The Lady Wants A Fool (Bridgerton)

chapter eighteen

Miles had gotten back into London the night before his mother's party. After he left Kilmartin he felt reborn, fresh, he was ready. He was going to marry Lyanna there was just no one else, and now he had his plan. His Aunt had been very forthcoming in helping him to understand the female mind.

Which he didn't really understand, he was sure a man never could, but he had a good idea and now he felt he had everything he needed. He had stopped by Hastings House last night to speak with David.

David had been delighted to be part of his scheme. He needed time alone with Lyanna they needed to talk, and David was his best bet in getting her away from his mother's party. It was a masquerade so it would be hard to find her, but he was sure that inevitable pull would bring him to Lyanna.

He arrived at his parents precisely at six, the party was to begin at seven but his mother had wanted him early. He had no objections, and forwent his usual grunts of 'if I must'.

His whole body was tingling he was excited he wasn't afraid. She wouldn't say no to him he was positive, he didn't feign to be a poet or a man of great romance. But this was fate. He didn't know why but he felt he knew Lyanna, knew everything about her. And yet he didn't.

Not yet. But he was going to and tonight would seal their lives forever. He strode through the front doors of Bridgerton house, he didn't walk he glided, and the first to point it out was his brother Edmond.

"You're in quite the mood." He asessed as he looked Miles up and down.

"I am rather happy." He replied not hiding his grin.

"What has you so animated?"
Edmond questioned as his eyes turned to Maria for a second as he heard her laugh. He had always thought them such fools when his father and brother twitched every time they saw their wives. But he understood it perfectly now, he'd be the same way with Lyanna. She wouldn't be able to enter a room without stirring him.

"I'm just so entranced by the magic mother seems to have created."
He stated as he waved his hand around the ballroom.

His mother had in fact brought magic to the ballroom, it was decorated in a jungle sort of theme, but she had pulled it off wonderfully. There was tall palms in each of the corners surrounded by various other green ferns and plants he wasn't qualified to name.
There was an assortment of pink, red, and yellow flowers. All varying in different shapes and sizes.

He was astounded his mother had created something so magnificent and exotic. She was always on the more traditional side of things and this wasn't the least bit traditional. It left him in awe that his mother could still surprise him. He glanced over at her as she spoke with his Aunt Sophie and Uncle Benedict. He caught her eye and she just winked at him. His grin grew ten times, had his mother ever winked so mischievously at him like that before.

Soon members of the ton started filling in, he took note that David had arrived and was speaking animatedly with Rosaline Smith-Smythe. He shuddered at the thought of their musicale that was held every season. The poor girl he hoped she wasn't as inept as the previous young women who performed before her. He had tried to keep an eye on the entrance knowing his best chance to spot Lyanna would be to find her as soon as she entered. But it became futile, the room began to swell with people and it was well past eight now and he had yet to glimpse Lyanna.

He spotted his mother and father in a passionate embrace, he waited for them to sperate before approaching. He could have done without seeing their love so openly displayed.

"Mother, has the Lady Lyanna arrived?"
His mother gave him a mischievous smirk and her eyes went dark behind her mask.

"She has, although it seems her father has taken to scaring every man who wishes to approach her away."
She stated as she glanced off in the direction of the dinning hall.