,wallflower' • BRIDGERTON

chapter 19

"What Is It, Truly, To Admire A Woman?"
[19]

✑

Hope arrived at the soirée just in time to see the almost heinous performances the gentlemen were putting on for Miss Edwina Sharma. It was similar to a circus really, some danced, did tricks, and did music performances. All of the ladies of Ton were huddled around this one area, watching a man trot around.

Almost like a horse.

Hope watched with a raised eyebrow. "At least it is the men who are making fools of themselves this time." She heard someone say beside her. She looked to see a woman in a deep blue dress, her black hair pinned up with a feather in it. She had the most gorgeous skin, almost similar to Hope's.

Hope recognized her. This was Kate Sharma. The prickly elder sister Whistledown wrote about. "Was this your idea?" She asked. "I wish I could take credit, but no. Lady Danbury encouraged a poetry reading. The men, thanks to their spirit and competition, concocted the rest of this farce on their own." Kate said with a satisfied smirk. Hope chuckled before shaking her head.

"Unbelievable." She said, Kate looked over at her. "You are apart of the Bridgerton household, yes? I have heard much about you." She said, Hope turned her head to look at her. "I am sure you have, it seems I cannot keep anything a secret these days." She said, making Kate laugh slightly.

Lady Danbury quickly stopped the man's, quite furious dancing with a loud chuckle. She stepped up in front of the women with a strained smile. "Let us... take a pause." She said. Those words caused a murmur to echo through the room. Hope breathed in before leaving the quite stuffy room and entering the outside. She was met with a garden of some sorts and a path leading to a different building.

She grabbed the ends of her dress and went straight towards the building that had dimly lit windows and people walking in and out of it. Once she got close enough she spotted Anthony and Benedict walking outside like something was of importance. She picked up her pace before they suddenly noticed her walking towards them.

Anthony looked at her with confusion. "I thought you were off promenading at Lady Danbury's?" He said. She tilted her head. "Well, it wasn't all that entertaining watching you gentlemen embarrass yourselves over and over." Hope said, crossing her arms. Anthony nodded his head. "Brilliant, that means I have an advantage." He said with a confident undertone. Benedict sighed, rolling his eyes.

"An advantage to do what?" He asked, the three all stood in front of one another. "I need you to teach me to read that out loud." Anthony said, handing Benedict an open book. The artist glanced at the words before his eyes shot open. Almost as if he was seeing a ghost.

"Byron? Did I strike you much harder than I realized earlier?" He asked with a look of distain. "There is a pleasure in the pathless woods. There is a rapture on the lon—. How does one make that sound good?" Anthony asked as if he could tear his hair out. Benedict scoffs, glancing down at the book again. "I'm afraid that is not possible. That poem is the opposite of good. That's nonsense." He said, giving Anthony back the book.

"I thought this sort of thing was supposed to be your pleasure." Anthony said, utterly clueless. "Poetry, yes. Byron, heavens, no." Benedict said with raised eyebrows.

"Is not everyone supposed to love Byron?" The eldest said. Benedict scoffed. "Many in our year at Cambridge thought my poetry far superior to his." He said. Anthony glanced down at the book. "Does that mean yours is more or less deceitful?" He said.