The door opened with a low creek, Theo looked over his shoulder, one hand gripping the ladder upon which he stood. He gave the woman a smile.
"Hello Lady Hawthorne," he greeted with a small dip of his head.
Lady Hawthorne, a woman around Violet Bridgerton's age, returned the smile. "I asked you to call me Avery dear," she said in her soft but stern voice.
Theo chuckled as he turned back to the bookshelf. "Anything you require?" he asked, sliding books in and out of their slots. "Did you and the girls enjoy last night's ball?"
Lady Hawthorne shifted some papers he'd scattered across the table. "Yes, the girls did enjoy the ball, caught the eyes of one or two men, who I believe might drop by once their shot with this year's diamond fails." She smiled to herself, "Speaking of the ball, you seemed quite smitten with Lady Bridgerton's daughter."
"Eloise," Theo said automatically. "Her name is Miss Eloise."
Lady Hawthorne raised a brow at his back. "Well, you were looking rather taken by Miss Eloise." The woman was forcing a motherly tone out of her voice. This might've not been her son, but she couldn't help but want to be a mother to him, it was her second instinct. "Do you have any intentions of courting her this season?"
"If she wishes such a thing, then yes," Theo said plainly. He pulled a decent book from the shelf, one he'd read before but was sure Eloise would enjoy, and elegantly jumped to the ground. Lady Hawthorne's blue eyes questioned him as Theo grabbed the two other books he'd set aside. "I'm taking these to Miss Eloise, she has a love for books, and I think she might enjoy these ones." An awkward pause. Theo felt like a schoolboy explaining what trouble he'd gotten into. "And I would like her thoughts on them."
Whatever questions the black haired woman in front of him might have had, she kept them to herself. Theo brushed by her with a quick goodbye.
As he waited for the carriage to be prepared, one of Theo's half-sisters approached him.
"Where are you off to, brother?" Celine asked with a curious tilt of her head. She was the younger of the two sisters, and the one who had immediately accepted Theo as her brother. Alison was taking some time to come around.
Celine was a spitting image of her mother. With shining blue eyes surrounded by light freckles and long black hair she kept in a neat braid. The pink and red dresses she wore made her stand out from the rest. At first Theo had wondered why she hadn't been married yet, the girl was a natural beauty, but her debut season had been alongside Daphne Bridgerton and Marina Thompson. Which honestly explained everything in a few words.
"To see Miss Eloise Bridgerton," Theo explained, "you might've seen me dancing with her last night."
Celine's face lifted with recognition. "Ah, yes! She's the young lady you couldn't keep your eyes off!"
Embarrassment washed over Theo. He made a pained expression. "Not so loudly Celine." His sister did not comply.
"Miss Eloise wasn't longed for that much before, but the moment you two danced - brother - it was like the Queen had crowned her the diamond then and there! You should have seen the look on everyone's faces!"
Theo laughed. "I think that's exaggerating."
"Only a tad bit." She held up two fingers that barely touched and laughed at the look of disbelief Theo gave her.
The footman came in to tell Theo the carriage was ready.
"I'll be right there," he answered, turning back to his sister.
"I suppose it's time for you to go then?"
He hummed, thinking for a second. "How about you come with?" Theo offered, smiling at his sister's surprise. He held up the books. "I can drop these at the Bridgerton's and then we can go to the pastry shop, or something of the sorts. Alison and your mother can come if they please."
Celine looked as though she would implode from excitement. In a the blink of an eye she was off calling for Alison and her mother, while Theo went out and waited in the chariot. Five minutes later, they were riding towards the Bridgertons. The carriage stopped at the front doors to the house and Theo asked for John, the butler he was familiar with. The man came out a few seconds later, giving away no sign that he recognised Theo.
"Give these to Miss Eloise, tell her Theo Hawthorne, the Duke of Isaacson, sent them." John nodded and took the books without question.
Alison half glared at Theo as they sat outside the pastry shop. She was resenting him for offering such an idea and her sister for dragging her out here.
It was far too crowded inside. Though the streets were crowded with people walking in and out of modistes and tailors. The invitations for the Queen's ball had been sent out, and everyone was rushing to get a dress, or suit, made.
"It might be a good time to put in an order with the modiste," Theo suggested, glancing at the shop across the street. He looked to Lady Hawthorne, "Unless you all have a dress already, that is."
"We can put in a few orders for the coming balls as well," Lady Hawthorne agreed.
