Chapter Thirteen - Pall-Mall

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Daphne pushes the wicket into the ground with a grunt before standing back up and sighing, a triumphant smile appearing over her face. "This will teach Colin. Last time, he put a wicket behind the goat barn."

Kate smiled as she and Edwina followed behind Daphne, "what exactly are the rules to this game?" she inquired, a brow raised.

"Pall-mall is less about the rules, more about the goal," Daphne started, glancing back towards the sisters and offering them a smirk. "Which is, of course, to hit your ball through each wicket."

"The first player to send their ball through the last wicket wins," I finish, glancing back and flashing them all a beaming smile. "Simple enough. Though if you are feeling devilish, you can use your turn to knock an opponent's ball as far away from their next wicket as you would like."

"Why waste a turn if the point is to get one's own ball through the wicket?" Edwina asks, looking between Daphne and I with a furrowed brow.

"To infuriate your opponent, I gather?" Kate says.

"Precisely. It is a poor player that plays the game, and a wise one that plays their opponents," Daphne says seriously.

"I believe I shall rather enjoy this game," Kate says, smirking.

Daphne and I both chuckle and nod our heads while Edwina smiles on.

"Right. Oh. Now, Benedict is a solid shot, but he avoids conflict," Daphne says, "Colin is crafty. He will strike when he thinks you are least suspecting it, so always be suspecting it. Eloise concentrates entirely on defeating her older brothers. The hope is that she gets so absorbed by them that she forgets about you. I, of course, am a complete enigma who will divulge none of my secrets. And, well, then there is Anthony."

"Let me guess," Kate says blandly, looking at the man in contempt. "A most ruthless, cutthroat player?"

Daphne chuckles, "why, you have made his acquaintance."

Kate chuckles and looks down at the ground.

"That is not to say he has no honor," Daphne says quickly, looking over towards Edwina pointedly, "he's usually the most genteel sportsman. Except as far as this field is concerned."

"I am sure the Viscount is an excellent player," Edwina says, looking over the man in question before turning back to Daphne and smiling. "We will all pass a very pleasant afternoon."

Kate smiles at her sister's rather pointed words before looking over to me and raising a brow, "and are you playing, Your Grace?"

I chuckle and quickly shake my head. "Oh no... the last time I tried to play, I, well, I may have accidentally, mind you, let my mallet slip through my fingers and fly towards another player."

"And I still have the bruise to show for it!" Benedict called out, pointing to a spot on his head as he passes us with his wicket.

Kate and Edwina both break out into laughter while Daphne chuckles and smiles fondly at the memory. Looking back now, it is rather funny, but in the moment we were all beside ourselves with worry for Benedict's wellbeing.

"I apologized for it!" I call out after him, wincing at the memory before turning back around to the group, "needless to say, I have decided to be a spectator rather than a player."

"My darling wife does get a little... competitive, shall we say," Frederick says, sauntering over to us and smiling warmly over at me.

I blush and smile back over at him as he wraps an arm around my waist.

"I believe that they are getting ready to choose the mallets," Frederick said, "I was sent to come and grab you all."

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"Oh," I lean in closer to Edwina and Kate and lower my voice, causing them to lean in closer to me. "This is my most favorite part of every game. Watch."

As soon as the mallets were placed onto the ground, both Anthony and Colin reached in for their specific mallets, causing everyone else- who was playing, of course- to start to chastise them for trying to gain an advantage.

With neither man removing their hand from the mallets, Colin looks towards his brother with a raised brow, "let us toss a coin."

Eloise scoffed and stared the two men down, "last year, we promised to let the youngest pick first."

"We pick based on alphabetical order," Anthony argued. "That is the precedent."

"It is meant to be a game, it is not?" Edwina said, looking over at me with a flash of concern.

Daphne, ever the peacemaker, stepped forwards, "everyone, please now. The only fair thing to do is to let our invited guests choose their mallets and strike first."

Everyone seems to agree with her words and takes a small step back.

"Please," Anthony sweeps his hand over the mallets and invited Edwina forwards. "Take your pick, Miss Edwina."

Edwina smiles and takes a step forwards, looking over the mallets for a moment before pointing towards the blue one.

"An excellent choice," Anthony says, picking up the mallet and handing it over to her with a smile.

"Excellent because it was not his mallet," I mutter to Kate, who smirks and bites back her chuckle.

Kate confidently steps forwards and grabs the black mallet, making my smile grow even wider.

"The mallet of death," Eloise whispers mysteriously, her eyes widening with excitement as she looks from Kate to the mallet, to Anthony.

"Would you look at that, Brother," Benedict teases, leaning over and smirking towards Anthony.

Kate smiles at the realization and looks toward Anthony, "is this yours?"

Anthony is quick to shake his head, "not at all. You're welcome to it."

Colin scoffed in disbelief, "you near threatened to beat me last time I touched-"

"You exaggerate," Anthony snaps.

"Are you the superstitious sort?" Kate inquires, chuckling at the thought, "I know some men cannot perform without their familiar tools. Like a child with a blanket."

