"You seem busy," Lady Hawthorne said as she entered.

Theo looked up as the door closed with a click. He smiled and gestured at the papers spread out before him."Family finances needed to be sorted," he replied with some amusement. He quirked a brow at her, "Is there anything you need?"

Lady Hawthorne sat with an air of secrecy taking ahold of her. Theo got up from behind the desk to go sit opposite her on the window sill, the same seat he'd taken a few days prior. He could tell something of importance was the topic of discussion.

The woman sighed, eyes drifting to the bookshelf. A shift had settled in the blue, making them like dark gems. "There is something you should know about my husband's family, about the Hawthornes in general."

Now Theo was curious. And a bit concerned, if he were honest. "Does it have anything to do with me being entrusted with the dukedom?"

A nod came in reply. "You should know that this . . . unusual passing of the dukedom is not so unusual in the Hawthorne family. My husband, Ken, was the third brother among four, and yet his father gave him the title. As far as I'm aware, my father-in-law inherited the dukedom from an uncle, even though said uncle did have two sons. So you, illegitimate as you may be, getting the title isn't a surprise to anyone."

"There's a but to that, I can tell." Theo had gotten to sharpen his skill of sensing unfinished sentences. Eloise always had something more to add, and being around her so much had drilled the skill into him.

Lady Hawthorne met his eyes, "But you are still an illegitimate son, making it a low dangling fruit of victory for Ken's brothers to seize."

He did not need her to continue: the brothers of the late duke would be finding a way to overthrow him. To them he was the equivalent of a cruel bastard illegally gaining the throne through bloodshed.

Theo grimaced. The thought of what the late duke's brothers could do were frightening. His thoughts then went to his brother. Oh hell. His brother. Should any coup planning Hawthorne know of his brother, then they could very easily find a way to use him as leverage. Because if the ton found out Tom was his half brother, a thousand slurs and curses would be thrown upon Lady Hawthorne and her daughters.

This situation was a game of chess where the only way out was to checkmate either side.

"Theo?"

Lady Hawthorne's call had him blinking back to reality. Theo cleared his throat. "Thank you for the information, Avery." It felt odd to call her by her name. "I appreciate it greatly. I need some time to think, and I believe you need some rest." He stood.

She nodded and stood as well. "One more thing," she said, stopping at the door. "I'd like it if you came to the horse races with the girls and I tomorrow." She smiled, pride behind it. "A suitor of Alison's asked to attend with her and the family, and I believe the Bridgertons will be there too."

Theo saw what she hinted at and grinned. "I would be delighted to."

The air buzzed in anticipation and excitement. Few daring souls came forth to ask if they could accompany 'the emerald', but they were all shown away by a look from Anthony.

Lady Bridgerton was positively annoyed by her son. "Stop shooing every eligible bachelor away," she scolded him.

Anthony merely shrugged, "Eloise has no interest in any of these men, I can assure you of that Mother."

"Don't be ridiculous Anthony," came the further aggravated reply. "You can't possibly know for certain of what she wants."

"And you can?"

"I'm her mother." A brow went up and the woman raised a finger at her son. "And yours to."

Anthony rolled his eyes and kept his mouth shut. Kate came to his side laughing. His remark was cut off when the Hawthorne family approached them.

"Lady Hawthorne," Violet greeted with a smile before she looked to Theo. "Your Grace."

"Just Theo would be fine," he answered. The entire 'Your Grace' addressing had not quite settled right with him yet. Theo scanned the crowd of Bridgertons for Eloise - it appeared the Bassets and Sharma family had joined, making a small army. He found her playing with Newton, the slightly overweight corgi Kate had brought along, and smiled. He excused himself.

Violet watched the young man rush to Eloise with some confusion. Her confusion escalated into suprise when Eloise smiled at him. It wasn't the gesture itself that startled her, but rather the sparks behind the smile.

Her daughter, Eloise Bridgerton, who would gladly have remained married to books, was smiling a grin that held the sparks to the signature 'Bridgerton about to fall in love' grin.

"That is how I am certain she has no interest with any other men," Anthony whispered to his mother.

She understood, clearer than day. "Lady Hawthorne," Violet said as she turned back to the woman with a wide, content smile, "I believe we have much to discuss." Wedding bells were already ringing in her mind.

"Agreed, I think Lady Danbury might enjoy adding her opinions to the mix as well."

"Let's find her then."

While the two women strolled off, Anthony watched his sister and the new duke with curious eyes. He too recognised the grin, he had carried it himself and had seen it on Daphne before, but it worried him more the Eloise. He knew his sister was fragile, even if she refused to admit so.

"Should he break her heart," Benedict said as a way of announcing his presence, "I want full permission to shoot him down."

"Taking all the fun for yourself?" Simon amused, though seriousness kay underneath the words.

"He merely means he gets the first shot," Colin clarified, spawning, as if a threat to Eloise's heart was all it took.

"Plotting a murder in broad daylight is not a good look for this family," Anthony warned.

Kate's eyes were dead as she stared at the four. "Men are imbeciles." Then she was off to her sister, stepmother, and Daphne's little circle.