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Sundays are for relaxing. Sundays are for picnics and strolls in the park and hiding behind the trees in said parks to spend a minute or two of some private time with one's sweetheart, away from everyone's watchful gaze. Sundays are for…
“Votes for women!” Eloise's voice echoes over the small square on the Chancery Lane, making heads turn in her direction. Given the time and day, the place is fairy deserted, with the exception of a group of about fifteen women of various ages, all dressed in white, green and white and purple sashes cross their chests and picket boards with the very same words she just shouted neatly lettered on them in hands.
Eloise is greeted with the same proclamation in return before being engulfed by her friends from Bloomsbury Women Association. They barely manage to exchange couple of words each before the door to the print shop open and out comes Mrs. Harris, her husband and finally their apprentice. The last named is holding rolled up banner made from the sheets Eloise herself filched from the linen cupboards in the Bridgerton house and on which she and Theo carefully wrote their message with the printing ink. Now it seems that two broom sticks have been anchored at the ends, thus making the whole construction portable and carried easily.
“Oh, let me see!” Eloise is at Theo's side in the blink of an eye, eagerly grabbing one of the sticks and rolling out the banner. Theo obliges her with a smile, matching Eloise's proud expression upon seeing their finished product.
“Perfect!” Sighs Eloise before quickly stepping back to Theo and finally greeting him properly with a kiss. They easily get lost in their caresses, young, lovesick fools they are, until a voice interrupts them:
“Keep it for later, lovebirds. We need to get going!” It is the head chairwoman of their Association, Mrs. Smiley, a stern looking woman about forty with no patience for such frivolous behaviour. Exact opposite of Mrs. Harris, who just loves love in any form or shape and is not ashamed of it. (Eloise thinks she would get on famously with her mother. Obsessed with love and happiness as Violet Bridgerton is, she would find Mrs. Harris a great companion. And probably an accomplice. Think of it again, maybe it's better that these two are not ever going to be in the same room.)
“Oh, let them be.” Mrs. Harris has a dreamy smile on her face when Eloise and Theo turn their heads towards the group behind their backs. Mrs. Smiley rolls her eyes and gestures towards the young couple, irritated:
“They keep getting distracted!” Rest of the women are now either trying to smother their giggles or are outright snickering at the display in front of them. However, no one but Mr. Harris feels it prudent to join in on the bashing.
“Tell me about it. The boy barely does any work any more, always staring at the door, waiting for his girl to show up. And when she does – well, I don't have to tell you what they are doing then!” Now, Eloise takes in issue with that statement – despite it not being completely unfounded. Theo however, just meekly lowers his head and Eloise notices his cheeks getting a few shades darker. Thankfully, before he can ignite, Mrs. Harris steps in and reins her husband in by winding her arm around his and patting his hand comfortingly:
“Yes, dear, you've made you point. Now lets go.” It serves as an impulse for Theo to quickly roll the banner back and put it on his shoulder, holding it with one hand. The other naturally finds its way around Eloise's waist, bringing her as close as possible, a motion that Eloise welcomes with a satisfied hum and another quick kiss.
Then the whole party moves, picking up other protesters as they get closer to the meeting point from which the march is supposed to start. Streets are filled with onlookers, some showing their support, some screaming obscenities at them. Some just quietly standing and watching while wearing the suffragette colours. Either way, Eloise has never seen so many people united under the same cause. The assemblies, the rallies, the protests – some of them got close to thousand of attendees – but nothing like this.
“This is amazing.” Theo exhales, looking around in wonder. They are still firmly holding onto each other, least they would get separated in the crowd that gets denser and denser with every yard they come closer to Victoria Embankment. Eloise shares his excitement, her smile so wide her cheeks are starting to hurt a little.
When they reach their destination, Mrs. Smiley goes to formally register their division to the organisers, leaving the rest of them to say their hellos to the other women from other fractions and friends from assemblies. Shortly, it is time to get into formation. Eloise turns to Theo, straightening his new cravat (in green and purple, of course), before pressing one more quick kiss to his lips.
