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“It is an entire box.” Benedict's eyes lit up. The table scattered with favors but only one, beautifully decorated, smelling delicious, box of chocolate macarons.
“More than enough for everyone?” Hyacinth hedged, eyes on the box in her brother's hand.
“I think not, sister.”
“There are 16, that is quite easily divided.” Gregory nodded down.
“Yes,” Colin agreed, “12 for me and one each for the rest of you.”
“Or - and I say this with an immense amount of sisterly affection -” Eloise grinned, “I could eat the lot.” She yanked the box from Benedict's hand and held it to her chest.
“Children -” Violet attempted but all eyes darted to the open doorway. In the distance they heard the slam of doors and thundering footsteps.
“They are back.” Colin hissed, “That is possibly the shortest ride they have ever taken.”
Eloise leant forward from her seat conspiratorially, “Do you think he told her?”
There was a loud groan and barely contained arguing, getting louder the closer they came.
“I think he told her.” Benedict grinned.
“DO NOT SPEAK TO ME, MY LORD.” Kate’s bellow at her husband echoed in the halls behind them and the siblings' eyes danced about the room, colliding delightedly with each other.
Benedict held one side of the macarons as Eloise held the other, “Play for the box?”
“Play for the box.” Was the answering chorus from the other siblings.
Said box was abandoned unceremoniously on the table as the group raced to the door.
“OH, BUT I THINK I WILL SPEAK WITH YOU, VISCOUNTESS.” Anthonys answering bellow followed.
“They do know they have first names, correct?” Eloise hissed as she and Benedict collided with the doorframe. She oofed - batting at her brothers with her hand - as Gregory and Colin slid into her side and Hyacinth shoved to stand next to her.
“I believe they save those for more intimate momen - ow!” Colin yelped as his mothers hand tapped him on the back of the head on her way beyond them to have another cup of tea.
“Do not be vulgar, Colin.” Violet smiled softly to herself as she added sugar to her tea, “They are very sweet with each other.”
“YOU ARE A BUFFOON!” Kate’s voice echoed through the house.
“Very sweet indeed.” Colin scoffed.
Benedict nudged his sister and brother simultaneously with each elbow, “Catch up, we are getting behind.” He leant back to include Gregory, “You first -”
“Frustrating?”
“Mmm - she sounds more annoyed than that.”
“Maddening.” Eloise added.
“Vexing.” Colin nodded.
Benedict nodded back, sagely, “A classic.”
“You?”
“Impossible.”
“IT WAS MEANT AS A KIND GESTURE.” Anthony's voice was closer than expected and they looked at each other determining whether to stay or make a run for it. They stayed.
“You are an IMPOSSIBLE MAN!” Kate yelled.
Benedict took a little bow. “Next?”
“What was he supposed to do?” Eloise smirked, convinced of her own win coming next.
“How could he not?” Colin shrugged.
“It is all a misunderstanding?” Gregory added, puffing his chest and trying to stand a little taller when the others all shook their heads and dismissed him.
“WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?” Anthony yelled.
Eloise gave a little yip and punched the air.
“OH I DO NOT KNOW, MY LORD, PERHAPS TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER?”
Colin and Benedict spoke together, both imitating Anthony's shocked tone, with a sharp inhale of breath, “Are you quite serious?”
“ARE YOU QUITE SERIOUS?”
The brothers laughed, falling into each other as the argument raged on.
“YES
“Husband is a mad man.” Hyacinth said almost nonchalantly.
Before anyone could add in their guesses Kate yelled again. “YOU BOUGHT AN ENTIRE STUD FARM BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT SELL YOU ONE HORSE, MY LORD.” They could almost imagine her spinning on the spot as she turned back to him, “I AM MARRIED TO A MAD MAN.”
“THEY WOULD NOT SELL ME THE ONE YOU ASKED FOR, WHAT DID YOU EXPECT ME TO-?”
“THAT IS NEAR ONE HUNDRED HORSES!” They could hear her foot tapping in annoyance. “WHAT WILL WE DO WITH THAT MANY -?”
“RIDE ONE EVERY DAY AND THEN START AGAIN I ASSUME!”
“IT IS A RIDICULOUS EXPENSE.”
“LOOK AROUND, WE ARE QUITE WELL OFF I ASSURE YOU.”
“That is not the point, Anthony.” Violet murmured into her cup, ignoring the incredulous looks of her children as she joined in-
“THAT IS NOT THE POINT.”
- And was correct.
“WHAT IS THE POINT?”
“Quick -” Benedict waved his hand to hurry them along with their guesses.
