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Last season left Eloise completely heartbroken, it seemed like everything was out of order now that the fuzz of the infinite number of balls was over and even though Violet was in cloud nine since Anthony was happily married, Eloise couldn't help but feel like some higher power had decided to trade hers, Benedict's and Colin's happiness for Anthony's.
At moments she felt like the most selfish, resentful person on earth for harbouring these kind of thoughts and then she remembered how miserable he had been in Daphne's season or even before that.
If some higher power had decided to trade their happiness it only made sense that it had taken three other people's joy for him to be able to smile again.
This morning they were all in the drawing room, Hyacinth and Gregory were playing with marbles while Francesca tickled the ivories and her mother wrote a letter to her sister Daphne.
Anthony and Kate were sitting together whispering, laughing and touching each other; Violet's complaints about how it wasn't appropriate became completely useless about a week after they came back from their honeymoon, nobody could stop them including themselves.
Colin was sitting beside Violet, but he was just there looking out the window, perhaps trying to catch a glimpse of Penelope's bright titian hair since she had not talked to him in months; he couldn't understand why.
But Eloise certainly did yet she couldn't tell him it was her fault, her fault and Penelope's; she couldn't tell him what the argument they had last season was about. She couldn't break the news to him, not only of dear Penelope being the one to cruelly expose people of the ton, but also Marina's pregnancy, not when he had finally gotten over it.
Benedict for his part was sitting right beside her looking over her shoulder and distractingly reading the book she was pretending to read while she ate her chocolates, but Eloise knew he had been yearningly looking at Kate and Anthony; for so long she had thought he only missed painting, but with time she noticed he also felt extremely lonely no matter how accompanied he was.
He wanted the kind of easy, deep understanding that existed between two passionate lovers, the kind of love he had forgot how it looked like but remembered it existed, after all he had witnessed Violet and Edmund in their splendor a long time ago.
Their splendor and their million of kids, the passage he'd just read reminded them of that and made Benedict close the book even though it was in her hands, he stood up and swiftly moved to sit beside Anthony and Kate.
The couple noticing his presence stopped talking and the viscount suspiciously looked at him and said "What can I do for you, dear brother?"
It resulted so... particular for everyone how easily anthony would drop a term of endearment now.
"I have a question I wish for you to answer with complete honesty" said Benedict trying not to laugh.
He eyed him incredulously "Very well, what is it?'
"Are you planning on following our parents' steps and have eight children too or is it only the constant touching what you'll imitate?" he deadpanned. Francesca stopped playing the piano and everyone looked up at Anthony who had started to blush.
"I think it's none of your concern how often I... touch my wife, brother" he said stuttering.
But Colin noticed he had avoided part of the question so gazed at the newlyweds and smugly inquired "But, dear brother, will you or will you not have eight kids? After all, I think seven of them, counting myself of course, are very lovely"
And Anthony, who out of respect had always tried to hide his opinion every single time his mother came to be with child, but also always said the wrong thing, uttered "Well, perhaps not eight" he side eyed his wife "I certainly think we would have benefited from there being at least... three of us less" he said now looking at his mother.
Gregory and Hyacinth gasped loudly, the girl slowly getting teary eyed while both started to stand up to leave so he quickly tried to make reparations "Well, that doesn't mean it has to be the both of you, perhaps we could've gotten rid of Colin" he said sharply "and Benedict since they're extremely vexing people"
Just when he thought he was safe his wife asked "You yesterday you declared me the most vexing person on earth, my lord" with the quirk of one eyebrow "do you wish to get rid of me too?"
Her brother started looking at everyone in the room, almost crying for help so Eloise showed him one chocolate and he changed his seat just to take it. Now both, Kate and Benedict, looked at him, grinning ear to ear, waiting for his answer.
"You are my wife, I think it's safe to say I want you to vex me for the rest of my days, but only if you let me do the same in return" he rushed to say.
"what a nice way to save it" Eloise thought, however it was now her turn to irritate her brother.
"I am surprised, dear brother, how you said three of us less I thought you would take the easiest opportunity to get rid of me" she said almost maliciously, the devil on her tongue.
But Anthony surprised her.
"I would never want to get rid of you, Eloise" he looked into her eyes with seriousness as her grin faded "who else would challenge or annoy mother when I'm not here? Who else's voice would I hear when I ought to vote in parliament?" he half smiled and then whispered "who else would give me of their chocolates?" And he took one to quickly leave the room.
As he did so Francesca raised her voice and said "Don't think I didn't notice you said you would get rid of me, brother! I hope you know I will demand compensation for such comments when I see fit!"
The occasion arose about two weeks later, when with her sister she decided to bribe a maid to know what happens in one's wedding night.
Francesca Bridgerton would certainly not use her pin money to get information her brothers once got for free.