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Theo could not help but feel he had made some sort of mistake as he entered the Bridgerton's carriage. He saw the footman's familiar face staring at him with pity in his eyes. He understood that look. Now that Eloise's family knew about him, and knew they had been spending time together unchaperoned, he was sure that the printer was in trouble. They both were, really. John was an accomplice.
It had been a worrying amount of time since he'd seen Eloise when the letter made its way to him. An invitation. He was to make an appearance at the Bridgerton house to speak with the Viscount about his time spent with Eloise. It was a terrifying prospect given what he had heard of Anthony, and how Eloise had stopped visiting him without any warning. Evidently, he had found out. Theo had been foolish to not realize the inevitability of such a situation, but he had been hoping the matter could be put off for a bit longer. Just until they had talked things over and come up with a plan of action. Now, he was going in blind.
The carriage was absurdly fanciful. It felt wasteful. Spending such money on a house? That he could understand. Or better yet, education. But a carriage? That was nothing better than a foolish use of a fortune. If he had that money, he would use it for something productive -- or if not that, at least something that would be used.
The Bridgerton home was also bordering on sickeningly extravagant. He was met at the door by a man with an annoyed look on his face, staring at him like he was a rat that had broken into his cellar. "You must be Mr Sharpe."
He nodded, offering his hand to shake. "Yes. I suspect you are Miss Bridgerton's eldest brother, the Viscount?"
Anthony shook his hand, but he still held a grimace. "Indeed. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Whether it was the scowl, the way he almost immediately retracted his hand, or the annoyance in his tone... something about it seemed a little ingenuine to say the least. "As it is with you. I have heard good things." This was a lie, really, as Eloise complained about him more often than she did anyone else; it was clear she loved him dearly nonetheless, though. Anthony led him inside in silence.
The inside of the house was breathtaking. It managed to toe the line between well-decorated and clearly lived in. He had a hard time fathoming the fact he was stepping into her house. He had imagined what it would like to be here, but his imagination had proved inaccurate. Maybe it was a result of the standoffish attitude he'd been met with, but it wasn't as lovely of a moment as he'd hoped. He had been too optimistic.
"Your letter was not all that specific about why you wished to meet with me," Theo finally said. "May I ask for more information about why you would have me here?"
No response, only silence. They walked like that for a few more feet, no words exchanged, before a familiar face came jaunting towards them. Eloise. She sported a nervous smile. It was odd to see her here. She was dressed for the occasion, in her usual fancy clothing, but she did not seem as at home as she did in the print shop. It was as if she was only pretending to belong in such a setting.
"Mr Sharpe," she greeted. "Anthony, may I speak to him alone?" She sounded rushed and out of breath. She must have ran into the room.
"Absolutely not," Anthony said incredulously.
She sighed, annoyed already. "Brother. I need to speak with him before you destroy him. Alicia can chaperone us; I promise that neither of us will be trying to do anything untoward with her there. It is important to me that I am able to speak with him."
He shook his head, frustrated with her stubborn nature, but agreed. "If Alicia is with you, I will allow it. I trust you to behave, El." Theo was immensely grateful it wasn't the hill he chose to fight and die on.
Eloise called her lady's maid into the room. She came to them remarkably quick, arising a suspicion in Theo that she'd been waiting for Eloise to call on her. The three of them stepped into a room, some fancy room he assumed had some silly, redudant use. Anthony left as promised.
"Miss Bridgerton, what on earth is happening?"
She took in a deep breath. "I do not know how, but my brother has learned of our friendship. He had intentions of doing something stupid and violent, I believe, but I convinced him to extend an invitation to you instead. To get to know you, and I suppose... so we could explain. For your sake, I suggest you comply, but um..." She stopped to collect herself. She'd gotten too worked up when she was talking. This had been stressing her out and weighing on her mind for a while. Her pale skin had flushed a bright pink as it always did when she was near tears. "I understand if you do not wish to continue with the hassle of our friendship after this affair with my brother is resolved. I am sure he is about to cause us a great deal of trouble."
Theo did not know what to say to that. He couldn't believe she thought he would just leave her like that. "It is a great pleasure to see you again. I had been worrying about you. Things were boring in the print shop without your chattering to bother me."
"To bother you?" She laughed. "You do not know bothersome until you know Anthony."
"Do you have any idea of what he wants from me? He did not reveal much in his letter, only accusations of placing your honor in a precarious position."
