Secrets & Scandals •Anthony Bridgerton•

The Duke and I Part IV

The Duke and I Part IV

True to Colin's words at breakfast, it was indeed to look like rain. Ester quickly gathered her wits and rounded up the players for a fascinating game of Pall Mall that was about to ensue. Racing up the stairs to Gregory's room, she quickly wrapped on the door.

"Ester?" He asked, looking stunned.

"It has not yet rained and we have yet to play--so gather the supplies and meet the girls and I downstairs in the courtyard for Pall Mall." Gregory thought for a moment but quickly smiled and closed the door.

Ester, quickly walking to Eloise and Hyacinth's rooms, knocked on their doors once more. Eloise opened the door for her, to allow her to come in.

"What do we owe the pleasure?" Eloise asked, smiling.

"It hasn't rained and Greg has agreed to play Pall Mall, will either of you be joining?" Hyacinth jumped up from behind a chair and quickly grabbed Ester's hand. Eloise took off the flower in her hair and led the two out the door towards the courtyard.

"This is so exciting! Daphne never plays games!" Ester giggled at the young girl.

"Daphne used to play games with me all the time! So I shall just have to make up for lost time and play more with you and Eloise." Hyacinth grinned like a cat and Ester saw out of the corner of her eye that Eloise was excited as well. Eloise, although extremely smart, was still a young girl.

"Look, there's Greg!" Hyacinth unlatched from Ester's hands and ran to meet Greg who held the mallets and ball for the game of Pall Mall. If you did not know what Pall Mall was, it was a game similar to crochet, where you take the mallet and hit the ball into the large square shaped posts. Playing until you reach a designated score.

"Are you all ready to be demolished?" Greg said, swinging his mallet around.

"Shall we divide into teams or individual play?" Eloise spoke, eager to lead the conversation. "As well as what score shall we aim for?" Ester thought for a moment.

"Due to age difference I say we split into teams and we stop at say..ten? That seems to be a good number." Eloise nodded.

"I will have Hyacinth on my team, since I know us ladies hit better than men." Eloise sarcastically called to Greg whose face instantly reddened.

"Ladies spend too much time worrying about their hair to win games." Ester pulled Gregory back before a fight ensued, she remembered an older Bridgerton who had a temper quite like young Greg's.

"Alright, you ladies go first since Greg needs some time to refocus his anger." Ester said lightly, Eloise handing a mallet to Hyacinth. Taking the first shot, it went straight through the posts.

"Score! One point to zero!" Eloise shouted, Hyacinth and her squealing at their first point. Ester allowed Gregory to go first as she knew how little boys were about these things. Gregory took some analyzing looks at the posts and lined up his shot. Taking his first swing, the ball hit the posts and almost didn't make it inside but perfectly rolled in even with the error.

"Excellent job Greg! One to one!" Ester smiled and ruffled Greg's hair, a small chest of pride filled in his heart. Ester tried not to laugh at Anthony Jr.

The group made it over halfway through the game, at eight to six when it began to rain. The children did not mind the rain at all, knowing their mother was still with Daphne, Simon, Lady Danbury and the Queen continued to play.

Gregory was getting extremely intense at the game and was so excited that he got the scores to read eight and seven almost at a tie when he swung his mallet backwards and hit Hyacinth straight in the ankle with a resounding SLAP! Ester knew it was to lead to no good.