[1] The Princess Royal | B. Bridgerton

Chapter 4

The Beginning of Everything

Governor Square, 1813

Dearest reader, the time has come to place our bets for the upcoming social season. Consider the household of the Baron Featherington. Three misses foisted upon the marriage market like sorrowful sows by their tasteless...

"Tighter," Lady Featherington ordered.

...tactless mama.

"Tighter!" She exclaimed at the lady's maid who was helping her daughter, Prudence. The poor thing was being forced in what seemed to be an impossible, and painfully suffocating corset.

"Is she to breathe, Mama?" Penelope questioned.

"I was able to squeeze my waist into the size of an orange and a half when I was Prudence's age. Your sister shall do the same," Lady Featherington insisted firmly.

Far better odds might exist in the household of the widowed Viscountess Bridgerton. A shockingly prolific family, noted for its bounty of perfectly handsome sons and perfectly beautiful daughters.

"I am already roasting," Eloise complained with a groan.

"Are you to complain the entire day, Eloise?" Francesca questioned.

"Surely I cannot be expected to bear these fashions the entire day," Eloise stated.

"I feel like a princess. Do I look like one?" Hyacinth asked her older sisters.

"Do you truly wish to know what I think you look like?" Eloise asked, already feeling annoyed by the whole event.

"Charlotte would have said something nice," Eloise was about to respond to her little sister's words, but was cut off by her brother.

"On your left!" Gregory ran past his sisters.

"Oh, Gregory!" Hyacinth complained and ran after him.

"Is our dear sister still not ready? Benedict asked his younger sisters.

"She's only been readying herself the entire night," Francesca replied with a smile.

"You mean her entire life," Eloise stated.

"I shall run upstairs and hasten her along," Colin offered.

"Colin, wait. I'll do it," but he was stopped by his brother.

"She likes me better than you, Benedict," he remarked.

"Did she say that?" Benedict asked with a frown.

"Everyone says that," Colin's response made Eloise groan, and her impatience to grow.

"Daphne! You must make haste!" Everyone stopped and looked at Eloise in utter disbelief and with a slight of disapproval. While she just turned and looked at them with an innocent smile. "Should you think she heard me?"

How very perfect, indeed!

All members of the Bridgerton family walked outside their house, at the same time at the Featheringtons. Given that they live in front of one another, they had no option but to nod at each other awkwardly, except for Eloise and Penelope, who were the best of friends.