Debutante || A Bridgerton Girl

Eighteen

Emme sat with her mother on the couch as she laid there very faint. A servant patted her face with a cold towel and Emme grabbed her hand.

"Dearest, are you feeling well? You have looked dreadful all morning." Emme's Mama faced her for a moment with a concerned look.

"I am feeling amazing, Mama. Just out of sorts a little." She brushed off before taking another sip of her tea.

"I shall fetch a glass of raw eggs and garlic for you, Ma'am." The help said before leaving to go get it.

Daphne walked in acting a bit strange. Perhaps this assured her that her brother was alive, considering that it was past six in the morning and Benedict hadn't returned saying the worst.

"Are you feeling better, dearest? Perhaps I have cought whatever it was that sent you home early from the party. I have a terrible headache indeed." Lady Bridgerton placed a hand on her forehead trying to ease her pain. She, however, noticed Daphne's discontentment. "What is it?"

Daph took a breath before speaking. "I am engaged." She said quickly.

Emmeline felt much happier at once. She knew it meant that her sister and the Duke were to be wed, not the prince. He was a nice man, just not Daphne's man.

"Well, that is wonderful news." The viscountess said with fake enthusiasm. "You are to be a princess."

"No."

"No?"

"No, I am not." Daphne answered. "I am engaged to the Duke. He asked for my hand and I excepted." Their Mama looked quite confused. Everyone thought things with Frederick were going well.

"You do not seem pleased, whatever is wrong?" Lady Bridgerton asked her daughter.

"Oh no, nothing is wrong." Daphne said in her thoughts a little bit. "It happened so quickly. I have not had a moment to take it in, but I am overjoyed."

Their Mama got up and walked over to Daphne to give her a hug. "You're going to be a duchess! I knew there was something between you two. Ruse or not. Oh tell me. Tell me everything! How do you feel?" Mama fanned herself.

"So in love." Daphne gave her the answer she was looking for. "And unsure how I can be expected to wait an entire month to marry. Could we not obtain a special license to marry this week?"

"Oh, Daphne." Emme muttered to herself. Their Mama's thoughts were so loud she could practically hear them.

"I do not wish to lie to you, Mama. The Duke and I—." Daphne got cut off by her mother.

"You do not need to tell me anything." Her mom smiled. "Whatever happened between the two of you, it is alright. I know good society makes quite a fuss about such things. When it comes to love such things happen much more frequently than one might expect. Even your father and I, we had trouble controlling our passions ourselves."

Before Mama could get another word out, the help arrived again with their Mama's yellow drink on a trey. Smelling it made someone want to die.

"It's okay, Wilson. We have a wedding to plan. In three days." Mama said and the help looked taken aback. No one ever had planned a wedding so fast.