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Anthony had no idea what was going on or why Gregory and Hyacinth would just not screaming. he had assumed that perhaps little Hyacinth's teeth were cutting through but it wouldn't explain Gregory's cabby mood.
"I have no idea what is going on but the maid has just burst into tears" 17 year old Benedict said coming into the study that Anthony was using "Eloise is begging for it all to stop..." he said tugging at his own hair.
"Where is mother?" Anthony asked "is she back from the modiste?" Violet had gone out that morning at the behest of her son's, saying they could manage with their siblings and honestly it was about 3 minutes after she had left that Hyacinth had started to cry and then 20 minutes after that Gregory started.
he was going to go insane. "not yet" Benedict replied "I'd have sent for her but..."
"She needs a break," Anthony agreed with a sigh. "Come with me..." he said, figuring they were each going to have to take a child and hold them and hope to god it worked.
They made their way to the nursery to see a very flustered looking nurse on the verge of tears "Rose you can go have a break... we will take care of Greg and Hyacinth" Anthony said, the younger girl nearly burst into tears as she curtsied and fled the room.
“One each?” Benedict said as they moved into the room and each picked up a child. Gregory in Benedict’s arms, Hyacinth in Anthony’s.
They did settle a little but still cried and whined in their brother’s arms as both gentlemen bounced up and down with their siblings, having had the practice with the rest of their siblings.
“Perhaps some music might help?” Anthony asked “it used to settle Daph…”
“Can’t hurt…”Benedict said and they made their way down the hallway, their siblings against them as they walked to the music room.
“Daphne!” Anthony called up the stairs and there was a flurry of feet and a mop of hair appeared over the bannister.
“Yes Brother?” she said with a strained smile
“Come down here and play the piano for us…” Anthony called. Daphne let out an excited squeak and ran down the stairs.
“What do you want me to play?” She asked, skidding into the room.
“Lavender blue?” Benedict said to his brother “always worked with El and Frannie”
Daphne nodded and sat down at the piano and began to play the intro.
Benedict and Anthony nodded at each other in time with the music before they started singing
“Lavender's blue, diddle diddle, Lavender's green, When I am king, diddle diddle, You shall be queen.”
Gregory and Hyacinth’s tears seem to quieten, they fell quieter and looked at their brother’s “it’s working” Daphne said with a sigh of relief as she kept her fingers going “keep singing!”
“Lavender's green, diddle diddle, Lavender's blue, You must love me, diddle diddle 'Cause I love you”
The door opened to the music room and Colin came in and joined with his older brother’s singing as Eloise and Francesca appeared in the room and took each other’s hands and twirled around the room as the two babies finally fell quiet as the three brother’s sang:
“Down in the vale, diddle diddle Where flowers grow, And the birds sing, diddle diddle All in a row.
A brisk young man, diddle diddle Met with a maid, And laid her down, diddle diddle Under the shade.
There they did play, diddle diddle And kiss and court. All the fine day, diddle diddle Making good sport.
I've heard them say, diddle diddle Since I came hither That you and I, diddle diddle Might lie together.
Therefore be kind, diddle diddle While here we lie, And you will love, diddle diddle My dog and I.”
Violet had come in and saw the housekeeper looking flustered, she had needed the morning, she had been grateful to her son’s for insisting she took a morning to herself. Since Edmund had passed, it had been full on with the children, with Hyacinth and she was wearing clothes that were falling apart.
She knew she had to pick herself up and be the woman she knew she was, the mother and the head of the family with her son…
“Is everything alright?” Violet asked she handed her maid her travelling cloak
“Master Gregory and Miss Hyacinth have screamed all morning… i believe Lily was just sent own for a break Lord Bridgerton and Mr Benedict have the children… what is going on… I do not know” Mrs Wilson said.
Violet nodded and sighed, it was probably because they were left alone but she knew her duties as a mother didn’t stop magically with a trip out of the house.
She made her way up the stairs and was about to head to the nursery when she heard laughter, music and singing coming from the music room.
“For you and I, diddle diddle Now all are one, And we will lie, diddle diddle No more alone.
Lavender's blue, diddle diddle Lavender's green, Let me be king, diddle diddle You be the queen.
Lavender's green, diddle diddle Lavender's blue, You must love me, diddle diddle 'Cause I love you.”
With a frown she made her way to the doorway, she recognised the song. Edmund used to sing it and it was the first time since he passed that her heart didn’t utterly break at his memory.
She pushed the door and what she saw, took her breath away. Her two eldest son’s with her two youngest in their arms, singing, Colin sat with Daphne singing and turned the page to the music for Daphne as Eloise and Francesca danced.
And she knew in that moment, as she watched her children, that all would be well… they would be okay. They were a family, they were Bridgerton’s and together they could do anything.