The Bridgerton and the Countess ( Collin Bridgeton)

Chapter 4

" One... two... three-" Jo though, as she tried to calm her breathing. Counting was a way for Jo to calm herself in very stressful situations. And this was a very stressful situation. The Featherington's had left, and when they returned Prudence was being held up by two royal servants and Lady Featherington looked horrified. Daphne and Violet had also left, and when they returned the two had plastered smiles on their faces.

" She called me ' flawless' Jo! FLAWLESS!" Jo recalled Daphne saying. More lady's had left and returned, neither looking as if they had been complemented by the Queen herself.

" Seems that Daphne is the competition this year." Jo thought, as she stared at the two white doors that opened to the Queen.

" Are you ready dearest?" Stephen whispered behind her.

" One can never be truly ready to present themselves to the Queen Papa." Jo smiled, as she turned her head slightly towards him.

" Miss Josephine Hydeton!" The announcer called out, and Jo held her breath unknowingly " Presented by her father, the Right Honourable Earl Hydeton of Wexstone!" The two door opened slowly, and Jo straightened her back and levelled her shoulders.

She slowly but confidently walked towards the Queen down the isle, every eye was on her as she had a ora that commanded the room. She could feel people's gazes set on her face, studying it trying to look for an imperfection ( a scar maybe) but found non. Then the eyes traveled down her dress, looking at every intricate stitch that was in place, seeing how the roses and vines gradually made their way up the dress then stopped at her waist. Jo was now closer to the Queen, and her gaze burned the most, travelling to the top of the feather placed just right on her head, to the tips of her white shoes that was just visible when she walked. It was now the time to curtsy, and Jo saw the Queen lean ever slightly forward as she did so and her father bowed behind her. It felt like fifteen minutes to an hour of Jo curtsying, but it was only a few seconds, until movement was detected from in front of her. A delicate gloved hand reached down, and picked Jo's head up from underneath her chin and raised her so she was no longer curtsying then removed their hand. And it was the Queen, in all of her glory.

" Pure perfection my dear," The Queen said, smiling down at her " And as was your mother." She then walked back to her thrown graciously with the help of her lady's maid, as Jo stepped back and curtsied again as her Papa bowed again.

***

" Flawless!" Jo squealed, as she rushed to Daphne and collided with a hug outside the palace as everyone was beginning to climb back into the carriages.

" Pure perfection!" Daphne squealed back, as she returned the hug.

" Now now, lady's," Violet smiled, as she walked up to them with Stephen " All this can be discussed back at home, without wondering eyes and ears present."

" Though it is quite a shock the the Queen would think the girl that climbs trees ' Perfection' don't you think?" Benedict smirked, as he walked up to them with the rest of the Bridgerton children.

" Don't be an arse Benedict." Antony said, pushing his shoulder so he could make his way closer to Jo.

" Yes Benedict," Jo said, as she smiled at Benedict teasingly " Or I shall have to rummage through your belongings again to see what other secrets you hold." Benedict glared at Jo at this comment, as when they were children Jo found Violets blush in Benedict's draw. He claimed that it was for texture for his paintings, but Jo still believed that that it was for himself.

" You really were a lady today Jo." Antony said, hugging Jo gently, as not to attracted unnecessary attention and gossip that would be anything but true.

" A sentence that I believed I'd never hear." Collin laughed to Benedict, making him laugh as well.

" What is this, take jabs at Jo day?" Jo said, placing her hands on her waist and glaring at the two Bridgerton men.

" Of course not." Benedict laughed.

" Just getting a rise out of you that's all." Collin smiled, then winked at at the end of his on his sentence, earning little butterflies to circle around in Jo's stomach, but as quickly as the came they left.

" Come on Jo, we must get back home." Stephen said, guiding Jo towards the carriage.

" I shall be over as fast as possible!" Jo called out to Daphne.

" And I shall be waiting!" Daphne called back, with a grin on her face as she make her own way to her carriage.

***

Fast was an understatement, more like a horse when racing was the correct term. Jo raced to her bedroom, tripping on her dress a few more times then she would like to admit. She then called for Alice and she helped her take off her dress, and slid into a much more comfortable light purple dress. Alice had informed her that the dress that she would we wearing for that evenings ball had arrived, so Jo had invited her to come join her in going over to the Bridgerton's. Thankfully Margery wasn't there to ask her questions about what happened because she was in the market, so Jo and Alice quickly made their way over to the Bridgerton's.