Delilah was out with Daphne and Violet getting all preparations for Daphne's wedding ready and finalized. Delilah, although wishing it was her own wedding, was having unrelenting amounts of fun. It felt like they were just nine again behaving as children dressing themselves in the longest dresses to feel like the women around them.
"Your wedding gown is a long way from being finished, Miss Bridgerton. I promise you will not be disappointed." Madam Delacroix said. Delilah sat on a little stool in the corner watching as Daphne was being fitted in a lovely dress, or was it a nightgown? Delilah didn't know the difference.
"She will need a new pelisse too, and then the more intimate items. Four nightdresses, perhaps? Or five?" Violet asked.
Delilah looked up at Violet with widened eyes, "What could she possibly need with five nightdresses?"
Madame Delacroix laughed softly, "They are not for her, ma chere, they are for her amoureux.". Delilah looked over at the modiste with wide eyes. She didn't know French, but she believed she had a very very good guess at what the woman was hinting towards.
"What do you think a honeymoon is for?" The modiste asked.
"It will be a most special time, dear." Violet reassured. Delilah looked over to see Daphne's nervous expression. She was nervous for Daphne herself.
She nodded timidly, "Yes, five. Five dresses will do nicely Daph, just nicely."
Violet and the Modiste nodded, removing the dress from Daphne; she stepped off the pedestal and Daphne joined her in looking at all the fabrics. They walked over to a shelf, and Daphne began feeling different textures.
"Daphne! Delilah!" A light voice called.
The two turned to Cressida Cowper waltzing over. Delilah scowled silently at the blonde girl. She was always polite, but sometimes she wanted to speak her mind freely like a man and not have any regrets.
"How lovely to see you!" Cressida greeted as she stopped in front of the duo. She turned to Daphne, "Oh, I do hope your wedding dress will be ready in time. Madam Delacroix must be working so fast."
"Daphne. Might you spare me a moment? I must ask Cressida's opinion on some fabric for a new dress. Her taste is immaculate." Delilah questioned.
Daphne gave her a wide look. Delilah had always gone to her about fabrics. She never went to other girls, and she especially did not go to Cressida Cowper of all people. But, nonetheless, Daphne nodded her head and walked away to her mother.
When Daphne was out of earshot Delilah dropped her smile, and gave a hast glare to Cressida's sculpted face.
"She is to have a new pelisse for the honeymoon." She picked up a nice color and a swatch of fur, "What about this color? Trimmed with fur, perhaps." Delilah looked back to Cressida with a mock face of curiosity.
"Fur, at this time of year?" Cressida asked.
Delilah nodded her head, her gaze becoming firmer.
"Well, I suppose it depends on how much time she and the duke shall spend outdoors. But she is fond of a midnight garden stroll, I believe." Cressida remarked.
Delilah smiled crudely. She wanted Cressida to make that comment, and she knew Cressida wouldn't miss the opportunity to make a snide remark. So Delilah placed the fabric swabs down and faced Cressida directly.
"I do not know what you mean." Delilah replied.
Cressida turned her stoic face into a smug smile, "I am almost certain I saw the two in the gardens at the Trowbridge ball. No chaperone in sight."
Delilah mocked confusion, "How strange. I do not recall Daphne leaving the ballroom.". Delilah paused for a moment, turning her head to watch Daphne shop with her mother, "Though I dare say it would have been difficult to see the gardens with any real clarity at night, unless you were actually out in them yourself."
"My view of the garden was perfectly clear from the safety of the terrace, Delilah." Cressida stood straighter as she looked down to Delilah piercing silver eyes.
"She dallied with the prince purely to rouse the duke's jealousy. And then, she lured him into those gardens to trap him into marriage. I never would have imagined that a Bridgerton would ever come to know such shame."
Delilah stood straighter than as well, her stance coming just to the bottom of Cressida's nose. She took a daunting step forward and whispered her words so carefully, that if Cressida had been any more back she would have never heard Delilah speak.
"You should consider our words carefully, Cressida. In a matter of days, she is to be a duchess, and you shall be as you are now, unmarried and untitled. So you can either be a duchess's friend or a duchess's enemy. It is entirely up to you."
Cressida scoffed, but Delilah could tell she was nervous. Knowing Cressida didn't have any stable offers, she would be here till next season. But Cressida also had pride, and a threat bruising that pride, Cressida would never leave without the last word. And she didn't.
"First, let us see if she actually manages to drag him down the aisle at all. I would imagine a man like the duke does not take kindly to being forced into anything."
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Hello all,
First of all. I am so sorry for the wait, but now I can reclaim time to write!
On that note, thank you all for everything you do. Seeing the notifications about votes and everything else truly motivates me. I couldn't have gotten this far without any of you.
Thank you everyone,
-Fluffycow54
BINABASA MO ANG
Real love, harsh commitment
FanfictionDISCONTINUED: The edited and completed version of this book is on my page and is beginning to be uploaded. It's called: Season's Feather. If you would like to read this version, you are more than welcome to. But, I would suggest reading Season's F...
