted in as she squeezed her husband's hand tightly "I want him to see" But just as her words startled her brothers so did the sudden appearance of the Viscount.
"Wait!" He shouted, catching the Sharma sister's attention before they could enter their carriage "Might I speak with you?" He asked although Kate was the one who stood closer to him which confused Elizabeth. "I must speak with Miss Edwina" Anthony clarified, now pushing past Kate.
"My lord?" Edwina tilted her head and completely froze as Anthony dropped to one knee. Elliot had caught a glance of Edwina's eyes for a moment, noticing her panic as she glanced between the two men. When she first came to Aubrey Hall the idea of being a Bridgerton felt like a dream but now, after that night, she didn't know what she wanted anymore.
"Miss Edwina Sharma..." Anthony pulled out his mother's ring and smiled brightly "Will you marry me?" Edwina's heart began to pound and her breath quickened. Elliot bit down tightly on the inside of his cheek, now tasting the bitter metallic blood that poured into his mouth as Edwina looked at him one last time before giving her answer.
"Y-yes," She answered coldly, now feeling the wave of anxiety wash over her as the cold metal band wrapped around her finger and the cheers of her family began to drown out and she looked to the Bridgertons to the family she would be joining until she realized, Elliot was gone.
The Marquess had watched his son from afar during the proposal of Anthony Bridgerton and Edwina Sharma, he had watched his premature exit, and he had seen the unsettling look on his remaining children's faces. And it was their quickened departure from the festivities that forced him to follow.
"Elliot!" Elizabeth quickened her steps through the house, quickly exiting the width of the manor with her husband and youngest brother. Elliot had run, he didn't know where he was going and he didn't know when he would stop but the adrenaline of keeping his legs moving was the only thing that was clear in his mind. He had spent months doing this in Greece, days upon days of running until his feet blistered and his legs gave out all just to forget about his first love.
So how far must he run to forget about her?
"Elliot listen to us please!" Edward urged as he ran forward with Benedict to stop him. The Marquess Sheppard looked at the shocking scene from the Bridgerton's patio with wide eyes as Elliot continued. Elizabeth stopped as exhaustion overcame her and the thought of overworking herself into a month-early labor set in. She took in a few deep breaths before noticing her father quickly coming to her side.
"He's going to hurt himself again!" She shouted as she balled her fists up tightly. "What?"
"He's in pain" She spoke through a breath, "He's in pain and you didn't listen" Alexander whipped his head towards his son's direction and spotted the body of water in the short distance "I told you he loves her, he loves Edwina! And all this time he thought pursuing her would finally make you proud of him, he thought it would finally make you happy" Her words struck him like a hot knife. He had spent years trying to prove himself to his father and yet no matter how much he had achieved Alexander never felt like he'd accomplished anything in his father's eyes and it tormented him to the day he died. So why had he made his own son feel that way?
Alexander rushed after Elliot, now noticing that Benedict had nearly caught up to him.
"Stop this!" Benedict shouted as he outstretched his arms and incased the young lord tightly before pushing him to the ground,
"Let me go!" Elliot roared as he tried to push Benedict off, however, Edward's sudden appearance made his escape impossible.
"Take a deep breath" Edward urged as he held down Elliot's arms as years of pent-up rage began to fill him.
"Let me go!" Elliot shouted again, this time nearly breaking free as he managed to pry one hand from Edward and began swinging it around in the air helplessly.
"You must calm yourself!" Benedict urged as he saw the true pain of his good brother and couldn't help but feel sorry.
"Elliot!" The Marquess' booming voice forced the trio's squirming to cease as all three men looked to him "Let go of him" The Marquess' tone had softened. Benedict and Edward looked at one another confused "I said let him go" Alexander demeaned, which told the pair enough as they quickly released Elliot and allowed him to sit up. Elliot looked at his father intensely as he waited for a scolding. But Alexander had finally seen what his daughter had seen for years. Elliot was in pain and he was masking it with immature actions and anger. He wasn't rebelling against his father, he was just still mourning his mother, and the years of unmended grief had muddled him as a person. Alexander slumped to his knees and looked directly into his son's eyes.
"Oh, my boy..." He placed a hand on Elliot's cheek and began to feel his eyes water "My son" He let out a short breath as Elliot's face softened, his features grew stale, and the face that looked back at him was his late wife's "What have I done to you?" With those words, Elliot's shell began to crack as he threw his arms around his father and a sob escaped his throat "I'm so sorry" Alexander hushed as he gripped his son tightly "I'm so, so sorry"
Dearest Gentle Reader,
While much occurred at the Bridgerton country visit, this author feels not all is fit to print. Especially when so much is already known by far too many members of the ton. But if you thought we would reach the end of this journey without this trusted author, finding a truly delectable morsel of gossip, then you are sorely mistaken. While Prudence Featherington seems to have secured her match, it was not the only occurrence of note. Anthony Bridgerton is now betrothed to Miss Edwina Sharma. Victory, Indeed