8. Chapter Eight

Kairos

Chapter Eight

Miss Violet Clympton had never been an observer of intricate detail, but she had found that she could not stop fixating upon the intricacy of the pattern upon the Dowager Duchess of Andover's tea set. It was the most delicate china covered by a beautiful pattern of blue and red flowers with gilt edging. She forced her mind away from the fragile cup after a moment to take a sip of the fragrant Darjeeling and make herself listen to the Duchess' fascinating conversation.

Before her engagement, Violet and her mother had barely been a bowing acquaintance of the Dowager, but now that she was the soon-to-be Viscountess Bridgerton, they had been unexpectedly invited for afternoon tea.

The former duchess had greeted them kindly enough, but with a very evident awareness of the great honour she was doing them. She was an interesting lady to consider.

She had apparently been a vivacious and very captivating member of the Ton in her youth, but it seemed that all her colour and vibrancy had been given to her children. The current rakish Earl of Andover and his younger sister, the Lady Clarissa, a well grown young woman of sixteen who was to be presented the next year.

Now, she was relatively colourless and insipid, perfectly pleasant to speak to, but without enough energy to ever exert herself. She had spent the better part of an hour explaining her familial connections and the history of her husband's family, as well as her hopes for her children. So it was that Violet had become fascinated by the pattern on the china and drifted into an abstraction of mind that was unusual for her.

"We were delighted to hear of your engagement, Miss Clympton." Violet started and turned to the Dowager with a forced smile.

"Indeed, your grace?"

The old lady nodded, "I was most delighted when my son told me of it. The Dowager Lady Bridgerton and I knew each other when we were debutantes."

Violet smiled, "How lovely. We have been invited to visit Aubrey Hall on the 12th, I have heard it is a very fine house."

"As have I," Lady Danbury agreed, "I have a close correspondence with the Dowager Lady Bridgerton and have visited several times. It has beautiful grounds, Miss Clympton."

"The Viscount has promised to take me riding when we are there," Violet replied, "I cannot wait to meet Lady Bridgerton."

"Do you foresee such a great match for your niece, Lady Clympton?" the Dowager asked, "I gather that she is considered the toast of the Season in many a drawing room."

"Your grace is very kind, Miss Wethering has received a good many visitors. I believe that she has formed an attachment with one young gentleman."

"Young Lord Paisley, of course," Lady Danbury added. "I gather that he has been very eager in his attentions."

"I also hear that William has been courting Miss Wethering, Mama," Lady Clarissa added with a smile.

Her mother scoffed, "Flirtation is not serious courting, my dear. No offence taken, I hope, Lady Clympton, Miss Clympton, but you know the nature of young men who are still "testing the waters of love", shall we say?"

"Not at all, your grace," Lady Clympton replied. "My niece is very good at spotting the frivolous young men against the serious." Violet took a sip of tea to hide her smile and saw that the Dowager had indeed caught her mother's meaning. Her air of calm superiority turned slightly pricklier as she turned the topic of conversation to the up-and-coming garden party that the queen was holding.

"Such a pleasure to be invited," she confided, "Her majesty and I often write to each other. She has even condescended to spend a week with us at Rawlings when she and the king were newlywed. Her majesty Queen Charlotte greatly admired my rose garden, she even condescended to have my head gardener send some clippings to her own."

"Myself and Mrs Andrews spent a very pleasant afternoon at Kew Gardens a few weeks ago," Lady Clympton added, "We were able to find some very fine plants specimens."

In a very obvious display of avoidance, Lady Clarissa caught Violet's eye and asked, "Would you care to see the Music Room, Miss Clympton? I understand that you are very gifted at the piano forte and would be happy to show you a favourite waltz I have recently discovered."

Violet was quick to give her assent and followed Lady Clarissa from the room. It was only once they were safely ensconced behind the Music Room's closed door that the young woman started laughing.

"Forgive my sudden invitation," she said, "But when Mama gets started on botany there is no getting her off the topic for hours."

Violet returned her smile, "My own mother is the same," she replied, "I do not know what it is with Mamas and their obsession with their gardens."

The young woman smiled and waved her into the room. "Welcome to my inner sanctum," she confessed, "I do find music a wonderful escape from the pressures of other studies."

"Your mother is insistent upon your accomplishments being thorough?"

Clarissa nodded, "We insists that we speak in a different language every day of the week."

"Well, would you delight me with that waltz you mentioned? I am excessively fond of music though I am sure my talents will nowhere near resemble your own."

What then passed was a very pleasant half hour as the girls shared favourite pieces and sang a couple of duets together. They were only disturbed after forty minutes by the entrance of a footman, calling Violet back to the drawing room as they were leaving. They parted with great pleasure on both sides, both young women happy in their new acquaintance.

