Falling from Grace - Bridgerton

Chapter Five

*Edited*

"Does it not bother you in the slightest that people stare at us wherever we go?"

Danbury shook her head, "It more amuses me. It is better people know who I am then fade into the background."

They met Lady Bridgerton and Daphne soon and Danbury invited them to accompany the pair in her box. They hastily agreed and began to make their way towards the theatre when suddenly Grace saw a tree just outside the window and her heart urged her to go outside to draw it.

She cleared her throat before turning to the ladies, "If you don't mind I am parched and in need of some water. I'll be sure to find you afterward."

Lady Danbury nodded and Grace smiled bowing slightly to Daphne and Lady Bridgerton before hurrying out towards the exit grabbing a napkin on the way to draw on.

Still eyeing the tree outside Grace was met with a force knocking her backward onto the ground.

She let out a startled gasp as she could hear other ladies laughing behind her as they passed.

"I am so sorry, are you alright?" A voice said from above and Grace looked up to meet the eyes of the second eldest Bridgerton, Benedict.

His hand was outstretched offering it to her but she got up quickly, "I'm fine, thank you" she looked out the window once more to make sure she hadn't lost sight of the tree.

Benedict let out a small laugh confused at the girl antics and followed her gaze out the window.
"What are we looking at?" He asked and Grace turned to meet his brown eyes as he looked into her blue ones noticing the bit of gold around the pupil.

Grace pointed towards the garden, "See that tree?" She asked and Benedict furrowed his eyebrows, "Yes but why-"

"What do you think when you look at that tree?"

Benedict shrugged, "It's a tree, wood, branches. It looks like every other tree."

Grace smiled, "Exactly, do you know how long trees live Benedict?"

Benedict was startled that she knew his name, "No,"

"Trees live much longer then us. Think of all the things this tree has seen. It might have even been here before we were even conceived!"

Benedict laughed at her curtness, "I wouldn't like to think about such things."

Grace rolled her eyes, "That's not the point. I'm going to see it would you like to come with me."

Benedict never having much interest in operas to begin with didn't think twice about the offer.

She smiled as he said yes and was about to start their journey but suddenly turned around, "You may call me Grace by the way now that we are friends of course."

Benedict smiled and the pair hurriedly made it out to the gardens.

Now standing in front of the tree Benedict was amazed at what awe Grace found in it as if she could stare at each crevice and never become bored or tiresome.

After looking at it for a minute Grace began to walk backwards and sat on the grass not minding the dampness as it tickled her legs. She patted the space beside her motioning Benedict to sit.

He obeyed and watched as Grace pulled the napkin and a small pencil out of her pocket.

"What on earth are you doing?"

"Drawing."

Once again Benedict was in shock. He didn't know any other people that drew other then himself. Of course, his other sibling had talents, Daphne with the piano, and Eloise was always writing in that journal of hers, but he never knew of anyone else who took interest in drawing like him, especially a lady.

They sat there for some time, Grace drawing the tree and Benedict enjoying her presence and the night wind.

"Do you draw Ben? May I call you Ben? Benedict is much too posh."

Benedict chuckled, "I agree, I never liked my name all too much."

Grace continued to talk still not looking up from her drawing, "Well I can't think of many names that start with a B that your family might be fond of."

He looked over at her with a confused glance, "Whatever do you mean?"

Grace finally looked up eyes sparkling and hair shining in the moonlight as it cast over the pair, "Well together Anthony, Benedict, and Colin all sound quite proper and nice together but on there own it's different, alone with me you seem more like a Ben than a Benedict." She then turned back to her drawing.

Benedict pondered that for a moment and agreed she was right. While Colin's name was more fruitful and young to fit his personality, Benedict did seem to proper for his liking.

"And what of you?" He then asked.

"What of me?" Grace did not lookup.

"You do not seem like the Countess people mummer about in the streets, nor like the lady, you introduce yourself as."

Grace sighed at that comment, "I hope that when I introduce myself as Grace to people rather then Countess Kelly or Lady Kelly they see me as an individual rather than some accessory for the man I am to marry. "

She then looked up at Ben's face once more, "A name is one of the most important things in our world. When I became Lady Kelly, I lost my individuality and I became the women portrayed in Lady Whistledowns articles about me. The girl who stood upon the table in practically nothing at all while men applauded and threw drinks on her, that was Lady Kelly. Grace was deep inside beneath the alcohol and forced marriage, screaming for the man she once loved to rescue her, but he no longer saw her as Grace. Instead, another man saw her and said 'you are mine'."

Ben was lost for words. He knew of men who had been there that day, Anthony had denied it but Benedict did not believe him. Lady Whistledown had called her an angel fallen to hell, and to this day he knew that wherever Grace would go, whomever she saw would only see her as that girl who had betrayed all social rules.

For no-one ever asked to hear Grace's side of the story, they just assumed and turned their noses up at her.

No-one knew the drinks Elliot forced down her throat prior, nor the threats he had placed along her skin.

After she woke up on that fateful day alone, cold, and ill. In a bed, in an apartment she did not recognize. Legs and body littered with bruises, a sharp pain crawling up her body every time she attempted to stand, She knew that Elliot no longer saw her as a human being, but merely what their society called a woman.

A/N

Hi everyone! I hope this gives you a little more insight into Grace's story there will be a lot more information regarding it shortly as well in episode 2 there will be flashback regarding Simon and Grace's relationship as children.

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I love hearing your opinions!

Simon and Elliot dueling is a favorite ;)

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