She hummed thoughtfully. "I am under the impression that he wishes to know the nature of our relationship. I do not see any fault to... honesty. Whatever that would mean to you. I feel that he will have more to use against you if you are dishonest with him."
The two had never exactly spoken about the nature of their relationship in the first place. He could not count on both hands the number of times they had almost kissed, or the number of distinctly dishonorable images of her that had come to his mind, but those things were never spoken about. It was all tension and things left unsaid. He always assumed she was aware that he fancied himself in love with her, but to say it aloud was a different thing entirely.
"I will do so. Is there anything I must try to avoid, to the point of dishonesty?" he asked, looking down at her. She had that thinking face on. He always found that puzzled and complex expression to be gorgeous on her.
"Do not tell him -- or anyone else -- of Whistledown. That is all. I trust you to speak with good sense and whatever necessary discretion. Just be cautious, as my brother is a fickle man... I wish we did not have to see him at all," she confessed. I wish I could be alone with you. "It is lovely to be with you again, but this context is regrettable indeed."
"I don't know, Miss Bridgerton. You do know how I like a challenge."
She laughed, grabbing his wrist and pulling him towards the door. "I wish you luck, Mr Sharpe."
"You as well, Miss Bridgerton."
Anthony was waiting in the hallway for the pair to emerge. He was trying to look intimidating, but with Eloise beside him now, it did not work as well as before. He felt a newfound surge of courage as they walked together. The unfamiliar halls felt less like a trap and more like a getaway. Alicia left them before they found their destination.
Anthony led them to the drawing room, at which point his sister pushed pass him to get in. "Do not try to kick me out when it is me who you will be speaking of," she reminded him. She sat down on a couch, giving Theo an unspoken invitation that said he was welcome to sit with her if it pleased him.
He did sit next to her, of course. He would not waste an opportunity to be near her, even in such peculiar circumstances. He looked around the room to see who else would be taking part in this conversation. It felt more like a prison sentencing. Of course, all of the faces were unrecognizable, but most he was able to guess.
Sitting next to Anthony, with his arm wrapped protectively around her, was surely his wife. The Viscountess. Her name was Kate, he remembered. Short for Kathani. She had been involved in a great scandal in Whistledown, but Eloise had assured him that was the least interesting thing about her. She was intelligent, brave, and witty -- although surely she could not compare to Eloise. No one could. Kate was also the only one who really had any sort of powers of persuasion over the Viscount.
In her own chair would most certainly be Violet Bridgerton. She was older, and she looked at her daughter in a way that could only be described as motherly concern, although it was unclear if she was concerned because of Theo or Anthony. She met Theo's gaze with a curious look, like she was trying to get an idea of his personality just by making eye contact. He wondered what she gleaned from that.
The last person was a bit harder to identify. She was most likely one of Eloise's sisters, given her age and the way she dressed, but which one was the mystery. He observed the ring on her finger, which may have been a hint of some sort. He came to the hesitant conclusion that it was the Duchess, Daphne. He remembered Francesca, the other sister, was unmarried (although she was looking for a husband).
Everyone's eyes were trained directly on Theo as he sat, feeling distinctly out of place. He was not welcome, he could tell. Even the ones with the most friendly reputations looked at him with an air of suspicion. He knew why, what with the restrictions of their society's standards, but it still peeved him. He did not like to be treated as such an outsider simply for not being of their privileged class.
"My name is Theo Sharpe," he finally said. He tried for an air of confidence, but it fell as flat as one would expect. "I would love to get to know each of you," he added.
"You know that is not why we are here," Anthony cut in.
His mother sighed, already exasperated by his offensive nature. "Yes, dear, it is why we're here. You are the only one in this room who wishes to crucify this man for catching your sister's attention." She gave Theo a respectful nod of her head. "I am Violet Bridgerton. I look forward to getting to know you better as well, Mr Sharpe."
"I am Daphne," the mystery sister said. He'd been right. "Eloise's eldest sister, as you may know already."
"I am Kate, Eloise's sister-in-law."
"I have heard good things of all of you, from Miss Eloise. It is lovely to finally meet you."
Of course, that is as far as the conversation managed to go. Things were too tense. He imagined it would be less of an issue without the Viscount looming over their shoulders. Surely, he was a nuanced man, but Theo could not help but dislike him right off the bat for how he was behaving.
