Chapter Text
Eloise smiled when Aubrey Hall finally came into view. The spring and autumn in Prussia had been truly wonderful, full of opportunities to learn and explore along with Pen, but Eloise was glad to be home. She had missed her brothers and sisters dreadfully, as well as her friends among the tenants’ daughters.
She would not have much time with said friends, as they would barely have time at Aubrey Hall a month before they needed to make their way back to London for the next Season, which would include Daphne's marriage.
She was not pleased to be forced to separate from her sister so very soon. Eloise knew she will see Daphne often, but she would no longer be in the same household as her. They would not see each other every day. Daphne will be busy organizing the household of a prince, with no time left over to banty words with a younger sister.
At least she knew that Anthony would never leave the household.
"Home," Daphne sighed, leaning her head against Mama's shoulder. She had left her prince in London to bear the brunt of Queen Charlotte's wedding arrangement schemes, and was feeling rather maudlin over it.
"Home," Mama agreed. They stepped out of the carriage, one after the other, to find the rest of their family standing in wait to greet them.
"Mama!" Hyacinth cried out loud and rushed over. Mama laughed gaily, hugging her children one after the other.
"Hello, sister."
Eloise grinned as Anthony pulled her into a one-armed hug.
"Hello, dear brother," She threw her arm around Anthony's shoulder. "Where is your Simon?"
"I do not think Simon belongs to me," Anthony said with a raised eyebrow. Eloise did not credit that statement as true. "But he is currently dealing with a dispute between two of our tenants. One of them used to live in Clyvden, and is finding it hard to adjust to Aubrey Hall."
"It sounds like you were having a hard time of it," Eloise frowned as the two of them walked into the mansion. It had been a rather momentous endeavour that Anthony and Simon had chosen to undertake. Simon had sold all of his father's lands and holding, and used the kingly-sized bounty of funds to purchase all the lands around Bridgerton, before formally handing them over to Anthony. The Prince Regent had agreed to the transfer, knowing the Bridgertons were a responsible line that would keep the land well-kept, and since Anthony now controlled such a large swash of land, Eloise had not been at all surprised to learn from a letter that the Prince Regent had elevated Anthony to Dukedom. So now Anthony was Duke Anthony Bridgerton of Bridgerton, and Eloise was the sister of a duke and a soon-to-be princess.
Mama had been so very pleased, saying it would elevate Eloise’s marriage prospects far above what she might have expected before. Eloise had heard whispered talk that they might try for one of the royal bastards. The thought made her shudder.
All of this also meant that Simon had returned to being Mr. Simon Basset. Not a duke, not a member of the nobility but of the gentry. He would no longer have a seat in the House of Lords, nor be expected at certain courtly functions. If Eloise understood the tone form his letters correctly, he was thrilled by those developments.
Simon had not wanted to leave his tenants to the new owners pf the lands, and so Anthony and he had offered a place in the new Bridgerton holds for all of them. Around half of them had chosen to remain, which still left nearly a hundred people to be relocated, given new lands and positions and integrated into the Bridgerton community.
"Hmm, yes." Anthony said. "But I do believe we have everything well in hand."
"I do not doubt it."
*
"Simon!"
Simon looked up as he walked back to Aubrey Hall, just in time to see Daphne rushing towards him, and grinned, opened his arms to hug her.
"Oh, my friend, I've missed you," Simon twirled Daphne around before placing her back on the ground and pulling her slightly away to look her over. "You look beautiful. How was Prussia?"
"Thank you," Daphne beamed, hugging Simon's arm. "Prussia was magnificent. Though I am not sad to see dear old England again. How is Anthony? And Francesca? And Gregory and Hyaci-"
"All four of them are well," They made it back to Aubrey Hall and followed the laughter and joyous sounds to the parlour, finding all the Bridgertons waiting for them.
"Simon!" Two voice cried out, and Simon found himself attacked by Eloise and Violet. He allowed himself to be cuddled and hugged (and smacked on the shoulder by Eloise, God bless her) before he was finally allowed to sit on the sofa and was forced to relive, in great detail, every event of the summer.
Despite the fact that he had written to Daphne at least once a week and Eloise at least once every two, and knew Anthony wrote even oftener.
But there was a sense of exuberance in the air, an excitement that could not be contained. There was the excitement of having the rest of the family back in Aubrey Hall, but Hyacinth and Gregory had been excited all week, in anticipation for the return to London. Violet and her two elder daughters were meant to return a few weeks earlier, but their ship from mainland Europe had been delayed, and so they would only have around a month at Aubrey Hall before they would be making their way back to London.
