Series Summary: After being hidden away for most of your life due to a condition that doesn't even have a name yet, changing circumstances force your family to finally allow you to make your debut.
Chapter Summary: Confrontation
Word Count: 1,120
A/N: Not sure if anyone is still reading this story, but I figured I'd publish the last chapter I wrote. Hope you enjoy!
You were more annoyed than you were nervous to see your Uncle stood not ten feet in front of you.
You were supposed to be wrapped up in wedded bliss, not dealing with unwanted relatives.
“I just wanted to congratulate the happy couple in person.”
Was the unconvincing statement that followed your Uncle’s rude greeting.
“I do not recall sending you an invitation.”
Was your cold reply.
“No, I read all about your fast nuptials in the papers. I suppose Lady Whistledown was correct when she predicted wedding bells around the corner—”
“Have care for how you speak to my wife, sir.”
Anthony strongly interjected. Taking a protective stance in front of you, he continued by saying,
“We may have just been wed but I still demand you respect this lady in my presence.”
The look on the older gentleman’s face showed he was impressed by the defence that came to your aid.
With a superior attitude, he said,
“So, I suppose you are the Viscount the columns mentioned?”
“I am her husband, Lord Bridgerton.”
Your Uncle looked your husband up and down as if he was comparing their sizes and you could tell when he realized he had the disadvantage.
Your intrusive relative was older, but there was no doubting that Anthony was stronger in every sense of the word.
It touched your heart to see his willingness to defend you. But still, you placed a gloved hand against his foreman and took a step forward to stand by his side.
“Thank you, darling. But I can handle him.”
“Oh really?” your Uncle chimed in. “How can you live with yourself knowing you have deprived your innocent cousin of what naturally belongs to him?”
“My father’s will said otherwise, dear sir. And as of this morning, the law says everything I have will now be shared between my husband and I. You have lost.”
“I know you only did this to hurt me!” Your Uncle exclaimed. You and your husband each took a step back as he locked eyes with Anthony and said,
“Did she tell you why she truly married you? Did she tell you who she truly is??”
Concerned by the crazed look in his eyes, you clutched at the Viscount’s shoulder as you heatedly responded,
“I hide nothing from my husband!”
Scoffing as if the very words were hard to believe, your Uncle continued with his questions.
“Did she tell you the women in her family are mad as hatters? Just look at her Aunt! Completely off her rocker after our son was born. Thus, I had no choice but to send her to an asylum. It is a shame pneumonia took her, but it was better for everyone that she was confined away.”
Unable to help the horrified expression on your face, your voice was quiet as you said,
“You kill your wife with your callous indifference and wonder why I married with such haste? I did it to be safe from you.” Grabbing your husband’s hand and interlocking your fingers with his, you finished by confidently declaring,
“And I do not regret my choice.”
Slapping his hands together and excitedly pointing your way, your Uncle vehemently addressed the Viscount as he said,
“You see? She is just using you! You should lock her up as I would have done.” Turning to face you, he spat out, “You may have kept your father’s fortune but you will not be able to escape justice!”
He unexpectedly stumbled backwards as Anthony pushed his hand into the other man’s chest.
Your Uncle was shocked into silence at the use of physical force and could only stare as your husband started to say with a touch of aggression,
“You are standing too close to my wife, sir.”
The Viscount simply adjusted the cufflink on his offending hand as he smoothly continued.
“I have already reminded you once to speak to her with respect and I will not remind you again. Be assured, I am using her just as much as she is using me because I am in love with her and refuse to be parted from her from here on out.”
“What?” you quietly gasped, but Anthony only went on uninterrupted.
“If she had to marry me to escape your evil clutches then I am glad I was there to be a saving grace.”
Squeezing your hand, he said,
“I will show her the care that she was deprived of all her life. I will cherish her like the woman she is, and I will never be so heartless in sending her anywhere! She is my wife, and she will remain at my side.”
Both you and your Uncle stared at your husband in shock, and you could only let out a breathless,
“My darling…”
Before you heard the sound of your mother’s voice from behind.
“What are you doing here?!”
She scathingly asked as she left the carriage stopped behind your own and took in your unwanted intruder.
Your Uncle looked like he was about to have another go at all of you until an unexpected arrival prevented him from doing so.
“Father, please! Hold your tongue.”
The sight of your cousin stopped everyone in their tracks as he worked on pacifying your Uncle.
“I told you no good would come from this. You should have listened when I told you I do not want the money!”
“It is your birthright!” Your Uncle exclaimed.
“It does not matter to me!” Your cousin passionately replied.
His father took in the face of his pleading son and the faces of those around him as he noticed he was outnumbered and let out a drawn, defeated sigh.
“You will never be a happy as you could have been.”
Was all he sneered to his son before he stalked off.
Your cousin then turned with a small and bashful smile on his face as he said,
“My apologies for that. My father has gone a bit overboard since I declared I wanted to dedicate my life to the clergy, but I promise he will not be bothering you again.”
He shook hands with the Viscount and shared a brief smile with you before saying his goodbyes and following after his father.
Your mother turned to the both of you and quickly asked,
“Are you two alright?”
You hurried to reassure her as you said,
“Yes, we are fine. We will see you inside.”
Nodding, the dowager Countess went to the decor as your turned to face the Viscount.
“Did you mean it?”
Your eyes searched his as he quietly replied,
“Every word.”
And after a brief moment, there was no resisting the pull you felt to bring your lips to his.
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Series Summary: After being hidden away for most of your life due to a condition that doesn't even have a name yet, changing circumstances force your family to finally allow you to make your debut.
The music continued to play on and you and the Viscount continued to dance along to it.
As you passed by other couples presently on the floor, your partner chose to speak.
