Work Text:
Kate felt being here in this house was likely not the best choice when it was suddenly in turmoil from the newest Lady Whistledown pamphlet. Anthony had disappeared and...well it was best that she attend to her sister. She shook her concern for him off and walked around to face Edwina.
"Might we return home, bon?"
Edwina's eyes were downcast as if she were seconds from crying, a face Kate was much too familiar with as of late. Though she knew now this face was not only close to tears, she was about to lash out.
"As if you truly care what I want." Edwina muttered. Kate grabbed her wrist gently.
"Edwina, this is cruelty." She tried
"Don't you dare, make me out to the the cruel one." She replied, then lifted her eyes. Kate felt the storm coming. "I may not know who I truly am...but at least I know that I am kinder hearted than you."
Kate stared at her. She gripped Edwina's wrist firmly enough she could not escape and tugged her to the other side of the room.
"And in what capacity do you mean, sister?"
"You took Lord Bridgerton from me." Edwina stated, staring at her.
"He was never yours." Kate hissed in frustration. Edwina let out an incredulous laugh.
"Was I the only one standing there at that carriage that morning?"
"Edwina, if Lord Bridgerton hadn't come out there right then, I would've told you something that I had till then not wanted to hurt you with."
"What, the truth?" Edwina accused. Kate bowed her head.
"As a matter of fact, yes."
"I know it now, Kate. Your feelings for him had been born then despite the knowledge of mine own-"
"What feelings, Bon? The love of his money? The love of wide open spaces inside his grand house?" Kate accused. Edwina glared back at her in shock but did not counter. "He has a grand family as well that you barely conversed with, Bon! You realize that part of the job of Viscountessy is launching his younger sisters into the ton, yes?"
"I became the Diamond this season, Kate, I would know how to make another one."
"I, made you the Diamond, Bon. I helped you learn how to dance properly, speak just so, despite the other ladies in the ton having the funds to pay for lessons. We got by without because your grandparents promised you and Mama security in exchange for a good English Lord's match. And if you had bothered to talk with his sisters you would have discovered that most of them do not want the attention you appear to thrive on."
Kate's eyes widened in shock at her own words, as well as Edwina's. Her heart dropped.
"There were many things that happened during that week-end you were not aware of, and I might have kept them from you forever had events not transpired in this manner." Kate admitted.
Edwina crossed her arms.
"What then?"
Kate huffed.
"Lord Bridgerton had known that I was stung before you prompted me, Bon. He was there."
Edwina shook her head in confusion.
"Why was he there?"
"Because he wanted to make excuses to me as to why he did not propose to you at that dinner." Kate replied.
"No doubt trying to say he wanted to marry me despite whatever manipulations you set upon him." Edwina accused. Kate gasped.
"That is truly what you think of me?"
Edwina tightened her arms.
"There had been other moments between Lord Bridgerton and I, that would very well have obliged us to marry instead of you." Kate admitted finally. She sighed in relief at the confession despite still feeling the tightening of her heart at Edwina's hurt expression.
"You may ask him yourself of course, but it was not me, Bon. I was not the culprit who furthered the scandal behind those closed doors, nor would I ever have!" Kate felt her voice rise, but she wasn't sure she cared. Nor who heard.
"You and Mama are the only ones who truly matter to me, and I kept Lord Bridgerton from expressing every one of his own manipulations." Kate glared at Edwina, and saw her words were making the young one's resolve crumble. "And for what, bon? Why do I continue to do this when I am shunned so harshly by the only family I have left? For love? Certainly not for the love I am shown in return! All I wish is to part of this family."
"Let me make this situation clearer." A voice sounded from behind them. Edwina's arms opened, and Kate turned to see their mama. Mary's hands folded in front of herself, and Lady Danbury was a few meters away, wondering what her friend would say.
"Because we are such a burden to you Kate, you shall no longer be part of this family."
The words rang hollow in Kate's ears. She felt her legs give out and yet she still stood. How...was she still standing.....
"You won't be under our roof any longer. You will not send word for us, nor we for you. And perhaps then, we will both be free of the ruination that is unfolding for both sides."
Kate stared after her stepmother, who Lady Danbury had immediately reached for to try and talk her out of it. She slowly turned her head to Edwina, whose shaky resolve had strengthened again. Her lips were set in a line, and she walked away from Kate without another word.
"Where will she go, then?" Lady Danbury asked. Mary stared back at her.
"I do not know. And as of now, it is of no consequence to me."
Violet walked up to them with hardened eyes.
"I shall talk to my son about taking the eldest Miss Sharma in."
"You do not have to, Lady Bridger-"
"Oh yes I think we must." Violet replied coldly. "It seems we will have rescued the only Sharma worth knowing."
Mary and Edwina stared back at her. Echoing footsteps sounded from the other end of the ballroom.
"Anthony dear, it seems we have a new guest to accommodate for a while. Might we be willing to spare a room?"
"Of course, Mother." Lord Bridgerton's voice sounded. It felt as if it shook Kate's being. She was frozen in place. No thunderstorms or tsunamis could move her, she feared. Perhaps she would die drowning on her feet.
"Hyacinth, Mother, would you help Miss Sharma to a room? Have Mrs. Wilson assist you."
Kate heard tentative footsteps come up to her, and Hyacinth and Violet's hands went to Kate's arms. She wasn't sure they would move her. But when the little Hyacinth lightly pushed on her back, her legs finally gave out. Violet's strength kept her from crushing the poor girl, as Hyacinth reached up and started to stroke her hair. A few servants went to their side probably at Lord Bridgerton's request, both women. They helped Kate trudge to the other side of the room.
