After delaying it as long as she could, Isabel Asturias is ready to make her debut onto the marriage market. Like every other mama in town, Lady Asturias hopes to gain an audience for her daughter with the season's most eligible bachelor, the Viscou...
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Benedict awoke the next day with a blistering headache. He groaned as the light entered his room in the early morning.
The events of last night hit him. He had been dragged along to another ball, and just the carriage ride there made him want to leave. Things with Anthony had been difficult over the last week, to put it mildly. Despite finding his viscountess in Miss Edwina Sharma, Anthony was more tense than before. Apparently, she had an outspoken sister with a strong distaste for Anthony. Now that Miss Edwina had been crowned the Queen's diamond, and since Anthony had turned away nearly every other girl in the ton, he had to have her. He did not like to lose.
Anthony's frustrations were mostly directed towards the sister now instead of Benedict, but that did not make things much better. Benedict found himself having to bite his tongue to keep from making more comments about Anthony's approach, seeing as the last time he opened his mouth, things ended rather poorly.
More than that, Benedict was distraught to see his older brother like this. Ever since their father passed, Anthony had hardened, and Benedict hoped his search for a wife might lead him to a love match that their mother so desired for all of them which might break down his hard exterior. As pleasant and enjoyable as Edwina was, Anthony was not in love with her, and he was still just as committed to his 'duty.'
"Miss Sharma will make a lovely viscountess," Anthony told them, "She is beautiful, well-mannered and intelligent."
"Well," Eloise said, then looked to the side and decided against sharing her thoughts.
"But the sister is proving to be a bit of an obstacle," Anthony said, following his remark with a forced smile.
Benedict sighed louder than he meant to. Anthony glared at him for it. Benedict expected to receive a lashing from his brother's tongue, but Anthony held back and kept quiet. Somehow, the look in his brother's eyes was more painful than anything he could've said.
They arrived at the ball after what felt like an eternity. Eloise quickly ran off in hopes that Violet would forget her and not send any suitors her way. Benedict was in no way about to follow around his mother and Anthony as they engaged with the Sharmas and Lady Danbury. He did not even have Colin, who claimed his throat was too sore to attend, though Benedict suspected he did not want to bear witness to both Anthony and Benedict's missteps.
Isabel was the one enjoyable thing that might await him at the ball, but he did not think even she could lift his spirits.
Benedict sulked in the corner, downing drink after drink. He felt stifled by the air of mamas forcing matches and the flashes of his stiffened brother on the dance floor. He soon realized there was no point in being here and left to seek out relief elsewhere. That led to him drinking even more at White's before stumbling home.
He remembers smelling flowers on his way home that smelled like her perfume...
A knock at the door took him away from his thoughts.
