The Bustle and the Fray

[Lewis Anwyl]

THE   CAUSE   YOU   ARE   SUPPORTING IS  NOT  OUR  CAUSE,  BUT  YOURS tagged Anthony Bridgerton

Above nearly all other things, Lewis despised balls. If he had his way, he would never darken the doorstep of any grand house hosting a dinner party, dance, or any other social engagement of the sort. He was not naive enough, however, to think that he could get by in London society by making himself a recluse; he had tried that, back in his student days, and as much as he might prefer it, he had learned well enough that he could never hope to advance himself professionally without advancing himself socially. 

And so, with profound reluctance, he had accepted Anthony Bridgerton's invitation to the family's latest fête. He could not claim to know Anthony particularly well, to say nothing of the rest of his large family, but he had at least made the man's acquaintance at the club on a few occasions and had found him to be decently agreeable. He was quite sure the invitation was more of a formality than anything else, but as the Bridgertons held significant sway over London's elite, he could scarcely pass up the chance. 

He had tried to force himself into the proper mindset to endure the party. He always did. And always, invariably, whatever calm he tried to cultivate in the carriage ride over was dashed away within moments of stepping through the door. The music was always too loud, the rooms were always too crowded, and the fine clothes always hung too heavy on Lewis' frame. Head up, spine straight. A little too stiff, a little too pale, the surgeon slunk his quiet way to the nearest servant bearing a tray of drinks, from which he hastily plucked a glass of wine to down in two swallows. 

OWL

[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Lewis Anwyl
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The only thing more taxing that attending an event was indeed hosting one. The entire household had been making preparations for the party, inviting those that they deemed suitable to the event. And as the host -- and head of the family -- Anthony of course had to make it a point to see and converse with each and every guest, no matter how brief. Should he be able to even say just a few words to each in attendance, then he would have done his duty. It was what the Viscount was currently making effort to do.

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Though despite the internal struggle to try and greet all, no one would be any the wiser based on his outward appearance. After all, Anthony Bridgerton had spent the last decade of his life guarding his emotions and portraying this stoic front. So he placed a smile on his lips and casually, smoothly made way through the crowd, person by person. Exchanging pleasantries and jovial discussions. As he paused to take a sip of his drink, he took notice of one particular guest that Anthony had invited himself.

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A man who was standing on his own -- something that the eldest Bridgerton son would see too. "Mr Anwyl," Anthony greeted with a genuine smile. "Good of you to come." Of course Anthony was no fool -- despite what some of his family may say. He knew that one did not decline the invitation of a noble. But still. Anthony was sincere in his gladness to see him present. "

[Lewis Anwyl]

THE   CAUSE   YOU   ARE   SUPPORTING IS  NOT  OUR  CAUSE,  BUT  YOURS tagged Anthony Bridgerton

Lewis, frankly, would not have been able to name a tenth of the preparations that went into hosting a ball. His family had hosted their fair share of small gatherings in Lewis' youth, but any events held in a little Welsh coastal town were a far cry indeed from the grand balls of London's elite. The sheer amount of food, wine, music, and decorations was of such a mind-boggling scale that Lewis could not even begin to fathom how it was all organised. 

But that was not, of course, something that Lewis really wished to give much thought. Given his distaste for attending parties like this, he certainly would not care to host one, and even if he would have had the inclination, he was not likely to ever be rich enough to do so. He made a decent enough living, but he was certainly no Astley Cooper. The inner workings of. ball like this were not for him to speculate upon; as long as there was ample wine to ease his nerves, that would provide satisfaction enough.

He had just set down his empty glass and reached for a second when the sound of the viscount's voice startled him. Turning sharply, he forced a polite smile onto his lips and reached out to grasp Anthony's hand in a firm shake. "Lord Bridgerton. It was an honour to receive your invitation." That much, at least, was not a lie — it had been genuinely flattering. Beyond that, he was not entirely sure what else to say. Limply, he gestured around at the room at large. "The, uh— the... decorations are wonderful." What on earth did one say to make small talk at events like these?

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[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Lewis Anwyl
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Anthony gave a short nod in response when Lewis spoke of the honor to be invited. He knew the man was not a high ranking individual, but it made him no less welcome nor worthy of attendance. There was after all a reason, Anthony did not mind his company and looked forward to get to know him a bit more. When he commented on the decorations Anthony paused, the Viscount's smile still in place though that was certainly an . . . unexpected compliment to be given.

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"I am glad to hear that you approve," he told him, going along with it for the Viscount would of course not be impolite. "Though I must admit that I had little to do with it," he added on in good nature for he was just playing along. "My mother and dear sisters enjoy it far more than I do." And even then, Eloise wasn't a huge fan of such extravagant affairs. "Are you finding all else to your liking?" He asked, having noticed that the man was standing alone before Anthony approached.