“I want to offer my sincere apologies for my behavior. I never meant to offend, I just think my mouth gets away with me sometimes.”
He then followed up by admitting with a slight chuckle,
“And you make me nervous.”
As the surprise showed on your face at such a statement, you returned your gaze to your neighbor’s as you said,
“Me? I mean nothing, what could I have possibly done to make you nervous?”
With a reassuring smile, Anthony said,
“That is simply not true, you mean a great deal. That is why you remind me of someone I met once before.”
“Oh really?” You said with humor in your voice, “And what makes you draw such a comparison?”
Giving a fond smile of remembrance, your partner responded with,
“She was direct, like you. And please believe I mean that in the best way possible.”
Letting out a small laugh at the supposed compliment, you could not help asking,
“And what did this person do that left such an impression?”
Looking down as he huffed out a smile himself, the Viscount then shocked you into a state of disbelief when he replied by saying,
“She actually kissed me the first time we met. It was during a masquerade ball five years ago and I never got her name. So I was unable to find her again despite my best efforts to do so.”
So caught up in your astonishment, you missed a step of the dance and unintentionally bumped into your partner.
Stumbling a little as you both came to a stop, you rushed to say with a hint of nerves,
“Please forgive me!”
Your mind raced as you tried to process the new information you had just learned and your sudden silence caused the Viscount immediate concern.
“My lady, are you alright?”
“Yes!”
You responded with an affirmative nod of your head.
Needing to confirm if this was truly happening, you had no choice but to quietly ask as you stood still on the dance floor,
“Do you have a small scar on your left wrist?”
Perplexed by such a random question, Anthony drew his brows together as he said,
“Pardon?”
Trying not to let those nerves get to you, you repeated yourself more firmly.
“A scar! Do you have one on your left wrist?”
Unsure of where you were going with this, your neighbor hesitatingly responded with,
“Um…yes? I got it when I—”
“—When you fell off a horse as a child.”
You unexpectedly interrupted.
Now feeling a touch of astonishment himself, Anthony went on to say with amazement,
“Yes, that is correct! How did you know that?”
But you could not answer as you finally realized who the person in front of you was.
Letting out an unintended gasp that seemed to startle your partner, you quickly said,
“Please excuse me, I need to get some air.”
And gave a brief curtsy before hurriedly making your way to the terrace doors without waiting for a reply.
Racing onto the garden’s secluded overlooking-balcony, you rushed to lean against the edge as you struggled to take in a breath.
Having slammed your hands down the moment you got there, your grip was tight against the railing as you tried and failed to compose yourself.
Oh, not here.
Not now!
But you had no say in the matter as your body betrayed you by succumbing to the attack brought on by your sudden anxieties.
Your chest continued to heave and tears began to well in your eyes at your inability to suck in any air.
You were a panting mess, unsure of what to do other than wait out this misery, when the call of your name cut through the otherwise quiet night.
“Your Ladyship? Is there anything I can do to help?”
But the voice of the Viscount was the last thing you wanted to hear.
“N-no, thank you. Give me a moment and I will be f-fine.”
But the Viscount ignored your wishes and joined you at the balcony’s edge anyway.
In an attempt not to startle you further, Anthony slowly covered one of your gloved hands with his own.
Surprised, you looked his way as he calmly said,
“Tell me five things you can see.”
Unsure of what he meant, you replied with,
“I am s-sorry?”
Turning to you with kind eyes, he simply repeated himself.
“Look around and tell me five things you can see.”
Not currently in a state of mind to argue, you simply complied.
“I-I see my shaking hands. I see the beautiful balcony we are standing on. I see you in all of your finery, the flowered garden, and the twinkling night sky.”
“Good. Now tell me four things you can touch or is touching you.”
Still confused, but able to focus a little better now, you said,
“Um, I am touching the rail. My feet are touching the ground. My dress is touching my body, and you are touching my hand.”
After taking that hand comfortingly in his grasp, he continued,
“Great. Then go ahead and tell me three things you can hear.”
Finally able to take in your first deep breath, you went on to say,
“I, uh, I can hear the music from the party, the sound of people talking, and the sound of your voice next to me.”
Taking notice of your slowly shifting demeanor, he kept going.
“Excellent! Now, two things you can smell.”
Having to think about this one a bit more, you did not even notice how easy it was to inhale before you replied,
“I smell the roses in the garden and whatever scent you are currently wearing.”
With a proud smile, Anthony said,
“You are doing amazing. Now finally, tell me one thing you can taste.”
Closing your eyes and pondering on the flavor in your mouth, you decided to answer with,
“I can taste the champagne I had earlier.”
And after not hearing any more strange requests come through, you returned your gaze to his and were surprised to see such contentment in them after what just occurred.
“Why do you stare at me like that?”
You curiously asked.
“Because you are no longer in the throws of your attack, and that makes me happy.”
That is when it struck you that you were no longer struggling to breathe.
That is when it also struck you that he was the reason you were able to do so.
In all the years you had been plagued with these anxiety-inducing spells, not once were you able to calm yourself as quickly as he had been able to.
Astounded, you asked,
“How did you know how to do that?”
Giving a brief smile, then raising your still-held hand up to his lips so that he may place a kiss on the back of your covered knuckles, your rescuer went on to astonish you some more when he said,
“I looked up how to help with such a problem after you told me you suffered from these attacks on the day we met all those years ago. I am glad to see my time researching was not done in vain.”
And that was when you realized this man knew that he was more than just your simple neighbor. This unexpected revelation consequently filled you with so much anticipation for the evening ahead, that you had no choice but to allow your own contented smile to grace your lips.
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Series Summary: After being hidden away for most of your life due to a condition that doesn't even have a name yet, changing circumstances force your family to finally allow you to make your debut.
