20. Change Of Plans

Brunch that Sunday was lovely. We met up at the fancy hotel downtown- I didn't care enough to learn the name- at precisely eleven o'clock. We were brought to a table which seated ten. After taking off our coats and ordering our drinks, we all headed straight to the buffet. And you know me with good food. I was in heaven the moment I saw the array of dishes and desserts. There was everything from a roast-cutting station to a dessert bar. We got in a single file line and grabbed a clean white plate as we entered.

The kids went right to the dessert table first. Course that was on my list, but I wanted something savoury first- and I mean first to pick up, not to eat. Simon and I stayed side-by-side the entire time. Funny; I don't think either of us noticed we were doing it either. None of my family acted like that was anything out of the ordinary. Far from it. We'd constantly tease each other about what the other put on their plate. I gave Simon a hard time for eating what I considered to be too much meat. Seriously! He had like three different kinds his first round. For his part, he thought it was ridiculous to have a slice of black forest cherry cake for breakfast. When all was said and done, our plates were piled high; though mine couldn't match any of the boys, let's be real.

We all sat down at the same time with our food. I sat between Simon at my right and Anthony at the head of the table. Simon and I smiled at one another, then everybody looked to the eldest Bridgerton quietly. He gave us a gentle nod. "So everyone, enjoy." In harmony the nine of us picked up our forks and tucked in. It was a minute or two later, after everyone had had their first few bites, that the conversation started. I wiped my mouth with my napkin and looked at Benedict, who was sitting across from me.

"You'll have to let me know when you get back to Oxford safely," our eyes met for the first time since we got there. Simon also wiped his mouth. "Yes, when do you go back?" He inquired. Benedict swallowed down his mouthful. "Next weekend. I'll be coming out to London every other weekend until the end of term." "Why can't you do that, Daph?" Hyacinth whined. "It's a lot easier to take the train from Oxford than to fly back from Brussels," I explained to her. This disappointed her but she seemed to understand, as shown by the way she gazed back down at her plate.

Simon took a bite of toast and spun his head my way. "What time are you flying out tomorrow again?" "Nine in the morning. Joy," I rolled my eyes. He nodded and turned his stare slightly in Anthony's direction. "I trust you are taking your sister to the airport?" "Yes, along with those three," Anthony motioned the youngest Bridgerton siblings with his fork. Gregory reached across the table to give me a whole strawberry; he was sitting beside Benny. I took it, giving his dear little hand a kiss. Better get all the kisses and hugs in while I can; they're all growing up so fast and I know I shall miss them like crazy! Simon simply observed this, grinning to himself. I didn't his eyes also drop back down to his plate where he picked at his food with his fork.

"Really, Daphne, I'm surprised you're taking off so soon." Of course I blinked over to him, taken aback by this remark. He said it so casually too…. As if reading my mind, the duke mischievously grinned up at me. He spoke again before any of us had the chance to, not taking his stare off me the entire time. "I was just thinking with the massive opportunity you'll be missing here…" His words trailed off in a planned sort of way; he was goading me into talking- which I did. "Opportunity?" My eyebrow lifted.

Without skipping a beat, Simon opened his vest to reveal an interior pocket. We all watched him stoically pull out a folded slip of paper and place it into my hands. Curiosity intrigued, I opened it up to study its contents. From the moment I saw the front page, my eyes got as wide as dinner plates. My hands clenched onto the paper like I was afraid someone might try to snatch it away from me. All thoughts suddenly were directed to this single blessed sheet of printed paper.

Simon had lit the flame, now all he had to do was sit back and let it run its course.

Forgetting we weren't the only ones in the room, my head proceeded to shoot over at my eldest brother. "Anthony, I have to go to this!" Admittedly, my voice was a little too loud; I'm sure I caught the attention of a fair number of diners in the vicinity. Not that Anthony cared. I held up the paper so he could read it aloud. "Occitan: The Metaphysics of Troubadour Lyric Poetry," his finger ran along his chin thoughtfully. "I have to go to this! This is my research! This is my life! This is what my Masters dissertation is all about! I have to go and see this exhibit!" "Where is it?" Eloise asked, stuffing an olive into her face. "Edinburgh, next month," I answered, still grasping the paper tightly. "Edinburgh?" She blinked astonished. Colin rolled his eyes. "You wanna go all the way to Scotland to see some thousand-year-old paper?" "Yes! Who wouldn't?!" And all my six siblings proceeded to roll their eyes unamused.

Anthony sighed, and not in a good way. He leaned back in his chair somewhat reluctantly. "I'm sorry, baby sis, but it's on the same weekend I have booked with the estate attorney to go over Dad's old tax accounts. We've had this appointment for months and with how busy he is, I don't think we can reschedule." I shrugged, completely unphased. "That's fine. I'll go by myself." "You most certainly will not! Flying straight from here to Brussels is one thing; taking the train across the country is another." Never mind that I've taken both the train and bus across country lines back home; not that he knew that. And for this very reason. Oh well; no matter! "Then I'll fly," was my light-hearted solution. But he shook his head. "You think flying's any better? I've seen the area around the airport in Edinburgh. You are not flying out there alone, Daphne. The answer is no."

