| NOBELS | BRIDGERTON

3 | THE QUEEN & PREFERENCES

     WHEN THE TWO families walked in, not many people noticed them. Lady Danbury immediately went into the men she noticed around. 

"Ah. The Marquis of Ashdown. A little young, to be sure, but he has ten thousand a year." Lady Danbury explained, looking a a ginger man. "The Earl of Gloucester. His wife recently died of influenza. He might make a particularly estimable addition to your dance card this evening, Miss Sharma."

"I will not be taking to the floor tonight, Lady Danbury." Kate replied.

"Is there someone back home you've yet to tell me about?"

"Come now, I am long past all of that. The only match I am interested in is for my sister. She trusts me implicitly. Now, what about the Duke of Suffolk. According to Debrett's, he should be quite the catch this year."

Phillip shook his head. "The Duke flaunts his mistresses. I assure you, Miss Sharma, Lady Danbury and I have our prospects well in hand."

Lady Danbury nodded in agreement before she noticed the Queen. She took the two families towards them, the Hall's going first.

The Queen actually smiled upon seeing them. "Lord Hall, what a pleasure to see you this season."

Phillip and his siblings bowed. "We are happy to be back, Your Majesty."

"I am hoping for a marriage in your family this season, especially after you were so close to one with Lord Holmes, Miss Hall."

The name stabbed Ophelia's memory. "Yes, perhaps Lord Holmes and I may pick up where we left off."

The family bowed again before leaving Lady Danbury and the Sharma's to meet the Queen. Thomas left his family, once again in search for a debutante to dance with. Phillips eyes kept drifting back over to Kate Sharma, he didn't know if he could admit to himself that he found the woman quite attractive, but she was not looking for a husband.

Ophelia scanned the dance floor, looking at all the potential suitors in front of her. She had danced with many last season but she would allow everyone a second chance. The girl did notice the Bridgerton's come in and an anxious Eloise. She left her brothers side and walked over, just in time to save Eloise from the Marquis of Ashdown.

"Come, Eloise, let us see what cakes they have."

Benedict and Violet watched the girls leave in shock, none of them knew they were back, but Antony stared at Ophelia. She looked more beautiful than he remembered of last season. He thought about speaking to her, seeing if she would be a good match for a wife but he decided to wait until the diamond of the season was named.

"O-Ophelia." Eloise sad in shock, looking up at the older girl. "When did you get back to London?"

The two made it to the table that held lots of sweet treats. "Just the other day, it was meant to be a surprise but a lot of people do not seem concerned with our return."

Eloise nodded, picking up a small chocolate. "Well, a lot of the ton have been speaking of Lady Whistledown's return."

"The return did save you, did it not? From the wrath of the Queen." She joked, putting a sweet into her mouth.

Two men walked up to the pair, asking them for a dance. Ophelia allowed one of them to write their name on her dance card while Eloise said her card was already full, when the two walked away, Ophelia turned to the Bridgerton.

"Full? You've barely been here ten minutes." She took the card, looking at the names written down. "Fake names, I must applaud you for your efforts to get out of such affairs but you cannot always do this."

Eloise sighed as the man returned to get Ophelia for their dance. "I must find Pen."

Ophelia watched her leave and then turned to the man, taking his outstretched hand and joined him on the floor. The two danced, taking while doing so. The man was quite full of himself and did not seemed to want to get to know Ophelia has a person, he spoke of how her family were mainly boys and so he hoped that she would be able to provide him a son on their first try.

Antony, who had just been surrounded by debutantes after his mother had loudly stated he was looking for a wife, was watching Ophelia and the man dancing, seeing her bored look on her face. He waited until the song was over before walking towards them. 

"Miss Hall, may I have your next dance?" He asked, eyeing the man who stood there awkwardly.

Ophelia nodded, offering her dance card to him in confusion. She watched him write down his name, she did not understand why he wanted to dance with her when he had tones of women lined up to accept the first marriage proposal he offered. The other man eventually walked away, realizing his presence was not needed.

"Did you come to save me?" Ophelia asked.

Antony watched the man leave. "I had noticed the look on your face, thought you may prefer some more interesting company."

"And you are interesting?" She smirked lightly as the song started again and the two began to dance flawlessly.

"I should like to think so." He replied, somewhat offended. "What were you two even speaking of?"

"Children." Ophelia replied. "He thought that I would be able to provide him a son since my family has so many boys in it."

The dance continued without either of them really thinking about it. "He is not wrong to think that."

Ophelia looked at him with a slight annoyed look, standing on his toe. "I think he is. I do not control what my child comes out to be."

Antony winced when she had stepped on his toe. "Every man has a preference."

"All men want is a handsome looking woman with child baring hips, none think about intelligence or a kind heart."

"Don't women have preferences too? Mainly focusing on appearance." Antony asked.

Ophelia nodded. "Of course we do. I want to find a handsome man, but my heart likes more so on how he treats me. He is to be kind, helpful and a good father."

The dance came to an end, Antony simply bowed to her before walking away. Ophelia rolled her eyes at the childish behavior, but she was curious as to where he was going. And so she followed.