He would have been the same way with his own sister if she brought home a boy, but he would have appreciated at least the decency of a fair shot before being immediately dismissed as a scoundrel. Perhaps if he'd given Theo a proper chance to prove himself, he would have been afforded the same decency in judgement. Judge not, that ye not be judged.
"Mr Sharpe," Eloise finally said. She was sick of the silence. "Without your company, I have been in sore need of someone with whom to discuss my reading. I finished the book you gave me."
He snapped to attention. What an odd thing to bring up, but he was happy to talk with her about it. He had been looking forward to her review. "Yes, the one about class struggle? And tell me, what are your thoughts of it?"
"I thought it to be rather underwhelming, I must confess. I do not necessarily disagree with the author, but their ideas barely brush the surface of the topics being covered. It all seems like it has been said a million times before -- and said better, for that matter."
Theo nodded. The rest of the world slipped into his peripheral vision as they spoke, dismissed as irrelevant. "I agree wholeheartedly. It was a bit dull, although I could perhaps see the appeal as an introduction to the idea of class. The reason why I set it aside for you, though, is nothing of the sort. I thought you would appreciate the thoughts he introduced about the intersection of gender and class. It was brief, but I could not help but think of your own perspective as I read it."
"I did like that part, but again, so surface level. I think either of us could write better, even."
"Yes, I am quite sure you are right about that," he said with a chuckle. "If you can write it better, I implore that you do. I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter."
Eloise smiled at him. "Perhaps I will."
They found a more comfortable silence after that. It was not tense, instead sweet like honey as they looked at each other. Eloise was always the prettiest when the gears in her mind were turning, as they were in that moment. She had such a unique knack for critical thought. Knowing her, she was already planning a properly sufficient piece of writing.
"You really are perfect for our Eloise, aren't you?" the Duchess remarked. "How did the two of you meet?"
Theo broke their eye contact to look at Daphne again, although it pained him to look away from her. They had been in their own little shared world for a moment. Brief, but beautiful. "Miss Eloise came to my print shop, accusing me of having some hand in a mystery she was attempting to solve. I did not have anything to do with it, but I sent her off with a pamphlet of mine. She felt compelled to come back with her criticisms." It was hard not to slip into the familiar Bloomsbury dialect he knew so well.
"That sounds like my daughter indeed," Violet said, smiling softly. Eloise looked a lot like her, he noted.
"I am thankful she has judged me important enough to share her thoughts with." He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Do not tell her I said this, as I am afraid for the consequences it will wreak upon her ego... but she is no doubt the most intelligent person I have ever had the pleasure of befriending."
Eloise grinned at him, as if to say damn right I am.
Daphne neatly folded her hands on her lap. "I know so little about you, Mr Sharpe. You mention you are a writer, yes?"
"I write in my spare time," he explained. "It is a priority of mine, but the job that pays is printing. Printing is a craft I am very dedicated to. I daresay that it is my passion, albeit second to writing and reading."
She nodded. Theo could not tell if she was genuinely curious or just conversing for the sake of keeping the atmosphere pleasant. He had a theory that she was primarily there to keep the peace. "And what is it that you write?"
This was where it would get touchy, he knew. The Bridgertons would not be the sort to enjoy writings regarding political stances such as Theo's. "They are political pamphlets," he said carefully. "I write of the rights of the working class, and women. I am active in Bloomsbury's political scene."
He could feel Eloise slump back into the couch next to him, watching her family carefully to see their reactions. Daphne had an excellent poker face, Kate seemed intrigued, and Violet gave an unexpected nod of approval. Anthony... Well, suffice it to say: Anthony was Anthony.
"I would expect nothing less of a man who has managed to catch Eloise's attention. I know she must enjoy your work," Violet said. She did not sound enthusiastic about the idea, but it was lacking the resistance he had been awaiting with nerves. He supposed it was because she was Eloise's mother. Though she did not share her radical tendencies, she most certainly was aware of them by now and had accepted it as unavoidable.
"I am quite curious about that," Kate said. It was the first time she had spoken since her brief introduction, having settled on quietly observing instead. "How did the two of you fall for each other? You seem to be a perfect match, but it is quite notable nonetheless."
Kate's approval was important, he knew. He was looking forward to speaking with her more, but that wasn't his primary concern in that moment. From what Eloise and Whistledown had said of her, she was quite the formidable woman, and she would fight for what she thought was right. If she was on their side, that was a big step in convincing Anthony as well. He looked to Eloise for her answer to the question.