Everyone chuckles at her words, which only causes Anthony's anger to grow.

"I can play perfectly well with any mallet," Anthony says defensively. "I wish you the best of luck."

"Are we to stand around deliberating all day, or shall we play?" Eloise inquires, her excitement and competitiveness shining through her words.

The party falls silent for a split second before they all rush forward to grab their mallet- or their second choice mallet.

"Too slow, Anthony," Frederick chuckles, watching as Anthony moves a second too late, causing him to play with the last remaining mallet, the pink one to be more exact. "I do hope that Hyacinth's mallet will bring you luck."

"Shut it, Harding," Anthony grumbles.

"To the field of combat!" Daphne announces, raising her mallet and leading the way for the rest of the group.

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Edwina takes her turn, swinging her mallet and bringing it down to meet her ball with a thunderous snap! The ball in question soars through the air before landing only a few inches away from the next wicket, causing the group to break out in cheers and applause.

"I think... that I would like Florence to take my turn for me," Daphne says, looking over at me and grinning.

Benedict dramatically gasped and dropped his mallet to the ground, and wrapped his arms around his head protectively. "NO!"

I scoff and roll my eyes at his behavior, "oh really, Benedict? I do not think that it was so horrible the last time I played?"

"I still have the mark on my head to dispute that!" Benedict retorted, peaking out to look at me from between his fingers.

I chuckle and shake my head before stepping forwards and taking the mallet from Daphne.

"Steady now, Ren!" Frederick calls out from behind me.

I line up the ball and the mallet, practicing the swing a few times before finally swinging the mallet down and hitting the ball with a loud snap.

"Well done, Florence!" Daphne cheered, "I think that may have just put me in the lead!"

"Did I make it?" Benedict whispered loudly, lowering his hands and looking around in wonder. "Or is this heaven?"

Anthony scoffs and steps up to take his turn, practicing his swing a few times before bringing his mallet down, only to cause the ball to roll in the completely wrong direction.

"Out of practice much, Brother?" Benedict teased.

"I see that Hyacinth's mallet hasn't brought you much luck thus far, Anthony," I add in, grinning over at him as Fredrick wraps his arm around my waist and chuckles.

"Here, allow me," Kate taunts, smirking at Anthony as they pass each other.

She lines up her mallet and the ball and brings it down with a sharp swing, causing the ball to perfectly roll through the wicket.

"YES!" Kate jumps up into the air and laughs victoriously while the other players cheer and applaud for her.

"What a shot!" Daphne cries.

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"Eloise!" Benedict cries, pointing to his sister and narrowing his eyes as he watches her start forwards to take her turn. "Stop cheating."

Eloise scoffs and imitates Benedict's voice, "'Eloise, stop cheating'. Only if you stop cheating first brother!"

"Oh, both of you! Pay attention to the game!" Colin cries, looking at the two in annoyance.

Frederick chuckles at the competitiveness between the sibling and shales his head. "Eloise, I do believe it was your turn!"

Eloise huffs and picks up her mallet as she stalks to her ball.

"I'm watching you, Eloise!" Benedict cries, "so don't you cheat, now!"

"I shall do whatever I like, Brother!" Eloise calls back boldly, swinging her mallet and watching as her ball goes rolling through the grass.

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Anthony bends down to peer at the fourth wicket, doing the math in his head and muttering to himself as he tries his best to line his ball up with the wicket.

Daphne, who had placed down the wicket earlier in the day, grinned as she watched her brother struggle to figure out the best strategy to hit his ball through the wicket.

Eloise, whose turn was coming up next, groans, "would you take your shot?"

Anthony didn't bother to respond to her and takes a few more seconds before swinging his mallet back and swiping it forward to meet the ball. The force of its hit causes the ball to fly through the air, but instead of going towards the wicket, it hits the statue right beside it and bounces off of it and back into the grass, on the opposite side of the wicket, causing Anthony to let out a groan.

"Ha! Rather unfortunate," Eloise declares, smirking at her brother's misfortune.

Kate doesn't even bother to taunt Anthony, opting, rather, to step up to her ball and immediately swing her mallet. Somehow, the ball shoots directly through the fourth wicket and rolls to a stop on the other side, causing the entire group to applaud and cheer again.

Edwina, who goes up next, shares a brief conversation with Anthony before taking her turn, her ball going just wide of the wicket.

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"Watch it, now, Eloise," Lady Danbury warns, bending down to get a better view of the game. "Yes then. Send it."

Elosie whacks the mallet against the ball and sends it shooting through the fifth wicket, causing her to throw down her mallet and cheer triumphantly.

"YES!"

"Brava!" Lady Danbury yells, beaming over at the girl.

"Might I accompany you up to your seat, Lady Danbury, I am quite parched," I say, looking over to the woman, who nods and smiles over at me.

"Well," Lady Danbury sighs, walking up the steps to the viewing area where Lady Bridgerton and Lady Mary were sitting. "They are off to a slow start, but I have hopes of bloodshed yet."

