𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮, Bridgerton

04

- CHAPTER FOUR -
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- Season One -

. . .

William and Ophelia were quick to disperse from one another and even when to lengths of making sure to arrive through different entrances upon rejoining the ball to prevent any scandalous comments. And as soon as they could hear the music, the quest to keep off the dance floor for as long as possible continued once again. Though it had to be said that the latter was finding it much easier when she did not draw people in like he did.

It appeared Anthony had been left to his own company as Daphne wandered through the hall towards the table full of cuisine and drinks, and it certainly didn't take long for Ophelia to make her way over to join her in pouring a drink that was clearly not alcoholic.

"Oh, there you are," Daphne's form jolted at the sight of a hand reaching out for a cup, and tried desperately to ignore the girl's gentle laughter. "Anthony was hardly pleased by your disappearance."

"I must make amends then." Ophelia wasn't at all apologetic for walking off, in fact she was rather pleased with herself for keeping entertained for a little while longer than often when it came to promenading the gardens on her lonesome. "However I see you have fled too, so not all is bad."

Daphne was yet to reply, her gaze switching between the girl and crowd behind her, and a swift glance over her shoulder told Ophelia exactly what the issue was.

"Small glasses." A man who was easily recognised by both girls due to his rather terrible, pervasive habits revolving around his lack of wife and ongoing hunt for someone to sign away their sole to him, had approached with a somewhat empty glass. "Tiny little things, are they not?"

"The glasses?" Daphne had been the only one out of the duo to greet him, Ophelia simply curtsying silently. "I suppose."

"Then the matter is settled." Lord Burbroke's gaze flittered between the two. He truly was quite unnerving and his humorous smile only made the uncomfortable feeling in the Farrington's stomach that much more worse.

Ophelia had not yet picked up the glass she had been reaching for, suddenly not getting the longing for a drink she had been wanting moments before. "I'm not sure to be alone in being unclear of the matter we currently discuss, my Lord."

"You've always been amusing women, Miss Bridgerton, Miss Farrington." He leant forwards as if he were trying to mask the conversation, but soon leant backwards and continued as if his topic was completely relevant to their current scene. "Ever since I was a schoolboy and you were..." He trailed off.

"All but... five?" Daphne's eyes darted sideways in an attempt to no longer look at the man, her discomfort almost as strong as Ophelia's who was suddenly itching for another walk in the gardens. She peered across his shoulder, a brief smile growing. "My brother, he summons me." She clasped her glass and left her friend to deal with the man alone.

He stared at her in silence for a moment, a rather unnerving, sinister look fluttering onto his face as he begun to speak again. But Ophelia appeared to manage to pluck some courage out from beneath her mind and swiftly beat him to conversation. "I'm afraid, my Lord, that I must discuss a very pressing matter with Prudence Featherington, just over there." She made no effort in her gesture to the very middle of the hall and with him looking over his shoulder, she made a beeline in the opposite direction.

It was no surprise that after weaving between the various chattering clusters of people that Ophelia was yet again masked by some form of object, this time accompanied with the back of her dance card in hand and pen in the other. It seemed she had found a rather large bouquet of flowers to sit behind her and was all too pleased with herself when it came to beginning to sketch out the individual petals of each plant included in the plant pot.

Just as the orchestra switched over to their next song and Ophelia's mind was just slipping off into her newest daydream, the bouquet of flowers was adjusted very slightly and the face of Benedict was revealed with an exasperated expression.

"Almost as good as me." He mused, looking over at the card before taking a seat beside her. "Almost." He watched her draw for a couple more moments before exploding into more conversation, "I am in need of your help, dear Phee." He smiled a little as she looked up at him wordlessly, waiting for him to continue. "Lady Featherington is adamant I dance with Prudence, would you just dance with me once?"

"If you ask properly." Ophelia wore an amused smirk, allowing him to take her hand and pull her up. He needn't ask properly, and she wasn't that surprised in finding herself allowing him the opportunity to dance with her. Whether it was to save his pride and her reputation or not.

She couldn't fathom her ability to be swayed so easily into doing the one thing she hated the most as she rested a delicate hand on his shoulder, the feeling of his tailcoat hardly even there. "Didn't you fancy the opportunity to dance with the most exquisite Featherington sister?"

"I'm convinced she's done more seasons than I have." Benedict replied, chuckling a little as Ophelia widened her eyes at his comment. "Come now, you do not believe she's twenty and five?"

"Quite frankly, no." Her disbelieving tone was what had lead her to search for the sister in question, thus leading to the result of catching eyes with William who was looking rather bemused by her current predicament. "I would think she had found someone by now... perhaps not with her mother in the circumstance."

"Yes, that would be one of the many reasons I daren't even call by tomorrow."

Ophelia let out another chuckle, hiding it behind her gloved hand as the music once again changed and various couples begun hopping about in a rather strange manner. "I believe this is our cue to dance no longer. I'm afraid my lessons are not as expansive as jigs."

Benedict nodded in agreement. "I think I would much rather take Prudence for a spin during the waltz than this." They slowly wandered back off the dance floor, trying desperately to escape the couples who were prancing about in the strangest of circles around the hall.

It was then that they spotted Lady Violet, Daphne and Anthony by the doorway and were informed of the retirement process that would soon be taking place.

And though the debutante ball had not all been bad, Ophelia was ready to take her leave.

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