A Rose By Any Other Name | Anthony Bridgerton

- CHAPTER III -

SUMMER 1813

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     WHEN MISS XENAKIS, Mr. Makris, and Mr. Bridgerton arrived at the party, they looked no better than rats that had been dipped in the sea. The rain had picked up in the time it had taken them to cross town and, despite their attempts to move in intervals from awning to awning, they had not managed to remain presentable looking. Mrs. Sideris, who had played the Nurse and was hosting the party, made sure to tell them just how sorrowful they appeared as soon as she opened the door.

     "Why, look at the state of you, Rose! All that mess simply to lose another bet. You have gotten into the habit of it, yeah? Well, come in. Rain's kept us all locked inside. It is not exactly perfect summer weather, but it will do. Everyone is congregating wherever there is space, not that there is a lot of it what with how the Theatro is paying us," she laughed, speaking without pause. Then, finally recognizing that she did not recognize Mr. Bridgerton, asked, "Who's the handsome one?"

     "My name is Colin Bridgerton. Though, perhaps we could be introduced inside the house? It's getting quite cold."

     Mrs. Sideris stepped aside to let them in, leading the group further into the house where the rest of the company had clearly been for quite a long time; loud, drunken laughter echoed through the mess of the place. "Oh, you will not have to worry about that in here. The temperature of the crowd should be enough to warm you lot up. Besides," she grunted, picking up a very large bottle of liquor and an assortment of mismatched glasses and shoving them into Rose's arms, "this should help a bit, My Lady." Mrs. Sideris parodied a curtsy in Rose's direction before quickly setting off to entertain the rest of her party guests.

     Rose balanced the glasses and heavy bottle in her arms for a moment, attempting not to show the disagreeable mood that Mrs. Sideris had put her in, failing as the glassware began slipping from her hands. "Leander!" She called for aid, only to find that he had already gone faster than Mrs. Sideris had.

     "I have got you." Mr. Bridgerton stopped the glasses, placing them on a table nearby before returning and carrying the bottle over as well.

     Rose sighed as she followed him. She pulled at a curl beside her face as Mr. Bridgerton began pouring liquor into the glasses. "I must apologise for Mr. Makris's running off. He does not normally act this way."

     He shook his head, corking the bottle. "It is of no import. Surely he is simply excited to drink and be merry. It is a party after all." He handed a glass to Rose before taking his own.

     "Thank you, Mr. Bridgerton."

     "Colin, truly. We are friends now are we not?" he asked, shooting the entire glass back in one shot.

     Rose's mouth fell agape for a moment before recollecting herself with wide eyes. Perhaps she should have prefaced this conversation with Colin with a warning of the high alcohol content of Greece. Colin spotted a tray of pastries on the table and popped a few into his mouth before catching Rose's stare and smiling largely at her through crumbs.

     In the next few hours, there was a rush of celebration. For Colin it was all introductions and drinks and some strange purple powder that made his head spin and the candles look like stars. For Rose, it was all introducing Colin and watching in concern as he continued to swallow full glasses in single shots and took improper dosages of things. By the time the sun had begun to rise, it was clear that he was in no state to walk home alone.

     Making her way through the crowd that had not yet lost a single member to the comforts of their own home, Rose found Colin laying across a chaise, his necktie having been turned into a makeshift blindfold to cover his eyes from the light. Beside him on the ground was the still nearly full bottle of alcohol, whose little amount of liquid that had been drained by the man had almost been enough to take him out. Rose nudged the bottle out of the way with her shoe and sat down on the chair beside him; no longer was there a need for formality when he looked as though he may empty the contents of his stomach at any moment.

     "Colin?" A small grunt from the gentleman. "I'm going to walk you home, now."

     A gasp. "Scandal! The grannies will talk!"

     Rose laughed at his drunken concerns. "Let them talk then. You are unfamiliar with the city and I believe you may be anything but sober Mr. Bridgerton. Though that may be my fault as I did not warn you of the strength of the alcohol here. I'm afraid the English ale back home is nothing in comparison–"

     "Whyever did that woman call you 'My Lady' earlier?" Colin questioned, pulling the tie from his eyes. "Was it because you are Juliet? You really were a lovely Juliet. The cry for your fallen love at the end was-" He stifled a drunken sob. "Moving."

     "Again, I appreciate the compliment." She paused for a moment considering how to respond, whether the truth or some falsehood. "It is because they all like to make fun. Xenakis is simply a stage name. Lady Rose Bell, pleased to make your acquaintance."

     Despite his state of consciousness, Colin understood a title when he heard one. He shifted in his seat, looking at her differently than he had before, as if with more respect. Rose was used to that shift. Most did not think highly of actresses. Telling them she had a noble title did not always help much, but it at least made her seem simply strange rather than a woman of ill-repute as most believed Rose Xenakis to be.

     "I do not often tell people."

     "Then why did you tell me?"

     Honestly and with a laugh, "You will not remember it in the morning."

     "That's fair," Colin sighed, lying back down with the tie blocking his view. "So, You're a member of the gentry? Perhaps our parents are familiar? My mother is a dowager viscountess."

     "I would not think so. We've been out of London for some time."

     They sat in silence again for a moment, Colin's mind slower to work than usual.

     "Do your parents live in Greece as well?"

     Rose stood up immediately, "Alright, it is time to go."

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Author's Note

Alright! There's the three chapters to make up for the past couple of weeks. I tested out a new drafting style which ended up totally burning me out and made it really hard to get these new chapters out in time. But here they are finally!

They're definitely not my most favorite, but they're decent first drafts. This chapter specifically is one that I definitely want to extend in edits and better display their first interactions and describe the party in more detail. My plan is to write the whole book and then go back to edit it after, but for now I want to be able to get this story out to you guys. I hope you enjoy it!

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