Theo was naturally a private person, but especially so when it came to matters of emotions. He was so concerned about the idea of heartbreak, of having his trust abused. He had a hard time believing Eloise truly did care for him in the way he cared for her, especially after the trials the two had faced with Whistledown's meddling. And now, her family getting in the way. Here was her test, to see if she really thought this relationship to be worth the effort of pursuing.
"I was quite smitten from the first time I met him," she admitted. It was no doubt hard for her to say aloud, judging from the embarrassment that could be read quite plainly on her face. She was not the sort to talk so openly about her own feelings. She would not look at him. "Something about him just drew me in, I think. I had never met someone who actually seemed to see me beyond just my last name. Even though he thought me to be a rich fool, he still gave me that pamphlet and he listened to me quite attentively when I shared with him my criticisms. I have never been afforded such respect. That was only what drew me in at first, though. There is surely more."
Theo looked at her, eyebrows raised ever so slightly. He had not been expecting such an eloquent and sweet answer. She was Eloise, and Eloise was not the sort to take such questions seriously. This was serious to her, though. She was willing to risk putting her cards on the table for him.
"Do not look at me like that," she said, looking down in embarrassment. "This is mortifying. You are lucky I care about you."
"Do you?" he teased.
"It's your turn now, you fool."
He laughed. "If you insist... It is hard to pinpoint, though." His eyes wandered around the room as he thought. There were so many memories of her where he could remember thinking this is it. Really, he fell more and more for her wit and her charm with every conversation they shared. "I think it was at the assembly you approached me at, when you cornered me to share your criticisms of my work. You had such an enthusiastic air about you. I remember thinking of how lucky I was to have such a person taking the time to share her thoughts with me. It is an honor to know you, Miss Bridgerton."
"Eloise, my love, you look absolutely horrified," Violet said with a laugh. "Is that your way of expressing joy?"
"Indeed it is," she muttered, trying to pull herself together. Theo liked knowing he could inspire such flustered happiness from her. She was perfect, really, and he was pleased to be the one to show her just how much.
"What are your intentions with my sister?" Anthony asked. He had been silent for suspiciously long. Theo was not sure if that was a good or bad thing, but the fact he'd so suddenly asked such a question felt like it was unequivocally bad.
"Pardon?"
"Do you wish for her hand in marriage? To be one of her suitors? Or is this a fling for you?" His words were harsh, an accusation.
It was a hard question. Not because he didn't know the answer, but because saying those words felt unimaginable. This whole situation; it just didn't feel real. Here was Eloise's brother, the viscount Bridgerton, asking if Theo wished to marry her. As if it was an option he was willing to present rather than some sort of fantasy he had been living in hopes of. She looked at him with wide eyes, intent on hearing his answer. It was almost like she was trying to draw it out of him.
"I do wish to marry her," he said. "However, that is ultimately left up to her. I think you would be best off asking Miss Eloise of her intentions with me. I think that I have made mine clear enough, have I not? I would not be here, with her family, if it were something I intended to leave as a fling." So he turned his attention to Eloise, as did Anthony.
She did not do well under pressure, he knew. She shook, she panicked, and she was always tempted to run. She had told him so herself. "You do not need to answer this now," he said quietly. "There is no rush. This is your life."
"Yes, I am interested in marriage. I can think of no better person for me; can you? I do not think it need be a hasty affair, but I can not imagine it going another way." He couldn't read her expression, as she watched for Anthony's reaction. "Whether we marry is not hinged upon your approval, but I would be sad not to have it if Th- if Mr Sharpe is to be part of our family someday."
She was scared, he noticed. She was trying to remain cool and relaxed, but he could see through it easily. He wanted to reach for her and wrap his arms around her, to comfort her, but he was sure Anthony would downright duel him in such a scenario. Instead, he took her hand in his and squeezed it as a show of support. It was more than enough.
"I am looking forward to seeing you at a Bridgerton family dinner soon," Kate finally said, taking everyone by surprise. "You seem to be a suitable match for Eloise, and I am glad we had the privilege of meeting you. The rest of the family will just adore you."
Anthony gave her a look, which could only be described as fury. She just smirked at him, a challenge of his authority. He could do nothing else but sigh.
"I look forward to such a dinner. Thank you for welcoming me so warmly," Theo said. It felt like a new beginning, even if a rocky one at first. He could only wait to see what it would bring them.