THE ORIGINAL BRIDGERTON FANFICTION
Aurora Grey, only daughter of Earl Grey and new closest friend to Daphne Bridgerton is an energetic and thoroughly intellectual girl from the North.
Much like the other ladies of the aristocracy, Aurora is dragged...
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Aurora and Anthony were now stood in the Bridgerton reception room and, whilst it had seemed most comforting to Aurora earlier on that day, the sudden isolation in which she was surounded made the room feel cold.
Of course she was not unaware of why Lord Bridgerton had requested a private audience with her - there was only one reason why he should choose to do so - but she could not fathom why he should wish to make a proposal to her. They had met only a handful of times and nearly every meeting so far had ended in a disagreement.
In Aurora’s eyes the two could not be more ill suited to each other. And, should the opportunity arise, she would not hesitate to tell the young viscount her feelings on the matter.
Alas, she did not have long to contemplate these feelings as almost as soon as he had closed the door to the room, Anthony began speaking.
“My Lady I will not detain you for long, as I am sure you have other places to be. To be quite frank with you I would like to take you as my wife.”
At this Anthony Bridgerton stopped talking and looked the young woman dead in the eye. Had it not been for the seriousness on his face she thought she should surely explode with laughter. Thankfully, however, she was able to contain herself and, after a couple of moments, had summoned the ability to respond.
“I am most honoured that you would consider me, my Lord.” Aurora began, fighting back a smile, “but I simply cannot accept a stranger to be my husband. Especially one who does not have my father’s blessing.”
Anthony breathed in deeply and took a step towards her, causing the two to accidentally catch each other’s gaze.
“You refuse me?”
Aurora was startled by the sense of pain that accompanied his response.
“It is only that we know so little of each other, and what I have seen of you is - I’m sure - not your finest qualities. I would not be married to a man I hardly know. Perhaps you do not understand, my Lord, but I woman such as myself is afforded little opportunity in this world. There are few things within our control and marriage is rarely one of them. But if I am lucky enough to have some say in my future then you can be certain that I will not marry someone with whom I have had but four conversations!”
If Anthony was surprised at her outburst he did not show it. Instead, he walked to the small table that sat beside one of the chaise longs and procured a small brown book. He then returned to his previous position, no less than two meters from Aurora and handed her the book.
“I am sorry if you feel that way. Perhaps it was wrong of me to ask such a question so soon, I was merely thinking of my own well-being as the eldest son and a Viscount. You will forgive me.”
There was a pause as Aurora took in what he had said.
She lifted her gaze from the book and opened her mouth to speak but Anthony was quick to respond to her unspoken question.
“It is one of Eloise’s favourites. I assume you are aware of Mary Wollstonecraft? This is her manifesto. I think perhaps you might enjoy it, as a gift for my previous behaviour and lack of thought. Although, you may have to return it quite quickly else you’ll end up facing Eloises wrath.”
Aurora looked up at the eldest Bridgerton and looked at him, really looked at him. She thought of the kindness he had shown towards his siblings earlier on in the day, and she thought of his seriousness on the day of Eloise’s debut.
And then she thought of him as a father, and a husband. She thought of the smile that he had worn of his face at the joke Benedict had told him at dinner, and how handsome he had looked. And she resolved to make him smile more.
“You shall have to tell her that Lady Whistledown has borrowed it for her latest instalment of the gossip columns.” Aurora replied with a soft smile.
“Have you not already learnt to never mention that woman’s name within a mile of my sister else she’ll go off on a rant for half the evening!” Came Anthony’s response.
Aurora couldn’t help but chuckle. And there it was, a small smile on the Bridgeton’s lips.
‘Perhaps he will grow to be a potential suitor after all.’ Aurora thought.
