To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgertons, #5)

by Julia Quinn

And so one day, after she’d gone to visit Penelope, only to be informed by the butler that Mr. and Mrs. Bridgerton were not able to receive visitors (uttered in such a way that even Eloise knew what it meant), she made a decision. It was time to take her life into her own hands,

LMAO

Clearly, he needed a wife.

Good God, if she could teach them to mind, he would bloody well kiss the ground she walked upon on a thrice-daily schedule.

Well, he wasn’t exactly certain how one could describe her. Not beautiful, precisely,

Don’t piss me off w this

He gave her a look that told her he’d noticed she’d avoided his question, then said, quite bluntly, “I didn’t expect you to be so pretty.”

She raised her brows. “Surely you can find a more romantic way to convince me to be your wife.”

Phillip had never thought the day would come when he’d be frightened by a woman, but as God was his witness, Eloise Bridgerton scared the living wits out of him.

The next words he said were not ones that were often uttered in Eloise’s presence. “You need a piece of meat on that,” he said.

Eloise suddenly understood what all those young ladies were talking about when they’d waxed rhapsodic over her brother Colin’s smile (which Eloise found rather ordinary; it was Colin, after all).

He stopped her midsentence. “We will all enjoy ourselves much better with your accompaniment,” he said quite emphatically,

“Two,” Eloise replied. “Twins, actually. A boy and a girl. They’re eight.” “My felicitations,” Anthony murmured. “Thank you,” Phillip answered, feeling rather old and weary in that moment. “Sympathies are probably more to the point.”

“They weren’t especially keen on my presence here,” Eloise said. “Smart children,” Anthony said.

Phillip decided that he needed to learn how to glare like Anthony Bridgerton. He’d have his children in line in no time.

“Good,” Colin muttered, taking a bite. “I’m famished.”

Ugh I missed u Colin

You will always be a Bridgerton, and we behave with honor and honesty, not because it is expected of us, but because that is what we are.”

She looked up at him, wondering when it was that this man, her brother, had become so wise.

“Eloise Bridgerton, I don’t think anyone would ever make the mistake of leaving you behind.”

She nodded, wondering if it could creep up on her. Probably not. She was the sort of person who would need it whacked over the head.

“I had to do something,” she said. “I couldn’t just sit and wait for life to happen to me any longer.” A chuckle burst from her brother’s throat. “Eloise,” he said, “that is the last thing I would ever worry about on your behalf.”

“You happen to life, Eloise,” Anthony said. “You’ve always made your own decisions, always been in control. It might not always feel that way, but it’s true.”

“Shall we return to the dining room?” Anthony queried. “I imagine you’re hungry, and if we tarry much longer, Colin is sure to have eaten our host out of house and home.”

Hehe

Phillip was demonstrating some sort of hand maneuver to Gregory. Then he punched him in the face.

maybe it had taken all of her twenty-eight years to come to this realization, but men were, quite simply, freaks.

Tea

But most of all, she’d had enough of herself, of feeling so out of control, so helpless against the tides of her life.

“I mean that I’ve changed my mind. I’ve decided I don’t have difficulties with women in general, after all. It’s you I find insufferable.”

He hadn’t expected such a direct question. Although heaven knew why not. This was Eloise, after all.

Hercules himself could not carry enough food to suit Colin.

“It only took a moment,” he said with a shrug. He looked at Phillip. “It was the bickering, actually. All the best couples do it.”

Phillip decided then and there that all the Bridgertons ought to be fitted with muzzles.

LOLLLLL

“You were worried,” he said, “that we might not suit.” Her lips parted. He stepped forward. “I think it’s time I showed you that we do.”

HEHEHE ATTITUDE CHECK

“Kiss me,” she whispered. He smiled. “You always order me about.”

she knew that in that moment she no longer belonged to herself. She was his.

He smiled. Slowly. And all he said was, “We’ll suit.”

He wanted to own her, to possess her, and then to lay back and let her torture him until he screamed.

Oop

“Here,” Phillip said magnanimously, handing his gun to Eloise, “have mine.” The four Bridgerton men groaned, but he decided he rather enjoyed annoying them.

“You are going to marry her, aren’t you? Because frankly, if you get her off of our hands and allow her to shoot with you so that she doesn’t pester us, I’ll gladly double her dowry.” Phillip was quite certain at that point that he’d wed her for nothing, but he just grinned and said, “It’s a deal.”

Is it my fault I am so superior? I think not. No more, I suppose, than it is their fault they were born men and thus without the barest hint of common sense or innate good manners.

Whatever his failings as a father, he was making up for all of that by marrying the perfect mother for them.

“Not at all,” Phillip replied. “As you can see, we’re merely . . . ah . . . rearranging the furniture.” “And doing an excellent job of it,” Sophie said brightly.

“Thank God I’m marrying you,” Phillip said under his breath. “Indeed,” she murmured,

“Actually, no. I always thought you might surprise us in the end. You frequently do.”

“My children never disappoint me,” she said softly. “They merely . . . astonish me. I believe I like it that way.”

“I always loved everything about you, of course, but for some reason I always found your impatience especially charming. It was never because you wanted more, it was because you wanted everything.”

“I hope you are well. Please remember that you are my daughter and you will always be my daughter. I love you.”

Violet Bridgerton had never wanted for anything, but her true wealth lay in her wisdom and her love, and it occurred to Eloise, as she watched Violet turn back to the door, that she was more than just her mother—she was everything that Eloise aspired to be.

His for eternity. It was hard to imagine how he had been so lucky, but he resolved not to wonder at his good fortune, just to enjoy it.

It was a heavenly dress—he’d heard her sister Daphne say that to her earlier that day. But it was even more heavenly to rid her of it.

“Who did this to you?” Her voice was low and angry, and her outrage warmed his heart.

WHO DID THIS TO YOU REVERSED IKTR

And then he couldn’t help it. He laughed. He threw his head back and laughed. She was absolutely perfect, naked and angry, ready to march down to hell itself to drag his father out for a tongue-lashing.

He shook his head in wonder. “You are magnificent.” “I keep telling everyone that,” she said with a nonchalant shrug, “but you seem to be the only one to believe me.”