𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚎 - 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚝 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚘𝚗

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚟𝚎

Florence had expected fo return to the slowly wrinkling face of Lady Aspley and to see that face paired with her sister, well it was quite the surprise and certainly not the greeting she had imagined.

She was quick to notice the swelling bump of her sister's figure that was the evidence of her sister being married. The three had gravitated into the parlour, the room was openly lit by the sky but being as the sky had darkened with the afternoon it was illuminated by a dulling sun and some wax drowning candles.

Viktoria nursed a cup of tea whilst making casual conversation with the lady of the house whilst Florence wriggled uncomfortably. Viktoria rambled on about many things varying from how their parents are to which Florence couldn't care less about, thank you very much, to her husband, Florence would visibly grimace at the mention of his name.

Maybe if she hadn't been in so much of a rush to part with Benedict she may have been alot happier. She was just about to let herself ponder for a while again when her sister coughed loudly, drawing her attention almost if not immediately.

"Sorry?" Florence says, her mind is still far away and her sister can obviously sense it, she rubs her with child stomach absentmindedly as she watches her elder sister with caution.

"I said, how are the English men? No one captured your heart yet?" Viktoria asks, her voice comes out strained, English wasn't her best language, she flourished in Swedish but any other and she couldn't shake her accent. Florence wished the graying Aspley would just leave the sisters be so they could consult in their natural tongue.

"I still have no intents on getting married, syster," Florence replies, she picks at her words cautiously, she doesn't want to give too much away about Benedict because in all truth ever since she met him, she knew it was him but she can't allow herself to delve in any further, promising yourself to one man can always turn sour and make you resentful.

Viktoria was just going to open her mouth to try and carry on the conversation before Aspley spoke, "Now Florence, that's not necessarily the truth is it? Everyone whispers now about you and a Bridgerton brother, you've practically got the word tainted drawn over you."

Aspley has a mocking grin on her face but Florence remains comfortable and calm, her face not even registering the burning anger surging through her veins. Her mouth falls open as her throat struggles to pass over any noise, her sister is quick to speak however.

"Leave," Viktoria states simply, she placed down the teacup and saucer carelessly on the table, the china chattering as she had. Aspley's face grows confused and her nose scrunches, "Me ma'am? You want me to-"

"Have I not made myself clear? Leave."

The elder leaves annoyed, she mutters and mumbles curses about the two sisters until she shuts the door with some force leaving the two to complete privacy, Florence wonders if she went to slam about more things.

Both Viktoria and Florence sit in silence with each other for a while, Florence does not dare to tear her eyes away from her hand, she's found interest in her nails and would much rather stare at them than face her sister and whatever emotion she was feeling.

"Why don't you allow yourself to be happy? Why cause scandals if you can marry a man?" Viktoria inquires, she stumbles over some words and eventually decides to say them in Swedish but Florence understands nevertheless, she always understands when it's her sister.