"Cake's good, isn't it?" On a whim, he grabbed a fork and cut the slice into smaller squares. She'd been gobbling down the cake before, and it wouldn't do to have her choke if she tried to make anymore endearing statements about him. Or to choke at all, but he didn't want to be the cause, even indirectly, of any other deaths.

Bridget didn't choke, though there was a chance that if she kept eating cake at this rate, she'd puke up all over the nicely laid table. She picked up one of the little cubes that Brendan had diced for her and offered it back to him trying to pop it in his mouth. "Bren'an have... have cake!" she grinned. 

It was kind of eerie how the Wentworths were all sitting there watching them, not saying a word. Sitting. Judging. Like a panel of Magistrates. And by what right? By the right of law, technically. Poor Brendan, Bridget was quite oblivious to it, but he was on trial here, on trial in a wordless, silent hearing.

The two things he had on his side were both intangible: intangible but strong. The first was love: the love that he and Bridget bore for each other. The second was maybe less important, but perhaps it at least counted for something: that was friendship: the fact that Mr Pettigrew, Arabella and Jemima, and maybe Miriam, too, (who knew? she was such a quiet little mouse) all of them were thinking and hoping and praying for the couple, hoping that this strange tea-party went well, and that their friends could be together again permanently very soon.

For his part, Charles was quite content to remain silent as he observed Brendan and Bridget.  From what he could gather, the pair had never been in each other's company for more than a few hours and this was what worried him.  Brendan had no real idea of what it took to take care of Bridget.

He wanted to find out more about Brendan and how he intended to provide for Bridget if they were allowed to be married.  It was evident that Brendan had some sort of love for Bridget but was it enough to overcome the difficulties that were already present and would come in the future.  Then there was the matter of finances and unless Brendan fell into a pot of gold, he would have to work six days a week which would leave Bridget at home to fend for herself.

Turning to Brendan, Charles cleared his thought before addressing the young man, "We find it very admirable that you care deeply for Bridget and are willing to do what we have asked so far but we do need to know more.  Do you have what it is really needed to take care of her and most importantly, do you understand the enormity of what is required to do so?"

@Bailey

@Javia

As he often did when faced with an unknown or a shortcoming, he frowned, becoming defensive. "I got a job, if that's what you mean. I'm savin' money. I love her. Ain't that enough?" He paused, not wanting to sound combative. The Wentworths were Bridget's guardians, and would have the final say in whether he could see her again or not. He didn't want to be disrespectful of that.

Bridget might not be able to put her feelings into words very well, but those feelings for Brendan were deep and empathetic: she knew he was feeling attacked. The best she could do was to face the Wentworths and chime in "Love Brendan!"

He sat back in his chair, feeling for Bridget's hand. "I guess you better explain the enormity to me," he muttered. It was obvious the Wentworths knew things he didn't. He didn't want his bubble of temporary happiness to be burst, but he needed to know the reality of how things stood with him and Bridget.

Bridget took his hand eagerly and squeezed it encouraingly: for brain-damaged as she was, she was not inert, and, in her free, previous life, had proactively gone about many activities (even if they were questionable ones, like her obsessive hunt for dropped pennies) She faced the Inquisitors again and nodded "Norm-ity" thinking that she was standing up for his cause, without really knowing what was going on. 

Rebecca smiled, "Brendan, it is clear that you harbour strong feelings for Bridget, or you wouldn't be here today and if love was the only consideration then we would be happy to approve of you courting and perhaps marrying Bridget."

She sighed, "However, no matter how much you love Bridget, will you be able to withstand the responsibility of taking care of her full-time while holding down a job that requires you to be away from home for many hours each day?"

There was more she wanted to say but that would have to wait until later when Bridget wasn't around.

@Javia @Bailey

Brendan frowned at Rebecca's words, working his jaw back and forth. "I--don't know. He squeezed Bridget's hand to draw some reassurance from her and glanced at Bonnie. "Miss Campbell, you've been Bridget's friend here. If we got married, do you think we would need someone to...stay with us? Be her...friend like you are?"

Bridget wasn't really following the exact train of the conversation, but if she had, and was given the chance to choose such a companion, she would undoubtedly plonk for Miss Caroline Mundee, because she had such a pretty singing voice and never wore a hat and had a bright red dress and when you closed your eyes you could still see a funny green image of that dress, that's how bright red it was. She'd become so excited about this, and explained it, with great stammering difficulty, to Arabella, who had agreed - "You bet Bridge, that dress is as red as that there pimple on your nose."

So, anyway, digressions aside, Bridget didn't exactly understand the words, but she somehow sensed the worry in the man she loved, so she squeezed his hand right back, and gave him that sunflower smile which had driven away his blue devils in happier times than these.

Bonnie meekly smiled.  Brendan was reaching out to her for her advice and quite possibly her help. She could see the child-like adoration that Bridget had for Brendan, and it sadden her.  What concerned her the most was that even though Brendan was willing to take on the responsibility of caring for Bridget, would he want to years from now?

"If you could find someone suitable, then yes that help your cause," Bonnie said solemnly, "However, it would have to be somebody who is willing to take on such a long-term commitment.  Somebody who is willing to forego their own plans and possibly wishes."

She hoped she didn't sound too harsh but that was the reality of the situation for both Brendan and anyone he could afford to employ to help look after Bridget.  Brendan had hinted in way that he was hoping that she would be the one, but Bonnie wasn't quite that sure.  Bridget wasn't her only charge here in the Wentworth house.  After her attack, Ruth was now an invalid and needed her help. Besides, there was something else...or rather someone else.  She mentally shook her head and reminded herself that it was too early to be thinking of such things.

Returning her attention to Brendan, she sighed, "Bridget is a dear and taking care of her has been a delight.  I will be happy to give you some advice later on what your home will require to make life comfortable for her there.  However, I think for we should enjoy the rest of our afternoon tea, don't you agree Bridget?"

@Bailey @Javia