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"I'd meet you where the spirit meets the bones in the faith forgotten land" T.S.
Hyacinth refuses at first to leave Eloise's side, Eloise is so cold, do they not realize that everything happened because her sister had been alone? That she had been sad. They did not know because they did not pay attention to her, but she had known, she had eyes. She had seen Eloise come back in the afternoon, before she needed to ready to attend the Fetherington's end of the season gathering, her sister loathed balls, but that not been the reason for her sister's absent smile. She had sought to tame her curiosity, to refrain from asking questions and be dismissed as she usually was, she was often reminded that although still only a child she would soon transform into a lady, and needed behave like one, proper, demure, quiet.
'The golden soirée' had been at its high when Hyacinth had lost the battle she held with herself, she was sure to grow to be a 'misfit', just like El. She can hear both Mama and her governess voices in her head, repeating to her time, and time again, "curiosity killed the cat", she bites the insides of her cheeks to contain herself from replying, "but satisfaction brought it back". It been curiosity which had led her that night into her sister's room, she had not known what was it that she been searching for, if someone were to discover her intrusion she would make up a lie, she had even rehearsed it in her mind, and then she had been forced to say the words out loud to Mrs. Wilson, her mother's lady maid, when found: "I wanted to borrow a book, Eloise said I could".
Daphne must have seen her hesitation to leave, for she climbed up the bed to take her place besides Eloise, it was only then that she had allowed Cressida Cowper to push her gently out of her sister's room, Gregory had needed to be told that he ought to follow, she could see that he did not wish to do so, but Anthony's heavy gaze upon him had pressed him to do so, he surely knows that were he to be allowed to stay, she would not go. She still hears in her ear the platitude's her eldest sister's old friend enunciates, "you have been very brave", "you've done very well", "let us get you some food, and then you should rest". Why is Miss Cowper being so kind to her? She and Gregory had thrown a scoop of ice into her hair, just the other day when visiting Gunther's.
"I am not hungry, I cannot bring myself to eat, I am sorry", Gregory speaks, during the past months his voice has grown deeper, but at present, he sounds like a child, and he hates it.
"I'm not hungry either", Hyacinth seconds her brother, and Cressida sighs in acceptance, resigned. "To be frank neither I am. I will not send you both to bed, we know that be futile, but perhaps we can ask for some tea and find something to read?".
Before the Bridgerton children can reply to Miss Cowper's offer, movement is heard outside of the dining room walls, hurried heavy steps making their way down the stairs, the Duke of Hasting's walks into the dining room and calls for Mrs. Wilson attention, who had been about to retreat from the dining room and acquiesce to Miss Cowper's request for tea to be served instead of the hearty meal that been set for the children and her.
Simon Basset's voice is polite but to the point as he speaks to those present in the room, "I am sorry to interrupt your meal, Mrs. Wilson if you would please gather the servants, the Viscount and I wish to know where to find a friend of Miss Eloise that might be able to bring her some comfort at present, but we are at loss as to where to find him".
"Has Eloise woken?" Mrs. Wilson dares to inquire, she forgets in that moment that the man before her is a Duke, her concern over Eloise superseding formalities, she had wiped the girl's bottom when she had been a babe. "Pardon, your grace, has Miss Eloise regained consciousness?"
Simon Basset had never cared for the title of the Duke of Hasting's, he makes a movement of denial with his head, formalities have no place at present, in scant minutes since arriving at the Bridgerton's house, he has seen how much all the help cares for Eloise. He had even overheard the cook speaking to another maid of how she wishes Miss Eloise's affliction was the opposite, a fever they all knew how to lower, a cold bath, damp linen towels, water and vinegar, bark tea, those were the remedies taught to women, from mother to daughter, regardless of their rank in society. It is because of the love and concern everyone shares for his wife's sister that he replies with honesty, "No, I am afraid she has not, but she spoke a few words to Daphne, Anthony and I will be requiring a carriage and two horses to be ready for us".
Another set of heavy steps is heard, and the children leave the table, no longer being under the watchful gaze of their minders, "Colin, where are you going brother?" Hyacinth inquires.
The third Bridgerton son is nearly at the door that leads outside to the stables, he knows he is discomposed, and wishes for nothing more than to keep walking and not answer to their questions, but his little brother and sister look scared, Cressida has just managed to reach them and set a hand over the shoulders of them both, in a strange sign of comfort, his mind at present is too preoccupied with the prospect of Eloise, (Eloise, his sister’s name never had felt so difficult to pronounce in his head), as to think of Miss Cowper, but somehow her presence behind Hya and Gregory make it impossible for him to dismiss them, so he answers: "I'm to find Ben, I shall be back as soon as I can, you both behave and do as told by Miss Cowper", he walks out the door, closing his eyes for a single moment, willing away the concerned faces of his siblings.
Gregory follows Hyacinth, reluctantly, back into the dining room, only to witness Anthony give a nod to Simon, and them both make their way to the house's main entrance followed by John, the footman that commands the carriage Eloise, ever so often employs to get around town and often escape from social gatherings she does not care for. He has finally gained an inch over Hyacinth in height, but his brother's still think of him as a child. He would of have wished to be able to do more, to be allowed to go with Anthony and Simon, wherever it is they are going, to accompany Colin in his search for Ben who is nowhere to be found, his turmoil must be evident in his face, for he then feels Hya's hand press into his own.
Never before has Hyacinth paid so much attention to the clock of the drawing room, she would rather go back to when the only times she for the movement of the clock's hands where when she would beg her mother to allow her and Greg to stay awake an hour more so they could continue to play marbles. Neither Colin nor Ben have come back, Anthony and Simon have been gone for over an hour. It is quarter past nine when she listens the front door open, then Anthony's voice commanding, "up the stairs to the left".
Theo 9:15 p.m.
He had imagined them running away together, that is he and Eloise, more times than he'd like to admit. After she had left, he had told himself that he best vanish those thought's from his mind.
Never did he think that just a mere night after, he would be pressing his heals hard into the horse he was loaned. Was time so innocuous or memory so strong, that he had not forgotten skills learned what seemed like lifetime ago? Those he had learnt when his parents still lived, and he'd been recipient of not only his mum's and father's love, but also a privileged education and what his uncle had later gone on to call unearned privileges that he better learn to work for, as he had been left alone in the world. Theo had leaned forward over the pure breed horse, he had pressed his heels onto its sides, and rode hard.
He imagined them running away together. Never had his mind conjured a scenario as the one he is participating of at present, where he would be running up the stairs of her home, in Grosvenor Square, in Mayfair, where le bon ton's fancy homes were situated.
Never had he imagined himself running through the threshold of her room, her family bearing witness to him falling to his knees at her bedside, reaching for her hand, calling her name in a murmur, "Eloise".