Younger Sisters (Bridgerton Fanfic)

Chapter 10: Siblings

"Is it an open invitation? Whatever did you do to warrant that?" Daphne asks, reading the letter over again.

"I only meant for you to read the warning." Eloise replied, snatching it back.

"Have you responded?" Daphne asks, turning back to her mirror, replacing a fallen curl.

"Of course I have. I wrote to ask if Penelope would be able to accompany me."

Daphne whips back around to glare at Eloise, curl falling back down. "Are you sure Princess Madline would allow for a guest?"

"Yes. I am quite confident." Eloise pauses, attempting to gather some of the confidence she so boldly claims to possess. "If she is indeed in search of friends, then another could do no harm."

"I think you vastly underestimate the power of jealousy, dear sister."

"Whatever does that mean?"

"Be careful is all," Daphne says with a smile to the mirror, Eloise able to catch it, though not the intended recipient.

Dear reader, I must confess as I digress I find much humor in the false receipt of anything, but most certainly a smile, as I quite enjoy the repercussions. It is said that you may trace the origins of some wars back to a seemingly inappropriate smile, when in reality, it was intercepted.

In the case of Daphne's smile, I can assure you no war resulted and she thought only of the Duke and Prince Friedrich in this smile intended only for herself. However, with her sister's interception, Eloise thought of Princess Madline and her dear friend Penelope. She did not understand her sister's warning, as how could anyone be jealous of someone they had yet to meet?

Despite her confusion, Eloise can not help the blush that rises in her cheeks, and knowing it will not subside within a reasonable amount of time, she conjures a less than eloquent excuse and leaves. Daphne, still lost in her own thoughts, does not hear.

Eloise had thought she would call upon Penelope, to share the story of her new friend, but she could not bear the thought of another conversation with even the slightest resemblance to the one she concluded with Daphne. Instead, she searches for Benedict, knowing that she will not have to maintain her guard against him. In her search, she solely focuses on finding Benedict, and not the implications of her feeling the need to defend herself when talking of a friend.

Eloise checks the usual spots, the swingset out back, the drawing room, the study, but she finds him wandering the hall. Perhaps she missed him or they have chased each other round in circles. Regardless, Eloise attempts to greet her brother; however, he beats her to the formalities that are not so formal between these two.

"Why so cheerful, sister?"

"I'm happy to have found you is all," Eloise replies, hiding the letter behind the skirts she despises so much, surprisingly grateful that they are able to aid her in her great loss of conviction.

Though her skirts do not do the best job of concealment. "What have you there?"

"What?"

"Eloise-" Benedict sighs. "You come searching for me and then decide to hide whatever it is you wish to talk about. Please make up your mind. We all have our own tasks, and while I'll happily assist you to solve whatever qualms you, I will not happily waste away while you decide you would like to include me in this secret."

"You seem so sure, brother."

"You always share, eventually," Benedict says with a smile.

Eloise glares out the window. He was right, of course, and that was something she did not particularly enjoy about having an older brother as a friend.

"Swing sets?"

"I thought that served the sole purpose of late night smoke breaks."

"Benedict-"

"Yes Eloise?" he smiled, still teasing.

The "Nevermind." escapes her mouth, sharp, before she has time to apply the proper niceties to her dismissal of her brother.

"Eloise -"

"I do not wish to talk about it anymore," Eloise says as she turns to return to her room.

She knows, dear reader, that she would tell him eventually, but not today.