It seemed Lord Bridgerton had to add to her worst fears and humiliation, as he scooped her up in his arms halfway across the room and the speed picked up. She hadn't the strength to speak, let alone thrash in his arms until he would release her. She could hear Violet and Hyacinth follow them, as well as the other Bridgertons.
"I'm sorry, Kate. I am so so sorry...." Anthony whispered to her over and over as a servant led them to her room. Her new room, away from Edwina. Away from Mary.
The door opened, and Lord Bridgerton set her down on her feet, Violet taking over with orders to get her bed clothes and take down her hair. At Violet's insistence, Lord Bridgerton left. Kate's eyes flitted to him when he was about to leave, and she saw the mirror image of her own fears realized reflected in his.
"Rest assured Miss Sharma, we shall care for you." Lord Bridgerton promised. She continued to be unable to respond or move without prompting. There was no 'until' in his words. He must have thought this situation was irreversible. But truly, she agreed with him. She had spoken her mind for the first time in years, and now...
Now she was truly an orphan.
Lord Bridgerton stared back at her with such pain in his eyes, it nearly broke her from her state. She had not been able to feel her heart beat within her breast, and now at seeing his torment at the sight of her own, she knew now it was still there.
Slowly, Kate nodded. And despite promising several times he would leave, the servants were unable to undress Kate and help her into different clothes.
Perhaps it was for the best.
Anthony opened the door, and instead of leaving, he pushed it open so his other siblings could enter.
Benedict popped in first. His shy eyes at the state of her did not make her feel nearly as useless as she would've thought. Kate slumped onto the bed, and Hyacinth and Violet sat on either side, keeping their hands on her back, soothing her.
"How is Eloise?" Anthony muttered to a servant.
"She was locked in her room up until a moment ago, now she is heading to us." the woman replied.
"Perhaps we can play a game when she arrives?" Violet asked.
"What sort of game?" Hyacinth asked in return.
"Charades?" Benedict asked.
Kate wasn't sure any of this would help. She would be forever indebted to the Bridgertons for trying but...all she could do was stare straight ahead.
Eloise came in the room, her eyes landed on Kate's. She bent over and took her hands.
"I am so sorry." She stated. "If there was a way to....to help...."
"But we know it won't be easy."
"Or fast."
Lord Bridgerton had asked for the cards for a charades game to be brought, and they were put into his hand seconds later.
"A game where you are required not to speak though, that will be a tonic I'm sure." Benedict replied.
Kate squeezed Eloise's hands back. Eloise immediately let her hands go and hugged her, tightly.
"You do not deserve this treatment, Kate." Eloise promised. "You must understand that."
Hyacinth joined in the hug. And so did Violet. The women surrounding Kate made her feel....at least, protected. She closed her eyes and patted Hyacinth's back.
Kate knew it would take a long while to feel something akin to normalcy again. But as Benedict began the game, Lord Bridgerton guessing, shouting the answers and Violet trying to keep her giggles quiet, while glancing at her every so often, Kate felt safer in the background.
Three rounds in, and Colin had entered her room finally, joining in the game. He got all the answers wrong, or Lord Bridgerton was cheating, she was not sure. But when it came the eldest Bridgerton's turn, and he was guessing wrong, a word popped into her brain.
"Marmalade." She muttered softly. The room fell silent.
"Yes...that was it." Colin replied. She felt a ghost of a smile on her lips, but her eyes dropped again, immediately.
"Would you like us to continue, Kate?" Violet asked. Kate nodded. She didn't want to participate again but...perhaps she would. She hadn't expected to speak then anyway. But Lord Bridgerton was so surprised by her sudden noise, he had to be cut out of the game entirely, taking Violet's place beside her.
Kate suddenly felt grateful that he wasn't staring at her, merely sitting beside her. Not even touching. Just the weight of him beside her. She hated it at the same time, how much safer she felt with him there. Nothing else could happen to her right then.
Lord Bridgerton started participating in the game again, taking Eloise's turn when Violet had been given the card. She chastised him for it, but when Eloise gave the correct answer instead, Kate felt a tiny giggle bubble up.
And it made the brightest smile that she'd ever seen on Anthony's face appear. Her smile dropped and she turned away.
Hyacinth was permitted to sleep in Kate's room with her that night, Eloise going back and forth from her room to the alcove Kate had faced. Eloise had fallen asleep in it at midnight. And then Lord Bridgerton came to visit her, barefoot as he was in the library that night.
Kate had been finally given new clothes and her hair taken down. She hadn't gotten any sleep, but she wasn't expecting it, either. He came in her room and sat on the edge of her bed.
"If there is anything I can do, Kate." Anthony told her. "Name it."
Kate stared back at him.
"In all honesty my Lord, I do not know what I need at this moment." She blinked away tears. Besides, the one thing she knew now she'd never have returned.
"I'm sure you blame me for this, and I do not disagree." He replied.
"You do not?"
"Yes. Which is why I must say, unless you wish me to continue here, I will leave you in peace to heal." He said.
"Uh..." She uttered softly in confusion.
"Tomorrow I will go to my bachelor lodgings in London. I am sure that you do not feel my presence is beneficial in the slightest and it will afford us both, the time we need to settle the matter that has developed. Your family will no doubt see the error of their ways soon enough. Until then I will be sure you have food, shelter, and company."
Kate wanted to say something, but...she wasn't sure what. Wouldn't saying something ruin her life more? And in remaining silent, watching Anthony leave sullenly, it felt to her as if it didn't matter either way.
For the first time since she was disowned, Kate closed her eyes. Her brain was too exhausted not to. All went black.