“Too expensive?” Gregory guessed.
WIth a look of utter derision, Hyacinth hissed, “Why do you even play?”
“YOU NEED NOT HAVE BOUGHT IT JUST FOR ME?”
“YOU HAVE ASKED ME FOR ENTIRELY ONE THING SINCE WE MARRIED OF COURSE I NEEDED TO BUY IT FOR YOU.”
“THAT IS RIDICULOUS.”
“LOVING YOU IS RIDICULOUS?”
“Anthony, that is not - UGH!”
“It is going to dissolve into kissing, is it not.” Eloise groused, folding her arms across her chest.
“You better move, they are coming this way.” Violet's voice in their ears made all of her children jump, forgetting their mother was long used to their shenanigans, and the group spun on the spot separating quickly.
“Sit there.”
“You move over there, why are you so close to me?”
“Get off my leg.”
“Nonchalance everyone.” Benedict breathed just as Kate flew into the room.
Huffing out her annoyance and shaking her head, muttering something that sounded a lot like “Foolish sweetheart of a man,” she strode for the tea service. Kate snatched at a biscuit and glared it to death before biting into it viciously.
“Good morning, dearest.”
Kate jumped and her eyes flew to her husband's mother as if only just realising she was not alone in the room, “Good morning -” her eyes darted to the rest of the Bridgertons, “- family.” She nodded, then sighed, closed her eyes and chewed on her biscuit.
“Kate-?” Anthony’s voice announced his presence and he stopped, catching himself briefly at the sight of his family before moving to his wife's side.
“Anthony.” Kate nodded to her husband in greeting.
He sighed and tilted his head, watching her.
A small smile fought its way to her lips, she battled with it gallantly but eventually lost. Resigned to the ridiculousness of it all, and her love for the man before her, Kate gave in - just a little - smiled at him and offered, “Tea?”
He watched her for a moment longer before he nodded and smiled back. “Please.”
Behind them all eyes were turned their way, aghast as Anthony spied the chocolate macaron box, popped it open and removed one. Gregory threw himself backwards dramatically, Eloise made to rise and chase the macaron only to be pulled back down by Benedict. They turned almost as one to stare at the tasty morsel that hovered toward their brother's mouth.
Anthony lifted it to his lips and then changed his mind, instead stepping into his wife's side once again. He spoke in low tones hoping - and yet knowing instinctively it was fruitless - that they would not be overheard. “Kate, I only wanted to -”
She lay a hand on his chest to stop the words, her eyes soft now. “I know, Anthony.” Kate shook her head and handed him the tea she had poured for him.
Colin’s face lit up as his theory came true before his eyes. He grinned at his brother and mouthed ‘using first names’.
“We don't have to keep all of them. Just the one you asked for.”
Her face softened instantly. “It was a kind gesture,” she accepted, her head tilting, still defiant but allowing the loving gift to be acknowledged for what it was. “Besides there may be a few thoroughbreds fit to be raced amongst them?” Kate shrugged, reminding him of a day spent together in not quite amiable competition. Delighting a little in their shared spirit, Anthony nodded and they stepped closer.
Their eyes locked and the siblings, who had been watching intently, looked away. Eloise became enamored with the arm of her chair, Colin his shoe, and Benedict thoroughly delighted by the back of his own hand, all determined not to look at the loved up pair in the corner. Or the macaron.
“Shall we return upstairs, Kate.” Anthony’s voice dropped low, her name an endearment that the rest of the room did not need to hear - and Collin all but danced in his seat, mouthing ‘I TOLD YOU SO’ to Benedict and Eloise.
“Yes Anthony, we must change out of these riding clothes.” She cleared her throat, stepped closer still to her husband, almost pressed against him now, taking his cup and setting it on the table. “Lest we dirty the carpet.”
He swallowed thickly the chocolate macaron he had claimed held aloft, completely forgotten. “That - that would be a shame.”
“But first we must return these to your mother.” Kate removed the chocolate macaron from her husband's grasp, smiling unaware as not only he but the entirety of his siblings looked at her perplexed. “They were her courting gift after all.”
Anthony looked down at his empty hand and felt a sudden wave of disgust. “Well I cannot eat them now."
“Neither can I.” Benedict shook his head.
“Nor I.”
“Or I.”
Kate grinned widely and took the box back to Violet, placing it in her hand with a flourish.
“Thank you, dearest.” She smiled, laughing as Kate strode from the room, a devilish glance thrown at her husband to ensure he followed her. “I think she might be my favourite child.” Violet teased, laughing when she was met with another chorus of indignation from her remaining children.