Chapter Text
FOUR YEARS LATER
April 1842
The summer of 1838 had lived long in Edward’s memory, everytime he had stopped at My Cottage in the intervening four years he had longed for another glimpse of Violet, to be introduced to her formally, but he had been unsuccessful.
She had started spending more time at Romney Hall, the Parsonage or even in London with the Viscount and Viscountess so he had not had the pleasure of meeting her but following their brief meeting, he found it easier to speak to Will about his sister.
When she wrote to him at Eton, Edward had started asking what Violet was up to, asking more questions and enquiring into his best friends sister and thankfully William had not really thought that his friend was harbouring a crush on his sister, or at least he had managed to hide it until Edward had asked when his sister was planning on debuting in Society.
“Why are you asking? Are… are you interested in my sister?” William had asked, his brow raised in an amusing joke figuring it was just a joke as he looked at his best friend over his music sheets. Edward had come to visit him at his lodgings at the Royal Academy of Music and William had been packing his things for the end of term and relocating to Bridgerton House where he would be watching his sister’s season unfold.
He had witnessed Charlotte’s debut and season alongside Edward, watching Edmund and Miles attempt to scare off any suitors and there was no way he was going to miss Charlie and Alex attempting to meddle in his sister’s debut season.
He had suspected that Edward had been disappointed last season but he had not realised it was because Violet had not debuted at 17 as was the norm but William had explained their father had had a meltdown at the thought of his daughter debuting and because Charlotte had waited until she was 18, though it had been so she and Violet could have debuted together.
His father and Uncle had put their foot down and said Violet could debut when she was 18 as was the Bridgerton custom so Violet was forced to wait and therefore Edward had to wait.
“I was merely curious” he lied but he felt his cheeks burning giving him away and he saw William’s face light up
“You are interested in Vivi!!” he practically yelled, his voice full of glee and joy as he lowered the music in his hands and burst out laughing.
“It’s not a laughing matter,” Edward said grumpily, crossing his arms over his chest. “I was merely curious as to if she was going to be debuting as I’d like to get to know her more…” he said. It was mostly true. He did want to get to know her better but he did have an ulterior motive, he might only be 20 but his father was close to his 60’s now and he knew it would not be long before his father would either arrange a marriage for him with some horrific woman or would die and leave the title to him and expectations would be on him to marry and he’d have every society mama throwing their daughter at him much like his sister’s had to bare a few years earlier when it was their debuts.
If he could get to know Violet, court her, he could marry her before his father had a chance to either die or marry him off… She was his choice and he had been flawed by her beauty at 14 and seeing her miniatures that William carried that had been painted by her father, he knew without a doubt there would be a queue of men lining up around the ton to have her hand and he wanted to get in there first.
William snorted “Ed, i’ve known you for nearly 10 years, you are a diabolical card player because you cannot lie… I know your “tell”, so be honest with me… and i’ll help you”
“You will?” he asked, blinking in shock, he’d expected to get the stuffing punched out of him as it was almost like an unwritten commandment “thy shalt not covet thy best friends baby sister”
“Well, Charlie and Alex’s friends are all foozlers and imbeciles so there is no way I want Vivi marrying one of them… so if she can marry my best friend, then I can rub it in my brother’s face that I have the better friends and I know you’d never actually do anything to hurt her and if you did i know i’d beat you in a fight” William laughed.
“You wouldn’t” Edward grumbled
“Unless it was a fencing match then i’d agree with you but boxing is not your strong point” William pointed out
“It is not yours either”
“No but I am better at it than you and Charlie is built like my Uncle Phil so even if i didn’t… Charlie would murder you… and Alex would kick your arse and get away with it as he is friends with the Prince Consort”
Edward sighed “very well, you are right there. And yes, I may harbour a small affection for your sister and have done for some time. I wish to try and find a wife before my father tries to pair me off with one of his boorish friend’s daughter’s…” he had to pause and chuckle as William shuddered at the thought on his behalf.
“Not the smythe-smith girls”
“Or worse… he knows the Finch’s through a business connection and threatened their daughter’s on me when I was younger so I'd not put it past him to do it now” he said with a shudder.
“Well when we get to London i am sure I can throw in a good word for you with her” William said honestly “I know my father and brother’s aren’t keen on Vivi making her debut and Charlie and Alex were planning to be basically her guards but I’m sure the have learned from Neddy’s mistakes with Lottie last year…”
Edward shuddered “I heard about that, she was rather furious with her brother”
“I’ve never seen her like that, even after David and Alex accidentally set fire to her favourite doll…” William sighed “but back to my point if you want me to speak to her for you..”
“No, don’t say anything to her please, i’m not sure how it would come across having you basically selling me to your sister. I’d rather try my luck first, but if you could introduce us that would be…” Edward said but he was cut off by a knock at the door.
“Yes?” William said to his door and the doorman to the lodgings appeared
“Beggin’ your pardon Master Bridgerton but there was a messenger here looking for the Viscount, it was urgent and he’s waiting for a reply” he said holding out a note and Edward looked confused as he looked down at it, his sister’s scrawl on the front of the letter.
He had only popped over to William’s lodgings for a few hours and he’d planned to return to Somerhouse, so he didn’t see how anything could be that urgent but as he opened the letter his heart sunk.
Becker House
Somerset
Edward,
I am sorry to write to you in such haste and interrupt your plans for the season but we need you to return to Somerset with all haste.
Your Mama has taken poorly and is confined to her bed and the doctors are telling us the prognosis is not good.
Please hurry and return home. Your sister is close to being confined to her rooms with the baby so she cannot do too much and I worry about them.
Your Father has disappeared into his rooms and Louisa is in America and I’ve sent a letter but it will be at least two months before she will return and I know it will give your mother great comfort and Jane will need all the help she can get with the babe and your mother.
I’ve requested the messenger wait for a reply so I can request the servants sort things for your return.
Your sincere friend and brother in law,
The Honourable
George Spencer
Edward’s heart stopped as he read the words, his mother, the paper fell from his hands as the colour drained from his face, “good god Ed what is wrong?” William asked, worry etched all over his face as he picked up the letter and read it quickly and swore which caused Edward to jump and remember what he had read,
“I’ve got to go” he said, looking haunted
“I’ll come with you” William said but Edward protested “no, i’ll come to Somerhouse with you, make sure you’re okay and I can write to George so you can pack and be on the road quicker”
Edward nodded, knowing it was fruitless to argue but as he climbed into the carriage three hours later, heading out of London and heading home, he was grateful for his friend’s help but he couldn’t help but be afraid for two reasons, was he going to lose his mother, or missing his chance with Violet…
He had to hope no one swooped in and stole her heart before he had a chance to meet her, and he had to hope his friend kept his word and not say a thing to his sister…
But as the darkness fell around the carriage, he felt like hope was nothing but a heartache waiting to happen…