Work Text:
YOU SHALL ALL BEAR WITNESS TO MY TALENT
Violet woke with a start, clutching the bedsheets close to her chest. What on earth was that noise?
From across the hallway, she heard the distinctive laughter of her children and sighed. For a moment she laid in her bed, hoping the commotion would settle, and when it did not, she threw the bedsheets down, taking a deep breath before standing.
She wrapped her dressing gown around herself and shook her head as she opened her bedroom door, flooding the room with light.
It was easy to discern which room her children were in; they had yet to master quietness.
‘Benedict Bridgerton!’ She snapped from the doorway.
The laughter stopped, and three solemn faces turned to her. She might have expected it would be those three.
‘What is wrong with you three?’ She asked, attempting a stern tone despite her tiredness. ‘Are you not adults? Must I send you off to bed like you did when you were children?’
At her words, they burst into another fit of laughter, glancing between one another.
‘You will wake Gregory and Hyacinth,’ Violet reminded them. ‘And who will have to deal with their tiredness tomorrow? Not you three, I imagine.’
She caught Colin biting his lip, almost looking remorseful. Eloise, on the other hand, maintained eye contact, always defiant.
‘Mama, we are celebrating!’ She told her.
‘Well, yes, I can certainly hear you are celebrating. All of Aubrey Hall can hear. Perhaps all of Kent, too.’ They would be lucky not to have woken the household staff; Violet would have to extend her apologies in the morning on behalf of her children.
‘Benedict has been accepted into the Royal Academy of Art, mama,’ Colin told her.
‘Oh, Benedict!’ All of the frustration Violet had felt seemed to melt away with Colin’s words, replaced with utter delight at her son’s good news. She rushed towards him, taking him into her arms despite his exaggerated attempts to flee.
She held him for a while, ignoring the muffled giggles of Colin and Eloise, her heart swelling with pride. He attempted to wriggle free from her grasp, just as he had done in his childhood, and she only barely relented, releasing him from her embrace to take his face into her hands.
‘Your father would be so proud of you, Benedict. So proud.’
Violet felt the prick of tears in her eyes, borne of overwhelming pride.
‘We must celebrate properly!’ She announced. ‘I will fetch the macarons!’
‘Oh, no mama, you are right,’ Eloise interrupted. ‘We ought to sleep. We wouldn’t want to wake the household.’
Violet shot her a warning glance, and ignored her daughter rolling her eyes in defeat. ‘We shall celebrate.’
Her delight was too strong to be extinguished by her children’s stubbornness, and she turned on her heel, pretending not to hear as Benedict attempted, in his state, to murmur to Colin, instructing him to fetch the port, we will need it.