Benedict took a sip from his tea and cleared his throat. "I can take her." "You?" Anthony's head darted in his direction, though his voice wasn't as objectionable as you might think. That's a good sign! Benny nodded. "Sure! I've always wanted to see the highlands, and I can visit St. Andrews while we're there." "You're supposed to stay with your sister!" Anthony countered in an unconvinced tone. Eloise then slammed her hands down onto the table, grabbing our attention. "Hey! If Benny's going, then I'm going too! I wanna go to Edinburgh too, walk around Princes Street," she said the last part like she was a diva or a princess. The eldest Bridgerton looked to her and sighed. "Benedict can't escort both of you, especially if you want to go trouncing around the country!" Benedict leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands together on his stomach. He flashed Anthony a playful grin. "Awe, come on, bro. She's twenty-four, and a Masters student. What's the worst that can happen?" "It doesn't matter. I don't want you leaving the city while Daphne's at the university." "But I…"

It was around this point I stopped listening to everyone. You'd think I'd be offended or enraged at how my brother was treating me. Quite the contrary. I was happier than a calm staring down at this pamphlet; so incredibly, unspeakably happy. I'm sure I would have found out about this sooner if I wasn't so wrapped up in my PhD application. But who cares?! If I went to this thing, it would show my supervisor I'm taking initiative in my academic career. He'd be so impressed with me, and that would mean a good reference letter. Plus I could add it to my personal statement! All I could see were benefits from this- all which aimed at helping me finish my dissertation with a high grade and getting those PhD interviewee's attention. Yes, only good could come from this. Who cares what price I have to pay? Anthony can throw on all the conditions he wants; I can deal with those. And luckily I know how to get what I want too. Sometimes you have to give to win- and I wanna win! I shifted my chair in such a way to so face my brother right on. He blinked, meeting my solid stare perplexed. My face was a firm and determined as you can get.

"Anthony: if you let me go, I will stay here until the end of July."

That was the perfect amount of time. I would finish up the PhD application, have the interview if I get one, finish my dissertation early, and go back just in time to move to Amsterdam. It would all go according to plan if I played my cards right. And I could get my supervisor on my side- easily so, if I explained all this to him. Now it was just up to my brother, and we all knew what he wanted from me.

Anthony stared at me for a while, not saying anything. But his face said it all. The widest, most elated smile drew across my lips when he shut his eyes and let out the world's longest sigh. He ran his hands over his eyes. When they reopened, he was looking at the duke. "Simon, dear friend. I'm so sorry to ask this of you, but would you mind going with Benedict to escort my sisters up to Edinburgh next month? We'll pay for your hotel room and plane tickets, of course." "Train! I wanna take the train up," Eloise interrupted. Anthony rolled his eyes, completely exasperated. "Train tickets. We'll cover every expense. Still, I know it's a lot to ask. But you would please do me this favour?" We all looked to Simon, who had to cover a grin with his hand. I saw this and immediately smiled myself. Awe, he's so cute when he's happy! Wait, he's happy?

"I think I can manage that," the duke remarked to my brother, then glanced to me. We were grinning at each other when Anthony sighed yet again- this one much shorter. "Alright, baby sis. You may go to Edinburgh this May." "Oh, thank you!" Practically leaping out of my chair, I threw my arms around his neck. Then I flashed Simon a great big smile. "Thank you, Simon!" Eloise did an eager fist pump. "Yes! Edinburgh! Ah, I can't wait!" Benedict also grinned. "Me either. All that whisky," he said before Anthony shot him a monstrous glare.

We pulled our arms off each other and I sat back down, trying not to bounce too much in my seat. Anthony shook his head, finally resigning himself to the idea. "You'll go out Thursday morning. I'll fly out on Saturday and join you before the evening." "We wanna go too!" "Yeah, how come we can't go?!" The two youngest Bridgertons perked up. Anthony gave them a stern expression. "Because you two have school." "Then how come I can't go?" Colin complained. "Because you are going to stay home and keep an eye on our younger siblings," the eldest countered tartly. "What?! How's that fair?! You four get to go frolic around Edinburgh and I'm left with babysitting duty?" "You're staying- that's final! And as for you three: you'd better get permission from your universities for this trip; especially you, Daphne." "Don't worry, big bro. I'll contact Dr. Grinds and the department the moment we get home. Eeeeeeek, I'm so excited! I can't believe I'm going to see actual Troubadour lyrics! How'd you even find out about this?!" My head spun over to Simon. He wouldn't stop smiling. Wouldn't or couldn't? His eyes had this gorgeous twinkle in their corners. "You should know by now I have my ways, Miss Bridgerton." "You most certainly do! Ah, thank you; thank you so much! I have no idea how I can ever thank you enough for this. And now we're going to Edinburgh together! Aren't you excited?!"

And he smiled; that kind of smile that makes you feel all warm and bubbly inside when you see it. The kind of smile that makes you want to cry for reasons you can't understand. The kind of smile that changes you for the better… That kind of smile.

"Yes; yes, I am."