| NOBELS | BRIDGERTON

10 | AUBREY HALL & FAMILY GAMES

     WE ALL KNOW the great lengths a young lady will go in pursuit of a proposal. And apparently she will travel great distances too. Lord Antony Bridgerton appears to be inching ever so closer to selecting his Viscountess, and to that end has invited our diamond to join him for an excursion at his ancestral home, Aubrey Hall.

Ophelia stared out the carriage window, watching the animal filled fields pass as Edwina spoke of what to wear for Antony. Ophelia didn't want to go but Phillip has convinced her after Antony sent all of them invites. Philip, Thomas, George and Lady Danbury all took another carriage while Ophelia sat with the Sharma's.

"Perhaps I'll wear the pink silks at dinner tonight. Do you think Lord Bridgerton will like it?" Edwina asked.

Kate nodded, she had actually grown to somewhat like Antony. "Of course he will, Bon. You do not need to worry about the Viscount's favour, it is a good sign that he has invited us to spend a few days with the family, before the rest of the ton arrives for the real party."

"Perhaps by then, you will have an engagement to announce." Mary smiled in hope.

"He will be assessing me, I know. Considering how I might preform as Viscountess."

Ophelia pulled her eyes away from the field. "And he should not be the only one. You too must consider if Lord Bridgerton is everything you want in a match as well."

Kate looked at her. "Indeed. We should all pass the week with open minds."

The girl gently pet Newton, who sat on Kate's lap. "I shall be the very picture of amiability."

"Very well." Edwina smiled. "Pink it is for dinner."

Country air indeed clears the mind and invigorates the body. Might this be the final gust that pushes the Viscount over the precipice of a proposal? Of course, the luckless souls remaining in town will have to find new diversions in the absence of their most precious of stones.

The carriages soon arrived at Aubrey Hall, Ophelia was the first out of their carriage, she paused to look at the house before smiling as she laid eyes on Daphne, someone she hadn't seen since the birth of her son, Augie. The girl went straight to Daphne, giving her a small hug and then looking at the baby in her arms.

"May I hold him?"

"Of course." Daphne smiled, gently placing her son into her arms.

Ophelia smiled at the baby. "Hello Augie, did you miss your Aunt Lia?"

Benedict joined her as Daphne went to say her hellos to the Sharma's and the other Halls. "Aunt Lia?"

"Yes." She looked at the amused look on his face. "Oh shush, I am close enough to be family. I used Lia because when George was younger, he struggled to say may name, so he decided on Lia."

After a few minutes of gushing over the child, Lady Danbury decided to sweep away her God-son, allowing Ophelia to say hello to the rest of the family, except Hyacinth and Gregory who has run off with George, before she once again admired Aubrey Hall, with a small smile.

"You're smiling." A voice said. 

The girl turned to the eldest Bridgerton, her smile fading slightly. "Only because I got to see Augie."

"So my plan to win you over is already working."

She rolled her eyes slightly. "So you used Daphne and her son for your own advantage?"

He paused, realised what he had said. "No." He sighed. "Mark my words, Miss Hall. By the end of your stay, your opinion of me will be very much improved."

"I did not think you much of an optimist. Since your schemes to manipulate me are now out in the open, I suppose it would be an improvement, indeed."

He gave her a nod before walking over to Edwina who was talking to Kate and Daphne. It wasn't long until Violet invited them in for something to drink after such a long journey. They also showed the to their rooms.

Ophelia sat in her room, the bed was quite comfortable and she had a rather lovely view of the gardens from her window. The library wasn't far either, she hoped the Bridgerton's wouldn't mind her reading something during her stay, considering she had already read her entire library.

Not too long after their arrival and settle, the Bridgerton's invited the girls and Thomas along for one of their family games. The four of them watched as Daphne stuck a small wicket into the ground behind a stone flower pot. 

"That will teach Colin. Last time he put a wicket behind the goat barn." She explained.

"What exactly are the rules of this game?" Kate asked.

"Pall-mall is less about the rules, more about the goal. Which is, of course, to hit your ball through each wicket. The first player to send their ball through the last wicket wins. Simple enough. Though, if you'e feeling devilish, you can use your turn to knock an opponents ball as far away from their next wicket as you would like."

Edwina held a confused look. "Why waste a turn if the point is to get one's own ball through the wicket?"

Ophelia smiled, realizing she could really piss Antony off if she wished. "To infuriate your opponent, I gather?"

Daphne smiled too. "Precisely. It is a poor player who plays the game, and a wise one who plays their opponent. "

"I believe I shall rather enjoy this game."

"Right." Daphne continued. "Oh. Now, Benedict is a solid shot, but he avoids conflict. Colin is crafty. He will strike when he thinks you are least expecting it, so always be suspecting it. Eloise concentrates entirely on defeating her older brothers. The hope is that she gets so absorbed by them that she forgets about you. I, of course, am a complete enigma who will divulge none of my secrets. And, well, then there is Antony."

"Let me guess." Kate spoke. "A most ruthless, cutthroat player."

The Bridgerton let out a chuckle. "Why, you have made his acquaintance. That is not to say he has no honor. He is usually the most genteel sportsman. Except as far as this field is concerned."

Edwina smiled. "I am sure the Viscount is an excellent player. We will all pass a very pleasant afternoon."