Chapter Summary: Expectations
Word Count: 1,075
A/N: Shout out to @i-do-not-care-bear for their awesome comments! They inspired me to write chapter 5 :)
So preoccupied with the encounter you just had, you did not stop to think about what awaited you when you returned home.
Though you should have probably guessed your mother’s reaction would not be one that was pleased upon realizing you were gone, you were prevented from thinking about the potential consequences of your actions due to your latest interaction replaying over and over again in your head.
What had he meant by saying his behavior was anything but peculiar? If anything, the confusing feelings he just left you with proved his conduct was quite strange indeed!
The nerve of this man.
To disparage your mother’s name in one breath, then try to claim flattery in the next.
While you always conceded to the fact that you had grown up a little more different than most people, you were not so naive as to believe everything anyone said.
As you walked back through your front door, you were reminded of another time you took a basic stranger at their word all those years ago, and you refused to voluntarily get burned again for doing so.
But the memories stopped in their trek just as soon as you did when you finally walked over the threshold of the door and spotted your mother pacing in the foyer.
“Ah, there you two are. So it seems I will not have to send for the watchmen after all.”
Both you and Sophie paused in the doorway as you took in your mother’s words while she continued her uninterrupted walking back and forth.
After a few moments of tense silence, you finally turned to your lady’s maid and said,
“Why not put those flowers in some water? And after you have, you can be dismissed for the rest of the day.”
Nodding with a curtsy, Sophie went off to follow your instructions, thus leaving you alone with the dowager in the entrance hall.
Before she was completely out of view, you gestured toward the yellow bouquet in her hands and tentatively opened your mouth to say,
“Lord Bridgerton has bought you some flowers as an apology for his intrusion the other morning.”
“Has he? And what exactly have you brought to apologize for your impertinence today?”
She asked as she abruptly stopped her pacing in order to face you.
With a sigh, you tiredly breathed out,
“Mama…”
“Yes? Go on, I am listening.”
“Mother, please. I do not believe I am being rude or impertinent just because I left the house without informing you.”
Scoffing, the dowager Countess replied.
“Oh really? Your father and I raised you to follow the rules and what? Now that he is gone you think they do not apply anymore??”
In your frustration, your response was a little heated.
“I do follow the rules! You said if I wanted to go out, I must be accompanied by a chaperone. I was! So what more do you want from me?”
Unable to keep from snapping, your mother went on to say,
“I want you to understand the precariousness of our situation!”
In a pleading tone, you replied,
“But what do you mean by that?”
Heaving a heavy sigh of her own at seeing the plain confusion now on your face, you watched as your maternal figure took a moment to compose herself by raising one of her wrists to rest on her forehead.
After putting both hands back by her side, she walked over to you and led you both to sit on the bench that rested next to the closed front door.
Speaking in a grave voice, she said,
“Your father has done you a great service in leaving you the entirety of his estate. But in doing so, he has pitted you against your cousin, his sister’s son, who is now heir to your father’s title by law but not his lands or wealth according to the will. And his father, your Uncle, will not stand for it.”
Understanding began to dawn on you as she continued while holding your hands in hers.
“That is why he stormed out of the solicitor’s office at the reading of your father’s will. All the money and deeds of property he thought would be theirs, was now suddenly all of yours. And this was evidently too much to bear given his hasty exit.”
Avoiding your gaze, she swallowed as she pulled an envelope out of the pocket in her dress and then presented it to you.
“So I probably should have expected the letter I received today, but I am still abhored to know he is going to even consider doing such a thing.”
Becoming concerned at seeing the tears starting to well up in your mother’s eyes, you imploringly asked,
“What will he do, Mama?”
Taking in a shaky breath, the dowager Countess gave her regretful reply.
“Your Uncle is threatening to challenge the will on the basis that you are not mentally fit enough for the responsibilities of your inheritance.”
Indignantly gasping, you then went on to hastily open the offered letter in order to read the words for yourself.
And sure enough, written clear as day was his threat.
Struggling to understand what the implications would be should this threat be carried out, you worriedly found your mother’s gaze and said,
“But what evidence has he to make such a claim?”
As if just speaking the words hurt her, your mother responded.
“With your apparent reclusiveness being published in Lady Whistledown, he is claiming that this is proof of your unfit state.”
Scoffing because you simply could not believe what you were hearing, you asked,
“That is a gossip column, is it not? How does that even equate to evidence??”
Seeing the hesitation in your mother’s face, you promptingly said,
“Mama, what is it?”
Realizing there was no longer any way to keep this from you, the dowager Countess finally revealed,
“Because…making a recluse out of a woman deemed different is what they do to the women in your father’s family. Your grandfather did it with your grandmother when she lost her wits. He then warned your Uncle to do the same with your Aunt when something similar happened to her after the birth of their son."
And all you could remember in that moment was feeling your heart drop as your mother finished by saying,
“Child, he sent her to an asylum. And now, he wants to do the same to you.”
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Series Summary: After being hidden away for most of your life due to a condition that doesn't even have a name yet, changing circumstances force your family to finally allow you to make your debut.
You were in a trance as you made your little squares on the carpeted floor above the ballroom.
The lovely music continued to serenade you both as you moved back and forth, to and from.
You are sure you would have danced through the whole song in silence had your inexperience not caused you to accidentally step on your partner’s toes.
“My deepest apologies!”
But your new friend made it easy to laugh off your mistake as he said with a chuckle,
“No harm done, madam. I assure you.”
As he looked into your eyes with suppressed humor in his, you could not stop yourself from letting out a laugh yourself,
You both stopped your waltz as you took a moment to get recomposed. The young man across from you took notice of your apprehensive joy as you said with a bright grin on your face,
“Despite my novice performance, I am glad I at least tried it. My father would have never allowed me to do such a thing.”
