Teddy relaxes into the moment with Sophie as she shares her plate. This moment jettisons back to so many similar moments had on these very stools. The times were similar though the things that summoned them to the stools seemed so insurmountable at the time. What Teddy would pay to Tardis back to those kind of problems. She is still cross with Sophie but honestly she is growing tired of the fight. Sophie decides to keep this light as to not spoil a nice moment with her favorite sister.
As Sophie licks a dollop of gravy from her fork, she tips a toe into the sea of questions she has for Teddy about how she knows her Eliot. Sophie decides to take the indirect route to get to the answers she wants. "So still living the vagabond lifestyle." Teddy applies appropriate side eye to Sophie's comment. "If by vagabond, you mean 5 star hotels and private jets, then yes I still live the vagabond lifestyle and yes I still have the villa in Ibiza." Teddy gets up to fetch more water for tea as Sophie opens her mouth to queue the next question. Without turning around, Teddy answers the unasked question. "David still lives next door." The comment lights a smile on Sophie's face as to the "David" that Teddy is referencing. "That was quite the wild lost summer, Teddy."
Who could have predicted how famous they would all become. Teddy, David and Tijs cut their teeth together in the early days and Ibiza was the place to do it. Each of them had a residency and pooled resources to share a villa. The Brit, Frenchie and Dutchie were quite the musketeers who became lifelong friends. The lost summer spent on the club scene was one of the best summers of Sophie's life. Warm days spent sleeping off the night before next to the tranquil azure waters and long nights of sheet adventure and fun. In Ibiza, the expectations of aristocratic life fell to the wayside and they were able to just be. Sophie had never felt so very free. She began to understand Teddy's life with a bit more clarity. Teddy's life was the pursuit of freedom in so many forms. She understands why Connie idolizes Teddy. He craves freedom too.
Sophie assumes that Eliot would have met Teddy in her world. Teddy would not likely have crossed into Eliot's. At least that is Sophie's hope. "So what made you craft Sophie Devereaux into your identity, Alex." Sophie had been waiting for this question from her sister. Sophie was her creation of fiction. Sophie brought Ms Devereaux off the page with the breath of life. "After William, I needed a breath of life." Teddy considers Sophie's answer. A breath of life is something Teddy truly understands. The conversation between the sisters drifts to lighter topics of their shared history and shared memories.
Eliot settles into the chair in his sitting room. He is truly astounded at the sheer size of the manor house. Each of the bedrooms is basically a suite and this suite is bigger than his house in Portland. On a whim, he pulls out his wallet to retrieve a long lost memory. The picture has as many wrinkles as his brow as he gently unfolds the picture to reveal the image. The image has has faded with time. Eliot takes in his expression. He was happy in this photo, truly happy. The irony of how very small the world can be is not lost on him. His long ago and far away is a few rooms away. The universe truly works in mysterious ways.
Hardison is lost in his keyboard and search engines. The day as provided far too many temptations. How could he resist a tiptoe through the lives of the sisters Cavendish. Hardison is actually touched at what he finds. Sophie and her sisters have led fascinating lives. Hardison thought he knew Anna Sun but he never saw her through this lens. The younger sisters were the IT girls of their days. Sophie and Teddy were artsy and rebellious under the watchful eye of their mother. The sisters Cavendish were all presented to the Queen as ladies of their station would be. Hardison is sufficiently fascinated to dive deeper into the details. On the dig, he uncovers Sophie's marriage to William Whitley Bond Prentis, Duke of Wallingford. His mind instantly cracks the double Duchess joke that echoes off of his brain cells. Anna Sun's enduring on and off again relationship with David Rothschild suddenly makes sense in regards to their stations in life. The scandal of the DJ and the banking heir was really just a match of equals though Hardison is wondering how Lady Theodora Canvendish hid the fact that she is the daughter of a Duke.
Hardison comes across the tragedy that was William's life. He takes in the story of William's tragic death, Sophie has felt loss, deep and painful loss. Sophie's reaction to Nate's death has been placed into context. She had experienced the loss of a partner before. The loss of a husband along with the associated pain He is beginning to understand Sophie. The continued point of curiosity is what divergent path turned Sophie into a grifter and an art thief.
Parker knows that Hardison is diving full on into Sophie's past. She is curious but she is not sure if she wants to ruin the magic. The thoughts in her head are likely so much better than the reality unfolding before Hardison's eyes. She admits that she is enjoying the changing expressions on Hardison's face as he peels back the layers of the onion. Hardison has shared some of the history of the house with various guests who have graced the grounds. The history of the house is just as interesting as the history of the family and equally as colorful.