Midnight Rain:

Chapter 29: Lived a Life:

"You should return to the party." Lady Danbury said, walking into Kate's room to see Kate pacing out of frustration and embarrassment.

"I shall be there in a moment." 

"Well, the earl certainly seems to have nettled you. He can be exasperating." Lady Danbury said, watching Kate stop pacing to look at her.

"He is incorrigible. He is not for my sister. I shall make sure she sees of it too, one way or another." Kate sighed, beginning to pace again.

"Some advice, Miss Sharma? When one is frustrated, it is often much wiser to focus upon satisfying one's own needs. Attempting to influence others as to the correct course of action, well, it is often a trying and irritating endeavor that only brings out the worst in us before we discover it has been fruitless all along." 

"I am aware I've made a fool of myself tonight, Lady Danbury. I do not need to hear it from you. In fact, I do not need to hear it from anyone." Kate sighed as she stopped pacing again. "I do not care what a single person here thinks of me. Once Edwina is married, I shall return home alone, only too glad to never set foot in this city again." Kate scoffed at her.

"You may not yet know and that is all well and good. But I, for one, find it not only terribly disheartening but also an offense against truth, to hear you say you wish to be alone at a mere six and twenty?" Lady Danbury said to Kate, furrowing her brows.

"Perhaps you should not. I will be a governess. I will be content knowing my sister is taken care of." 

"Content?" Lady Danbury asked her with a scoff.

"Are you so miserable, my lady?" Kate asked her.

"I beg your pardon?" Lady Danbury scoffed, turning from perplexed to irritated.

"Are you not alone yourself? I watch you. I see you. You are more than content."

"Because I have lived a life." Lady Danbury spat, walking closer to Kate. "I am a widow. I have loved. I have lost. I have earned the right to do whatever I please, whenever I please, and however I please to do it. Child... you are not me. And if you continue down this road, you most certainly never will be." Lady Danbury continued to tell Kate, who sighed, unsure what else to say as Lady Danbury left her alone.

*****

"There are two things that lurk within the dark and shadowy places of our fair city. Vermin and secrets.

I shall leave it to you, dear reader, as to which do the most harm.

One has to wonder what secrets the season's diamonds are holding near and dear to their hearts. And who shall they chose to share with them?

For Miss Edwina... The Earl Hanover, perhaps?

For Her Royal Highness... The Viscount Bridgerton, seems to be most likely.

At least the elder Sharma's opinion on such a matter is certainly no secret at all."

*****

When Kate returned to the soiree, she began to strike up a conversation with a gentleman. Lady Florence noticed James looking at Kate, before exchanging a knowing look with Lady Danbury, who seemed to be thinking the same thing.

The next morning, at the Bridgerton Estate.

Penelope was sitting across from Eloise, who was surveying the latest Lady Whistledown pamphlet. Penelope lowered the telescope in her hand, since Eloise had not said anything in quite a few minutes.

"If you are truly that vexed by the manner in which Lady Whistledown writes still, perhaps you might stop reading?" Penelope sighed, looking at her best friend, who moved to sit up and lean on the table.

"She's finally revealed herself." Eloise said, making Penelope perk up.

"What? El--"

"I was not going to tell you this because--" Eloise finally looked up at her best friend. "Well, I was embarrased, and I thought I was wrong, but... I paid this printer's shop a visit yesterday." Eloise confessed to Penelope.

"You did? Did you speak with anyone?" Penelope asked, looking mortified which she could not hide.

"It does not matter... Pen, look." Eloise said, getting up from her seat to walk over to stand next to Penelope. "Not only are these paper stocks identical, but the letter K's, they are slightly misshapen in the exact same way. Surely it is not likely to be another coincidence." Eloise smiled, when Penelope looked over one of the pamphlets.

"Well, we must keep an eye out. If the same mistake is in Whistledown's next issue, then we will know the print shop is indeed hers." Penelope said, looking up at Eloise as she tried to hide her scheming look.

"Where are you off to?" Anthony asked, while he walked back into his bedroom, seeing Evelina's maids getting her dressed.

"I called for a carriage... Char is heading back to her home, so I decided to go visit her before she leaves." Evelina said with a small smile, while her maids were buttoning the back of her soft green dress.

"Ah." Anthony nodded.

"I shall not be long." Evelina smiled at her husband. "You could join me--" She went to add.

"No, no... You enjoy spending some time with her and your mother." He said with a small smile as she nodded. "I shall stay and get ready for everything here as we will be leaving to go to Aubry Hall, soon." He added, moving to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Of course, my lord." She smiled, when she sat down at the vanity so her maids could fix her hair again.

*****

"To be fair, one might call this author the biggest secret-sharer of all. For who else could possibly keep all of you honest?"

*****

The palace.

"Here you are, Your Majesty." Brimsley said, walking a tray over to Queen Charlotte, who was reading the latest Whistledown pamphlet.

"And you are certain these are the young ladies our diamond has been conversing with of late?" Charlotte asked him, setting the pamphlet down.

"Yes, Your Majesty. If our theory is correct, then Lady Whistledown will indeed be in this very collection." Brimsley smiled at her

*****

"When even the most well-kept of secrets must eventually come to light."

*****

~season 2, episode 2: "Off to the Races"~

~1016 words~