Hearing that reminded Anthony of the words he had heard earlier when he made his way to the second level of the house. He remembered you mentioning something about a condition of yours making your father think you were ineligible for marriage.
An odd sentiment and one that left him rather curious to learn more.
“And why is that?” The heir to the viscountcy asked, “Would he object so very much to you being here unchaperoned?”
Surprised by the suggestion, you did not even think as you disagreed and said,
“No, I was referring to my talking to a stranger. I have never done so before.”
But the more you said, the more questions Anthony had.
“How can that be? You look almost of age. Surely you have met other people in your lifetime.”
You turned away from him with a bashful smile on your face as you responded.
“My parents say that I am not normal, and society would not understand a creature such as myself. Therefore, they keep me hidden away so that I am doomed to the life of a spinster since that is all I am apparently capable of achieving.”
Starting to comprehend your situation a little better, the eldest Bridgerton was genuine as he said,
“I may not know you well, but I do know enough to believe your forced seclusion will not prevent you from marrying.”
“But how can you be so sure? I have never socialized before, and I am quite convinced I will scare you off any moment now.”
With an amused huff, Anthony slowly reached for your gloved hand and raised it to his lips. Planting a soft kiss on the back of it, he looked into your eyes in order to reassuringly say,
“I promise, you will not frighten me away. And I am sure because you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.”
And you could not deny the warm feeling that suddenly swept over you as were pinned into place by his sincere gaze.
___________________________
You were brought back to the present day by the loud, echoing voice of the archbishop stood in front of you within the church.
As you took a glance to your right at your fiancé, you could not help but wonder if he meant what he had said all those years ago on the night you met.
In fact, as your wedding pressed forward, you became more and more curious about the mindset of your husband-to-be.
There was no doubting the true nobility of a man who would sacrifice himself so that your reputation would not be ruined.
In the days leading up to your speedy matrimony, courtesy of a special license, you were mainly unsure about how to express your gratitude. Over the last week, you and the Viscount had encountered each other a few times as your Mamas planned the spontaneous event, and all you could manage in that time was saying hello and goodbye.
Talking to him used to feel so easy, but with you feeling like he had fallen on his sword to protect your honor, you were now feeling terribly guilty.
And that guilt led to some admitted awkwardness.
“My lady?”
Blinking back to attention, you looked at the priest as he repeated himself.
“Do you take Lord Bridgerton to be your husband?”
Realizing you had missed your original cue, you were quick to say,
“Yes, I do.”
As the archbishop smiled, he then proudly pronounced you man and wife to those gathered in the pews for your wedding.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
You felt yourself freeze for a moment before turning to face Anthony. For the first time in days, you raised your gaze to his as he lifted the lace veil from your face.
There was so much to be said, and no time to speak before his lips were on yours in the most delicate of kisses.
He slowly pulled back, and his eyes spoke volumes as the applause of your audience pulled you away from one another.
You took his arm as he escorted you down the aisle, but you each paused at the first row.
You, so you could quickly hug the Countess.
Him, so he could receive a maternal kiss of pride to the cheek from his mother.
“You are Viscountess Bridgerton now,” Your Mama whispered into your ear as you embraced. “May you always be happy, my beautiful daughter.”
Pulling back with a teary smile, you thanked her as you returned to your husband’s side. You both made your way out and into the carriage waiting for you in front of the church.
And for the first time since the ball last week, you and the Viscount were alone.
You realized this as the door closed and you were stuck staring at one another across the way in the confined space.
A few more moments of this passed before you abruptly broke the silence.
“I am sorry!”
Anthony looked confused as he asked,
“What are you apologizing for?”
You felt the horses pull off in the direction of your home for the wedding breakfast as you answered.
“You were forced to marry me because I could not control my attack. I am so sorry for the regrets you must feel being tied to someone like me.”
Without hesitation, your husband swiftly reached across the aisle to grab your hand in his as he imploringly said,
“I have no regrets! I promised you when we met that you would not frighten me away and I meant it. I spent years looking for you and I could not be more grateful that we are now tied together for the rest of our lives.”
Soothingly stroking your wrist with his thumb, he continued by reverently saying with a kind smile,
“What an absolute privilege.”
Feeling reassured in the best way, you squeezed your husband’s hand in gratitude for his words and smiled when he squeezed back.
“We have arrived, my Lord.”
Said the chauffeur as he got down from the driver’s seat.
Helping you out of the carriage, Anthony went back to holding your hand once you were both upright on the sidewalk.
He made it a point to stare into your eyes as he brushed a kiss to your knuckles, and you felt flutters in your stomach at the obvious show of affection.
You would have stayed in your own little world had it not been for the sound of a condescending voice coming from the stoop.
“Hello, niece.”
Turning, you immediately felt your heart drop at the sight of your Uncle unexpectedly standing in front of your house.
TAG POLICY: If you wish to be tagged in this story, you will be required to leave a comment for each chapter you are tagged in. A comment is considered to be any kind of feedback you can give about my story (a detail you noticed, a conversation you liked, a scene you enjoyed, etc.). Please do not ask to be tagged if you are unwilling to follow this rule. If you do ask to be tagged, and fail to follow this rule, you will lose access to my story. Please note: Comments that are made up entirely of emojis or key smashes do not count. Leave a thumbs up (👍) in your tag request to let me know you have read and agree to this policy in order to be added.
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Series Summary: After being hidden away for most of your life due to a condition that doesn't even have a name yet, changing circumstances force your family to finally allow you to make your debut.
It was an odd thing, officially getting ready for a ball.
Since you were required to do so in secret the last time you attended one, you were not aware that so much of the household staff was involved in the preparations.
