Take My Hand [Bridgerton]

[10. Park Shenanigans]

It was a beautiful day for a picnic and most of the ton was taking advantage of the weather after the rainy day before. While Winnie hadn't had plans in the morning when she woke up to the sun beaming through her windows, it soon became apparent the Bridgertons had made plans for both her and George. During breakfast, they had received an invitation to the park for a family picnic, where many other prominent families would be. Lady Bridgerton had even written a note for Winnie at the bottom of the message that almost made her reluctant to go.

It's a beautiful day to promenade with some suitors, dear.

Winnie was tempted to say no, but the look on George's face when he heard that he would be able to play with Hyacinth and Gregory made it impossible. She could never deny her brother anything, especially when their father tended to keep him at home as much as possible.

Two hours later, when the sun had reached its highest peak in the sky, Winnie and George joined the Bridgerton family for a meal in the local park. There were prominent families all about; some ladies Winnie's age were being charted around on small boats by suitors in the river, gentlemen flocked together to scope out eligible ladies, and there were many potential couples promenading. Most of the people, however, sat under tents to shield them from the sun and ate and enjoyed time with their family.

The spread that the Bridgertons had brought for lunch was plentiful and delicious, with many finger sandwiches, biscuits, and cakes to go around. At some point while they were eating, Winnie had to cut George off from the biscuits, as he was practically swallowing them whole, risking asphyxiation or worse, a sugar high. Thankfully, before George could get upset with her, Anthony and Colin stepped in to teach him a game that they often played with Hyacinth and Gregory during such events.

"We will stand around here, in a circle. So, you will stand here," Anthony told George as Colin, Greg, and Hyacinth got into place, and moved him to the empty spot next to him. "And now, Winnifred, if you please..."

Had Winnie not been watching the viscount attend to her brother, she surely would not have heard him. Her gaze left his shoulders, where they had been lingering, and followed down his strong arm to the hand he was using to gesture to the empty spot between George and Gregory. She had not even noticed she was staring at the man until he raised an expectant brow at her.

"My apologies," she stood in her space. "Please, go on Lord Bridgerton."

"The object of the game is quite simple," Anthony started, crouching down to George's level to explain the rules. "We must toss the hoop," he shook the hoop that Hyacinth had eagerly given him. "To each other in the circle. The catch, however, is you must only use one arm to catch, and it needs to go through the hoop in order to count. If you don't catch it, you're out and the remaining players continue."

Historically, Winnie usually ran into trouble when she played games with the Bridgertons. When Colin tried to teach her cards, she received a large paper cut on her index finger that made her unable to sew for days. One time, while she, Eloise, and Daphne were playing tag, she ended up tripping and accidently taking both of them down with her. Worst of all, however, was the pall mall accident in summer of 1809–that fateful day had been stressful for all involved, but it was only Winnie that had ended up in tears, hiding away with Lady Bridgerton in the drawing room of Aubrey Hall, her friendship with Anthony fractured.