Trails of a Lady

Suitors

The rest of Daphne's night is short lived, soon after catching up with his friend Anthony whisks her away from the festivities and back to their home for the night. But I'm afraid that Anthony may be doing his sister more harm than good by keeping her from interacting with any would-be suitors. The rest of my night is spent dancing with Simon or Benedict, and gossiping or talking with Lady Danbury, which is not a terrible way to spend one's time. Conversation with a dear friend and dancing with two very attractive men is something I would consider a grand evening.

I arrive home late, so late that my staff had all retired for the night, so I creep into the house, careful not to wake any of them. I even leave a note on the table in the main room for Marisa to wake me at eight o'clock, if I'm not already awake. I want to get to the Bridgerton house before Anthony has had a chance to scare away all of Daphne's suitors and I think she would benefit from another woman, who is not her mother. Marisa doesn't have to wake me this morning as it seems I rise with the sun, even pacing around the manor a bit before leaving, not wanting to arrive too early in the morning.

When I arrive at the house and the door man announces me, I walk in to see an empty drawing room, it's only occupances being; Daphne, her mother, and her three young sisters. Daphne stands, "Theodora, I did not expect to see you this morning, or at all today in fact. What of your suitors?"

I shrug my shoulders, "saves them the time and me the trouble."

"Of what?"

"Of rejecting them all, of course."

"But don't you need to marry in order to gain your title?"

"Gain it, yes. Use the power and money that come with it, no. I am sorry to tell you, Daphne, but not all of us are really looking into the marriage market."

"Then why did you present yourself to the Queen?"

"Because it's what's expected of me. Expected by my father, Lady Danbury, and the whole bloody country."

"I am sorry that you are not finding this season as joyous as I am."

I shake my head, "it's quite alright. In a few seasons I will be declared a spinster." I step closer to Daphne and whisper the next part so that her mother, who is across the drawing room, will not hear me, "and then I shall be free to do whatever, or whomever, I wish."

"Theodora," Daphne gasps with a chuckle, "you are such a scandal."

Just then the door opens again and everyone turns their attention towards it, hoping that Daphne's first suitor will come striding through the doors with flowers and a smile. But alas, it is only Anthony. The Viscountess crosses the room to her eldest son, "Anthony, it is terribly early for you, dearest."

"I could not sleep for some reason," Anthony dips his hand into a bowl of mixed nuts. "All the excitement, I presume." Anthony turns toward his sister, only now noticing my presence, "huh, am I the first gentlemen to arrive? How wonderful," Anthony slides past me and sits on the couch behind Daphne.

The Viscountess smiles to me, "you are welcome to stay as long as you would like. Please, sit anywhere," she gestures over the large room.

"Thank you," I smile, "but I'm sure I will leave soon." I turn to Daphne, who is now sitting with her brother on the couch, "when all the suitors arrive."

I walk further into the large room and sit across from the second oldest Bridgerton daughter, Eloise. The girl wastes no time in striking up a conversation, whispering over the small distance between us, "can you really do that?"

"Do what?"

"Wait a few seasons and then declare yourself a spinster."

"Why not? I have no one to please and no pressures, other than those from society."

"But they are rather large pressures."

"Not when they are the only ones. I can only imagine what it's like for your poor sister, pressure from your brother, mother, and society." I shake my head, "I don't know if I could take it."

"But how does one go about avoiding those pressures?"

"You don't. Not unless you have no family, which is a sad and empty life."

"You seem to be doing alright."

"Not everything is as it seems, Eloise, you must always remember that. What is it you wish to do with your life?"

"I do not know."

"No, but you know you do not wish to marry so early in your life."

"I do not know if I wish to marry at all." Eloise shakes her head with a sigh, "why is it that men can wait until their quite literally dying of old age before they marry, if they marry at all, but a woman must marry by the time she's twenty-five or she is given the label spinster?"

"Because men are not tasked with having as many children as possible and raising a family. All a man truly needs to do is sire an heir, or have brothers that are able to do that task for him."

"It's not fair."

"No, it is not," I look over to Eloise, who is sour and deeply wounded by the role she knows she will soon be forced to play. "You enjoy reading, don't you?"

"Yes, I do, very much."

"I had the privilege of attending university for a short while. I believe I still have some of the books I had purchased for many of my classes, as well as many pages of notes. Would you like to borrow them?"

Eloise lights up with excitement, "that would be the most amazing thing in the history of the world."

Soon suitors for Daphne begin to arrive and I quickly make my exit. I return almost every day at the same time, bringing books and notes to Eloise, speaking to Daphne and waiting for her suitors to show themselves, but I notice that I begin to leave later and later every day, until one day none of them appear at all. Lady Whistledown even goes as far as saying that the drawing room at the Bridgerton house is even emptier than the head of our beloved King George. She also calls attention to the fact that while some suitors arrive at my home, I am never present to entertain them, proving that the Queen may have been wrong about both Daphne and myself.