Post by L on Oct 17, 2022 1:48:38 GMT
"...and so, if a lady should find herself sitting to the left of a gentleman of a lesser rank..."
Daphne stifled a groan as Mrs. Marchlett droned on about conversation protocol for afternoon tea. Normally, she worked to maintain her best behavior for these lessons, being as how she had achieved the loft age of twelve. Since papa had died (she shuddered even to think the word), mama had stressed the importance of her example. She was the eldest daughter, and she would be the one to set the tone for the rest of her sisters. She had to ensure that she caused no trouble for mama: her younger siblings were enough of a handful as it was.
Except that today was the first time the sun had peeked through the clouds in ages. For a whole month or more, it seemed, the skies had been completely grey, throwing day upon day of relentless rain. All she wanted to do was go outside, instead of pressing her face hopefully against a glass pane, only to be disappointed by the weather yet again. And yet, here she was, sitting quietly and learning her etiquette. Maybe, just once, she could cause a disruption. Surely it would cause only a temporary annoyance. And a temporary annoyance was a quite decent sacrifice to make in return for the opportunity to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin.
She spared a glance at her next-eldest sister wondering, not for the first time, why they shared this time. Four years was quite an insurmountable gap for instruction and none of this mattered for Eloise yet anyway. She often felt that as the oldest, most mature girl, she should be allowed to learn all of this by herself; let Eloise be in the nursery with the others. Now, Eloise would provide them both with the perfect escape.
Keeping her eyes on Mrs. Marchlett, and her hands folded neatly in front of her, she slowly drew her leg back, then kicked Eloise lightly in the shin.
Daphne stifled a groan as Mrs. Marchlett droned on about conversation protocol for afternoon tea. Normally, she worked to maintain her best behavior for these lessons, being as how she had achieved the loft age of twelve. Since papa had died (she shuddered even to think the word), mama had stressed the importance of her example. She was the eldest daughter, and she would be the one to set the tone for the rest of her sisters. She had to ensure that she caused no trouble for mama: her younger siblings were enough of a handful as it was.
Except that today was the first time the sun had peeked through the clouds in ages. For a whole month or more, it seemed, the skies had been completely grey, throwing day upon day of relentless rain. All she wanted to do was go outside, instead of pressing her face hopefully against a glass pane, only to be disappointed by the weather yet again. And yet, here she was, sitting quietly and learning her etiquette. Maybe, just once, she could cause a disruption. Surely it would cause only a temporary annoyance. And a temporary annoyance was a quite decent sacrifice to make in return for the opportunity to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin.
She spared a glance at her next-eldest sister wondering, not for the first time, why they shared this time. Four years was quite an insurmountable gap for instruction and none of this mattered for Eloise yet anyway. She often felt that as the oldest, most mature girl, she should be allowed to learn all of this by herself; let Eloise be in the nursery with the others. Now, Eloise would provide them both with the perfect escape.
Keeping her eyes on Mrs. Marchlett, and her hands folded neatly in front of her, she slowly drew her leg back, then kicked Eloise lightly in the shin.
tag @eloisebridgerton
It had often been said that Eloise Bridgerton was quite the handful. She didn’t wish to wear silly dresses and learn the etiquette of the social season, she wished to play outside with her older brothers, and drag Frannie around with her where possible. A year apart in age, she was used to playing with her younger sister — though now, somehow, she seemed to spend all of her hours with her older sister and an insufferable governess. Eloise was quite certain that Mrs Marchlett had never met a little girl before in her life, for she hardly seemed to know what interested them. She’d much rather copy her older brothers’ pranks then learn what she should and should not say to a gentleman over tea. What a ridiculous notion, why would she wish to talk to them at all?
