Chapter Text
Edwina ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bridgerton house was beautiful and in a short few weeks it would be the place she would call home and Edwina could not wait. She shot and excited smile over her shoulder at her mother and sister before letting out an excited giggle. It would be so fun having a whole staff to herself, to dress prettily every day and entertain guests.
Dowager Viscountess and Lord Bridgerton were there to greet her. “Lady Bridgerton, thank you so much for inviting us to your beautiful home!”
“We are so happy to have you here with us, Miss Edwina.” Lady Bridgerton said, smiling at her. Lord Bridgerton was looking over her head at her family. “Aren’t we Anthony?”
“Yes, yes of course.” Lord Bridgerton finally met her gaze. “Might we head to the drawing room?”
“That sounds lovely!” She cripped happily ready to skip to the drawing room meet with the other Bridgertons. Lord Bridgerton walked by her side as Lady Bridgerton walked her mama and Kate, Kate commenting on the lovely oil paintings the Bridgertons had hung on their walls and Lady Bridgerton showering Kate with compliments on her intelligence.
The steward opened the door to the drawing room, and it was chaos.
During Pall Mall she had gotten a taste of the what the Bridgerton’s were like when were together, but she was hoping their loudness was at least restricted to the outdoors. Miss Eloise Bridgerton was speaking imperially on some subject to Mister Benedict Bridgerton and Mister Colin Bridgerton. There was another young miss on the pianoforte. The two littlest were arguing about something. But, thankfully the Duchess was present with her son and smiling widely.
The Viscount cleared his throat and she smiled prettily, but no one seemed to be paying attention.
“Children?” Lady Bridgerton tried, catching Mister Colin Bridgerton and the young miss’s attention.
“Enough!” Edwina jumped and looked startled at Lord Bridgerton, unaware that he could sound so annoyed. He smiled apologetically at her. “Miss Edwina and her family are here to meet with us before we are united. Please make them - “
“Kate!” The littlest Bridgerton boy said running up to her sister. “Do you have time to play another game with us today?”
Kate was soon surrounded by him and the youngest bridgerton girl, both of them stepping over each other for her attention. The viscount seemed perplexed by the sight, “Kate is splendid with children.”
The Viscount smiled tightly and nodded. Edwina demurred and waited for him to say something, anything.
“Miss Edwina, please come sit by me.” The Duchess of Hastings called, and Edwina smiled gratefully before sitting near her. The duchess’s son sat in her lap, a drooling happy boy.
“Good afternoon your grace, a pleasure to see you again.” Edwina watched anxiously as the little boy grabbed for her skirt and she pulled it out of his reach. “My, what a darling boy.”
“Would you like to hold him?” The duchess asked, passing the baby over before she could formulate a response. She caught the baby, holding him in her hands by his torso. The baby cooed, it’s large head swaying from side to side until it uncomfortably fell back, and the baby started to whipper.
“Is there something wrong with him?” Edwina lifted him up and down in the air, as she had seen Kate do with children in the past. The boy’s lip began to wobble, and she could tell he was about to wail. “Kate? Kate! Come hold the baby.”
Kate appeared, as she always had, she swept the baby up wrapping an arm around him and cradling his head while speaking encouraging words, “You are ok, sweet boy. Oh, yes you are.”
After a couple of bounces, the baby gave a loud giggle and pulled at Kate’s earring. Edwina looked to the duchess who seemed happy at the sight, even though her child was misbehaving by yanking at Kate’s ear. “Are you alright, Didi?”
“Yes, of course.” Kate got the baby to trade its grip on her earing for her finger, which it then tried to stick in its mouth. “He is adorable, your grace. Many congratulations on your blessing.”
“Thank you, Miss Sharma. He is my greatest joy.” The Duchess looked fondly at Kate and her child, Kate was always so good with children of all ages. Which is why she would make an excellent governess. “He does seem to be teething at this current time so I must warn you that he might try to your necklace into his mouth.”
“Oh, perhaps you should pass him to his nanny then Didi.” The baby seemed content with trying to eat Kate’s fingers, it’s slobber and drool going down it’s chin.
“Oh, no I do not mind. He reminds me much of Kush.” Kate did a sudden twirl and the child laughed. Kate smiled widely and unguarded, in a way Edwina had not seen since their father’s passing. She looked to the Duchess, “Unless of course you -”
“Please, Miss Sharma feel free to hold him all you like.”