[Lewis Anwyl]

THE   CAUSE   YOU   ARE   SUPPORTING IS  NOT  OUR  CAUSE,  BUT  YOURS tagged Anthony Bridgerton

The hesitation in the Viscount's response was minimal, but it was enough to bring a faint flush of embarrassment to Lewis' countenance. Of course the decorations were an odd first choice to remark upon in this context. In conversation with the other guests, decorative choices might have made a fine matter for small talk, but there was little reason to bring the matter up to one's host. There were a thousand better things he might have said. 

Phenomenal. Two minutes through the door and he was already blundering.

Clearing his throat and attempting to squash his own sense of embarrassment, Lewis nodded tightly. "Yes. It is all splendid." Better to keep the compliments vague. The less said, the better — that way, there was less opportunity for further putting his foot in his mouth with awkward remarks. Hoping to shift the conversation away from his own opinions, he hastily added, "You are enjoying your evening, I hope? It must be taxing to play host to such a large event."

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[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Lewis Anwyl
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Anthony noticed the ever so slight flush touch him before it quickly faded and the man continued to answer his question, commenting on how it was all splendid. He then returned the question, asking him if he too was enjoying his evening. "It is indeed no simple task," he admitted, not about to claim that hosting an event was simple and easy.

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"But it holds its rewards, such as having an opportunity to converse with those I may not frequently have the pleasure of speaking with." Lewis fell into this category for while Anthony had briefly spoken to him, it was good to do so in his own home. "Perhaps you find a similar enjoyment?" He asked, steering towards the Viscount's notice of Lewis not in the company of others. "Or if there is anyone in particular you seek to meet, I would gladly make introduction." Perhaps there were those he wished to talk to, but was unable to approach them for . . . whatever reason.

[Lewis Anwyl]

THE   CAUSE   YOU   ARE   SUPPORTING IS  NOT  OUR  CAUSE,  BUT  YOURS tagged Anthony Bridgerton

Had it been socially acceptable to do so, Lewis might have laughed at the sheer absurdity of Anthony's first question. Perhaps you find similar enjoyment? It was a polite enough supposition to make, and one that Anthony had no reason to find strange, but to Lewis, the idea that he could genuinely enjoy any part of these balls felt ridiculous. He wished he could enjoy them, certainly; he wished that he could conduct himself with the ease of the nobles and the grace of the debutantes. But if the mention of his profession was not enough to drive a guest to turn a cold shoulder, the Welsh accent laying heavy on his tongue did the trick for others, and while enough charm might manage to smooth over both of those things, the type of charm required for these events was not something that came easily to Lewis.

If he could have expressed the sheer exhaustion he felt at the prospect of having to force himself to go through the motions of the rest of this event, he would have. Perhaps, when he had a moment in private with the Viscount, he might explain. For how, however, there was little to do but grit his teeth and get through the evening. As soon as he could get himself in front of the right guests this evening, things would come easier. 

"You are most kind, Lord Bridgerton. As it happens, I understand the MP for Chippenham, Sir Peel, is in attendance tonight. If you would be able to introduce me, I would be grateful."

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[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Lewis Anwyl
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Anthony gave a small nod, a smile remaining in place. "I would be happy to," he assured him. It would seem that Lewis preferred the company of a select few, and not the general mingling nor meeting of new people at such events. Which, held no judgement from Anthony. He knew those that were the same. Which was perhaps why he wished to ensure that his guest was at ease and did not feel he merely had to witness the evening pass by.

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Anthony looked around the crowd, knowing without moving his physical position, that the requested guest must surely be somewhere . . . but he also did not want to leave Lewis on his own to find him, so after a glance around the room, Anthony turned his attentions back to Lewis. "Why don't we walk among the crowd to try and locate him. Unless you are able to spot him better than I?" Anthony suggested, a small joke made at his own expense that perhaps he missed seeing him in his quick scan of the room.

[Lewis Anwyl]

THE   CAUSE   YOU   ARE   SUPPORTING IS  NOT  OUR  CAUSE,  BUT  YOURS tagged Anthony Bridgerton

Lewis should have known better than to hope that things would be so simple. The ballroom was positively packed with people drifting their way around; even the most eagle-eyed observer would have had a difficult time picking out anyone from the crowd at this vantage point. There was also the small matter that Lewis, having never met Sir Peel yet in person, had very little idea of what the man even looked like. Anthony's offer was perhaps the most sensible, as much as Lewis cringed at the thought of having to mill about and make polite small talk. 