From the housekeeper who had your attire cleaned, the butler who had received your invitation for the night, the ladysmaid that woke you for the day, and the housemaid who had drawn you a bath, you were beginning to understand that much went into a day like this.
After Sophie helped to dress you for the evening ahead, and then handed you your gloves to don for the night, you were left on your own within the walls of your bedroom. You looked at the reflection staring back at you in the mirror as a bundle of nerves started to overtake you.
A picture of elegance laid ahead, and there was no denying this. But that still did not prevent you from fearing the future that had yet to occur.
You watched yourself take in a calming breath and tried to alleviate your inner anxiety with the reminder that nothing would go wrong.
Before you could fall into the soothing cycle of repeating that phrase to yourself over and over again, your mother entered the room with a small, square box in her grasp.
As she neared you, she looked down and opened its lid in order to reveal the contents inside.
Trying your best not to gawk, you reverently reached your hand out to lightly touch the exquisite, diamond necklace nestled within as your mother began to say,
“Your father gave this to me on the first anniversary we ever shared. He told me it had been in his family for generations.”
Looking up to you with pride shining in her eyes, she continued.
“And so, it would mean a great deal if you were to wear it tonight. That way, no one will be able to doubt how brilliant my daughter is.”
Incredibly touched by her words, you gave a small nod accompanied by a watery smile as you received such an honor.
Turning to face the mirror once again so that she may lay the necklace across your collarbone, you then saw the maternal look of approval on your Mama’s face as she also took in your reflection.
“As long as you are yourself, you will be perfect.”
And with that final piece of advice, you both made your way to the carriage.
On your way to the party, it hit you how much your life had changed in a single week.
After receiving that letter from your Uncle, your mother had finally decided the time for rules had passed with your father.
Therefore, she came to the conclusion that the best way to prove your entitled relative wrong was to have you formally introduced to society. For if you were seen at a gathering every now and again, how could he claim you were a recluse?
Consequently, the orders to stay indoors went away.
Instead, your mother began encouraging you to step outside your usual confines in order to seek the attention of those known to the public, something you still were not used to.
As you entered the lively soiree, you were secretly glad your real first ball had at least prepared you for the grandeur of this one. You were about to make your way to the refreshment table with your Mama in toe when you were both intercepted by an annoyingly familiar face.
“Ah, your Ladyship! And the Countess, how lovely to see you both here.”
Said your handsome neighbor as he greeted you with poorly concealed delight.
“This is the perfect opportunity to introduce you to my mother, Violet Bridgerton, who has been dying to meet the two of you for some time now.”
Turning to the older woman standing at his side, you each gave a respectful bow to the dowager Viscountess and she gave one in return before opening her mouth to say,
“I was just telling Anthony how much I love what you have done with those flowers in front of your home. It makes our neighborhood much livelier in comparison.”
Your response was one of gratitude as you said,
“Thank you, but I must admit I cannot take the credit. The garden out front was all of Mama’s handiwork, not mine.”
Nodding with understanding, Lady Bridgerton then looked to your mother as she replied.
“Truly? Then I must ask the Countess if she will oblige me a moment of her time so that I may learn her secrets? Perhaps the children could share a dance while we talk?”
Feeling immediate panic at hearing her suggestion, you were forced to tamper it down after your Mama gave you an entreating look and said,
“Of course, Lady Bridgerton. I am certain my daughter will be safe in the hands of your son.”
Meaning that in more ways than you currently understood, you watched as they walked off together leaving you to take the already offered arm of the Viscount.
While he guided you to the dance floor you could not help but to let him know as a mere fact,
“I still do not like you.”
Smiling as if he was prepared for your barb, your partner for the upcoming waltz curiously responded with,
“And why is that? Have I caused such great offense with my ill-timed words during our last meeting?”
Without thinking of the impact of your response, you were unintentionally honest as you finally neared the open space.
“No, I think you are a man who is very careful about the words you use. That is how I know you meant what you said about my mother. That is also how I know that though you were a young boy when you inherited your station, you are now a grown man who does not know how to apologize when you are in the wrong.”
After taking your place apart from one another, you saw the now troubled expression on your partner’s face.
As the music began to play, you started to feel some unease about your apparent bluntness and decided to say,
“I am sorry, I meant no offense—”
“If anyone is to apologize, it should be me.”
He interjected while making eye contact with you.
“Especially when you are right.”
And it did not escape your attention that his close proximity had set your already frazzled nerves alight as you moved together to the sound of the orchestra dreamily playing in the background.
TAG POLICY: If you wish to be tagged in this story, you will be required to leave a comment for each chapter you are tagged in. A comment is considered to be any kind of feedback you can give about my story (a detail you noticed, a conversation you liked, a scene you enjoyed, etc.). Please do not ask to be tagged if you are unwilling to follow this rule. If you do ask to be tagged, and fail to follow this rule, you will lose access to my story. Please note: Comments that are made up entirely of emojis or key smashes do not count. Leave a thumbs up (👍) in your tag request to let me know you have read and agree to this policy in order to be added.
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Series Summary: After being hidden away for most of your life due to a condition that doesn't even have a name yet, changing circumstances force your family to finally allow you to make your debut.
You asked with more than a hint of incredulousness.
Breaking into a kind smile, the seemingly handsome stranger across from you replied,
“Yes. That is what I said.”
Without thinking, you pointed out,
“But, we are not acquainted.”
“My father is a Viscount and I live in the house next door.”
Giving you a look of encouragement as you realized he was your neighbor, he finished with,
“There! Now we are better acquainted.”
Unable to stop the smile from tugging at your lips regarding his cheekiness, your response was one of truth as you confessed,
“Good sir, while I appreciate the invitation, I unfortunately have never danced before. So I am afraid I will not make a good partner.”
