🎙️ SCHEDULE UUPDATE AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER 🎙️

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Chapter Fifteen - The Chaos of a Dinner and an Almost Proposal

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I watch with a furrowed brow as Benedict covers his face, yet again, with his napkin, a childlike grin appearing on his face when he lowers it a few seconds later.

"Are you sure that you are feeling alright, Benedict?" I whisper, leaning forward and watching him with concern.

Benedict doesn't respond but, rather, giggles instead and nods his head.

"This room," he whispers, "is exceptionally well-lit. Have you noticed, Col? The twinkles of the candles, it is as- it is as if... we sit among the stars."

Eloise grins at her brother's antics and leans forwards closer to him, "what is wrong with you?"

Colin, whose eyes were wide as he listened to his brother, clears his throat and takes a sip of his drink. "I was just telling Benedict how brilliant the stars were in Greece."

Eloise hums at his words, but says nothing in return, opting to sit back in her chair and take another bite of her meal.

"Are you enjoying your time here, Miss Edwina?" Daphne asks pleasantly, looking toward Edwina with a warm smile.

"I am, very much," Edwina replies, "the buzz of the city is thrilling indeed, but I quite enjoy the peace of the country."

Anthony nods his head in agreement with her words, "as do I. Though I dare say. It is not quite so peaceful with my entire family in residence."

Edwina chuckles softly and gazes around the table. "I understand, my Lord. Certainly, I cannot compare my family with your seven brothers and sisters- and their Graces- but, my sister and I were known to be a handful growing up too."

Anthony hums as he rubs his chin, "I can imagine."

"But Kate always has had my best interests at heart," Edwina continues, "she bears a heavy responsibility for our family."

"That sounds remarkably similar to you, Anthony," Daphne notes, looking at her brother with a charming smile.

"It seems you and Miss Sharma have yet another thing in common... perhaps it will allow the two of you some common interests to talk about," I add in, raising a brow to him as I take a sip of my drink.

"Much familial responsibility to bear, indeed," Daphne continues.

My attention is drawn away from one side of the table and brought back to Colin and Benedict, the former of whom was talking rather excitedly about something.

"It was a revelation, really," he said, "made all the better by the knowledge that I may have been the only Briton to see it in decades."

Benedict, not listening to a word his brother had to say, moans as he takes another bite of his meal. He reaches forwards to grab his glass but ends up knocking it over and spilling the wine all over the table.

Everyone jumps back in surprise as Benedict quickly covers up his face and giggles as he peers through his fingers to look at every one.

"Benedict, dear, you alarm our guest," Lady Bridgerton chides, gently.

Kate chuckles as she turns to look at Lady Bridgerton, "it's quite all right, Lady Bridgerton."

Lady Bridgerton doesn't seem to agree with her words, only sighing as she takes a rather hearty sip from her glass. "Perhaps..."

The rest of the table's conversation is cut short by Lady Danbury tapping her knife against her glass. "...It is time for a toast."

"A good idea," Lady Bridgerton says, "to cheer our guests. Whether they be new companions or old."

"Hopefully not too old, Lady Bridgerton," Frederick jokes.

"Of course not, Frederick," Lady Bridgerton assures, chuckling slightly.

"or to tend to other pressing matters," Lady Danbury announces, looking over to Anthony as she holds her glass, a brow raised.

The table falls silent as everyone turns to peer at Anthony, whose eyes dart back and forth as he internally debates something.

"My- I believe my sister and I have grown rather weary," Kate starts, looking towards Lady Bridgerton. "I-"

"A toast," Anthony states, pushing his chair back and standing up. "Yes."

He clears his throat as he reaches down and grabs his glass, "my sincere gratitude to the Sharmas for joining us. It has been splendid having you here to witness what is now my second annual loss at pall-mall. Not to be repeated, I assure you."

"We shall have to see about that," Frederick says cheekily, smiling over at his friend while the table breaks out chuckling.

"And my special gratitude to Miss Edwina," Anthony continues, "it has certainly been a privilege to truly make your acquaintance these past days. In fact, I believe there is a question I would like to ask you."

The room, somehow, falls even more silent at his words. The entirety of the table looks at him with wide eyes, waiting with bated breath to hear what he was going to say next.

"I should like to, uh..." Anthony falls silent as he gazes toward Edwina before looking around the room for a moment. Eventually, his eyes fall back to Edwina, a tiny nervous smile appearing on his face. "I should like to ask you to please refrain from telling anyone back in London about yesterday's loss. I fear the harm to my reputation would simply be too great."

The room breaks out into a small awkward chuckle as Anthony nervously looks around the room.

"Uh, to the pleasant days ahead!" Anthony says, raising his glass.

"Pleasent days," Lady Danbury mutters, raising her own glass.

"Hear! Hear!" Benedict calls.

Everyone else follows suit, raising their glasses and cheering before taking a small sip.

"Poor Miss Edwina," Frederick whispers to me, glancing over at the girl in pity. "Not how she was planning this night was going to, I am sure."

I nod my head in agreement and take another sip of my wine.

Eventually, the table begins to awkwardly begin to eat again, the normally lively chatter gone from everyone.

"Let us hope that this tension disappears as quick as it came," Frederick mumbles to me.

"I fear that you hold too much hope, darling," I sigh.

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"YOU SHALL ALL BEAR WITNESS TO MY TALENTS!"

I bolt up in bed and look around with half-open eyes. "Did you hear that, Frederick?"

Frederick, who didn't bother to get up, mumbled and groaned as he shoved his face further into his pillow, "I am sure it was just a dog, darling. Go back to sleep, now, please."

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An artist must be free to follow their muse. But it appears the Ton has fallen prey to the fickleness of fashion. For how else might one explain the tawdry, dare I say vulgar, gown sported lately by Miss Cressida Cowper?

Mayfair's newest modiste has one thing, and one thing only, going for her.

She is new.

Whereas Madame Delacroix might be old, but at least she is capable.

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"Poor Madame Delacroix," I mutter, tilting the paper so Frederick could read it from his spot beside me. "Whistledown called her old..."

"But she also called her 'capable' which must amount to something yes?" Frederick noted.

"I hope so... I rather like her designs," I sigh.

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Of course, not everyone can always get things so right.

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"Newton? Why are you growling- oh, hello Anthony," I greet, stepping beside Newton and looking at Anthony through the cracked door. "Are you still trying to get him to like you?"

Anthony huff and storms forwards, shutting the doors with a snap before stomping down the hallway.

I chuckle and roll my eyes at his child-like actions, reaching down to pet Newton's head for a moment before sitting back down and opening back up my book.

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Though I suppose, for some, it may be simply too late to change course and undo any damage.

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SCHEDULE UPDATE: updates are probably going to be every other Saturday (or Sunday if i forget 😅). college has been a little stressful and i've been trying to stay on my work.

anyways, don't forget to comment and vote (i love reading and commenting to y'all's comments, so pls comment 🥹)!

-T