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The situation is no longer sustainable.
Mr. Harris complains that whenever Eloise comes around, Theo does shit at the print shop, too smitten watching his girl dance around to pay any attention to his work. The very little he does do is usually accompanied by a smashed finger or two, because apparently Eloise has decided to learn how to use a printing press as well and Theo is so enamoured by that he keeps leaving his fingers under the matrices.
People at assemblies report that the couple either keeps starting fights, both too belligerent for their own good, always happy to argue the issue of the day, or they are giving everyone an eyeful, completely shameless in necking in the dark (and not so dark) corners. The hickeys Theo proudly displays, deliberately tying his cravat loose to show off the telltale purple marks, are an evidence enough that the supposed “intellectual meetings” have taken turn into physical, base and downright rowdy long time ago.
And when the two young dumbasses meet at their house, Nate is frankly too afraid to leave a room and fetch his cigarettes some days, because every time he comes back, Eloise's hair look more mussed and Theo's waistcoat distinctively more rumpled and there are unconvincingly innocent grins on their suspiciously red lips.
The situation is getting out of their hands and Nathaniel Sharpe haven't spend last ten years of his life caring about his little brother's well-being, just to see him peg out in a duel because he got frisky with a sister of a Viscount. He knows pretty well that lady's willingness (and boy, is she willing, there is no doubt about that) will earn Theo little favour in the eyes of her family.
So, action needs to be taken, decisive and swift and thankfully Benedict – apparently the only sibling Eloise trusted enough to tell the truth to, not that that is very reassuring – sees it similarly.
“Honestly, they should just get married.” Ben says, taking a sip of his ale. He never stops looking over Nate's shoulder, watching their dear siblings carefully as they stand nearby, arms wrapped around each other's waists as they engage in a heated discussion with people around. Nathaniel turns as well and for a moment it is very hard to be upset with those idiots, for they never looked happier.
Still, his voice is not at all convinced when he turns back to respond to Benedict's suggestion:
“Isn't it too soon?” Ben chuckles, snorting into his beer.
“Better soon than late.” He sobers up shortly after, his face suddenly shrouded in a mask of genuine affection and care.
“The way I see it, we all know it's going to end up like that anyway. Me, you, Mr. Harris – and most importantly, those two.” He nods in the direction of Theo and Eloise, but doesn't wait for Nate to check them up again, continuing in his speech.
“Isn't it better they get married because they want to, not because they get caught and are forced?” Nate chuckles, not unhappy, but not entirely enthusiastic either, as he adds:
“Or because we will be under a threat of becoming uncles to their adorable bastards.” Benedict cackles and raises his beer in a mock salute before taking a sip.
“Well, I didn't want to mention that, but yes.” His friend is still amused, reacting with more laughter as Nathaniel sighs once more and then throws his shoe at their siblings when upon the next check up he sees them dangerously hands-y once more.
Older siblings cook up the plan and the younger ones are (un)surprisingly open to the idea. In fact, they are borderline excited, which gives Benedict a pause at first, making him absurdly wonder if it is some kind of trap.
“You never cease to amaze me.” He says at the end, shaking his head in disbelief and Eloise only laughs into his bewildered face, apparently too happy to be upset or offended by Ben basically telling her she's going back on everything she ever said about marriage.
“This is not just about getting married, Ben. This is about the freedom to do it. On my terms, with a person I chose.”
They are in her room, Ben providing cover for her need to pack for the trip ahead by pretending to ask her to sit for him. While the props are at the ready in his hands, the pencil is yet to touch the paper, Benedict somehow too distracted by the sight of his little sister flittering around her bedroom and throwing things into a bag, just a small luggage to see her through to her and Theo's journey to Scotland.
She packs scandalously little clothes and unnecessary amount of books, but by now Ben knows better than to question that. He just watches her, his heart overflowing with affection and happiness of his own as Eloise's excitement continues to drip out of her, palpable and unashamed. She is still well over a year from turning twenty-one and now, when the option of tying the knot is openly on the table, neither she or Theo (who would need a permission as well, in fact) are willing to wait. And with every other day passing, Ben is inclined to rush this affair to the happy end as well… after all, as Nate puts it, he too remembers what it is to be young and stupid. Better not tempt the fate.
He is jerked from his pondering by Eloise suddenly stopping right in front of him. Pair of stockings is dangling from her hand, another she dropped completely, but she doesn't seem to notice. She gives Ben such determined look it makes him straighten his back.
“I really want to do this.” She declares, firm and sure and maybe a little bit in wonder after all too. But no less resolute. Ben can only nod, the smiles they exchange afterwards filled with silent joy on both sides.