With a note of surprise, the gentleman across from you merely extended his hand out as he said,
“Well, that is easily remedied. Come, I will teach you.”
While you hesitated a moment as you weighed the pros and cons of your next move, you ultimately decided to take his hand.
As he pulled you closer, you immediately began to feel unsure of yourself since you did not know what to do next.
Having never thought you to be capable of even having a conversation with the opposite sex, your father never hired instructors to teach you the proper ways of moving along to music.
Seeing you pause, your partner glided one of his hands down the length of your arm in order to grab the hand he was not already holding.
After lifting it to his shoulder, he then placed his hand against your waist.
As the music playing below hit the next chorus, he led you a step back, to the side, pulled you forward, then took another step with you to the right.
You perfectly repeated each move over and over again, and were making small squares on the carpeted floor of the passageway overlooking the rest of the ball.
It was so effortless that you had to wonder if all dancing was this easy, or if it simply depended on your partner.
As you looked down and smiled at your newfound ability, the one leading you took notice and said,
“Your waltz is wonderful. You are a natural.”
When your smile only widened at the compliment, you knew to say,
“Thank you, kind sir.”
As you gazed into the eyes hidden behind the mask.
~ ~ ~
“So, I suppose this means tonight is not the first time we have danced together.”
A light chuckle accompanied the Viscount’s reply.
“No, I suppose it is not.”
You continued to stare at one another as you finally had to accept that this was happening.
You each turned to face the garden, and the silence would have continued had it not been for the person standing next to you.
“You know, I looked for you.” He quietly said.
When you looked his way with poorly concealed shock at his admission, he only continued.
“After that night. I searched everywhere for a mere glimpse of you. For any piece of information. But no one seemed to know who you were. It was like chasing a ghost. So I was left to wonder about the girl I had met only once, for years.”
Looking down over the railing, he finished with,
“And now that I have finally found you again, I am not certain I can believe this is real.”
Thinking on how to reply for a moment, your response was one of humor as you chose to say,
“Well, I can assure you that I am not a ghost. Very real in fact.”
After huffing a laugh, the Viscount turned to face you and said,
“And I am Anthony. Pleased to meet you again.”
Sharing your name as well with your own small laugh, you then asked,
“But why were you searching for me? I did nothing special on the night we met.”
Anthony gave his response while shaking his head in disagreement.
“On the contrary. As I said earlier tonight, you made quite an impression on me. I wanted to get to know more about you.”
Hesitating for the briefest of seconds, he followed up his previous statement with,
“In fact, that wish of mine has not changed. I still would like to get to know you. Only if you are agreeable, of course.”
Flattery filled you as you understood what he meant.
Having always wondered what happened to the boy you met at your parents’ ball all those years ago, it took no time at all for you to begin nodding your head and say,
“I am indeed agreeable. Come to the house tomorrow for tea. Perhaps we could talk then?”
The relief hit him hard as you gave your consent to his friendly proposal of becoming better acquainted, and he happily replied,
“I should be delighted to do so.”
But you had no time to appreciate what he had said as you then heard the sound of your mother’s voice sharply saying your name from the terrace doorway.
“Dearest! What are you doing out here?”
Feeling like you had been caught doing something you were not supposed to, you quickly stepped away from the Viscount as you said,
“Nothing, Mama! I needed some air, and Lord Bridgerton was just making sure I was alright.”
She considered your story as her eyes bounced between the both of you before saying,
“We are leaving.”
“But Mother—”
“But nothing! You are out here. With a man. Unchaperoned. Let us pray no one has seen you two. Come, we must leave at once.”
Defeated by her logic, you turned with regret in your eyes and said,
“Good evening, Lord Bridgerton. I had a wonderful time.”
Before following your mother’s instructions and making your way over to her.
As you exited the balcony back into the party, you heard Anthony quietly say,
“Good evening, my Lady.”
Then the doors closed, and your Mama began leading you to the carriages.
“You are not to go near that man again. Do you understand?”
Said the Countess as the horses finally pulled off.
And you had no idea how to tell her that you had no intention of following that order.
TAG POLICY: If you wish to be tagged in this story, you will be required to leave a comment for each chapter you are tagged in. A comment is considered to be any kind of feedback you can give about my story (a detail you noticed, a conversation you liked, a scene you enjoyed, etc.). Please do not ask to be tagged if you are unwilling to follow this rule. If you do ask to be tagged, and fail to follow this rule, you will lose access to my story. Please note: Comments that are made up entirely of emojis or key smashes do not count. Leave a thumbs up (👍) in your tag request to let me know you have read and agree to this policy in order to be added.
*TAG REQUESTS THAT DO NOT FOLLOW THIS POLICY MAY BE IGNORED*
Series Summary: After being hidden away for most of your life due to a condition that doesn't even have a name yet, changing circumstances force your family to finally allow you to make your debut.
The clock kept ticking away in the background as you sat in your drawing room the day after the party.
You were seated on one of the decorated couches as you tried to read your novel. As it neared teatime, you could not help but to wonder if the Viscount would keep his word from last night and join you.
With your mind bouncing between hoping he showed up and hoping he stayed away, you were not sure which you preferred.
If he showed up and your mother learned of his presence, there was no telling what she would say upon catching the two of you together again.
But on the other hand, you could not deny the disappointment you would feel if he stayed away.
As your mind continued to flitter back and forth, you were startled out of your thoughts when the door to the drawing room was abruptly thrown open.
“Have you seen this?” Said your mother as she stormed in.
“Seen what?”
Was your perplexed reply.
Throwing the pamphlet in her hand down on the coffee table only helped to emphasize how upset she currently was.
“This week’s Lady Whistledown! It mentions you.”
