"I can not give you the things you desire! Glory, praise, money, I am in no possession of those!"
"But you are what I desire."
With the union of the Bridgerton and Sharma families during the off season, Benedict is next to be wed, making every lady...
The Day of Antony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma's Nuptials
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Elizabeth Cabalio quickened her steps, the excitement of being the first woman in London to own a library rushing through her veins as she practically ran to the dark, oak building. Arriving at the concrete steps, she removed the key from her pocket and opened the double doors with pride, taking in the scene. After two years of closure, the once glorious building appears to be on the verge of death.
The dark bookshelves are covered in dust, changing the old brown color to gray. Books of various knowledge and texts moth-eaten from the lack of attention. Tiny field mice seeking shelter crawl about the decaying chairs. Elizabeth walked towards one of the shelves and lightly pushes the tall rolling ladder, wincing at the high pitched squeak. Yet, the disgusting sight and sound only increases her determination to create a successful academic environment. Her once shocked face creeped into a slow smile. "It is perfect! Just a few...modifications."
After running about the town and elsewhere for supplies, she finally achieved her goal. Within the month, the shelves returned to their original dark oak, shining from the wood polish. New books that were donated and purchased gave the whole place a lovely, nostalgic, paper smell. Velvet furniture in her favorite emerald was littered across the place, inviting anyone to sit and stay for hours. The rolling ladders no longer squeaked when pushed, almost gliding across the freshly swept floors.
Eliza wiped her sweaty hands on her skirt, satisfied with her efforts. "Something is not right." she said to herself, walking away from her now organized desk. Elizabeth grabbed her satchel and walked to the entrance to confirm her thoughts: the grand, wooden building was quite bland.
She left swiftly, locked the doors, and walked over to the florist shop, the ivy covered building titled William's Wisteria and Plant Based Wonders. As she opened the door to the vibrant building, her eyes wander over the plants, ranging from blush peonies to plum tree saplings in ceramic pots. Leaves of all sizes litter the floor, creating an ethereal atmosphere to the store. Several large arrangements of lilacs, white roses, and baby's breath sit on the counter, looking ready to be presented as a gift.
"I apologize for the mess, there is a grand marriage to take place today!" the florist yelled, hidden by the violet colored petals. His head popped up from the flower filled counter and smiled "My name is Mr.Balfour. How may I be of service ma'am?"
"Well, I have taken it upon myself to open the old library, so I wish to liven up the place. Perhaps something with a light red hue?" Elizabeth said, believing the colors will pair nicely with the furniture. Mr.Balfour nods and turned to the back of the shop, searching for a suitable arrangement. As Elizabeth ran her hands over bunches of flowers, the door swung open.
A handsome young man in blue velvet followed behind a footman, seeming anxious and ecstatic all at the same time. Elizabeth took a quick glimpse at the pair, paying no mind to them and continued her business. "Mr. Balfour? I request your presence!" the footman shouted, lingering by the entrance.
The other man walked about the shop to search for Mr.Balfour, turning his head towards the aisle of flowers and stopping in his tracks at the sight of Elizabeth. The bottom hem of her sage work dress is covered in dirt, her brown boots peeking from underneath. Her dark brown hair is collected into a bun, pinned loosely with a copper clip. She delicately picks up some hyacinth and places it back when she deems the petal shape unsatisfactory, the man's eyes following her every action. He hadn't even seen her face, and yet, he was completely infatuated with the elegant woman.
"Sorry for the delay!" Mr.Balfour yelled, Elizabeth taking note that he seemed to do that a lot. With his loud voice, the gentleman was shaken out of his gaze, giving his attention to the florist.
William continued to speak, his voice growing nervous under the pressure of his most expensive clients of the season. "All of the orders are prepared, with extra bouquets for emergencies, as requested by Lady Bridgerton and Lady Mary." The gentleman nods, mentally taking note of his words. "Delightful! Could you please help escort these flowers to my carriage? There are quite a lot!" he jokes as he grabs a bouquet.
Mr.Balfour nods and as he's out the door, remembers that the Bridgertons are not his only clients for the day. "I apologize ma'am, I shall be right with your request soon!" he yells once again.
As the gentleman's footman and Mr.Balfour deliver the flowers to the carriage, the blue-clad gentleman peers through the shop window, attempting to catch a glimpse of the lovely woman's face. A light pink paints her nose and cheeks, similar to the shade of peonies she fiddles with. Her tanned skin glowed from the sun hitting the window, creating an enchanting effect on her smooth face. Loose hair frames her face, like a perfect portrait with a frame of gold. He can barely see her dark brown eyes as they look upon the rose section, but he can tell they hold the moon and stars.
"Mr.Bridgerton? The carriage is equipped for departure. Thank you for your service, Mr.Balfour." the footman said, interrupting Mr.Bridgerton's thoughts.
"Yes, thank you for your service. Good day!" Mr.Bridgerton said hastily, shaking Mr.Balfour's hand. "Of course! Enjoy the union celebration!" Mr.Balfour said before returning to the shop's door.
Mr.Bridgerton stepped into the carriage, the footman checking that everything is in order before he climbs onto the back. As the two men leave, Mr.Bridgerton can not help but to gaze upon the women in the window, ignoring the mountains of flowers in his face for his brother's wedding. He turned his head away from the carriage window, a gentle smile on his face as he daydreams of her as he returns home.
Inside the flower store, Mr.Balfour arranged several bouquets of pink tulips, mock orange, and apple blossoms into wicker baskets.
"Four and twenty pounds, two for each bouquet ma'am. But for your patience, I could offer you twenty pounds." Elizabeth smiled at his thoughtfulness, graciously accepting the discount.
After paying, she took the bouquets into her arms and struggled to make her way out the door. "Excuse me Mr.Balfour, would you be as kind as to help with the door?" "Oh, of course!" Mr.Balfour rushed to the door, ushering and walking her out.
"If you would like, I do not mind traveling to your library if you need assistance with your flowers." he said, only wishing to be friendly with the independent woman. "That would be quite helpful!" Elizabeth exclaimed, passing one of the baskets to him.
As they walked to the new library, the two made conversation about the start of their careers, bonding over how their fathers were the main influence for both the businesses and love for all things green. As the pair arrives at the stairs, Elizabeth unlocked the doors and removed the basket from Mr.Balfour.
"I can not thank you each for your help Mr.Balfour." "Oh please, do me the favor of calling me William. That is the least I can do after our lovely conversation." William said with a smile. "Then you may call me Elizabeth."
The pair shook hands and departed, leaving Elizabeth with her new greenery. She placed each bouquet into their respective, water-filled, ceramic vases, painted a lovely shade of cream to tie the pinks and greens together. "Now my work is complete." she nods to herself. With the new library open for business, she sat behind her desk, awaiting the arrival of the ton.
1301 word count
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— First part! I'm so excited to publish my first work after so long. Please do comment any spelling errors or concerns, I'd be happy to respond. Also, do not expect quick updates, this took me four days to write and I can't focus on one project at a time. Enjoy!