“Come find me in the Park. I will be the one with the banner.” She winks at him and takes the rolled banner from his arms. Theo laughs, kisses her back and then goes to collect Mr. Harris and join the men supporters at the back of the march, leaving the women at the front stage. He turns once more to give her a wave, but then he focuses his attention on the older man walking beside him, hurriedly talking to him while putting an arm around his shoulders. (Mr. Harris is a grumpy old man who pretends to be supremely annoyed by his apprentice, his wife's political endeavours and the life and society in general. He is also the one who lets them print their flayers and pamphlets for free and becomes a nervous wreck every time his wife and her friends are participating in some such event, worrying about all of them without difference.)
Eloise hands one end of the banner over to her friend and together they roll it out before lining up and getting into a formation. Christabel Pankhurst oversees them all, proudly positioning herself at the head of their part of the march and then it's time to begin. Brass band starts to play and the mass of people starts to move through the London streets towards the Hyde Park to meet with the other processions and to come together in the biggest rally London has ever seen. Eloise walks proud, determined, unafraid.
When the procession enters the familiar streets of Mayfair, she briefly wonders if anyone from her family will possibly be looking on as well. Well, Benedict is probably already somewhere in the crowds, Eloise doesn't believe for a second his “going to a painters' retreat with Henry” is actually taking place. Her favourite brother is also the only one who openly supports the suffragette movement beside her. Rest of the family – well, they do keep saying they support, but Eloise has yet to see any of that support take form. Deeds not words, after all, is their motto.
The procession enters the Hyde Park, its vast green planes already filled up to the brim by people. They head toward the stands where the speeches take place. Eloise briefly wonders if Theo will manage to find her after all, even with the banner over her head, but her worries are quickly quelled by her attention being firmly fixed on Emmeline Pankhurst now taking the stage and talking.
One speaker changes another, figures from the Women's Union to the political representatives. Eloise's arms burn in pain from holding the banner over their heads, her throat feeling parched and scratchy after shouting in support and excitement.
In the end, it isn't until hours later when the crowds start to dissipate, that Eloise and Theo meet again. He finds her in the gregarious conversation with the group of fellow suffragettes who came all the way from Edinburgh. However, Eloise has only time to introduce Theo to them before they have to get going, the special trains arriving from all over the country just for this occasion, leaving back to their homes in an hour. They say their goodbyes, everyone still high on the success of the day. Eloise turns to the young man beside her. With his help, she rolls the banner back together and then she sinks into his arms with a happily exhausted sigh.
“What a day!” She can feel Theo nod against the top of her head before he leans back a little and says:
“I heard some policemen talking – they estimate that there could have been half a million people here today.” He looks fairly dazed by his own statement and Eloise's jaw literally drops. She wants to answer, when a loud exclamation of her name behind her back interrupts her.
“Eloise?” It's not only the volume of the voice but mostly its owner that makes Eloise almost jump in surprise. Twisting in Theo's arms, she looks behind and gapes at the woman before her.
“Daphne?! What are you doing here?” Her sister looks perfectly coiffed as usual in her purple dress, her husband standing half a step behind her, little Auggie in his arms, grinning widely upon seeing his aunt. Eloise gives her brother in law and nephew a dazed wave before turning her attention back to her sister, who now looks suspiciously nervous.
“I told you we are going to the park.” Eloise distinctly remembers hearing words “Just a family picnic in the greens, only the three of us, nothing special, no, no need to join us, mama” and somehow, she doesn't think this is a coincidence. But before she can jump on Daphne and demand she explains herself (after all those you are going to get arrested one of these days, Eloise, mark my words! she thinks she's entitled to some explanation), another voice rings over them:
“Eloise? Daphne? Simon!” Last named is the first one to react and with a smile that is plainly showing he's enjoying the chaos that is about to unravel in front of his eyes, he greets the newcomers:
“Hello, Benedict. Mr. Granville.” Henry, being a sucker for kids he is, promptly heads towards Auggie and starts tickling him. Benedict follows him with a fond look in his eyes before turning to his sisters:
“Fancy seeing you here.” Now, Eloise is fairly sure he's talking more to Daphne, but she cannot help but notice that she too is getting a side-eye from him. Side-eye that keeps slipping to the hands she and Theo are still holding. (She so haven't planned on introducing Theo to them in this fashion, but like hell she's going to let go of him in the midst of this insanity!)
“What on Earth?” Heads turn in a perfect synchronization and their eyes are met with a sight of their eldest brother, his new fiancee on his arm. He looks bewildered. Kate Sharma looks only mildly amused. Seeing it as an opportunity to deflect attention from herself, Eloise loudly exclaims:
“Oh, Anthony! How lovely to see you.”
