"I do not wish to speak, i'm wilting in pain." Griffin spoke as he laid upon the couch with a hand over his face. "My wife has chosen my brother."

"Your fault for granting her the title of your wife before even speaking to her." Eloise said as she sat across from Penelope, the latest Lady Whistledown in her hand.

"Her smile." Griffin gushed on. "I've never seen someone so beautiful in my entire years of existing. What could she see in Anthony when he does not have the Bridgerton eyes?"

"He has your fathers eyes." Violet spoke from the couch.

"I wish to have gotten fathers eyes." Griffin exhaled loudly. "Has Lady Whistledown at least degraded me in her paper? Perhaps it'll help my broken heart."

"She says it's wonderful you've decided to keep your clothes on." Eloise spoke in return. "Where you hoping for something different?"

Griffin groaned as he fell back against the couch once more. "Why must there be nothing interesting to keep my mind off the fact that my brother might be proposing to my wife?"

"Her latest is not exactly the philosophical treatise on the rights of the fairest sex I was hoping for, but-" Eloise began.

"Come, now. I do not think Lady Whistledown has changed her entire style of writing since her last issue." Penelope defended the anonymous lady behind the paper.

"Perhaps not. But perhaps she still can." Eloise pointed out.

"Perhaps she does not want to." the redhead argued.

"Perhaps Miss Edwina is not to be my wife." Griffin sighed dramatically as he dropped his hand from the couch.

"Perhaps she is quite content." Penelope went on. "And if she even sparked your renewed interest, El, then perhaps whatever she is doing is working."

"Yes, but she could do so much more." Eloise went on. "I know I could convince her of it. If I were to find her this time."

"What you must find, my dear, is happiness." Violet spoke out loud to cut the conversation short. "Penelope, assist me here. Eloise could find that with someone else, could she not?"

"I believe she could. And not Lady Whistledown." Penelope agreed as Griffin gave a whimper from the couch. "Just as Lord Bridgerton could find happiness rather then with Miss Edwina."

"I can not." Griffin ranted on. "She was mine to be and Anthony completely went against my hopes and dreams of making her my wife. He could never see her as I do."

"Maybe someone more like-Colin!" Penelope called loudly.

"My brother?" Eloise asked in disbelief.

"No, not Col-Colin!" Penelope shouted as she motioned behind her, the Bridgerton brother walking into the room.

"Brother!" Griffin announced.

"Brother." he spoke in return.

"Colin!" Violet gasped.

"Could you put aside the latest family squabble and embrace me?" he spoke as Griffin hugged him first, Eloise and Violet adding in as Benedict followed.

"I did not expect you to return so soon, Dearest." Violet gushed to one of her sons.

"I miss you all. What can I say?" Colin shrugged as Benedict hugged him tightly. His eyes fell upon Penelope, staring at her a moment.

"Brother!" Gregory and Hyacinth ran into the room to embrace Colin as one.

"I believe we must get you to the doctor post-haste." Benedict spoke once again. "This strange, fuzzy growth on your chin is some of disease."

"They might not have such a cure for it yet." Griffin shook his head as he placed a hand upon his heart. "How terrible for my dear brother."

"And you seem to have taken to the sun too. How peculiar." Hyacinth agreed as she looked to her brother complexion.

"Can the sun gift a disease?" Griffin hummed as he leaned on the couch some more.

"I think he looks distinguished." Penelope gushed in the slightest.

"I'm now two inches taller than Gregory." Hyacinth nodded her head.

"You are not." he argued while pushing onto his toes.

"And where, may I ask, is our intrepid viscount?" Colin looked around the room for an answer.

"Interviewing my wife, I fear." Griffin placed a hand on his heart. "I just had a moment of forgetfulness. Now i'm reminded of my heart break again."

"Griffins got a wife?" Colin's eyes bulged from his head.

"No." Eloise rolled her eyes.

"He is-" Violet started as Anthony stormed in. "-back from courting already."

"You've asked her to marry you so quickly?" Griffin frowned as he started to Anthony.

"Colin! You are returned. Even better." he ignored Griffin and looked to his other brother. "Family, I should like you all to ready yourselves for the races today. We will be attending, united as one."

"I am to heart broken." Griffin shook his head.

"You're going." Anthony scolded him.

"Bridgertons." the four boys were greeted by Mr.Mondrich that day at the races.

"Mr.Mondrich. It appears retirement suits you well." Benedict greeted him vocally first.

"If only he were retired." Lady Mondrich went on.

"Lady Mondrich." Griffin greeted her with a small nod and gentle smile.

"Are you planning another foray into the ring?" Benedict crossed his arms.

"Into business, in fact. I am opening a gentleman's club." he spoke to the four. "Set to rival even the select haunts on St.James's, if we are fortunate. "

"You do know we have all been members of White's since birth." Anthony spoke in return.

"Our grand opening is tomorrow night. You're all invite-" he started.

"Wife." Griffin gapped at the sight of Edwina, his eyes widening and stomach flipping.

"Apologies. If you will excuse me." Anthony cut in as he hurried over.

"Anthony." Griffin chased him.

"No, Brother." he put a hand on his shoulder. "Do not get in my way."

"But-" Griffin began.

"No." Anthony cue him off, walking off to the Sharma sisters and the two Lords that were sat together in the stands. Griffin frowned, walking to sit with his family in the stands.

"You're just going to allow him to swoop in like this?" Colin asked Griffin. "I assumed that was your wife."

"She is." he nodded, gapping over in her direction. "Anthony only wishes for her hand because she was granted as the Dimond. I would wish to accompany her even if she was just..oh, what's the word."

"A Ruby?" Benedict pointed out as he gave him a lemonade. "I believe you should walk over there right now and grant her with a lemonade."

"Really?" Griffin took it. "What shall I say?"

"Do not call her your wife." Colin shook his head.

Griffin looked nervous. "I believe I would wait for an introduction until after the races. She must wish to see the lovely horses, yes?"

"Oh, sure." Benedict nodded his head.

They all watched as the horses raced, Griffin hadn't been paying much attention, instead watching Edwina. Her sister and his brother were both yelling, trying to shout over each other. "Who is it we are rooting for this year?"

"Not sure." Colin spoke in return as one of the horses passed, scoring the winning goal. "Now or never, Brother."

He took a breath, nodding. "I shall win my wives heart away from The Viscount, with a lemonade."

"Yeah, you will." Benedict cheered him on.

Griffin walked down the stables, taking a deep breath. He saw red as Anthony lead Miss Edwina down the stands, her arm in his. He speed up his walking, prepared to get to them before he'd plan his escape. Only, Griffin should have remembered how clumsy he had been on his feet. Because as a child bumped into him, his thin legs falling forward, the lemonade flew from his hands.

All over her.

"Oh." Griffin gapped in disbelief, having to take a second to realize what he'd just done. "Miss Edwina, I am so terribly sorry. I tripped. Never would I intentionally-"

"How dare you, Brother?" Anthony gapped in disbelief. "Are you that immature to do such a thing?"

"It was an accident." Griffin pulled his blazer off. "Here, take this. I'm so sorry, Miss Edwina. It's such a lovely dress, i'd be more then happy to pay for it."

"Oh, that's okay." she pulled the blazer around her shoulders. "Not to worry, My Lord. It will be in need of a wash anyways."

"Now, if you'll excuse us." Anthony held his arm out for Edwina once more. "We have elsewhere to be."

"I'm s-" he started, but Anthony was dragging her away. Only, Edwina was sure to grant him a smile as she walked away.

•

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