Picking the piece of paper up and skimming the paragraphs, you replied after you encountered your name.
“She reports that I seemed to have had a good time with Viscount Bridgerton at last night’s ball and wonders if there is to be a wedding soon.”
Putting the pamphlet back down, you looked to your mother with confusion on your face.
“So what? She is just speculating. It is a gossip column, it means nothing.”
Stressing your name to you, the Countess was serious as she said,
“It means everything, my dear. It means someone saw you on the balcony with the Viscount. It means that she wonders about a wedding because she knows that otherwise, you will be a ruined girl if this gets out and you two are not already married.”
Unwilling to believe the severity of the situation, you tried to say,
“Mama, I am sure it is not that serious—”
“Not that serious?” Your mother interjected, “My darling, if your Uncle gets hold of this, he could use it to send you to an asylum!”
Her voice echoed your reality off the walls as your butler suddenly entered the room and formally announced,
“Lord Bridgerton, ma’am.”
Sucking in a breath as you froze in place, you both watched as Anthony walked into the room with a solemn expression on his face.
He properly bowed towards each of you before stiffly turning to your mother in order to ask,
“Her Uncle will do what?”
Apparently shocked into silence, neither of you knew how to answer his question. So he followed up with,
“I gather my actions last night have led to some dire consequences for your daughter, and I am here to rectify that. But I cannot help if I do not have all of the facts. So please, pray tell, what is going on?”
Seeing that your Mama was unwilling to spill your secrets, you felt it best to do so yourself.
“My Uncle has threatened to challenge my father’s will on the basis that I am not mentally fit enough for the responsibilities of my inheritance. He wants me sent to an asylum and stripped of all I was left.”
Resting his hands on his hips as he took in this news, the Viscount had to inquire,
“And does he have any evidence to back his claim?”
Swallowing thickly, you had no choice but to confess,
“Since my parents kept me secluded most of my life, he is using this as proof of my unfit state.”
“But why did your parents seclude you?”
Turning to the Countess instead, he asked her directly.
“Why did you hide your daughter away?”
Heaving a deep sigh, your mother then gave a reply,
“When you know your child is different, you take steps to keep them protected from the world.”
Looking your way as if to ask for permission, she continued after you nodded and gave her the go-ahead.
“My daughter has a condition. No physician we employed could tell us what it was, so we learned how to get through it as a family. Keeping her away from the public was the only way we knew how to ensure her safety.”
Looking at the floor, all Anthony could say was,
“I see.”
And allowed a few moments of silence to pass afterwards.
Then, he said the most unexpected thing.
“Countess, while I admire what you have tried to do, I fear you have underestimated your daughter. She is the most extraordinary person I know, and I would not change one thing about her. Condition or not.”
Turning to lock eyes with you, he finished with,
“That is why I would like to ask for her hand in marriage.”
Hearing this, you could not help but to immediately gasp out,
“What?”
Walking over to you in order to take your other hand in his, he said,
“Your mother is right. My actions last night were careless with your reputation and I refuse to let it be destroyed when I can do something to prevent it.”
“But my Lord, we still hardly know each other. Why would you want to marry me?”
“Because, I have been searching for you for years and I will not let anything happen to you now that I have found you again. If we marry, your Uncle will not have any grounds to stand on since you will legally be my wife. He will have no right to send you anywhere because I will not allow it.”
You looked over his shoulder at your mother, who was watching the exchange, as she gave a silent nod of approval knowing you had no other choice. You looked back at the Viscount as you weighed how you were going to reply. Then you opened your mouth and gave your response.
TAG POLICY: If you wish to be tagged in this story, you will be required to leave a comment for each chapter you are tagged in. A comment is considered to be any kind of feedback you can give about my story (a detail you noticed, a conversation you liked, a scene you enjoyed, etc.). Please do not ask to be tagged if you are unwilling to follow this rule. If you do ask to be tagged, and fail to follow this rule, you will lose access to my story. Please note: Comments that are made up entirely of emojis or key smashes do not count. Leave a thumbs up (👍) in your tag request to let me know you have read and agree to this policy in order to be added.
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Series Summary: Taking a slight twist on your classic Cinderella story, you are the daughter of a Marquis who died when you were 18. Several years later, you are told by your stepmother that you must marry this season, or she will engage you to her elderly Uncle. Having no money of your own, you realize you are going to have to strategize if you are going to avoid such a fate. So it's a good thing you run into a Viscount who sees marriage as a battlefield.
Chapter Summary: You (happily) have tea
Word Count: 1,552
A/N: Because @gxlden-honey thought I was playing when I said her comments would make me post faster, so here it is 😁🤷🏽♀️😉
You pulled up to Bridgerton House feeling tense to say the least.
With every bump in the road, you and Anthony had been thrown together multiple times within the carriage. Profusely apologizing on both ends every time it happened, you both continued the cycle before deciding to accept the inevitable closeness. You still tried to remain as motionless as you could in order to avoid any more incidents, and so, arrived at his beautiful home a little stiff.
However, that stiffness instantly melted away when Anthony climbed out of the carriage first and stuck a hand out to help you down as well. Taking it gratefully, you could not help but notice the gentle firmness of his grip as he held on until you were safely on the ground. But it was Anthony who could not help but wonder how soft your hands might be without the cover of your silk gloves.
When his helping Lady Danbury down did not seem to take nearly as long as your assist did, you tried not to read into it.
Entering Bridgerton House, you were immediately taken with the grand decorum of the foyer before you heard an unexpected exclamation of your name.
Turning, you saw Daphne and her mother making their way towards you from the hallway. Returning the embrace Daphne gave you, you were instantly confused when she pulled away with a smile and said with excitement,
“What ever are you doing here? I thought you could not make it today.”