Still, he recognised that the Viscount was doing more than his duty in offering to accompany Lewis on this endeavour. It was more than many hosts would have done, especially as it kept Anthony from seeing to the other guests. Lewis, who had scarcely met Anthony's eyes properly since the Viscount had first approached, shot the man a brief, appreciative look before nodding once. "Yes. Let us walk."

OWL

[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Lewis Anwyl
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Anthony gave a small nod, turning to prepare for a walk around the room with the intention of finding the man that Lewis had requested to meet. The man's laconic response and the noticabely distance he held between others, certainly had Anthony thinking. He was fortunate that the man did not reject his company, though perhaps it was out of obligation and politeness that he didn't.

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Letting a few moments of silence linger, Anthony decided to try and find out more about the man in terms of his comfort levels. "Have you attended many events such as this?" He asked, knowing that perhaps that was part of the challenge he was finding here. Lewis -- as Anthony knew though did not currently emphasize -- was not a high ranking man. So perhaps this was one of the few events he attended with such company.

[Lewis Anwyl]

THE   CAUSE   YOU   ARE   SUPPORTING IS  NOT  OUR  CAUSE,  BUT  YOURS tagged Anthony Bridgerton

Lewis let Anthony take the lead, keeping his back ramrod straight and his hands clasped firmly behind his back as he followed the Viscount. He despised the closeness that the packed room necessitated — no matter how careful he tried to be as he wove through the crowd, it was nearly impossible not to brush against people here and there, leaving Lewis feeling dreadfully claustrophobic even in the vast, high-ceilinged ballroom. 

He did his best to keep up with Anthony, nevertheless. He could stave off his discomfort for an hour or two, just long enough to get through the introductions he needed to make, and then he could depart for the comfort of his own home. As long as he had that goal to work towards, he could bear the rest of the evening's nonsense. 

"I do not attend them often, no." Not if I can help it went left unsaid. "I have yet to make friends of many noblemen in London."

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[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Lewis Anwyl
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Anthony listened as Lewis explained that he did not attend such events often. It made sense of course, based on Lewis's demeanor and general state. Though Anthony was not familiar with the potential intimidation one would face in the wake of such a situation . . . Anthony could imagine. Having been brought up in the social circle he was, he was expected to hold a certain air of confidence and composure. And even when mingling with those of higher rank -- Basset for instance -- well, Anthony found himself at ease based on the close friendship.

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"Who's company do you enjoy to keep?" He asked, wondering if he would have any other friends that may be present. Just so once he made introduction to Lewis's desired acquaintance, that Anthony could determine whether anyone else that Lewis was closely acquainted with would be present. That, and it would just be good to know who he felt comfortable around so that he need not spend the entire evening on his own. Anthony of course wanted the man to be at ease and enjoy himself.

[Lewis Anwyl]

THE   CAUSE   YOU   ARE   SUPPORTING IS  NOT  OUR  CAUSE,  BUT  YOURS tagged Anthony Bridgerton

What a question. If he were to be perfectly honest, Lewis might have answered that he preferred to keep his own company. That was not, of course, to say that he always favoured solitude, but the list of people whose company he did favour over solitude was relatively short — and, regrettably, no one who met that criteria was currently attending tonight’s soirée. Dr. Barthélemy, despite being in London, had other engagements this evening, as did Dr. Morrison; Comte Lumineux never spent his seasons in London; and as for Mr. Bachmeier… well, a Jewish apothecary was hardly likely to find himself with an invitation to an event like this. Apart from that small handful of men, the only people whose company he might genuinely desire were his siblings, all of whom were hundreds of miles away in Wales.

That would not exactly be a suitable answer, however. Besides, even if there were not many specific individuals that Lewis would call friends, there were some groups whose company he preferred to others. That was a simple enough reply to give. Forcing a polite smile, therefore, he said, “I enjoy the company of any fellow men of science.” Not strictly true — there were many, many men of science in London whom he thoroughly abhorred — but there must be a few here that were worth meeting.

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[Anthony Bridgerton]

Tag: Lewis Anwyl
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Anthony politely smiled at his response, as Lewis answered that he enjoyed the company of any man of science. People where Anthony supposed Lewis needed to have that commonality with to help ease the flow of conversation. "Then I fear I must be a disappointment," Anthony said a bit jokingly, though not without some truth to his words. While he was a well educated individual, expected of any nobleman, he was not overly involved in the sciences.

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Finally setting sights on the requested male, Anthony politely asked him for a moment, and made introduction between Lewis and Sir Peel. Though as expected of any host, Anthony was unable to remain a part of the conversation for long. "Enjoy the rest of your evening," he told both men, before making his way back into the crowd and mingling with the other invited guests.