Another Bridgerton

vi. dueling and accidents

12 years ago

I was long asleep, I knew there was always someone in the room with me, I could sense it… I was unaware of the amount of hours I slept through. There was light in the room, out of the blue. I groaned as I opened my eyes in order to spectate the sudden change of brightness in my surroundings.

"Good morning sleepy head" Daphne's melodic voice sounded I smiled immediately at her tone, I missed joy in this household.

"Hey… what are you doing here?" I asked her, smiling, I made a move to sit up and flinched, this landed me in reality.

"Now be careful" Benedict came in with a disk of breakfast, it had way too many delicacies and appetizers, I smiled at the sights as Colin followed with plates and cups.

"Yes, I should" I nodded, maintaining my body. "What are you actually doing?" I chuckled loudly while they were bringing the whole kitchen inside my room.

"Well we thought we should all take breakfast together, mama had some social calls… she finally got out of the house" Anthony came in with another disk full of stuff, both my eldest brothers placed it upon my bed as Collin started giving out plates. This moment Eloise and Fran entered the room rolling the cribs with the two babies.

"I am going to take the baby bottles, Mrs Wilson must have them prepared" Daphne smiled and left as Colin helped the girls up the bed and Benedict and Anthony got themselves a baby each.

"Thank you so much…" I smiled as I leaned in to look at Hyacinth, I felt as if I hadn't seen her in ages. "How long am I sleeping?" I asked looking between my eldest siblings.

"It's been more than 24 hours… How are you feeling? The ribs?" Anthony asked as Benedict was playing with the baby and the girls.

"Refreshed but soar" I explained briefly as soon Daphne returned and we all started off eating up, I was really hungry and felt as if I hadn't eaten in quite a while. It was fun and refreshing. Daphne was singing and Colin danced with Eloise as we managed to have Gregory take his first steps,  we spent the whole day in my room as in the end I was laying down while the four eldest except me were taking away the stuff they brought for meal and the babies to the room. I was alone with Eloise and Fran.

"Eva, why are you laying all day?" Eloise asked me as she was at my left side.

"Because I slipped and I hit my back" I unriddled simply and kissed her forehead as both her and Fran were looking at me.

"Can we hug you or you will be aching?" Fran asked me softly she was looking at me, they were both hesitant and that hurt me more

"I will but we can lay here and tell stories."I suggested holding their hands. "'What do you want to hear?" I asked them

"About dad" Fran immediately suggested and Eloise agreed.

"Hmm, do you know that mother wasn't supposed to marry papa. He won her over and almost stole her from grandpa" I smiled and kissed each of their heads. "Young Violet was to wed a lord… the richest back then. Lord Bailey. Therefore papa loved her truly, he wasn't interested in her name and prestige. He was making efforts in convincing her family to choose him over the other lord but it seemed effortless. It seemed to have no results. During the wedding preparation he appeared and took her away announcing to her parents that she would only marry the viscount because she loved him endlessly… lord Bailey tried to break the wedding and sabotage them enough to destroy them but he never made it" I narrated as they both fell asleep on either side of me, I was supposed to be filled with energy. However, my eyelids felt heavy.

Today Eva's POV

I had fallen asleep. It was an empty, bad, hourless sleep. I was still worrying about him. I anticipated the moment he would always lay next to me after a difficult work day and hug me to sleep, but this night it never happened. I opened up my eyes and looked around, the heavy curtains were still pulled over the window, the servants were told to not wake me up this morning, I guessed.  I stood up and wore a proper dress, and simply tidied my hair without further formalities. I had no idea what time it was, everything seemed a blur.