Not seeing Anthony frantically shaking his head from side to side behind your back until after she finished speaking, Daphne could only freeze when you replied.
“Oh? Well, Lord Bridgerton said you insisted we keep our appointment today...”
Looking back at him for confirmation, you only saw him encouragingly start to nod his head when your gaze fell on him.
You turned back with a weak smile now feeling unsure of yourself. That feeling only grew when the new Duchess unthinkingly said,
"I did?"
Seeing her brother throw his hands up in exasperation behind you and Lady Danbury, she finally understood what was happening and said again with a bit more confidence,
"Yes! I did."
Relieved, you saw her give you a warm smile as she entwined her arms with yours and began to lead you all to the Bridgerton drawing room. She took an unnoticed glance at her brother, before looking at you with a brighter smile. If the peek she took told her anything, it was that you were soon to get an upgrade on your title as her unofficial sister.
You both took seats on the couch as your Aunt, her mother, and the Lord of the house found seats elsewhere. You had thought it odd that Anthony had remained with you all, but before you could dwell on it any longer, your once best friend began to ask you a question she had inquired about the night before.
"So, where have you been?"
Only explaining that you had been staying with your father's sister out of the country, you strategically tried to move the conversation away from such a topic.
"Forget about me though! What about that ring on your finger? Who is the lucky beau?"
Blushing slightly, and glancing down at the diamond with fondness, Daphne told you all about the story between her and her husband, Simon. Telling you she already had a nearly one-year-old baby named Augie, you could not help informing her,
"I am so pleased for you Daphne! Making a love match within our station is so rare. I am very happy it found you!"
Delicately chuckling at your kind words, you both turned towards Lady Bridgerton as she asked with a smile,
"And what of you, my Lady? Have you found anyone who has piqued your interests?"
Taking this moment to take his focus off the letter he was pretending to write as he sat at a table away from the ladies, Anthony made sure to tune into your response.
But being the strategist you were, you evasively answered the question.
"Well, a debutant can never have too many choices."
You said with faux haughtiness. Taking your answer for what it was, Lady Bridgerton gave an amused laugh before it turned into an understanding smile. You all paused to take sips of your tea and after she placed her cup back onto her saucer, Lady Bridgerton decided to ask the girl she practically helped raise another question.
"What of any new hobbies? I know the last time you were here, it was books that called to you."
Smiling bashfully at the reminder of one of your most favorite pastimes, you tried to be modest as you replied.
"Oh, yes, I have definitely picked up a skill or two during my time away."
Giving a slight laugh at your choice of words, Daphne said with a touch of reprimand, "Come now, do not be shy about telling us of what I am sure are your many talents."
Grateful to your friend for the push, you decided to be a bit more forthcoming.
"Well, I suppose I am fond of languages."
Delightfully surprised, Lady Bridgerton repeated your words with a question.
"Oh! Languages, you say?"
Becoming somewhat excited yourself, you continued to explain.
"Yes! I just find them fascinating. Especially the romance languages."
And while Anthony knew that in this case, "romance" was a word referring to a specific group of foreign tongues, he still could not stop himself from freezing as he heard you use it in a sentence. But luckily, no one noticed as all the attention was on you since you were the last to speak. However, it was your Aunt who spoke next.
"Dear girl, what ever is a romance language? Is it some new form of communication for you debutantes to use as you ensnare available men?"
You all gave jovial laughs at the absurd question before you chose to answer anyway.
"Certainly not, Aunt!" You said through your laughter. "The romance languages are modern languages that evolved from Latin. As such, they share grammatical and phonetic similarities. So if you can learn one, it makes learning the others much easier."
Impressed at the way you were able to simplify such an explanation, Lady Bridgerton could not help curiously asking,
"And pray tell, do you speak any of these languages?"
But it was Daphne who began to answer on your behalf.
"Well if French is one such language, I know that she speaks that exceptionally well. She was even the one to help me with my French when the tutor could not break through to me."
Not used to such praise, you almost became shy before you remembered your mother's words that said allowing your light to shine a little did not mean you were dimming someone else's. So you placed a thankful hand over Daphne's, before turning to address the room from your seated position on the couch.
"Yes, French is one such language. I also know Spanish and I am currently trying to learn Italian. It is a goal of mine to learn all five of the most common romance languages spoken in the world."
And then finished your statement by giving a small smile and taking a casual sip of your tea while the rest of the room looked at you with shock.
Not realizing Anthony had been paying attention all this time, you almost jumped when you heard his voice incredulously ask,
"You speak three different languages?"
Surprised, you turned towards him before correcting him with visible confidence and a slightly teasing smile on your lips.
"Forgive me, my Lord, but I know enough Italian for it to be considered four, not three languages."
Instantly deciding that was his favorite look on you, Anthony replied.
"Ah, well if that is the case, then it is I who must beg your pardon."
But since you were feeling slightly emboldened in his presence, you did not think about the rest of your audience when you immediately responded from behind the cover of your tea cup with a touch of innocent playfulness,
"Lord Bridgerton, you may beg for my pardon for as long as you like."
And took another calculated sip as the room once again paused at your words. Every lady present, except for you of course, took a discreet glance at the Viscount in order to gauge his reaction while sly smiles grew on their lips. Speechless at the speed of your wit, Anthony could only stare at you with shock before he quickly joined the joke and composed his expression into one of good-natured deferment as he conceded to your words. Turning back to face the still blank letter sitting on the table in front of him, he rested his elbow on the wooden surface and put one hand to his temple while taking a much needed breath.
As the ladies behind him continued to converse, and you and Daphne continued to catch up, you all once again paid no mind to the Viscount's presence. He wanted to keep it that way since the more he learned about you, the more resolute he became in the decision his mind was making.