He helps her sneak out of the house that night, kissing her cheek goodbye before she runs to Theo already waiting by their garden gate. Benedict waves to Nathaniel, who is loitering few steps further, giving the young couple at least an illusion of privacy as they say their hello, a feat of epic proportions since they make it look like they haven't seen each other for months, not mere hours.
Ben stays outside long enough to see his friend herd Theo and Eloise into a waiting hack shortly after and accompany them to the stagecoach station. He smokes one more cigarette before slipping back to the house, deftly avoiding Anthony who is just now leaving his study. (Oh, but make no mistake, if the state of his hair and cravat is anything to go by, the Viscountess was helping him with running the estate there. Helping him very thoroughly indeed.)
Ben sleeps surprisingly well that night, especially given the commotion he knows awaits him in the morning. There will be no sugar-coating this, the thing already set and on its way to be done, a scandal in the making. Benedict is ready to face them all, ready to do as he promised and keep anyone from following the spouses to be, at least long enough for Eloise and Theo to succeed.
There will be screaming, there will be cursing, he is sure of it.
Still. He has the best night of sleep he can remember.
The journey north takes nearly a fortnight, a period both excruciatingly long and somehow too short at the same time. Long because it feels like torture stretching the moment before they can officially call one another theirs. Short because the two weeks on the road provides them with a level of privacy they never experienced before. If they get a bit ahead of schedule with their wedding night, well, Theo is not going to complain. He just holds Eloise tighter, pressing soft kisses on the back of her neck, cataloguing every little sound she makes, every little moan and purr he is able to coax from her. He surrenders to her explorations just as willingly, melting into her embrace and caresses, happy, happy beyond recognition.
One would almost forget they are only on their way to get married, safely shielded by the anonymity of being strangers at every place they go, nobody questioning their presumed status despite often maybe guessing it be a lie. But the reality comes crashing down on them on their last day when they finally reach Gretna Green. The urgency to have their union sanctioned by god and law returns and takes a turn to desperate when they make it to the church and are met with honest to god line of other marriage-eager couples in front of the chapel.
He hears Eloise let out a strangled grunt and turns to her just in time to see her look to the direction of the road they come from, like she were expecting her brother to appear at that very moment and foil their plans. And as much confidence Theo has in Nate's and Ben's fibbing skills, he kind of shares that worry. He might have never met the man himself, but Anthony Bridgerton's ability to be always on top of his siblings' business was presented to him as a stuff of legends.
Determined not to lose what he barely had a chance to get, Theo takes Eloise's hand, gives it a reassuring press and then drags them to join the queue. Manages to stand patiently for exactly five minutes before he's tapping a shoulder of the man in front of them.
“Excuse me, do you think you could let us before you. We are in a rush.” He tries with a polite smile. It leaves the young man before him wholly unimpressed.
“And you think we are here because we have nothing better to do? Stay in the line!” He's maybe a year or two older, but almost a head taller, broad-shouldered and clearly well accustomed to physical labour. Theo likes to think he's not a wuss either, but he's pretty sure this man would snap him like a twig if he wanted to. He's more than glad for Eloise pressing to his side at that moment, joining the conversation as well, her attention focused on the second part of the couple.
“Please! We might have my four brothers after us.” The girl is obviously of a higher station than her sweetheart, their situation maybe eerily similar to their own, something Eloise obviously noticed right away. It seems reasonable enough to hope for some empathy from them. And while the other girl does wince in understanding, her sympathy ends at that. Her rebuke of Eloise's words stings in it's unyieldingness:
“Only four? I have six. Plus two sets of cousins. All of them in the army.” She says and by the corner of his eye, Theo sees Eloise wince too. But she doesn't stay down for long, responding right back and Theo is once again confronted by the fact that his love for her just keeps growing, every time he thinks he reached the physical capacity of caring for another human being, his heart swelling just a little bit more. For Eloise doesn't start begging, doesn't put her, their situation above the other couple's. In fact, she does the exact opposite.
“Oh dear lord… my apologies, you absolutely need to go before us.” Theo can only nod and lean over to press another little kiss to Eloise's temple, her kindness filling him with both awe and pride. Then he's straightening up and as always, joins her right in on their next cause.
“Yeah… actually… Hey!” He shouts, loud enough to be heard by everyone in the line. Successfully capturing the attention of all present, he raises on his tiptoes and pointing to their new friends (because, honestly, how else could this end?) he tries to argue their case, hoping to succeed for them where he failed for himself:
“These two are really running against the clock, could any of you…”
“No!” The refusal is deafening as it is booed in unison by about thirty people. Theo lowers himself back down, sheepish grin on his lips as he shrugs his shoulders apologetically. Their companions now look at him with unabashed fascination that actually makes him chuckle out loud.