The two women laugh as they peer over at the game.

"Lady Danbury jests," Lady Bridgerton says, setting down her teacup and looking over at Lady Mary. "My children may be rivalrous, but we have yet to lose any limbs."

"I nearly lost my head last time," Benedict corrected breathlessly, appearing beside me and taking a sip of his water. "Courtesy of dear Florence, here."

I playfully huff and stomp my foot, "I have apologized for that... although you may just find yourself in another 'incident' soon if you do not drop the subject."

Benedict gasps as he sets down his water, "do you hear that mother? Florence just threatened me!"

Lady Bridgerton's eyes widened as she looked over at me, "hear what, Benedict? I heard nothing of the sort. Did you hear anything, Lady Mary? Lady Danbury?"

Both women shook their heads and grinned, causing Benedict to gasp in shock, his hand raising to rest on his chest in feigned hurt, "I cannot believe this... my own mother!"

I chuckle and loop my arm with Benedict's, dragging him back down to the field as I threw my head back and let out a hearty laugh. "Come along now, Benedict, I think it is nearly your turn."

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"You have the chance to best him," Eloise says, looking at Kate with wide eyes.

Anthony's ball had landed just beside Kate at the end of his turn, a fact that made Eloise light up with excitement.

"That would not be very sportsmanlike, would it?" Colin said.

"I was told unsportsmanlike conduct was a requirement for this game," Kate countered.

Daphne chuckles and nods her head, "a fast learner you are indeed, Miss Sharma."

Kate smirks and turns back to Anthony, cocking her head to the side. "What do you say, my Lord? Are you in a losing mood?"

"My mood," Anthony retorts rather calmly, "shall remain unchanged, regardless of your choice."

"Ah, is that so?" Kate inquired, "You would bravely bear the crushing shame of defeat?"

"Play pleasant, Didi," Edwina mutters to Kate, looking up at her with wide eyes.

"Not to worry, Miss Edwina," Anthony assures, "in light of my brother's and sister's tactics, Miss Sharma conducts herself with much grace indeed."

"Huh," Kate clicks her tongue and offers Anthony a sickly sweet smile. "Then you shall not mind this."

She pulls her mallet back and brings it back down so fast that if you were not looking you would have missed it. Her ball crashes into Anthony's, causing his to fly deep into the woods, quickly getting lost in the foliage.

Eloise all but jumps into the air at the sight of her brother's ball disappearing, clapping her hands together as quickly- and as loudly- as she can and grinning wildly.

I chuckle and nod my head in respect, "well done, Miss Sharma!"

"What a play indeed," Fredrick says, smirking as he fights to hold back his laughter.

"I knew I liked her," Eloise muttered, leaning over to Daphne and I.

"Miss Edwina," Benedict says, tapping the ground where her ball laid, "it is your turn."

Edwina steps forwards and aligns her mallet up with her ball before crashing the two together, causing her ball to shoot into the foliage just as Kate and Anthony's had one only moment's ago.

"I am bested I see," she says softly, turning to look at the group.

"You could still retrieve your ball if you wish to stay in the game," Frederick explains patiently.

Edwina glances back in the general direction where her ball had landed for a few moments before turning back around and offering us all a small smile. "I think I shall cut out."

"Good try, Edwina," I say, clapping and nodding towards her as she passes.

She offers Daphne and I both a small curtsy before starting back up the hill, most likely going to sit with her mother under the shade of the tent.

Anthony watches her for a moment before rushing after her, "I shall..."

The rest of his conversation fades away as the group starts up playing again.

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When it gets back around to Anthony and Kate's turns, they both agree not to forfeit and start into the thick foliage, quickly disappearing from our view.

After a few moments of silence, Benedict looks around the group before speaking up, "how long do you think it would be appropriate to wait before moving on?"

"Let us give it a few more minutes," Daphne says, "if we hear or see nothing, then we shall continue."

The group quickly agrees and everyone stands around, glancing toward the woods everyone so often to see if they could catch a glimpse of Kate, Anthony, or either of their balls. After a few more minutes and no signs of them, the group agrees to skip them and move along.

After a few more rounds, it was only Daphne and Colin left in the game, the rest of the group deciding to leave the game after their balls were hit too far from the course for them to make a come back with.

Colin takes his shot, missing by only a few centimeters, causing him to let out a groan.

Daphne beams as she takes her position, looking at the ball and her mallet for a moment before repositioning herself and taking a swing. Her ball soars through the final wicket with ease, causing the group to let out a groan, but clap nonetheless.

"I have won!" Daphne exclaims, waving her mallet around wildly as she cheers and shrieks with excitement. "For the second year!"

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whoo 😅 an almost 3k word chapter!

i hope you enjoyed the pall-mall chapter! it's probably my favorite chapter that i've written so far!

in celebration of this chapter, here's a fun little gif from the bts of the pall-mall episode!

don't forget to comment and vote!

-T