Unexpected romance / Benedict&Anthony

Call me by my proper title

Their living room is a long room which consists of one group of settees at one end and this is mirrored on the other side. There is a piano in the middle of the room and multiple armchairs set out. I suppose they are a large family and so they require a large living room. Daphne is seated at one end, with the suitors lining up, snaked throughout the room, and Anthony is stood with his arms folded across his chest as he carefully analyses each of them. This stern and proper pose seems to be his signature.

"And here we see the wild Anthony Bridgerton in his natural habitat, making other grown men cry with the sheer power of his sideburns." I comment as we take our seats on the other settees.

We are quickly joined by another young lady I do not know who holds a battered diary tightly in her hands. "Are we spying on Daphne now?"

"It is more that we are spying on Anthony." Colin grins, keeping his voice low as not to draw any attention to ourselves. Not that either Daphne would be able to notice us through the wall of callers that stand between us. "I feel ever so much pity for the poor girl."

"As do I. Imagine having to sit there whilst all these old men gawk at you." Benedict takes a seat by the side of me before Colin can, winking at his brother who reluctantly takes a seat with his sister across from us instead. Benedict yawns, stretching his arm upwards and outwards, extending it so it rests around the back of the chair behind me. "I imagine that is how you feel, Delilah?"

"I do not understand what you suggest."

"You are as beautiful as Daphne, moreso if you wish for my opinion. I imagine you are gawked at wherever you go." He raises an eyebrow and his mouth twists to the side in a coy smirk. Colin groans a little and stretches his legs out, leaning back against the sofa and rolling his eyes, along with the sister whose name I have not picked up yet.

"Oh, you are a funny one." I raise both eyebrows at him, before glancing across at the sister who seems to be scribbling something in that diary she seems to keep so dear to her chest. "Are you writing of what fools your brothers are?"

"I am, as a matter of fact. Although I cannot write it to a full extent or I shall fill up the entirety of my journal." She laughs with me, and I know that she is good fun too. They all seem like good fun other than the viscount himself. "I should not like to be Daphne at all-"

"Oh, here we go." Colin mutters.

"-for why should she have to marry, hm? Men do not have to marry, men can do whatever it is they wish. It is not an accomplishment to marry, it is an accomplishment to attend university and become a scholar and an academic. Why must us ladies marry to be worth something?"

"I cannot agree with you more. My older brother shall inherit everything and I shall get nothing unless I am to marry. And I have not found a single man I should wish to marry, that is for certain." Both Benedict and Colin react at this statement, the older tutting and the younger scowling slightly. "It is a shame but I am sure it shall change one day. I have no doubt women shall rule the world. I mean, take a look at Queen Charlotte. She is a powerful woman."

"Or Lady Whistledown, perhaps." The sister exclaims.

"Lady... who? I am not aware of a Lady Whistledown. Was she at the ball yesterday?" I ask.

"No, no. Lady Whistledown is the author of a scandal sheet. I do not imagine you involve yourself too much in gossip of a scandal?" Colin tilts his head as the sister rushes off out of the room, presumably to fetch one of these scandal sheets to show to me.

"Or do you prefer to involve yourself in the scandal itself?" Benedict speaks to me now, in a low voice, with those eyebrows raised once again. He is interrupted by the sister who thrusts a sheet into my face. "Eloise, manners."

"You are accusing me of having no manners, brother? You must look at your own actions before you accuse me of such!" She exclaims and flops back into the settee, which causes Anthony to quickly turn his head and narrow his eyes as he sees the congregation that is watching him.

"Oh, now see what you have done. That is our fun ruined." Benedict throws his arms upwards and shakes his head, letting out a hard breath.

I take the sheet and give it a once over read. It does not detail anything too interesting, it speaks of my brothers return, of Daphne, and that is about all. Of course it does not mention me, I clearly am not news worthy. Perhaps I shall have to make myself news worthy. "Oh, we have been spotted, have we? We are ever so honoured that he has taken a moment out of his schedule of making other people miserable to do so to us." I smile sweetly as he approaches. "Viscount Anthony, wonderful to see you."

"Miss- my lady. May I inquire as to why it is you are here?" His eyes flit back between Daphne and myself, so that he may constantly keep an eye on the man she is now talking with. "I do not recall extending an invitation for you to join us."

"I do not recall requiring an invitation from you. Viscount."

"It is my home."

"Oh, do forgive me. I could have sworn you did not call me by my proper title." I take another sweet from the palm of Benedict's hand, smiling. "I have to keep reminding you Viscount, tell me, did you skip the lessons at Oxford on basic politeness?"

"I did not but I ever fear you did, my lady. I must ask all of you to leave. Perhaps you shall find yourselves more comfortable at the park, or in the garden, or in any other room in the house that is not this one. There are more important events occurring than you reading gossip sheets and indulging far too much on sweets." He glances down as I take another and push it into my mouth. "I bid you adue." He pauses for a moment, clearly feeling rather irate. "My lady."

"The park shall be acceptable to me. I am unsure I could endure another moment in the room with yourself and those dastardly sideburns." Rising from my seat, I stand so that I am only inches away from him. "A pleasure, once again, Viscount Anthony Bridgerton." I push my hand towards him so that he must kiss it before I leave. I know he shall not like that at all and that is the sole reason that I do it.

He sucks his bottom teeth, grasping my hand and planting a heavy kiss on the back of my hand. "Indeed. An absolute pleasure, my lady."

With that, he turns and spins on his heel to stride back towards Daphne, glaring at me the entire way. I smile and lead the way from the room, the three siblings following me. "You were ever so correct, that was incredibly entertaining. Might we stick around until Daphne might join us?" I look from the room we have just exited and out of the front door, laughing a little. "On second thoughts, she might be there for quite a while. I am sure Anthony shall scare them all away with haste, however."

"As am I." Eloise grips onto my arm as she rushes with me out of the door, eagerly chatting away about Lady Whistledown and what I thought of her sheet and who I thought she might be. Her talking is incessant as we walk to the park, as we walk through the park, and as they return me to Lady Danbury's home. "It has been such a wondeful time talking with you, my lady!"

"Do call me Delilah." I nod and smile at her, looking between the two brothers who chuckle that I have allowed Eloise to run her mouth for hours on end. "I must return now, I have a ball I am to attend this evening, I believe." I look to colin or benedict for confirmation.

"No, not a ball tonight. It is the opera tonight, I believe." Colin corrects me, and he is the first to take my hand and kiss it. "And I hope we shall see you there, my lady."

"It shall make the hours and hours of the boring opera rather less tedious to know you are suffering as well." The other brother takes my spare hand and kisses it too.

Eloise rolls her eyes, as do I, before I make my way into the home to prepare for this dull opera.