Just then, a paper boy came up to them. "Latest copy of Lady Whistledown?" he asked innocently, holding out a copy.
A tanned hand took the paper from him before Theo could. Alison sat back in her seat with a glance at Theo, who was handing the boy a few coins extra.
"Well, what scandal is she causing this time?" Celine asked over her cake.
Alison hummed as she read out the paper.
Dearest Gentle Reader,
Often, I am right, but it appears as though I am wrong this one time. Last season, I claimed Miss Eloise Bridgerton was found spending unchaperoned time with a young man. As it turns out, I was mistaken, for this man sought me out and explained the situation.
As it appears, to you and I both, Gentle Reader, that he is a man of good status, who was undergoing some apprenticeship under the man who runs the print shop I seek publication from. Miss Eloise approached him in hopes that he knew of my whereabouts, as she was employed by Queen Charlotte herself to do so.
The story has been set straight by this man. One who had no need to defend his honour or speak up but chose to in order to defend the virtue and honour of Miss Eloise. Who, we, as a society, were far too quick to judge because of a single column.
Meanwhile, Miss Eloise has chosen to move on from our petty choices of shunning her. As last night she took the hand of the Duke of Isaacson, the new and most eligible bachelor in ton, who's name is yet to be known by the rest of us.
I send my deepest condolences to both the Bridgerton family and Miss Eloise for my mistakes. And I think, that we, the ton, should apologize as a whole for the scandals we caused.
Lady Whistledown
Daphne watched in silent shock as Eloise tore the paper to pieces. Her sister was fuming like a furnace. Eloise began to pace with heavy and rage filled footsteps.
"Unbelievable," she kept muttering under her breath like a chant.
"El," Daphne called, more scared than concerned. "El is everything all right?"
Eloise didn't answer. And then, out of nowhere: "How wrong would it be if I took Anthony's gun and shot Lady Whistledown? Do you think Her Highness would lock me up for it?"
Daphne was appalled, "Eloise Bridgerton -"
"There are no books in a dungeon cell," Kate said as she entered. She gave Eloise a look only a tired mother would give as a warning sign. Her sister-in-law deflated and fell heavily onto the sofa. Kate cast a 'this is what I get for marrying a Bridgerton' look towards Daphne before she sat beside Eloise. "So, what is the matter?"
Daphne gestured to the heep of pieces of Whistledown on the floor. "Our friendly neighborhood scandal starter," she explained with some bitterness.
"You mean evil!" Eloise argued.
"Of course she does," Kate affirmed, nodding for Daphne to continue.
"She's cleared last season's scandal, and El here is enraged."
"Rightfully so." The look Daphne gave Kate in return asked if sleeping with Anthony had made her stupid. Kate shrugged it off. "Whistledown nearly ruined the entire family, mine included. Had the Queen not stepped in and cleared the wedding disaster, Anthony and I would be hiding in Greece. And what she did to Eloise tarnished her name. It was a miracle any man approached her for a dance last night."
Eloise made an offended noise but kept quite. She shifted her position so her head fell on Kate's shoulder. The elder wrapped an arm around her.
"Might a remind you that a duke approached her last night? A duke she danced with instead of insulting?" Daphne argued. She looked more annoyed than angry. Whistledown had just saved her sister, what else was wrong? "Besides, Whistledown has acknowledged her wrong doings and apologised in the column Eloise just tore apart."
Kate remained calm, "All I am trying to point out is that Lady Whistledown knows she went too far, and is now trying to fix things for herself. A public apology might patch up what went wrong for a masked woman spreading gossip and scandals, but a single column and dance with a duke cannot fix what she did to Eloise, much less the damage it had on the family."
"I suppose you are right," Daphne agreed a bit begrudgingly.
"This is why you are my favourite sister," Eloise deadpanned to Kate.
Kate laughed while Daphne's eyebrows went up in offense and disbelief.
At that moment, John entered, the books Theo gave him tucked beneath his arm. "A gift from the Duke of Isaacson for Miss Eloise," he said, handing the books to Kate.
Daphne's eyes now shone with playfulness. "Oh, he seems to be aware of your hobbies El," she teased, barely restraining a smile.
She could see her sister restraining the urge to launch one book at her head.
Eloise opened the first book to find a note within it.
I thought perhaps you might share your thoughts on them.
Eloise now fought the smile tugging at her cheeks.