“Hastings is here?” He chimes in innocently, looking up from his paper. “I thought he and Daphne were touring in the South of France?”

He is standing politely at the door, waiting to be announced. He's made an effort. He's even wearing the ducal cape. (He hates capes. They flap. And he especially hates the ones that fasten across the throat so you are, if you think about it, wearing a noose for the purposes of anyone who might grab at it.)

He really has a lot of flowers. He does in fact have enough for anyone who wants some. 

He got peonies for Eloise. 

He glances across the windows, makes eye contact briefly with Benedict, gives him a bashful little smile and an apologetic shrug. 

"Ah. No, Colin dear. The other Duke."

“Oh.”

The curiosity takes him, and he joins his siblings at the window.

Oh wonderful now they're all staring at him. He stops himself from doing a little wave. Instead he ducks his head respectfully. 

Eloise blushes and ducks. Lifting up her skirts, she runs downstairs to greet the Duke at the door, granting Colin ample room by the parlour window.

Oh, dear. It's probably best that Anthony isn't here, so he can't lose his temper and deny His Grace entry or some such thing, but he won't take kindly to the Duke being in the house while he's absent. 

But they cannot leave Duke Voltur on the doorstep. 

They will have to let him in.

She waits upstairs in the receiving room, pacing. 

Benedict joins his sister swiftly, followed by Hyacinth, and then Colin. It’s… rare that he feels a sense of familial duty as the second-oldest, but Anthony isn’t here yet. He isn’t going to leave Eloise alone with the Duke.

Besides, he wants to see this. And maybe there’s a daisy with his name on it.

"Eloise," he says softly. "Messrs. Bridgerton. I brought flowers-" azalea and marigold, and peonies for Eloise. He'd ransacked his library for books on flower-language, and he's pretty sure that's close enough to "sorry". "For Eloise, and for Lady Bridgerton as well - in truth for any of you should you wish it." They're extremely good flowers. There's a very powerful witch he knows who owes him a lot of very big favours. 

"I would like to offer my formal apologies for my behaviour, and assume full responsibility. I will do my best to explain, should you wish it."

…

She looks at her brother with large eyes.

…Gods, is nobody truly going to say anything? How does Anthony do this?

“Thank you,” he states, gesturing towards the stairs. “Please – come on up.”

That’s good enough, right?

Hyacinth steps up to the Duke, positively vibrating. She can barely keep her hands clasped behind her back. “May I take some of the purple ones, Your Grace?”

He gives Benedict an encouraging nod. The man seems sincere enough.

He turns to Hyacinth gravely, bows to her. "Miss Bridgerton. The purple ones are yours, if you wish it." 

“Thank you thank you thank you!” The girl helps herself to a handful of the prettiest ones, before running upstairs to show her mother and to brag to Gregory.

Eloise smiles faintly.

The walk up the stairs is quite awkward. She has no idea where to look, or to put her hands – to her sides? On the bannister?

It feels an age before they arrive in the parlour once more. She is… dreading what her mother is going to say. And, gods, when Anthony comes back–

All right, he's here. It's going... surprisingly well. 

"Lady Bridgerton," he bows, looking carefully at the Dowager Viscountess. Her face is neutral, but she looks tense. "I hope this is a good time?"

"Your Grace," she manages, with a weak smile. "Of course. I am afraid the Viscount is not at home, but he should return shortly."

"Thank you. I am happy to wait for him." He casts an unhappy glance around the room. "Or indeed to explain now, and simply repeat myself." The Viscount not being here has thrown him off slightly. He casts a helpless glance at Eloise and at Benedict before pulling himself together. 

“Um. Would you care for some refreshments while you wait, Your Grace?” He cuts in deliberately.

Thank all the gods above for Benedict Bridgerton. "Ah. Yes, thank you, Mr Bridgerton. That would be most kind." He coughs, politely. 

She crosses her arms and taps her foot, etiquette be damned.

“Shall we all sit?” Colin suggests helpfully.

He will sit. 

"Eloise," he says very quietly. "I- I hope you at least will believe me when I say that I truly had no idea of the significance of what happened. And- even apart from that, I am sorry for making you witness to that, and for what I said to your brother."

Everybody else sits, one by one, as refreshments are brought – little cakes and drinks and sandwiches. Nobody touches them.

After a long moment, she gives him a slight nod.