The Prince's Heart [Bridgerton Fic]

The Biggest Engagement of the Season

Dearest Reader,

We have the engagement of the season and it is quite the surprise. Daphne Bridgerton has accepted the proposal of the Duke of Hastings! It comes very suddenly, as we were led to believe that Prince Friedrich was ready to ask Miss. Bridgerton got her hand. Why would any woman want to reject a Duke? It certainly seems that this is a love match, one that supersedes the opportunity to become a royal. This writer, as you may remember, already predicted the match. One wonders what Her Majesty will think of this, considering the Diamond of the Season has rejected the Queen's very own nephew. Perhaps the love between the betrothed couple will melt her heart- after all, they have applied for a special license to marry as quickly as possible."

- Lady Whistledown

"The Duke of Hastings and Daphne Bridgerton are to be married!"

Miss. Harriet Greyfair looked up from her tea to see the Viscountess Frances, her mother, rushing into the room as fast as one could without running. She could tell it was a Whistledown pamphlet from a mile away. Everyone in society could spot a Whistledown pamphlet from a mile away these days.

Before Harriet could even open her mouth, the Viscountess started to read it aloud. Frances let out a deep breath once she had finished. Apparently running in with a Whistledown and reading it was tiring work.

"I thought that she was basically betrothed to Prince Friedrich?" Harriet asked.

"Apparently not," shrugged Frances.

"She will regret it."

There it was, the inevitable Aunt Hilda comment. Hilda Greyfair, née Rudat, had been born and raised in Prussia. Even after her years in England, Hilda was still the most patriotic Prussian one could imagine. She'd been nearly incandescent with joy when she discovered that Prince Friedrich had come to England. Hilda was also incredibly blunt and honest. Perhaps it was a cultural thing. She should have her own Whistledown page on her views of everyone.

"It is a love match," Frances reasoned.

"The Duke, handsome as he may be, is a rake. Miss. Bridgerton may think herself in love with him but soon enough she will realise her error. She is innocent. She isn't exciting enough for him. He will soon be cavorting with other women while she waits at home. They will live separate lives even after she bears him an heir. Men liked that do not change. The Dowager Viscountess Bridgerton says that reformed rakes make the best husbands but I disagree. Besides, we all know why special licenses happen and they aren't because of love. Whistledown is going soft."

"Miss. Bridgerton seems entirely too sensible to do something inappropriate with the Duke," Harriet felt the need to defend her fellow debutant.

She truthfully didn't know Daphne very well but the Bridgertons were a respectable family and she was the Diamond of the Season. Surely she wouldn't risk her reputation.

"We shall see in a few months," Hilda sipped her tea.

"You are only being this way because Miss. Bridgerton rejected a Prussian," Frances chided.

"She could have been a Princess, married to a man who is kind, stable and does not indulge in scandal," Hilda sniffed haughtily, "Daphne Bridgerton's lust will fade out soon enough and she will be trapped in an unhappy marriage. I hope for her sake she gets a son out of him quickly."

Frances looked mildly offended on Daphne's behalf. The two women who had married into the Greyfair family did not always see eye to eye. Hilda was blunt, honest and straightforward. Frances was diplomatic, reasonable and quiet. It was no wonder she was the Viscountess- though Hilda had arrived in England long after that match.

"I am sure that the Prince will have plenty of other women interested in him," Harriet reasoned.

"It is not him I am worried about," Hilda placed her tea down, "The Queen will be absolutely livid. She placed Miss. Bridgerton as the Diamond of the Season. We saw how she encouraged the Prince towards her. She will be so angry that all her efforts were wasted. Her Majesty is not one who likes to be proven wrong. From what I hear she's already been planning the wedding."

"The Duke was the most eligible bachelor until the prince came along," Harriet reminded her aunt.

"That does not matter. The Prince is her nephew. A match like that would have been extraordinary."

"It is a boost for the Bridgertons though, on the bright side," Frances finally sat down, "Their family's prospects have been raised even higher. Eloise Bridgerton is out next season and Francesca will be out in the one after that. The Viscount and his brothers are already sought after. It'll be a booster for the ones who aren't titled."

She looked straight at Harriet.

Harriet supposed a Bridgerton wouldn't be the worst match in the world. She could never marry Benedict Bridgerton, for he was too much like a brother to her. He was very close to Harriet's eldest sibling William and she'd grown up around him. There was the Viscount, that would be the grand prize. He seemed nice enough, charming and polite. There was Colin too- sweet, a little air headed and perhaps too young to marry just yet.

Every girl in London had a crush on at least one of them.

"I wonder if the prince shall stay," Harriet mused aloud.

"I would not blame him for leaving after being dangled on a string," Hilda still looked angry on Friedrich's behalf, "But Miss. Bridgerton isn't the only woman on the market despite being the apparent diamond. I am sure he can find a nice wife on our shores."

"He did seem interested in Cressida Crowper," Frances noted, "She is a very beautiful girl and her dowry is easily the largest among the debs. I hear that Mr. Lenkeit the German tutor has been at her residence almost daily. He has been in the highest demand across many households."

"Ha!" Hilda squawked, "At least Harriet is a fluent German speaker. I heard the eldest Featherington girls talk about him being from Russia of all places. Oh wouldn't that be funny if they took Russian lessons and started speaking it to him? Oh and Cressida Cowper? Beautiful as she may be, she is unrefined under all of that hair and her manners are not one would expect. Prince Friedrich would see right through her. He was only being polite when he helped her after she swooned. Oldest trick in the book. It won't be a Cowper and it won't be a Featherington."

"Marina Thompson?" Harriet suggested, "She has made quite the splash."

"Not her either. Pretty girl but a country bumpkin."

Frances and Harriet exchanged a glance. Hilda Greyfair was never anything but honest.

"Well we shall see if the Prince shows himself at the Trowbridge musical gala. I should hope that Miss. Bridgerton won't show her face."

Harriet chuckled into her tea. She wondered who the lucky woman to take Friedrich's heart would be. Harriet herself was starting to worry- she had callers but no proposals. She wasn't beautiful but she wasn't ugly. She was talented but not overtly so. She could make a good match and she supposed that the season was far from over.

Anything could happen.

Hope you enjoyed it.

Next Time: A musical gala has our protagonist meet the Prince.

Thanks for reading, don't forget to comment and like.