The ball had gone on well into the early hours of the night as debutants and gentlemen alike searched and mingled about looking for their potential partners.

Except that is for Benedict Bridgerton...

You see, he only came to keep eyes on his sister Eloise in her journey to find an appropriate suitor. In a means to avoid any eye contact with those of the debutants, he stationed himself near the wine table. And Benedict was never one to turn down a good glass of wine...

Which lead to him becoming completely inebriated and Eloise searching you out, a childhood family friend, someone very close to Benedict, to escort him home.

With no complaints from him on leaving the ball earlier, you both left the ball and began the journey back to his home. Even though that was easier said than done, as you watched him stumble on his feet, words slurred and eyes hazy as he yapped on about the stars in the night sky.