Sɪɢɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ Tɪᴍᴇs | Sɪᴍᴏɴ Bᴀssᴇᴛ

o0o - sɪɢɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇs - chapter four

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𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐍 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐁𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐎 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐂. Eloise had spent the day by his side, helping him write. Did he mention that Eloise was his favorite sister? Most men did not do such things, only women or professionals would. He was in the middle of creating a somber song when his mother told the two of them that the Duke of Hastings was invited for dinner. The two groaned, knowing that they would have to change into more suitable evening outfits for company. 

Cal changed into a loose, lilac tunic tucked into black breeches. When he deemed himself presentable, he headed downstairs.

"Why hello, dear Simon. What a coincidence!" Cal said.

"Ahh yes, my dearest friend. How do you do?" was the reply he got for his dramatic flairs.

"Very well. I must say, I was surprised to know that my mother invited you here."

Before Simon could answer, Violet said, "I was not aware you were acquainted with my son, your Grace." She was taken aback at how lively her son was with the Duke, knowing that he was quite shy with strangers. 

Cal heard this as, why did you not inform me of this earlier? , so he replied, "Yes, his Grace is a decent fellow." 

"Just 'decent'? How you wound me!" replied Simon, though a quirk of his lips betrayed his humour.

Cal smirked and said, "I think that you are spending too much time with me. You are picking up my mannerisms. Come along, now," before heading to the dining hall.

The Viscountess raised an eyebrow, but the Duke simply chuckled and followed him.

The Bridgerton family was all seated around the table, children and adults alike. It was pure chaos. The Duke was seated right between Daphne and Cal. The former spent the meal trying to engage in conversation with the duke, which he did not wish to do, while the latter exchanged sarcastic phrases with Eloise. And yet Simon Basset found himself more intrigued by the one who did not care.

"Who knows if Lady Whistledown is even a she?" said Colin. Anthony agreed with him, causing Eloise and Cal to exchange exasperated expressions. 

"Why, because she is simply too good to be anyone but a man?" 

Cal nodded at Eloise's remark before adding, "She has too much sharp wit and understanding of the general society to be a man. And, she doesn't sound half as conceited as our male population. If not for marriage and other responsibilities, the kinship and understanding of womanhood inclines me to rather be a woman than a man," causing his mother to frown.

Eloise snorted when the other three Bridgerton sons glared (admittedly in a rather confused manner) at Cal, who in turn gave them a sarcastic smile. 

Cal added, "Oh, what an unladylike sound! El!" 

The said girl snorted again, before saying, "Oh dear! No one will marry me now! Tragic."

Seeing the expressions on his brothers' faces, he subtly whispered to Simon. "Si, I knew it was bad, but I didn't think that my brothers were this bad."