It was only once they had left the mansion that Violet shared her pleasure with her mother.

Lady Clympton smiled, "I have always heard good things about Lady Clarissa," she replied, "I gather that she had a very level-headed and sensible governess who has been with her since infancy. She only left them last year after the Dowager Duchess and she had a falling out."

Violet nodded, "I found her very agreeable and sensible. She has a lovely voice. I hope we shall be able to spend many afternoons together playing and singing."

They arrived back at their house in time for dinner and found a very amused Frederick waiting for them in the parlour.

"The Viscount was very annoyed to find you absent, Vi," he explained.

"But I told him we were going to have tea with the Duchess …" Violet began.

"Yes, but he forgot," Frederick replied, "He decided to wait but had to admit defeat when 4.30 came and went. I gather that he has an engagement with his Aunt and dare not be late. Mr Bridgerton came to get him at 4.35, insisting that he would not "bare the brunt of Aunt Dawlish's tongue by himself". I gather their aunt is something of a stickler for punctuality. So, I got to witness Mr Bridgerton forcing his brother out of the parlour. It was a sight to behold!"

Though it was with difficulty, Violet managed to withhold a smile and listened to her brother's retelling with an impressive serenity of countenance.

"Well he shall just have to pay greater attention to my conversation," she stated as she climbed the staircase to change for dinner.

It was only once she had stripped off her day dress and was washing for the evening that she became aware of a decided throbbing between her temples. She sat heavily down at her dressing table, holding her head and sent an alarmed Sarah to bring her a pot of chamomile tea which often settled her nerves. Her mother was soon informed of the commotion and walked up. On finding her daughter clutching her head she very soon had her in her nightgown and tucked up in bed.

"Do not alarm yourself, Mama," Violet reassured, "It is only a silly headache, I shall be well after a quiet evening in."

Though concerned, Lady Clympton agreed not to send for a physician for a simple "silly headache" and sent up a packet of herbs for her daughter to use. Lord Clympton also checked upon their daughter and came to this conclusion.

"I think that all the visits to dusty parlours have not helped," he added, "I shall recommend that Bridgerton take her for a drive tomorrow – fresh air and exercise shall do her the world of good."

So it was that Lord and Lady Clympton went to the concert alone that night, leaving their daughter tucked up in bed and in all truth, relishing a quiet night in with a good novel. Violet had always been a voracious reader and had missed the freedom of an evening in by herself with a good book. She had slept for a couple of hours and felt so much improved that she had donned her dressing down, stolen a thick blanket from her bed and moved to the library where she had created a little comfortable nest for herself in a decidedly squashy and comfortable armchair. She had been discovered an hour later by her maid, who, after wagging a finger at her had brought her a light supper of broth, a soft roll and a fresh pot of tea.

After several hours, Violet was still fully invested in Cecilia and was just reading a rather heart-wrenching scene when she heard the unmistakable sound of her parents returning. Unconcerned, she started a new chapter and was just growing every second more concerned for the fate of the heroine, when she heard another voice that was all-to familiar.

She just had time to draw her blanket more tightly around her when her fiancée came striding into the room, his face a mask of concern. He saw her instantly and strode towards her, reaching for her hand.

"Violet, dearest, are you well? When I didn't see you at the concert I couldn't rest until I could be sure." She smiled at him and allowed him to capture her hand and hold it tenderly.

"I am quite well, I assure you," she reassured, "Just a slight headache."

"Vi, why are you downstairs in this draughty library?" her father demanded as he and her mother entered.

"I awoke and felt so much better that I wanted a change of view," she replied. "Sarah has kept me well supplied with tea and broth and Nelly has almost scorched me with her incessant fire attendance. I am quite well roasted, I assure you."

The Viscount laughed and drew her hand to his lips. "All the same," he added, "Please do not overdo it. I would hate for you to be too unwell to come down and meet Mama."

"I will be quite well, I assure you," she comforted him. "Papa says I've been in too many stuffy parlours."

"Indeed, she has," Lord Clympton agreed, "She needs fresh air and exercise."

"Then I shall oblige!" the Viscount exclaimed, "I shall take you for a drive tomorrow and then if your health can manage it, a ride the day after. Have I your acquiescence my lord and lady?"

"You do," Lady Clympton agreed, "I believe my husband is right. Violet needs air and exercise."

"But enough about me," Violet interjected, "How was the concert?"

"Dull," the Viscount stated while her mother said, "Excellent," and her father called it, "Generally passable."

All three looked at each other in surprise and Violet laughed. "Well, I shall have to ask another opinion. I believe that Cordelia and Aunt Henrietta are visiting tomorrow, I shall ask for their thoughts."

After this amusing end to the conversation, the Viscount took his leave and Violet was forced up to bed by her mother, though not before she had taken her much cherished novel with her.