“Worth a shot.”
They stand as each others witnesses. After four hours of waiting, Eloise and Theo stand behind Erica and George as they exchange the vows of love and protection and then switch places with them and suddenly it is their turn. Theo takes her hands, looks at her with that maddeningly endearing smile of his, little bit dopey, little bit teasing and whole lot devoted and all thoughts momentarily disappear from her head. There is only him and her and the promise of future shared, promise of a bond never to be broken.
Eloise never fancied herself a poet, but when they kiss, for the first time as husband and wife, she is almost tempted to give credit to all those flowery words her mother and sisters used when describing their own wedding kisses. There is something about it. Something different. It tastes of freedom, of victory, of certainty. It tastes like her wildest dreams and the softest of caresses. It tastes like Theo, and in the end, that is all she ever wanted in a husband so she can say she is wholly, unapologetically, deliriously happy when the priest pronounces them wed.
The man of the cloth sounds a bit done, how could he not after a whole day of this, but Eloise doesn't le it sour her mood. She just kisses Theo that much enthusiastically, laughing scandalously loud, right there in front of the altar as her new husband grabs her waist and twirls them around, just as elated as her. They sign the registry book and are shooed out right after, another couple already taking their place. It is virtually impossible to not smile, so she doesn't even try. Why should she, anyway. If one cannot smile fully on their own wedding day, then when?
That is what Eloise thinks as she keeps holding Theo tight while they walk, sun outside momentarily blinding her when they step outside the church. That is the last few seconds of peace she gets, for as soon as her vision adjusts, there is no missing the distinctive shape of the Bridgerton carriage being parked across the small clearing. John is still sitting on the driver's seat up top and Eloise can't quite determine from this distance if he's looking annoyed by having to drive literally across the country to catch her or he's amused by it all.
“Oh crap.” She hears Theo utter under his breath, just as Erica next to her sighs a heartfelt “Thank god” when realising that the cluster of brothers loitering around the golden gilded carriage doesn't belong to her. Eloise cannot exactly blame her for the reaction.
John proves to be indeed amused upon closer inspection. Benedict and Nate, who obviously managed to hitch a ride as well (though it is still rather undetermined what benefit that will bring), greet them with certain relief. Gregory and Colin look they are here just for the kicks, smirking and complaining about being hungry respectively. Eloise doesn't doubt Anthony, being the extra drama queen he is, insisted they all come to defend her honour or other such nonsense.
Her eldest brother is the only one to yet say anything. In fact, as Benedict helpfully points out, he haven't spoke at all since they left London, not beside occasional growl to John to drive faster. That doesn't really fill Eloise with much confidence that he is happy about any of this and his still unreadable expression doesn't make it any easier to determine if he is softening under the weight of her words, under the assurances from both her and Theo, from Ben and Nate, that this is a love match if there ever been one.
He just keeps standing there, hands shoved deep in his pockets, posture tense. Eloise's voice trails off and only then Anthony finally does something else than impersonating a statue. His shoulders sag, huff escapes his mouth and he kicks a stone laying on the ground by his left foot, a gesture making him look like a petulant little child. Then, he looks up, looks at her, pouting, and murmurs, tired, exasperated, slightly annoyed in his own right:
“Why can't we have one normal wedding in this family? I just wanted to walk you down the aisle.”
He complains and chastises later, of course. He calls them all reckless idiots and starts spewing plans about what will happen next. Nathaniel, now sure his little brother won't be dismembered by the Viscount Bridgerton, happily joins him and together they start lining up their siblings lives, suddenly getting on like a house on fire, just as Eloise feared when she met her future brother in law for the first time. When she and Theo try to protest, they get shut down by frankly terrifying display of unity and Eloise briefly wonders if they should rather go to Americas, because the British soil seems suddenly very small to host both her and Theo and their self-appointed guard dogs.
However, before all that, Eloise does something different.
Before she gets wound up by Nate's and Ant's meddling, before she kicks them both into their shins for calling her and Theo twelve and knowing nothing, she chokes back the tears suddenly making their way into her eyes, relishes the squeeze of her heart, the affection she feels for her eldest brother. For the first time that day, she lets go of Theo and rushes forward, hugging Anthony fiercely, basking in the way he lovingly holds her back.
She thought that she couldn't get any happier that day. She was never more glad to be so wrong.