Chapter Eleven - The Danbury Soriee

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"Where ever are you headed?" Frederick asked, peering out from his office and watching with a raised brow as I started towards the door. "It's rather late, darling. Did I miss an invitation to a ball?"

"No," I shake my head and walk over to him, "Lady Danbury is hosting a small soiree tonight, and I received an invitation."

"And I... did not?" Frederick's face falls with sadness.

I chuckle and press a quick kiss to his cheek. "I am sure that Lady Danbury would be thrilled to see you if you would like to join me."

He purses his lips, thinking it over for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. "I shouldn't. I have so much to do tonight... I am still waiting on the new Lord Featherington to clear the late Lord Featherington's debts... although I... well, I shall not say anything until I know for sure. Have fun at the Danbury House, darling."

I bid him farewell and start off towards the waiting carriage.

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"I do not think that my ears can take much more of this," I mutter, glancing over at Eloise.

As yet another wrong note is played on the man's flute, I wince and shudder before sighing and shaking my head.

"If you would like to feign an illness then I can help you leave and we can both get out of this horrible spectacle of a performance," Eloise whispers back, not even bothering to clap as the man bows and steps to the side, clearing the floor for yet another man to try and whoo Edwina.

I sigh and eyed the man, who was holding what I believed to be cymbals, before leaning back over to Eloise. "I think it might be a little too late for that, Eloise."

She shakes her head in disappointment and sighs, "well, do let me know if you change your mind..."

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I try my best to stifle a yawn behind my hand as I watch another man take the floor armed with only a candle and a small table. He took his time, offering Edwina- what he must have thought was- a charming smile and nod of the head before doing some magic trick, causing a small yellow flower to appear in his hand.

The entire party gasped and chuckled, eventually breaking into a light applause when he was finished and offered the flower to Edwina.

"He cannot be serious," Eloise whispered, turning towards me and shaking her head in disbelief.

As soon as he had cleared the floor another man steps up and begins to do a rather interpretive dance, causing Lady Danbury, who was standing off to the side, to chuckle and smile weakly at him.

"At least it is the men who are making fools of themselves this time," Kate mutters, leaning over towards Eloise and I.

"Was this your idea?" Eloise asks, looking over at her with her arms crossed in front of her.

"I wish I could take credit, but no," Kate says, grinning back over to her, "Lady Danbury encouraged a poetry reading. The men, thanks to their spirit and competition, concocted the rest of this farce on their own."

"Of course they did," Eloise huffs.

As the man finishes his dance, the room breaks into another round of light applause and Lady Danbury lets out a little laugh and steps forwards, "oh, yes. Marvelous."

"You are the Viscount's sister, yes?" Kate inquires, glancing over at Eloise with a raised brow.

Eloise sighs and nods her head, "one of them. But do not hold it against me."

"Whatever is that man doing?" I ask, leaning into Eloise and staring at the man with wonder. "It looks rather foolish if you ask me."

Kate and Eloise chuckle and look towards the man, who was spinning a wheel on a string in front of him before Kate turns back towards Eloise.

"The fact the Viscount is your relation almost makes me think better of him."

"We should certainly not give him too much credit, now, should we?" Eloise says, laughing and sharing a small smile with Kate. She turns back to look at the man, who was now down on one knee, still spinning the wheel on the string, and her brows furrow and she shakes her head, yet again, in disbelief. "What?"

Lady Danbury, as soon as he seemed to be finished, started in, ensuring that no other gentleman took his place, and offered the crowd of debutantes and gentleman a smile. "Yes. Yes. How about a pause?"

The room breaks out into yet more applause and everyone begins to split apart and mingle about the room.

"Cressida! What an alluring necklace you have there!" I say, stepping beside Cressida and looking at the sparkling necklace with wonder.

"Yes I find it quite alluring too," Cressida says, chuckling and reaching to touch the sparkling necklace.

"The new Lord Featherington is certainly a man of taste, is he not?" Lady Cowper adds in.

I nod my head in agreement, "he certainly seems to be, Lady Cowper."

"Lady Cowper," Lady Featherington greets, "Miss Cowper... Your Grace."

I nod my head to the woman and offer her a small smile. Cressida falls into a small courtesy beside me while Lady Cowper offers a knowing smile.

"What an exquisite necklace," Lady Featherington notes, "courtesy of the new Lord Featherington, I hear."

Lady Cowper feigns shock as she looks toward Lady Featherington. "Oh. Did the Lord not tell you? He called on us just this afternoon.

"I must have missed that," Lady Featherington says, scratching her head and chuckling. "I was so busy with Philippa's nuptials and everything else."

Lady Cowper hums, "it's quite a generous gesture, is it not? I do wonder what it means."

