16. Having Daphne Near

'Dearest gentle reader. It is often said that those who marry in haste must repent at leisure. A sentiment that is clearly shared by the Bridgerton heiress, Miss Daphne Bridgerton, who is apparently returning to the Mainland without so much as accepting a single visit from a gentleman caller. Some believe she is showing admirable forethought in her deliberations, but I would venture a different conjecture- one to do with the two titans constantly surrounding her: referring, of course, to the viscount and the duke.'

Simon had invited me out for ice cream. We went to this cute little Victorian parlour downtown. It was full of families and other couples. We sat up on the step at this two-person table. Simon, who got three scoops of ice cream and a coffee, waited patiently for mine to arrive. I ordered the hot fudge and caramel sundae with a hot chocolate. Simon requested they bring us water too- something which I noticed but didn't verbally address. It did make me happy though. He's being conscious of my condition…..

I smiled at him. "You should eat." "I'll wait for yours," the duke countered softly. "But it'll melt." "I'm not taking a bite until you get yours," he shook his head. My grin grew clever in the corners. "That's not what they do in polite society in Europe." "Well, you're not in Belgium; you're in England, and I'm going to wait," his eyes met mine. I didn't say more, still smiling at him. This guy….. So stubborn.

My ice cream and beverage were delivered soon enough. This kind lady set it down in front of me with a smile. "Here we are," she grinned at me. "Thank you," I mirrored her expression. Simon waited for me to pick up my spoon and take the first nibble of dessert; only then did he tuck in on his now-melty treat. "It's delicious," I remarked casually, taking another spoonful. He nodded. "Best ice cream in London." I took a sip of hot chocolate and wiped my mouth with a paper napkin. My eyes couldn't stop themselves from wandering back over to him, no matter where else I looked.

"How'd you find this place? It's so charming." "My governess used to bring me here," Simon explained. "Your nanny?" I pondered. His head shook again, him wiping his mouth now too. "My father was very old fashioned. He had me watched around the clock when I was young; well, that is until I was shipped off to boarding school." "Oh…." I suddenly felt a little bad and embarrassed. Sounds like he didn't the best relationship with his dad…. I mean, Daddy's and my relationship wasn't prefect either, but at least we loved each other dearly. He was the most dear man in the world to me before he died…. Doesn't sound like Simon felt the same about his dad, however. Seeing my reaction, Simon smirked and scooped up some more ice cream.

"Ah, it's all in the past. Plus I liked boarding school." "Was it like Hogwarts?" "Why does everyone think all British boarding schools are like Hogwarts? You are British, Daphne," he rolled his eyes. I laughed. "Well, I don't know! I only ever went to private academies- none of which were anything like Hogwarts…. Really tragic, actually." "Hmmmm, is that so? Tell me something else," grinning, he leaned back in his seat, watching me. "About what?" I ate some more ice cream and glanced at him. He shrugged. "Anything. Tell me something about you- something I don't know yet."

I contemplated for a moment. "Ok, here's one. I love dinosaurs." "Dinosaurs? You?" His eyebrow lifted mildly surprised. "Mmhmm, I've always loved them. Daddy wouldn't let me have dinosaur bedsheets when I was little because apparently "dinosaurs are boys". But I still have all my dinosaur beanie babies- I brought them to Belgium with me." "You did not," Simon cracked a side-grin, to which my head nodded. "They're sitting on my shelf in my room. The lady man calls my room "the cute room"." "I bet it is cute," he chuckled. "You know it," happily I took another sip of my drink. Simon merely continued to grin my way, running his forefinger across his bottom lip.

"Now you tell me something." "It's my turn, is it? Heh, I don't know how I'll top dinosaurs but… Let's see," he took some time to think about it. Soon enough his hand lowered away from his face. "When I was little, I used to wake up early so I could sneak downstairs and watch Power Rangers." "You did?! You woke up early for Power Rangers?" My eyebrow raised a tad unimpressed with younger Simon's choice of television programme. He seemed slightly offended by this. "It was better than the My Little Pony and Lizzie McGuire I'm sure you were watching." "Wrong, sir! If I had my way- which was rare in a household of nine- I'd watch Pokemon or Dragon Ball X….. But my brothers always wanted to watch Yu-Gi-Oh or Star Wars, and my sisters always, always put on those stupid Barbie movies. Well, ok; Barbie's Rapunzel was pretty good, but they liked The Princess and the Pauper…. You know, being an only child has its benefits," I sighed, remembering; battling over the television remote was a nightly endeavour in the Bridgerton household for years. Simon chuckled gently, lowering his eyes. "I suppose it does have its perks."

After a second, the duke's eyes rolled back up to me. "What else?" "My turn again? Mmmmm, let me think… Oh! Here's one. I've never drank a cup- or even half a cup- of beer in my life." "Well that's no surprise. You shouldn't drink with your condition, should you?" His arms folded in a nonchalant manner. "Never stopped my father," I muttered under my breath, taking a quick sip of water. "Wait. So you have no idea what beer tastes like?" "Oh I've tried it before; just like a sip, then I spat it back out. I was seventeen and under the impression that beer would taste sweet, like apple juice, for some reason. Haven't had a drink since." "I trust then, you haven't frequented the party scene in Brussels?" "Never. Not that I'd want to go anyway. These balls and socials Anthony drags me along to is more than enough as it is…." My hand rose up to rest on my forehead. Simon grinned at me. "It's a good thing he did, otherwise we wouldn't have met." This caused me to stare straight at the duke, just realizing that he's right. Hey, yeah; that's true. If I never went to the spring social, Simon and I wouldn't have met…. and we'd never become friends. The very notion made me feel better. Wearing a smile yet again, I tucked back into my sundae. Simon watched me for another second before descending back onto his.

