The Second Born Bridgerton // Benedict Bridgerton

Something else

As soon as we have arrived at the opera, we both wish to leave. I see Lord Granville but I am too afraid to speak to him. I do not know what has been said of him since the nature of his parties has been revealed to the rest of the ton. But it seemed he should be fine since I am sure I see him surrounded by many noble lords and ladies. "And you are sure we cannot just go home?" Benedict mumbles, shaking his head a little. "There are many, many other things we could do if we were at home. I am sure I do not have to say them aloud for you to understand such meaning?"

"Benedict! Can you think of something else? We are in polite company."

"When I am in your company, it is never polite." He raises an eyebrow and sets his hand upon my waist in an attempt to tempt me to leave with him. "You know you wish to as much as I do, come on. You surely do not truly like opera?"

"I do not at all. I only worry it looks scandalous if we leave, what shall your mama think? Or more importantly, shall anthony shout at me for it?"

"As though Anthony's opinion truly matters to you! If we left instantly then no one shall even know we were here in the first place. Or I shall tell everyone that I am feeling ever so ill and must return home."

"You have convinced me."

"How long is this concert?" Eloise rushes over, grabbing her brothers hands so she may attract his attention and gain a response from him. Her eyes are slightly widened and there is a strong sense of desperation in her voice as she shakes her head, glancing between the two of us.

"Three hours, perhaps?"

"More like four." Benedict looks at his sisters grip on him and laughs. "Myself and Peaches were planning on leaving. I shall take you home if you should like me to."

"You are my most favourite brother, do you know that? You have chosen the very best, Peaches. The very best!" She exclaims, sighing in relief as she realises she shall not have to spend the remainder of the evening here, happily sneaking from the theatre with the two of us. "I hope mama shall not have noticed us leaving. We shall be in lots of trouble if she has."

"I have said to Peaches, if anyone shall question it then I shall feign illness. I am a man of many talents, painting and wooing women and being a fantastic brother and an incredible husband, and acting of course. It shall not be difficult to convince anyone that I am in such awful pain." He raises an eyebrow, clamping his hands over his stomach and letting out an awkward whine, which makes eloise chuckle and myself burst with laughter. This, of course, only encourages him further, as he squirms slightly on his seat and throws his arms upwards.

"I have married an idiot." I smile, struggling to stop laughing and eventually rolling my eyes, as does eloise. "If you are so ill then we shall not be able to attend Daphne's ball tomorrow night and I shall find that heartbreaking! It is the last event of the season and our last chance to speak with everyone before we must leave... and surely eloise's first ball with her hems lowered? That is rather exciting?"

"Not at all." Eloise stares down at her hands, letting out a sigh. "I did not have a single worthwhile conversation this evening. If I am really to marry someone as boring and as dull as one of those lords... I shall simply pass away on the spot." I watch for a second as Eloise takes out a packet of cigarettes and hands one to her brother. "Do you smoke, Peaches?"

"I enjoy to sometimes when I paint." She hands one to me and I take it, glancing at Benedict. He does not say a word and so I am sure it is him that had encouraged Eloise into it in the first place. "Not all members of the ton are so boring. You just must find the right person for you."

"You do not know how lucky you are, though. Most do not marry for love."

"You say that and yet I have married for love, so has daphne. Philipa shall... or is it prudence? No, it is philipa. That is three love matches that I can come up with without even having to think of it. It is daunting and awful at first Eloise, I shall not lie. You are like me, I think. I did not wish to marry, I wished to paint and I did not want some silly old man who should try and stop me. You... you wish to learn and be an academic and write and read, do you not?"

"All things that a lady should not do. I should be playing piano forte and stitching." She takes a drag and so do I, Benedict knowing he should sit quietly as the women talk.

"Well you must find a husband who shall allow you to do those things still. I shall not stop painting now I am married, even despite the fact it shall never truly be a career for me or anything of the likes. But Benedict does not wish to stop me, unless this is all a facade to hide from me how evil he truly is... I suppose I am trying to say that you must not give up all hope or abandon any dreams I am sure you have. I did not wish to find love either and yet I did, and because we are in love he shall never try to force me to stop what I like to do. If you allow yourself to think as though you shall find someone like that then perhaps you shall." I watch her, allowing myself to sigh. I know how she feels as I see much of myself and Penelope in her. We were not made for the marriage market, Eloise certainly was not. I am merely lucky that Benedict was not really either.

"Thank you, Peaches. I do appreciate it. I shall try, hard as it may be." She smiles back at me, a little sadly. "I do not look forward to having to speak to more of them tomorrow."

"Do not think of it as that. Think of it as a chance to broaden your horizons or to meet someone who shall want to share that journey with you. Or at the very least, a chance to discover who lady whistledown truly is." I indicate to her notebook. "For I do promise that it is not me."