Lady Featherington is quick to retort. "It cannot mean much. The new Lord Featherington is so very generous with his gifts. It's hard to keep up with them."

Lady Cowper chuckles, glancing around the room before smiling and waving towards another one of the guests, "this way, my dear."

Cressida is quick to grab my arm and pull me along with her, making sure to shoot Lady Featherington a sickly sweet smile as they pass each other.

"Miss Cowper, Lady Cowper," Lord Featherington greets, a charming smile appearing on his face. He glances between the two before looking towards Lady Featherington and rising his cup.

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"And on the cheek, and o-er that brow, So soft, so calm, yet eloquent, The smiles that win, the tints that glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, a mind at peace with all below, a heart whose love is innocent!"

The room breaks out into a light applause at the end of Lord Lumley's poem, the young debutantes looking towards the young Lord with adoration of his words.

Lady Danbury, sporting a huge grin, steps forwards and onto the floor, "gentleman, thank you all for the most splendid display of your talents this evening. A memorable occasion, to be sure."

Right as Lady Danbury was going to open her mouth and continue, a breathless Anthony races into the room, "pardon me. Lady Danbury?"

"Uh, Lord Bridgerton, I did not expect you," Lady Danbury says, looking towards him with wide eyes.

"No, I seem to have fallen off the guest list," Anthony says.

Lady Danbury hums as Anthony continues, "though surely you'd never deny a young man you've known for nine and twenty years the pleasure of your company? And neither would your footman at the door."

Kate, who looked to be holding her tongue the entire time, finally speaks up, her words sharp and confident. "Apologies, Viscount. You appear to be late again. We were just bringing the evening to a conclusion it seems-"

"Surely Miss Edwina has time for one more?" Anthony says, seeming to pay no mind to Kate's words. "I spent all evening crafting something. An original. Would you like to hear it?"

I chuckle and lean over to Eloise, "as if your brother would write an original... Benedict, I could believe- Colin, maybe. But there is no way that Anthony Bridgerton wrote a love poem by himself."

Eloise nods in agreement, watching her brother with a raised brow.

Anthony looks around the room, raising his voice for all in attendance to hear. "Would everyone like to hear it?"

The room cheers him on, causing both Kate and Lady Danbury to back down and offer him the floor.

He steps up and pulls out a piece of paper, unfolding it and looking it over for a second before starting.

"What is it... truly to admire a woman? To look at her and feel inspiration. To delight in her beauty. So much that all your defenses crumble, that you would willingly take on any pain, any burden for her. To honor... to hon..." Anthony falters, gazing up and towards someone in the crowd before looking back down to his paper and slowly crumpling it up and tossing it into the fire behind him. "My apologies. I cannot do this. I cannot claim these words as my own. They are someone else's entirely. Truth be told, I'm not- I'm not a man of poetry. Words of flattery are beautiful and sweet, but they are also hollow unless accompanied by action. Miss Edwina, I could stand here and pretend to be someone I am not. I could pretend to want the very same things as you, but I'd be lying. I may not be able to... offer the display of passion that you truly deserve. But I assure you that when it comes to action and duty... I shall never be found lacking. And I hope that is what will speak louder than any pretty words ever can."

Edwina looks up towards him with a soft smile on her face, nodding at his words and watching- with surprise- as he suddenly disappears into the crowd to a scattered applause. She starts up after him but is quickly pulled into a hushed conversation by her sister.

"You have to give it to him," I say, stepping beside Eloise and sighing, "he may not have a way with poetry, but, when need be, that man can have a rather special way with words."

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There are two things that lurk within the dark and shadowy places of our fair city.

Vermin and secrets.

I shall leave it to you, dear reader, as to which do the most harm.

One has to wonder what secrets the season's diamond is holding near and dear to her heart. And who shall she choose to share them with?

The Viscount Bridgerton, perhaps?

At least the eldest Sharma's opinion on such a matter is certainly no secret at all.

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"Miss Edwina, it was lovely to see you tonight," I greet, offering Edwina a warm smile.

Edwina falls into a deep curtsy as she offers me a smile. "Your Grace. It is always a pleasure to speak with you, and how wonderful that you were able to attend tonight's soiree."

"Yes, and what a... menagerie of... talents that were on display," I say, chuckling as I glance around the room. "Oh, I must go say hello to another friend of mine, but it was lovely to speak to you, Miss Edwina. Hopefully, we can see each other again soon."

She nods her head at my words and watches me as I start off back onto the crowd.

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To be fair, one might call this author the biggest secret-sharer of all. For who else could possibly keep all of you honest?

When even the most well-kept of secrets must eventually come to light.

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-T