“But you said you’d play with us Kate!” the youngest Miss Bridgerton said, seemingly close to stomping her slippered foot.
“I believe I can do both.” Kate smiled, tucking an errant curl behind the young girl’s ear. Kate took her hand the young girl and her youngest brother led Kate out of the drawing room. The young children chattering incomprehensibly, but thankfully Kate seemed to understand them well enough to get them out of the room.
“Will Miss Sharma be ok?” Lord Bridgerton asked, staring at where Kate and his little siblings had disappeared through.
“Kate is wonderful with children.” When Appa passed away and Mama locked herself away Kate was the one to take care of them. “Kate has been tutoring the Maharaja’s children since Appa passed away and they are a handful. She will be able to handle your siblings.”
“Miss Sharma works for the Royal Court of India?” The duchess asked, scooting over to make room for the young miss who was playing pianoforte to sit next to her.
“Yes, to support us. She grew up with the Rajas and when Appa passed, they offered to take care of us, but Kate is very prideful. So, she said she’d rather work for the money.” Their lives would have been so much easier if Kate would have just taken the money, they were offering so much more than Kate had earned. “A couple of visiting diplomats have tried to get Kate to leave with them, but she would never leave mama and I.”
“Is Miss Sharma the one who taught you your languages and instruments?” Miss pianoforte asked.
“Yes! Kate taught me everything that I know.” Kate made the lessons fun, incorporating games and creativity into all of her lessons. “I don’t think I would have been Diamond without her.”
“How sweet.” Lady Bridgerton said as she directed staff to set up afternoon tea and snacks. “You will have to tell our dear Francesca all of your secrets.”
“My secrets?” Edwina smiled glancing to her mother.
“Well, as the next Viscountess you’ll be responsible for debuting Francesca.” Lady Bridgerton said gesturing to the Miss pianoforte.
“Oh, but you’ve already done a splendid job Lady Bridgerton. What else could I do?” Lady Bridgerton smile dropped by just a fraction and Edwina knew she didn’t answer the question correctly. Of all the questions that she and Kate had practiced, this one had never popped up.” But, surely Kate can. She guided me and I became the diamond.”
Edwina turned and placed an arm on the Viscount’s forearm, who stiffened and pulled away slightly. She thought it was sweet how gentle and considerate he was. “If it wasn’t for Kate, Lord Bridgerton and I wouldn’t be here, together. She can do the same thing for Miss Francesca.”
“Edwina, Kate is planning on leaving for India, she won't be here next season. You know how long of a journey that is.” Her mother interrupted. “Plus, I’m sure that Prince Yash would be most upset if she did not return or if she was to make a journey back to London too soon after returning.”
“Don’t let Kate hear you say that.” Edwina giggled, Prince Yash was two years younger than Kate, but he was always trailing after her. Kate always said that they were friends, but many people in the Kingdom suspected that there was more to the story then they let on. “Rani Kathani, it does have a ring to it, does it not?”
“Don't let her hear you say that, Rani Kathani . “Her mama smiled. “You know she sees it as a tease.”
Edwina shook away the giggles and turned back to Lady Bridgerton, “I am sure that I can convince my sister to help Miss Francesca before she leaves.”
Lady Bridgerton smiled to her and Miss Francesca before accepting a cup of tea from her housekeeper, sipping at it before it had cooled down fully. “Should we discuss the engagement ball? We need to choose songs and the accompanying dances. Do you have any favorite songs, what count are they?”
“Oh, I’m not very good at the logistically part of balls, but Kate can help with that!” Edwina accepted a cup of tea from the housekeeper. “I can help choose colors and flowers. I’ve been told pink goes very well with my complexion.”
Her mama let out an awkward laugh, “Oh, you mean to choose the theme.”
“Yes! I think I’d be fine with that and then Kate can choose the songs and dances.” Edwina smiled widely as the Bridgertons in the room all focused on her, the room finally becoming quiet. Perhaps when she became Viscountess Bridgerton, she could inspire this level of peace and quiet every day. Surely Lord Bridgerton would love her for that, his family seemed so unruly.
While Lord Bridgerton didn’t look at her while drank his tea, she was sure he was impressed by how much attention his siblings were paying attention to her. As Viscountess she would be the center of attention and she was more than ready for it.