Love and Ardor

Chapter Three

This was Queen Charlotte's favorite time of year.

The palace walls were vibrating with frenzy as butlers and maids rushed to prepare the palace for the annual ball commemorating the beginning of social season. Queen Charlotte herself had undergone multiple beauty regimens in preparation of the evening event, each one leaving her looking more youthful and beautiful than the last.

Queen Charlotte sat in her palace's drawing room as she awaited a visit from her dear friend, Lady Danbury, a prominent socialite whose late husband had been an important member of London's elite society.

Lady Danbury, a regal woman in her early fifties with caramel colored skin and dark eyes, rushed into the room and curtsied elegantly in front of Queen Charlotte, who was sitting on a padded chair in her drawing room, a cup of tea against her scarlet lips.

"My apologies for my tardiness, your Majesty," Lady Danbury offered.

Queen Charlotte shook her head. "No apologies required, Lady Danbury. I cannot begin to fathom how difficult it must be to enter my palace today."

Lady Danbury smiled, took the cup of tea a maid offered her, and took a seat across from Queen Charlotte, setting her cane to the side. "You seem a bit grim on your favorite day of the year," Lady Danbury commented after surveying Queen Charlotte's demeanor. "Is there a reason for this?"

Without another word, Queen Charlotte handed Lady Danbury a beige, textured pamphlet, one that Lady Danbury knew all too well.

Lady Whistledown had written her first pamphlet of the season, before season could even start. No one was immune from the brutalities of Lady Whistledown's pen, not even the Queen herself.

"Your Majesty, should you really be bothering yourself wit–"

"Read it," Queen Charlotte commanded.

Without another word, Lady Danbury's eyes skimmed over the passage.

Dear reader,
Did you miss me? I sure missed you.

Tonight marks the beginning of my most beloved time of year: the social season.

I have to admit, the rest of the year pales in comparison in terms of joy and excitement.

Queen Charlotte has her hands full, I presume, as she stands to judge this season's selection of fine, graceful young ladies. Daphne Bridgerton, last year's incomparable, now stands tall as the Duchess of Hastings, exemplifying a rather successful social season after her marriage to Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. As it takes place every year, the most successful and accomplished young lady is chosen as the queen's choice, the young maiden every man should strive to win, and every other maiden should strive to be.

I assume I can finally admit what my opinion on the matter is: I find it rather dull.

Maybe this year, Queen Charlotte will surprise us with a better, more fascinating pick.

A maiden unlike all of the others, beautiful for who she is, not what she is.

Can Queen Charlotte find the diamond in the rough this year?

I would beg to differ.

Lady Danbury set the pamphlet down onto her lap and looked up at Queen Charlotte. "You cannot seriously allow Lady Whistledown to change how you have always handled season, your Highness."

Queen Charlotte sighed. "I detest admitting this, but she might have a point. Every season, each debutante is like the last. I felt it was my duty to pick the most accomplished lady–"

"It is, your Highness. The gentlemen want ladies of suitable families with sizable dowries. We look for accomplished young ladies with a multitude of skills," Lady Danbury intercepted. "It would be outrageous if you chose someone who did not fit the mold."

"The London season has always been the most favored, the most spoken of," Queen Charlotte said. "The second closest season is in Paris, and we outperform them each year. However, I do not want to risk making our season a bore."

Lady Danbury nodded, understanding that she could do very little to convince Queen Charlotte at this point. Lady Whistledown had breathed her poison, unleashing it on the piece of paper, infiltrating the minds of both commoners and the queen.

"Would you consider picking a maiden that came with no title and no dowry to present to these gentlemen?" Lady Danbury raised an eyebrow. "Think about this, respectfully, your Majesty."

"These men act as if the dowries really mean that much to them, but we all know men want one thing: an attractive and breedable bride. The money holds next to no value," Queen Charlotte responded.

"And what about the ladies who have worked hard to be acceptable young maidens for this season?" Lady Danbury proposed. "What of them?"

"They still participate in this season," Queen Charlotte clarified. "It does not change their participation and their opportunity to meet prospects."

"You know the weight that being chosen as your diamond holds to a lady who is debuting in social season," Lady Danbury reminded Queen Charlotte. "A deserving young lady should be the one appointed."

"And a deserving young lady will be appointed," Queen Charlotte said. "The diamond in the rough does not have to be a commoner, Lady Danbury."

"It can be safe to assume that is where one would look," Lady Danbury defended. "Do not alter the integrity of the social season."

Queen Charlotte finished her tea and set her cup down. "Perhaps change is necessary this year."

Lady Danbury slowly stirred her spoon into her cup, not taking her eyes off the queen.

"Perhaps."