A SEA BETWEEN

Chapter 13: An admission of Truth

Writer's note:

A certain thing happening was not in the cards or planned for this chapter, but I went with it. Keep an eye out for Mr. Bridgerton.. He'll return.

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"So, you have seven siblings? Am I correct?", Mara inquired.

Benedict looked up from his canvas into Mara's direction and smiled in that characteristic way of his which seemed to exude friendliness. He was sketching, working on the first painting of the three in total and they had started today, and Mara had never had such a good time with a painter as he was nice to talk to.

" Yes... seven in total. Hyacinth is the youngest but is taller than Gregory" he explained.

"You must miss them" said Mara to which he smiled again, and she could see how fond he was of his siblings.

"I do but I'll probably won't return to Great Britain anytime soon". he replied.

"What are they like.. your brothers and sisters?" Mara wanted to know, genuinely curious and he briefly gave a summary.

Anthony was the oldest and therefore the 'head of the house', Colin was planning on travelling soon, Gregory and Hyacinth fought like cats and dogs but would always defend each other when one of them got in trouble, his other sister Daphne had just 'debuted' in London's society and then.. there was Eloise..

"Would rather read books than go to balls.. I'd imagine I would get on with Eloise", Mara said with a smile, and he laughed..

"I would imagine you would..", he grinned and then proceeded to ask her how many siblings she had.

"Oh.. I have an older brother and two younger sisters. I was lucky to see them last month when I went back... went back to Leidal to visit", she said shyly. She didn't know why she was shy around this man, but she was somehow.

"Aah... How lovely. Family is so important after all, when we lost our father unexpectedly, we sought comfort in each other, trying to ease each other's pain. We all had our bad days and there was mother to think of but eventually one day things did not feel so all-encompassing awful anymore".

He looked at her and then hilted his head and Mara watched him as he looked at her intently.

"Um, could you raise your head a little, your Highness.. slightly higher... That's perfect, thank you", he smiled again before returning to his work.

Thoroughly engaged in conversation they both forgot about the time. She was disappointed when he told her that was all for today. Mara could not remember the last time she had enjoyed talking to someone this much.

'Well thank you Mr. Bridgerton for your time" she said politely, and he bowed to her before addressing her next.

"If you don't mind and wouldn't oppose to it... Call me Benedict.. I feel like we are becoming rather acquainted, and I would prefer Benedict, if.. if you don't mind of course" he said, smiling briefly. She pondered about his request for a little while and then said..

"Well then only if you'll call me Mara and not Your Highness" and she returned the smile and for a.. moment.. they stood there looking at each other before both awkwardly glanced the other way. He excused himself and said he wanted to continue tomorrow if of course she was available. She said she was and bid him a good rest of the day.

At the end of day four Mara was lying in her bed, thinking the day over and a thought crept into her mind, a notion that she SHOULD NOT HAVE but she still had.

If she had been so lucky to find someone herself to marry with... she would have hoped that man would be a lot like Benedict. Kind, intelligent, charming, handsome too (she could not lie he was not), easy-going, talkative, and lovely to be around.. Whoever was going to marry him was going to be an incredibly lucky lady, she sighed..