“Likewise. What are you all doing here?”
“What are you doing here.” She can pinpoint the moment his brain shortcuts, because, haven't he explicitly prohibited Eloise from partaking in any more rallies after she got back from one with a black eye and broken little finger? And now he's here himself? Thankfully for (well, all of them, really), Kate inserts herself into the conversation and says, perfectly calm and confident:
“We are supporting the Women's March.” She says it like it is the most obvious thing in the world. Which it should be. Anthony looks kind of confused about himself, but nods in agreement.
“Yes. That. What Kate said.” He can see it on the faces of all his siblings (and their significant others) that they want to grill him for this sudden change in view. So he quickly turns towards what he knows to work the best in situations like this – counterattack.
“Are you not supposed to be on some flower arranging lecture?” It takes Eloise a second before remembering that was the excuse she gave for not being at home today and thus realising he's talking to her. She can feel her own brain now coming to halt and desperately scrambling together for an explanation. Benedict laughs uproariously:
“Oh, is that what they are calling it nowadays?” He waggles his eyebrows towards her and Theo and, more specifically, their still joined hand. Daphne lets out scandalized gasp, before flicking her brother's ear and with a telling look towards her young and impressionable (and soon to be peeing himself from laughter from all that tickling his father and Henry are bestowing upon him) son, she admonishes him.
“Don't be crude.” Eloise's respite is very short lived however, because immediately after, Daphne turns towards her and Theo and points a finger at him.
“Who are you?” Theo, the normally eloquent and suave Theo, stutters under her firm gaze and the sharp tone.
“Me? Ehm, I'm…” Eloise can feel him squishing her fingers in panic. Unfortunately, she is at loss at how to help him. Fortunately, the newly incoming takes care of that particular problem for a moment.
“What are you all doing here?” Every head turns once again towards the voice and everyone (including those not related to the woman directly) exclaims in unison:
“Mother!” Francesca, Gregory and Hyacinth peek out from behind their mother's back, all three of them dressed in white with green and purple ribbons on their hats. Violet Bridgerton is wearing purple as her eldest daughter, who is also the unfortunate soul to be the first in line to endure their mother's questioning.
“Daphne, you said you are going for a walk.”
“So did you.”
“Well, I mean… this is a shortcut.”
“Mother, did you know Eloise was a part of the march itself?” Of course, Anthony doesn't waste a minute before ratting Eloise out, the implication in his statement clear – Eloise went to the march despite him, as a head of the family, prohibiting so. (There is really no reason to try and deny it, the banner resting against her shoulder being a dead giveaway.)
Of course, it's actually kind of cute how Anthony still thinks he's the one in charge. Their mother gives Anthony a slightly disappointed look before turning to her second daughter.
“Oh really? How marvellous, dearest!” The vindication is sweet, Eloise will admit that and she never felt more affection towards her mother as she did at that moment. Though, the knowing look towards Theo and their clasped hands she could do without. (They really should let go of each other. Neither one wants to.)
“Thank you.”
“Do you think that Colin and Penelope are somewhere here too?” Hyacinth exclaims exuberantly and starts climbing Anthony to get on his shoulders and get a proper view. Their brother and his fiancee are the only ones missing to their party at this moment and automatically, everyone else also starts looking around. Benedict steps towards Anthony and Hyacinth and helps the girl up before saying:
“God, I hope so. Otherwise they truly went to the Byron reading and that is just sad on a whole different level.” After that, the conversation slowly dissolves into a cacophony of excuses and accusations. Apparently, everyone was supposed to be somewhere else today, just not here. Eloise never felt prouder of her family.
“Should we stay or make a break for it?” Theo finally finds his voice again and leans to her ear, whispering, while cautiously watching the display before him. Eloise never doubted him, of course, but she's still a bit impressed that he haven't tried to escape before now. Meeting one Bridgerton at the time can be draining. All of them at once? Nearly impossible. She's about to answer, when her mother suddenly turns her attention to them. Or, more specifically, to the banner Eloise is still holding.
“Are those our sheets?” For the first time, true panic surges through her body. Swallowing nervously, Eloise turns towards Theo and utters only one word:
“Run.”