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A pattern formed over the next few days as the Viscount seemed to find an excuse for visiting the family for every meal. The first morning that he had managed to gain admittance for breakfast, Violet had entered the dining room and actually gasped in surprise.

"My lord!" she had exclaimed.

Lord Bridgerton had laughed, "Oh, I'm my lord, now am I? What happened to Edmund?"

Violet had gathered her wits enough to glare at him. "You will be, my lord, until I come to understand how you have managed to get in here for breakfast! Did you sneak in like a thief?"

The Viscount smiled. "I may have mentioned an appointment with your father."

"At breakfast?"

"Our appointment is early this morning at a gun smith's."

"I'm assuming the plan was to meet after my father had breakfasted?"

"Lord Clypton neglected to mention a precise time."

"So, you decided the invitation had to include breakfast?"

Lord Bridgerton lowered his voice, "You are the one who challenged me to visit you as much as possible Miss Clympton."

With a loud, exaggerated sigh Violet chose to ignore him and settled herself at her usual place, drawing a bowl of porridge towards her and pouring herself a large cup of tea. She was good enough to offer the Viscount his own beverage, to which he gladly accepted his own cup. She was just reaching for her book out of habit when she remembered he was there and drew back her hand.

"Do you often read at breakfast?" he asked as he spooned eggs and kippers on to his plate.

"Often," she replied, "Mama is a late riser and Papa frequently reads the paper so it is a quiet meal in general."

"Where are your brothers?"

"Geoffrey and Benjamin have finally returned to Westminster and Frederick is another late riser."

"What are your habits in the country?"

"I often go for a walk in the gardens before breakfast, I cannot stay in bed when the gardens are beckoning me."

He smiled, "I know the feeling, I am also an early riser when we're at Aubrey. There's nothing like the air of the countryside."

"Do you have much sport?"

"Harold is more the fisherman than I, I personally enjoy shooting and hunting."

Violet returned the smile, "You must come to Wicklesham, I know Papa would love your company when the hunting season begins."

"He has actually already mentioned how full of game your woods are. That's one of the reasons we're going to the gun smiths this morning."

In comparison to his daughter, Lord Clympton seemed utterly undeterred by the arrival of their visitor. He merely entered the breakfast room the next moment, nodded his head to the Viscount with a muttered, "Bridgerton," and settled himself with his paper.

This greatly amused Lord Bridgerton and thoroughly flummoxed Violet, who hid her surprise behind a mouthful of porridge.

"The Viscount said you were going to a gun smith's this morning, Papa?" she commented.

Lord Clympton looked up from his paper in confusion for a moment, "What Vi? Oh yes, we're off to the gunsmiths at 9. I say, where's Crook with the coffee?"

"He was waiting for you, Papa," she replied, before the thoroughly organised Crook entered with a steaming pot of the preferred beverage. "Would you care for some, my lord?" she enquired of her fiancé. "Crook never brings the coffee before Papa has risen."

"I will, thank you," Lord Bridgerton replied. "Though I have no aversion to tea, I do enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning."

He accepted his cup gladly from the butler and had just taken a deep draught when he saw his soon-to-be father-in-law observing him.

"Do you always start the day with coffee Bridgerton?"

"Often, my lord. It is a habit I got into in France. Parisian coffee is the finest in the world."

"How long were you in Paris?" Violet asked.

"About six months. I joined my Uncle Rupert at his chateaux outside of Paris and he spent several months teaching me about the cultivation of grapes for wine."

Lord Clympton was intrigued, "So your uncle grows grapes at his estate?" The Viscount nodded.

Violet was intrigued, "We must visit on our wedding tour!" she declared.

Edmund smiled, "I plan that we shall. I have been discussing arrangements with my various relations around Europe. I had hoped to discuss plans with you today, dearest."

"On our drive?"

"Yes."

"Well now I know France is included, I hope Italy is also in the itinerary."

"Would you expect anything else after our first conversation?"

So began a long discussion about their honeymoon tour, while Violet's father once more became fixated by his paper. It was only at the striking of the clock that they realised the time and that they had been there for nearly an hour.

As nine strikes were heard, Lord Clympton rose, folding his paper. "Ready to go Bridgerton?" he asked.

The Viscount swallowed his last dregs of coffee and nodded, "I am at your service, my lord."

It was only once her father was out of the room that Violet realised her betrothed had loitered. Before she had even risen properly from her chair he had leant down and kissed her soundly and thoroughly upon the lips.

She pulled away with a decidedly unladylike squeak, "Edmund!" she exclaimed, "What if my father had come back in?" The only response she got was a cheeky grin and a wink as her fiancé made a hasty exit.

