Another ball to attend to. Sadly Lucy feels not well, so she stays at home tonight. Because I'm an unwed woman I cannot attend alone to a ball and my maid Annabel is not high ranked enough to attend with me. Out of this reason, I will go with Lady Denbury. I wait at the moment in her house till she is ready. I'm wearing a green dress with rose applications and decorated with pearls.
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"My dear Alex, have I mentioned that the Duke of Hastings will ride to the ball with us?" Lady Denbury ask as she finally is ready to go.
"No you have not mentioned that, my Lady. But I'm pleased to see him again. I haven't the honour to meet him since he is back in London. He was very busy."
Simon and I are good friends since we are children. Lady Denbury has liked it to invite me over to play with him. Despite the age difference we had a lot of fun together.
Lady Denbury walks out the door, followed by myself.
"Would it pain you to wear some colour, Your Grace? The London season is already terribly monotonous as it is. Must your wardrobe do the same? Take an example from Alexandra." Lady Danbury scoffs to the all in black dressed Duke.
"I was told this look is all the rage." He talks back to her.
"Certainly not Lady Denbury's. But I think you look ravishing, Your Grace." I involve myself in the conservation.
Now the Duke looks at me. More up and down on me.
"Is this my little Alex? I haven't seen you in ages." He says and pulls me into a hug.
"This is definitely not my fault. You are the person who vanished to go travelling. And then you came back to London and have no time to greed one of your oldest friends." I say and peck in his side.
"Excuse me my Lady but I had a hard task or will you try to get rid of this mama's who will set me up with their daughters?" annoyance drips from his voice.
"Must not be so hard. I have read that you and Miss Bridgerton are quite a good match. I cannot believe you have changed your opinion in getting married." The last part was more a question.
"I haven't my dear. What I have read is that you and Mr. Benedict Bridgerton are a thing. Is it true?"
Again I feel a heat in my cheeks.
"Maybe, Maybe not. But I think we should go to the ball, before it's over."
So we get in the carriage. The whole ride we talk more about our 'beloveds' how Lady Denbury recently calls them. I must admit that Simon got pretty charmed by Daphne. But I know that he never will has a child and Daphne strikes me like someone who wants a lot of them.
The ride was not all too long. Simon entered the building with Lady Denbury and me on each arm. The people are starring with open eyes.
Shot after our entrance Daphne and Anthony followed by Colin, Lady Bridgerton and Benedict came in, straight in our direction.
I look at Benedict, still on Simon's side, with a smile, but he looks not really happy. Before I can think longer about him, Simon speaks:
"A dance, Miss Bridgerton?"
Anthony gets in a defensive stance before Daphne.
"I shall need someone else to seek me a glass of ratafia, then. Lord Bridgerton do me the honour?" Lady Danbury steps in and holds her arm out for Anthony.
"Of course, Lady Danbury."
Anthony and Lady Denbury as well as Simon and Daphne walk away and leave me with Lady Bridgerton and the two others Bridgerton boys behind.
I walk to Benedict, but before I can reach him, he turns around and walks away.
I look at Lady Bridgerton, which just shrugs her shoulders. All I could to now is follow Benedict. He walks out of the building and it seems like he wants to head home. I have no idea what I should do to make him stop so I shout his name. Loud.
"BENEDICT."
A couple of people glance at me and I'm sure whole Mayfair has heard me but I achieved what I wanted. Benedict stops abruptly and turns around. Fast I ran near him.
"What's your problem?" I ask him a bit angry.
"What my problem is? You are the entire time nice to me and makes me hope and then you stand there with the man who courts my sister. What is your plan? To steal him from her because he's a duke?" He shout-whispers to me.
"Simon and me. Ehw. He is like a brother for me. We are friends since childhood. I would never hurt Daphne nor your family. They are all to kind for that, you idiot." I shout-whisper back to him. Now it's my time to walk off but before I could even turn around, he hugs me. It's not a soft hug, it is a tight one full with love.
"I'm sorry Lexi. I suppose I got a bit jealous seeing you with him. I mean he's a duke and all." he whispers in my ear, still hugging me.
"I still prefer you over him." I say smiling at him as we break the hug.
"We should go back inside before they get the wrong idea."
"Okay Benny."
The rest of the evening was beautiful. The two of us danced a couple of time and talked the rest of the time. Before I was going home, he asks me to join him and his family at the picnic tomorrow and of course I said yes.
