Some company and a drink

It is the first ball I have attended since anything with the viscount has occured but he is quick to attack me with excuses. "Delilah, may we speak?"

"It is Lady Basset to you. I am Delilah only to people who treat me with respect and do not hide me upstairs whilst they fuck other women." I smile sweetly, my voice quiet.

"I wish only to explain myself."

"Well perhaps you shall find someone who actually cares and explain it to them for I do not." I turn to look at him, maintaining my polite smile. "Your actions were awful. You are a horrible man and I do hope that the other woman shall not forgive you either. It was a truly disgusting thing to do."

"I did not expect Siena should show up."

"And what happened from there, you simply tripped and found yourself intimate with her? You shall leave me alone now. I do not know why you insist on apologising anyway, it does not matter at all to me." Of course it does, but it is not as though I shall ever admit such.

"That is untrue. I wish to explain myself because both of us are aware there is something more here than blind hatred. You felt something as did I." He attempts to scoop me into a dance and I scoff at him. "You shall not even give me a chance to explain?"

"You do not deserve one. It is blind hatred and that alone, through and through. Whatever you think you may have felt towards me is wrong and you must push those feelings, if they do even exist that is, deep deep down into your ice cold heart and refrain from repulsing me with your presence any further." I scowl and walk from him but he does not let it go. "I have asked you to leave."

"I have asked you to hear me out, my lady."

"No." I am forceful, pulling my arm away and simply rolling my eyes at him. He seems to give up now, pinching the bridge of his nose and he is gone.

I relax once Anthony has left me, looking around for the other brothers so I might actually have a pleasant time. "Lady Basset! I wondered if I might have this dance?" I am approached by a man that I recognise as I have seen him attempting to court Daphne, of course unsuccessfully, but also from some starne part of my past that I did not even realise I remembered. He appears to be giving up with Daphne, as most have, if he wishes he shall dance with me.

"Oh, Lord Ambrose. I am unsure that is a good idea. I am a rather horrible dancer. You shall cry with laughter if you see me attempt it, I am sure enough of that." I offer a polite smile and a soft decline. "I should not object to some company and a drink, however."

"Now that is what I hoped you should say. I cannot call myself an accomplished dancer either, Lady Basset. Wait just here for a moment." He bows his head before he ponders away to find the drinks table, bringing one back to me and placing it into my hand gently. "I do not know whether you shall be able to recall or not but-"

"Now, do behave, Lord ambrose. I am sure I shall be able to guess exactly what you are about to say." I laugh a little. "You are surely about to discuss with me the first day I met you, all those years ago, when you visited Clyvedon and caught me crying in the scullery. Are you not?"

"I thought you may not remember,  we were children, after all." He smiles fondly that I remember it, looking at me with bright eyes. "I have not seen you since then but if I might say, you have grown into a rather splendid young lady."

"How very kind of you." I smile back at him, becoming distracted as I can see Benedict and Colin stood only a few metres behind him. They grin, Benedict making a horribly rude hand gesture that makes me suddenly snort with laughter and I am forced to fabricate a reason for why I could possibly have created such an unbecoming sound. "Oh, I apologise dearly."

"That is quite alright." He does not seem to think anything of it but does glance behind him and so the brothers stop instantly so that they may not be caught by him. They are, however, caught by their older brother who scowls and begins incessantly talking at them, his fists screwed up in little balls as he extends his arms down by his side. "I hear your father is unwell, my lady. I am sorry to hear such things."

"He is not unwell as much as he is already very dead. I should not wish to hear of anyone being sorry of his passing, I was rather glad to hear of it. If you caught me crying in the scullery, it shall be him that was the cause, Lord Ambrose. A cruel man." I nod, unable to take my eyes from Anthony. He glances up at me, making eye contact as he continues to chastise his brothers and then tries to beckon me over. I shall not go of course, his attention shall not take over my life and I am rather enjoying talking with someone who is not a Bridgerton or my brother for the first day this week. There is something in my stomach that urges me to want to talk to him but I shall suppress that. The man is a rake and a rather rude one at that, he proved such last night. I do not wish to spend anymore time with him than I must now, I shall avoid him with all I can. As he begins to walk towards us, I quickly take Lord Ambrose's arm. "I have changed my mind, I should like to dance."

"Oh! If you insist." He places his drink down, his legs moving quickly as I pull him harshly along with me. "And what is it that made you change your mind, Lady Basset? My conversation skills leave too much to be desired?"

"What? No, not at all. Although they do a little, you are by far not the most irritating person I have had to speak to this evening."

"Yes... I have noticed you have spent a great deal of time with the Viscount Bridgerton. Is he also attempting to court you?" He places his hand gently on my back and he knows all of the steps. There is no muttering of numbers for him, he knows what he is doing when it comes to the dance floor at least.

"Attempting to court me? I should not hope so otherwise he is certainly going about it the wrong way!" I scoff, shaking my head and rolling my eyes slightly. "He is a brash and rude and inconsiderate and... wholly just a disgusting person to be around and I despise every moment I have to speak with him! He is a rake and he is disrespectful and when I must spend in his presence makes me want to tear my own eyeballs out and choke on them."

Lord Ambrose pauses for a moment and I wonder if I have gone too far but that is when he laughs. "I have always thought the exact same, my lady."