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The week flew by and before she knew it, Violet calculated that there were only three days until their departure to Aubrey Hall. On one side she anticipated this visit with dread, which was very unlike her. Whereas on the other side she was looking forward to meeting Edmund's mother and finally making her acquaintance. It was such a confusing state of affairs that she sought the company and opinion of her cousin one afternoon and poured out her heart in her aunt's sunny front parlour. Both Cordelia and her mother listened sympathetically to her confusion.

"Fear of the mother-in-law is a common enough worry, my dear," her Aunt Henrietta reassured her.

"I shall be terrified of mine when I become engaged," Cordelia agreed, "But the Viscount has said that all will be well hasn't he?"

Violet nodded, "Yes, but he is the apple of his mother's eye, her son, and the heir to her late husband's estate. Of course, she will tell him that she will approve me … but what if she doesn't?"

"I think you maybe worrying over nothing, Vi," her aunt replied. "I have heard a great deal about the Dowager Viscountess from Lady Danbury and I gather that she is a very sensible lady."

"But it was she who disapproved of our attachment that first week …"

"Did she actually disapprove of it, Violet? Was she not just warning her son about jumping before you knew each other well? Was it not more warning that disapproval?"

Violet was forced to admit that it had been.

Her aunt nodded, "Then I would recommend that you put aside your fears and rely on your own excellent common sense. Have we not often marvelled at your unflappability? I advise you to accept your concerns but put them aside and instead be who you naturally are with the Dowager Viscountess. Allow her to see the person that the Viscount fell in love with."

Violet nodded at this advice and saw the sense in it. With a great force of will, she made herself accept her anxiety, but seek to put it aside for more positive thoughts.

"But, enough about the Viscount and I," she continued, "How do things progress with Lord Paisley?"

Cordelia actually blushed which delighted Violet (it was nice to see that she was not the only young lady of the Ton with this affliction). Mrs Wethering smiled and waited for her daughter to reply. Eventually, her cousin did find her tongue,

"He is most agreeable," she said, "He has been taking pains to properly get to know me, which has been refreshing."

"He spent a full half hour quizzing her on her favourite books," Cordelia's mother added, "It seems that they have similar interests, do you not dear?"

Cordelia nodded, "I must confess I was surprised that he liked poetry so much."

"I imagine that is his sister's influence," Violet suggested, "I know that Miss Paisley is a particular friend of the Duke of Andover's sister and Lady Clarissa confided that she frequently influences her brother's reading."

"Would you accept him if he asked for your hand?"

Her cousin considered, "I think I would like a courtship first, but I might eventually fall in love with him, he seems a very good man."

"As long as he keeps the duke at bay, I am satisfied," her mother added resolutely.

"Do not worry, Mama, the entirety of the Ton knows what a rake the duke is," Cordelia reassured her mother. Then, she became pensive and turned to her cousin, suddenly serious. "Vi, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course," she replied, struck by Cordelia's sudden urgency.

"How did you know that the Viscount was the right man for you? How were you so certain?"

Violet pondered this question for a long moment. Cordelia was not the first to ask it and she had struggled herself to form a coherent response.

"I suppose it was because it just felt … so right," she replied. "You know I've never been a believer in love at first sight, but then I met the Viscount and he and I just connected. We both knew that there was something between us from our first conversation, but then that developed into friendship and an easy rapport. He makes me laugh all the time and I just knew that he and I were meant to be together. I am glad that we took the time to properly court each other, but I'm almost certain that I was sure from that day at Kew. Then I realised how deeply I was in love with him, I couldn't not marry him." She shook her head in regret, "Sorry, I don't know if that makes any sense. I feel like I've just rambled."

Her cousin smiled, "No, I think you've made perfect sense. But I also think that what you and the Viscount share is a rare thing, do you not agree, Mama?"

Mrs Wethering nodded, "I would agree, my dear. You and the Viscount have been very lucky Vi."

Violet nodded. She knew they had been lucky, but up until that point, she had not quite recognised how rare what she and Edmund had was. In the morass of balls, parties, concerts, and flirtation, she had found a man she truly loved, who truly loved her. A man who was good, honourable, and fit right in with her family.

At this realisation she made herself a promise. She would be herself when she visited Aubrey Hall. She would out aside her nerves and whether the Dowager liked her or not, she and Edmund would be happy and build a life together.

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Author's note:

I'm so sorry for how late this update is! I'm afraid I've had a case of "back to work after working from home lurgy" and have been ill for several days. Also major shout out to Hollylove2writee for telling me the real name of Violet's husband! Thank you for correcting me! I will change the Viscount's name to Edmund is previous chapters to get it accurate.

Thanks so much to msSilver1, Guest and Hollylove2write for your reviews, they made my week!

I'm so glad people are enjoying this story. It's the visit to Aubrey Park next chapter!

Can't wait to write the interaction between Violet and Edmund's mother.

As always, thank you for everyone who's reading this.

Breeze.