Simon had considered staying behind at Aubrey Hall for the Season. Now that he was no longer a Duke, he (thank heavens) didn't need to sit in the House of Lords, and he was not sure he wanted to stay the whole six months of the Season in London. They were many things he missed about London, but he had found life in Aubrey Hall surprisingly pleasant. He was very good at organizing the tenants into completing projects that they had been hesitant about before.
The tenants adored the Bridgertons, but were not comfortable with attempting anything new. Anthony's business tactics were very simple, and safe, and so that was what the tenants had become accustomed to. When Simon had suggested they attempt to plant a type of wheat brought from Australia that had yet to enter the English market, the tenants had been hesitant. As had Anthony.
Simon had managed to convince him, and then the tenants, and the scheme was working beautifully.
He was good at convincing people to do what he wanted. Had always been good at that. Anthony would not have been able to convince the tenants to take up the scheme, he had said so himself.
"It's because you are a bloody charmer," Anthony had said to him with a grin one night, while Simon pulled him into his lap.
He had learned a rather important thing through that whole endeavour: he enjoyed being a country gentleman, dealing with the many affairs of his lover’s ducal lands. He enjoyed it, and was proficient in it. He’d leave the politics to the member of their partnership that enjoyed it and knew how it was done.
“You will be coming to London with us, will you not?” Daphne asked him, making her way to his side of the parlour once her younger sisters and brother released her.
"Naturally," Simon replied. "If nothing else, I cannot miss your wedding. Have we a date yet?"
"January 12," Daphne said promptly. "We will be in London for two months before the day. Enough time to prepare."
"And afterwards, a magnificent honeymoon all over the world?"
Daphne shrugged, "I am unsure. I've spent so much time away from England. I think Ivwould be pleased simply to be with Fred in our new home for some time."
"And have you given thought to where-"
"Mr. Basset, your Grace?"
Simon looked up as McKarmin, Aubrey Hall's butler, made a graceful entrance into the parlour. "There is a... young lady who has requested an audience."
Anthony and Simon exchanged a look, and Anthony shrugged. He did not know who it could be either.
"Take her to the Duke's office, we'll meet her there," Simon instructed, still overjoyed by being able to call Anthony that. Just the thought of how his father would react if he found out that Simon had given up the duchy was enough to keep him smiling for days at a time.
And not just given it up-given it up to his male lover.
"Who do you think it is?" Violet asked, looking puzzled.
"I do not know," Anthony said, getting up and stretching. He looked far to tired for Simon's liking, but he supposed now that Violet was back things would get calmer (Hyacinth had woken them up quite a few times the last few nights, nightmares of her mother and sisters drowning keeping her from sleep, and Anthony, the magnificent brother that he was, had left the bed each and every time to assist her in returning to rest). "It shan't take long, I presume. We'll have a round of cricket when we get back? Hyacinth has been buzzing with excitement to show you her new talents."
"Yes, Mama! Anthony would not let me use his lucky mallet, so I was forced to find one for myself-"
Simon followed Anthony out of the parlour to his office, asking as they went, "If it's one of my..."
"Mistresses?" Anthony drawled.
“I do not know if I would call them that.”
“It is the polite way of addressing them.”
"Yes, well, if it's one of them-"
"We will not pay her should she attempt blackmail. You have nothing to hide in having affairs with women. In fact, it is important you continue to have them, to alleviate suspicion."
Simon wondered what Anthony planned to do if it was one of the ladies that they had shared. These ladies would certainly have something to blackmail them over. He was about to suggest some things they might attempt when one of the footmen opened the office door and it became very clear that the lady who had come to see them was very much one of those ladies.
"Si...ena," Simon said slowly, taking the opera singer in. She was seated in front of Anthony's enormous desk, long black hair tied up in the fashion appropriate for a lady of the ton, and the same could be said of her dress, that could have easily been taken from Daphne's closet. Simon was not used to seeing her in those fashions. It did not quite suit her.
But that really was not what drew Simon's eyes.
It was her round, large stomach that protruded ahead of her, like a bloody mountain deposited on a woman's body.
"Good Lord," Anthony said, numbly.
"Your Grace," Siena stood up shakingly, and attempted to bend into a curtsey. "Mr. Basset."
"Sit down, Siena," Anthony rushed forward, helping Siena back to her seat. He sat down next to her and said gently, "How-why-"
"I am with child, Anthony," Siena said dryly.
"We can see that," Simon said, suspicious. He placed his hands on the back of Anthony's chair and looked down at Siena. "Why are you here, Siena?"
Siena hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Because this child was sired by one of you."