Benedict Highgate

Bones, a character in the A Very Scandalous Proposal book, is one of Simon/Ava Montjoy's friends in his/her elite circle. He is first seen in Chapter 6.

Appearance
Bones has brown eyes, medium length black hair, and tan skin. He sports stubble on his face, and wears a white dress shirt under a light blue-gray suit with black and silver diamond-patterned tie and dark gray handkerchief.

Personality
According to Simon/Ava, Bones is 'a bit aimless, but quite lovable at that.' He is used to the high life, and doesn't blink an eye at spending 2500 pounds on a cocktail. According to Simon/Ava, Bones generally leads the lifestyle of a decadent Roman emperor. He's also rigorously committed to not amounting to much.

Background
His father is the Lord Speaker, the head of the House of Lords in Parliament. According to Simon/Ava, Benedict manages his family's estate, tends to his ever-growing harem of lovers, drinks prodigiously, and does nothing else.

A Very Scandalous Proposal

 * Chapter 6: Out on the Town
 * Chapter 14: Revelations
 * Chapter 16: The Next Generation

Simon/Ava Montjoy
Simon/Ava tells you that Bones and he/she have known each other for a long time because their mothers were best friends; however earlier Simon/Ava mentions that Tommy is the only childhood friend he/she keeps in contact with, inferring that he/she only became better friends with Bones when they attended Kingsbridge together.

Allegra & Archie Windermere
He knows Allegra & Archie Windermere through their time at university together. Simon/Ava mentioned that all their mothers knew each other and were best friends so it is also possible they knew each other since they were children. His nickname "Bones" comes from their time in university, because he enjoyed streaking and in their second year, on All Hallows' Eve he wore skeleton body paint.

Your Character
When he meets you, he flirts with you immediately, atlhough Simon/Ava says he flirts with everyone (and that this is 'his finest quality and greatest character flaw'). You impress him if you order Japanese whiskey. In Chapter 14, you and Simon/Ava take him to dinner to ask him about Tommy. There, he reveals Tommy's true feelings about you and your relationship with Simon/Ava.

Tommy Harrington
He knows Tommy through his friendship with Simon/Ava, and possibly through university since they attended together around the same time. In their group of friends, besides Simon/Ava, Tommy has been closest to Bones. In Chapter 14, Bones says that Tommy has been uncomfortable about his finances for a little while. He only noticed a change over the past week or so, and a few days before the Whittenby Gala, Tommy said he made quite a big payday, which Bones assumed he had made a lucrative trade.

Arabella Fitzwilliams
Arabella Fitzwilliams is Simon/Ava's ex-fiancee. He knew Arabella when she was engaged to Simon/Ava but it is unknown if they remain friends.

Trivia

 * His character model resembles Samuel from Save the Date.
 * He shares the same name as Benedict from Queen B, Book 1.