Midnight Rain:

Chapter 25: Games:

Evelina smiled as she looked out the window, seeing the men fencing. James and his half-brother, Elijah, were invited by Benedict to join them. But Evelina smiled, watching Anthony be so quick and graceful with the sword.

"She is pompous and arrogant and quite sure she knows best in every situation." James groaned, talking about the eldest Sharma sister, while he fenced with Colin.

"She sounds like a terrible nuisance." Colin said, glancing at Benedict and Elijah.

"Especially since you are the one who knows best in every situation." Elijah said to his brother, while James got the best of Colin, knocking the fencing sword out of his hand.

"And the victor of every match today." Colin sighed, getting his sabre. (I assume that's what they call the fencing sword.) "Besides Anthony..." Colin said with a bit of annoyance.

"Less talking, more fencing. Brother." Anthony said as James stepped to the side as Benedict joined to spar against Anthony.

"Good luck." Colin whispered to Benedict, while he walked by him.

"Ready?" Anthony asked him, when they began to spar. "Do you know why I win every time?" Anthony asked his brother, while Elijah moved over with Colin to get some water.

"Because every time you lose, you claim we cheated." Benedict scoffed at him.

"Because I know my duties. What my purposes are and how to obtain them." Anthony said, when James agreed.

"Exactly, Bridgerton. I could not agree more. Which I will do when I make Miss Edwina my countess." James said as Anthony won the round, when Elijah rolled his eyes. "Miss Edwina and I are well-suited. She is a lovely young lady. She wishes for children. She'll make a perfectly agreeable wife." James said as Anthony continued to try and not the sabre out of Benedict's hand.

"What he means to say is that he has already dismissed every other young lady in town." Benedict smirked, glancing at James.

"You take too much upon yourself, Hanover. Perhaps your life might be easier if you pursued someone with a less disagreeable sister." Colin said to James, while he sat on the bench.

"Why should I be the one to admit defeat?" James asked him with a scoff. "Regardless of which young lady I have chosen to pursue, there would've always been some obstinate father or meddlesome aunt into the picture. I shall certainly not let some sister, especially one younger than me, keep me from getting what it is I want." James scoffed, when Elijah took his sabre, tapping James's chest.

"Whom you want, you mean?" Elijah scoffed at his older brother.

"Is this still a friendly match, or do we need to find some armor?" Colin said to the two brothers.

"That is what you do not understand, Brother. Elijah honors him by holding nothing back. Just like Benedict honors me by doing the same." Anthony said to Colin. "As I now honor him." Anthony said, sparing again with Benedict, which caused Benedict to fall back on his bottom.

"What honor?" Benedict asked as Anthony helped him up.

"Thank you, gentlemen, for the bracing exertion." Anthony said, patting Benedict's back. "For I have promised a walk with my wife, this afternoon." He said, walking to hand his sword to Colin.

"I must be off too... Now it is time for me to secure my final victory for the day." James said to them, walking out. "Wish me luck." He added.

"You were watching?" Anthony asked as he came up to the door, seeing Evelina who was watching from the window.

"I wanted to see if you wanted some sweets that the lovely Ms. Wilson had brought to me, but you were not in your study." Evelina said, motioning to the tier tray of biscuits and cakes.