"Is it really hard, living with your condition?" "Not really- not if I take care of it. It doesn't stop me from doing anything I want to," yet, anyway. Thank god I don't want children. Simon nodded, peering down at his ice cream bowl. "That's good. You just have to keep on top of it then." "Heh, easier said than done. But I'm doing alright." Still, Simon poured me another glass of water. I blinked at it, then back at him. Our eyes met and I grinned. Awe… That was cute, though I'm not sure he meant it to be so. It was just inherently so.

He took one of the last spoonfuls of ice cream he had, still smiling. "Ok, your turn. Tell me a random fact about Miss Daphne Bridgerton." "I think it's actually your turn." "No, it's yours. I'm rather enjoying this- learning meaningless, little facts about you," he polished off his dessert and leaned back in his chair. I mirrored his pleasant, relaxed expression. "Meaningless, are they?" "Inconsequential, let's say," he amended. Satisfied with this, I nodded. Then I blinked thoughtfully. "Well, I've never been in love before…." "Nooooo?" He said sarcastically, making me send him a playful glare. A calm, gentle pause fell over us before I continued.

"But… I think if I ever did fall in love, I think I'd like it be the Troubadour kind of love." "Ah, yes. You're studying Troubadourian poetry, aren't you?" I nodded. "For almost two years now, yes. But I've liked the Troubadours since undergrad." Simon's forefinger ran across his lip again, curiously this time. "And what is the "Troubadourian kind of love" exactly?" "It's the idea that true romantic love transcends the physical realm- that is to say, "hugging passionately"." "You call it that?" He chuckled. "Well I'm most certainly not going to say it out loud." "Right. Go no," he nodded in understanding.

"It's the highest and purest form of love, or so they believed. Troubadour knights would fall deeply and madly in love with a woman, without the intention to bed her. That's not to say they couldn't get married, but if they did it wouldn't because they wanted to…. you know. They merely wanted to be devoted to each other; they fell in love with the person rather than the body. I suppose I think it's the best phase of love because I've been studying the poets these knights wrote to their ladies for so long…. But when you read it, you realize there's something there- something modern society has seemed to have forgotten about. Course this was back in a time when the concepts of marriage and love were entirely separate things. Still…." My eyes lowered, my lips lingered for a second. "There's something there…. I think there's something there." Then our eyes met again.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw Simon smile- he was smiling again. A soft, sincere smile… and it was aimed at me. "There you go, teaching me again." "Oh… Oh! Sorry! That wasn't my intent-…" My hands shot up in front of me. But he also rose up one of his hands. He shut his eyes and shook his head. Then his gaze met mine. "Just for the record, I think you're right, or rather the Troubadours are right. There is nothing more attractive than selfless devotion and protection." "I couldn't agree more," my eyes softened in their corners. We looked at one another for I don't know how long until I shook my head, as if to pull myself back to reality. "Alright, enough about me! You're turn now! Tell me something different; tell me what's the last thing you've ever tried for the first time," I saw that question online once on one of those "what to discuss with friends" forums. Simon continued to stare in my direction; his lips morphing back into a deep, knowing grin.

"Going out for ice cream with a lady."

This, of course, made me blink in shock and astonishment at him. My balled hand rose up to my flustering chest. My cheeks sizzled a light pink. "R-Really?" And he nodded…. He nodded with such sincerity. "I've known girls before but you're the first one I've ever become friends with; to this extent anyway." "W-Well, thank you… I guess? You're the first guy I've really become friends with as well. The only other men I know well are my brothers…." Saying this out loud only made my cheeks glow brighter. Nugh! Is there a way to turn the blushing off?! It's embarrassing! Simon didn't appear bothered by this, mind you. He simply chuckled and shook his head. "Looks like we're both pretty green in this area." "Y-Yeah, I suppose we are…" "It's alright though. It gives us time to figure it out… to grow together." My eyes found the courage to peak back up to his eyes once more. He smiled, and I couldn't help but imitate his expression.

"Yeah, it does. And thank you, Simon." "Huh? For what?" He blinked a tad confused. My grin merely, effortlessly widened. "For telling me all this. I feel like I'm seeing a different side of you- gradually, I mean…. A softer side. We've never opened up and talked to each other like that before, like real friends…. I'm glad we have now is all." A pregnant pause- though not an awkward one- fell between us. Simon just sat there for a minute; his eyebrow eventually raising. "And that makes you happy?" "Why not? We're friends; we should feel comfortable around each other. If not, we can't be doing this whole friendship thing right." Then Simon laughed. "You make me sound lonely and in desperate need of companionship." I shook my head, still smiling ear-to-ear. "No, just someone who's spending time with his friend. At least you know you're not alone." Simon's eyes shimmered onto me. His lush lips opened, then closed again. Finally he grinned- a profound expression I hadn't seen from him before. "It's true. I'm not alone anymore, am I?

Somehow, without my ever noticing it, it felt so natural…. having you near."