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BRIDGERTON HOUSE - BENEDICT’S ROOM
KATE ENTERS WITH PURPOSE AND WITHOUT KNOCKING OR EXPECTING A REPLY. THERE’S NO TIME FOR SUCH THINGS.
“You upset my husband.”
“He upset me first.”
KATE CROSSES THE ROOM, CAUSING BENEDICT TO TAKE A FEW STEPS BACKWARDS.
“Is this childish retort your only defence?”
“It is the truth. He barged in here and decided that his prejudices are more important than my feelings.”
“Do you truly have no notion of what Anthony has been through since your father’s death? What this family and its protection means to him?”
“Believe me I do. While dealing with all this responsibility, I have understood-”
“Nothing, obviously.”
KATE PAUSES FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT.
“You played the part of the agent of the estate, an estate in great condition, I might add thanks to Anthony’s hard work and you think you know what it was like for him to bear the responsibility for a decade? After he took over at the age of eighteen, a grief-stricken young man with no help from anyone? Do not deceive yourself believing that you can comprehend the enormity of his struggle. Not for one moment, you must think of that. He had to live for every single one of you, spending sleepless nights for you, solving problems beyond him. And he nearly died for one of you, did he not?”
BENEDICT CONTEMPLATES HER WORDS. HE SLUMPS IN HIS CHAIR.
“The duel with Simon.”
“Yes.”
KATE’S VOICE BREAKS A LITTLE AND BENEDICT LOOKS REMORSEFUL.
“He would die for Daphne’s honor. And he would do so again, if he had to. And with the same determination he would disown you to protect Eloise and Hyacinth and everyone else that is under his care. Because that is what the head of the family does. Caring about others.”
“But for himself he would choose differently.”
“Is this about the opera singer?”
BENEDICT IS STUNNED.
“You know?”
“Of course I do. Before our wedding, out of spite and malice, someone tried to extort money from Anthony, blackmailing him with this allegedly terrible secret. Anthony of course sent them to hell and told me himself about that story that had ended long before I departed from India.”
BENEDICT NODS, CONCEDING THE ARGUMENT.
“Fine. That story is not worth mentioning anymore. No argument from me. But what if the situation was slightly different?”
BENEDICT SITS UP AND LEANS TOWARDS HER. KATE WAITS FOR HIM TO EXPLAIN.
“What if it were you? The unsuitable choice? What if Anthony had been in my place and he had no choice but to ask of you the same thing I asked of Sophie. Wouldn't he damn us all for you? Would Anthony be able to let you go, Kate? Would you, for that matter?”
KATE SIGHS AND PLACES ONE HAND ON HIS SHOULDER
“You do not listen when I speak, do you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Anthony could have broken the engagement long before the wedding day, and not even to be with me. Just an end to the torment. But we agreed that nothing could come before our families. We simply could not drown everyone in scandal for our own relief.”
BENEDICT FALLS BACK IN HIS CHAIR, THE VERY PICTURE OF DISBELIEF.
“What?”
“I could not be the reason your brother’s honor would be besmirched any more than he could destroy my family’s reputation. We love each other too much to ruin each other’s family with such scandal. Because it would kill him, you know. To fail his family would be a fate worse than death.”
“So yes, brother.”
KATE AND BENEDICT TURN TO SEE ANTHONY STANDING AT THE DOOR.
“I let go of the love of my life. I told her goodbye, knowing that I would never be able to speak openly to her ever again. I had to see her go in the same woods where I had first found her and where I nearly lost her in that accident. The most horrible month of my adult life. All for the sake of my family.”
A HEAVY SILENCE FALLS IN THE ROOM.
KATE BRINGS ANTHONY’S HAND TO HER LIPS AS HE PRESSES HER CLOSE TO HIM, WHISPERING SOMETHING IN HER EAR.
BENEDICT WATCHES THEM AND REFLECTS ON THE NEW INFORMATION OF EVENTS HE NEW LITTLE ABOUT.
“And despite all that you made it.”
“It took a near death experience,”
AS KATE SPEAKS, ANTHONY CAN BE SEEN TO SUFFER A PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT TO THE MENTION OF HER ACCIDENT.
“-the courage to risk everything for a final dance and a nod from the Queen before we were left off the hook of society’s chagrin, but yes we made it.”
“This is the sort of thing you might have told me when I asked if there was something I should have known, by the way.”
KATE SMACKS BENEDICT WITH HER GLOVE ON THE BACK OF HIS HEAD.
“What was that for?”
“Focus, Benedict.”
“On what? I am desperate, sister.”
BENEDICT SPEAKS WHILE RUBBING HIS HEAD.
“Based on what you say I have no solution. I have nothing! Unless the Queen smiles favorably- Oh.”
A REALISATION SEEMS TO DAWN ON HIM
“Yes, brother?”
“Do you think that the Queen might be-”
KATE AND ANTHONY IGNORE HIM AND ADDRESS EACH OTHER WHILE HE PACES THE ROOM, MUMBLING TO HIMSELF.
“I believe he pieced it together.”
“Indeed, I believe he did.”
“Oh Oh oh.”
BENEDICT STRIDES TOWARDS THEM AND KISSES FIRST KATE’S CHEEK, THEN ANTHONY’S.
“You two can never leave again!”
“We gathered as much. With you lot, I can barely go to sleep in my bed.”
“But what specifically can I-”
ANTHONY BACKS AWAY, PULLING KATE WITH HIM.
“Ah ah. No. I will not participate in any brainstorming for the scheme. Mother and Kate will help you with the details and I will participate accordingly once the plan is formed. Make sure it's not much though.”
THE LAST BIT IS DIRECTED TO KATE.
KATE SMILES FONDLY AND TURNS TO BENEDICT.
“He’s a busy viscount.”
“Very very much. Busier than I should have been, really. Apparently I have my ledgers to fix. A drawing of Sophie’s delicate nose has destroyed a few sums from last month.”
“Yes about that-”
ANY ATTEMPTED BENEDICT MAKES TO EXPLAIN IS NOT APPRECIATED.
“Leave this room before I send you to Australia to draw the local flora.”
ANTHONY’S TONE LEAVES NO ROOM FOR SPECULATION ON WHETHER HE MEANS IT OR NOT. BENEDICT LEAVES WITH HIS BACK AGAINST THE WALL.
KATE AND ANTHONY ARE LEFT ALONE AND BURST INTO LAUGHTER.
“A visit to our son?”
“Didn’t we just leave his room to get here?”
“Your point being?”
“Let him sleep, Anthony.”
“A visit to our bed then?”
“It depends. Are you going to bring your ledgers with you?”
“We could fix them together.”
“As usual.”
ANTHONY’S ARM SNAKES AROUND KATE AND HE KISSES HER, BARELY CONTAINING HIS PASSION.
BEFORE THEY FORGET THEMSELVES THEY LEAVE BENEDICT’S ROOM TO GO ON IN THEIR OWN BEDROOM.
END OF SCENE.