A/N : If Edwina and Lady D get a POV, why can't benedict?

CHAPTER - 15 - BEFORE AND AFTER

Dearest Gentle Readers,

Color, clarity, carat, cut. At long last, the queen named her most precious stone. Miss Edwina Sharma. A most exotic diamond after all.

While this author finds Miss Edwina Sharma to be an exceptional lady, it is about time I used these pages of record for something else. A shift. Is the entire practice of naming a diamond not rather ridiculous? Should a woman not be valued for so much more than her dancing skills or her comportment? Should we not value a woman instead for her candor, her character, and her true accomplishments? Dress to impress, Dance to perfection, no misstep, no flaw. How much pressure must be upon the minds of the young ladies who have been vying for the role of the season's diamond? And now that there is a diamond, are the other gems in the London society not deserving of any thought?

Perhaps if we abandoned this absurdity that is the diamond, we would all see that a woman can be so much more. After all, we all sparkle.

~ Yours,

Lady Whistledown.

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Benedict Bridgerton was sure that he would be in a world of pain today. Because Viscount Anthony Bridgerton had begun his day with an agenda. To begin his courtship of the season's diamond, Miss Edwina Sharma. If Benedict knew his brother even a little, Anthony seemed to have taken last night as a sign of his beliefs to be true. That he could stick to his list of requirements and find a wife. The Queen's interest in pairing him with Miss Edwina for the first dance of the night certainly made him believe that his decision was a hundred percent correct. Otherwise, Benedict must have hallucinated Anthony's delight that 'There would be no one that interferes with the match now that the Queen herself had paired them up' at White's the previous night.

And this was a cherry on top of Anthony's cake. Something he would gloat in front of everyone should the Diamond actually marry him. Something he would surely flaunt in the face of their mother, who had apparently told him that he wouldn't find anyone in his search for perfection, though Benedict knew his mother enough to know her words must have been sharper than how Anthony mentioned them in passing. But now his idiot brother believed that he would have it. Perfection. In the diamond of the season. 'The perfect viscountess he could find'.

But perfection certainly began with Anthony himself, Benedict supposed. Anthony did not just want to be the most presentable gentleman today; he needed to be the most presentable gentleman amongst the lot who would sure pay a visit to the Danbury house seeking to call upon the younger Miss Sharma . So there he was, sitting in the barber's chair, nagging him to be more precise.

"If he tries a sharper blade, brother, then there might not be much of a face left to look perfect", Benedict mused in alarm.

"Everyone would be flocking in Lady Danbury's foyer to chat with the diamond. I need to look my best", Anthony replied determinant. Of course, bringing out the Bridgerton charm would be his strategy.

"Miss Sharma, then?" he confirmed as he continued to look at the ceiling while the barber shaved the underside of his chin.

"Miss Edwina Sharma", Anthony corrected, as he was being cleaned up according to his standards. "Not the sister", he clarified viciously.

Anthony might even throw it in Miss Sharma's face as well, how the Queen practically hand picked him out of the ton's gentlemen to be Miss Edwina's suitor. She had apparently challenged him that she would never let him court her sister, Miss Edwina. 'Now that the queen herself has given her blessing, what power does Miss Sharma even hold in declining my intentions towards Miss Edwina. None at all,' Anthony had smirked last night, of course, unless Benedict was too drunk.

"Miss Edwina will suffice", Anthony said.

Benedict turned to his right to look at Anthony directly, and his barber moved to his left with the blade. "Hmmm. Suffice? Brother?" he questioned in derision.

"It. Is only out of the greatest love of my family that I aim to choose a bride with my head, and not my… Heart", Anthony scowled.

It was laughable. "Does Miss Edwina return your affection?" Benedict teased.

Anthony sighed in resignation. "Not yet. But she would have done it if not for –"

"-her sister", Benedict completed for him in a laughable manner. "She is rather thorny towards you brother, are you sure?"

"Indeed. Not to forget - pompous, arrogant, and quite sure she knows best in every situation."

"Sounds like a terrible nuisance, brother, especially since you are the one who knows best in every situation", benedict teased.

"That is because I know my duties", Anthony barked. "I know what my aspirations are and how to reach them. Which I will do when I make Miss Edwina my Viscountess", he said cockily. "She and I are well suited. She is a lovely young lady. She wishes for children. She will make a perfectly agreeable wife."

"By that you mean to say that you have already dismissed every other young lady in town", Benedict clarified to himself. "Perhaps your life might be easier if you did not take too much upon yourself brother. Perhaps, pursued someone with a less disagreeable sister."

"Why should I be the one to admit defeat?" asked Anthony, red faced. "Regardless of which young lady I choose to pursue, there would always be some obstinate father or a meddlesome aunt in the picture."

Benedict had to agree that much was true. Marriage brought many tribulations in London society. All parties must agree to everything. Everything, from the dowries to less nuanced wills and shares in the family, was discussed before the marriage contract was drawn. Even the mightiest love matches fell apart amidst these disputes between families.

And Anthony continued, "I shall certainly not let some sister, one especially younger than me, keep me from getting what it is that I want."

"Whom you want, you mean?"

"Yes!" bit Anthony finally before settling into an uncomfortable silence.

"She is not that different from you, you know that right?" Benedict gave in. If someone had to knock some sense into him, why shouldn't he give it a try himself.

"Whatever do you mean?" questioned Anthony through his unwavering expression.

"Miss Sharma is trying to look out for her sister. That is precisely what you did with Daphne the previous year", Benedict struck.

"What I was trying to do last year is ensure our sister found what she was looking for", Anthony chimed.

"And what is she trying to do?"

"She -", Anthony began, but paused. Taking a deep breath, he began again. "It should be up to Miss Edwina. She should get to decide whether or not she wants me. Not her sister."

"Do you not think Miss Sharma knows what her sister wants?" Benedict questioned.

"If a day comes where Miss Edwina should reject my proposal, I shall gladly accept it. But I will not allow a gatekeeping spinster to decide whether I can court someone or not", Anthony looked away scornfully.

"After everything you said brother, I do not believe she would simply get out of your way", said Benedict. "She has surveyed every single gentleman of the town to weed out the worst. If you ask me, that is what we do for Eloise, don't we? Or for Fran, or Hy, come their seasons".

"Surveyed? What -"

"I conversed with her the night of the conservatory ball. I mentioned in passing how I wouldn't let most of the gentlemen within five feet of Eloise. She asked why, and I told her about the gentlemen of the ton."

Anthony seemed surprised at that, but remained silent.

"Ant- she is just like you. With your list of requirements and quest for perfection. Why don't you try to appeal to that instead of whatever game you are playing", said Benedict enjoying his warm towel finally.

"What she is, is a hypocrite", Anthony finally whispered. "She chides me for having a list, yet she has one for her sister".

Benedict rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. It was as if banging his head against a brick wall. So he remained silent. If his brother was going to be boneheaded, then... well. You can bring a horse to the water, but you cannot make it drink.

Anthony barked one last time. "Although, she will not trouble me any longer. It does not hold significance that she does not like me, there are others in the Sharma family. And I have the most perfect plan", he said, smirking.

Oh boy, did he want to hear that!

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A/N : How about that? An improved conversation between Anthony and Benedict.

LMK. I love a good response. Thanks for reading.