Nancy Griffiths, a young & beautiful woman with musical talents, came from a poor working class family from Bloomsbury. Together with her mother, Nancy worked as a maid at the Danbury household while her father was a simple clerk.
Following the pas...
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- NANCY GRIFFITHS -
I pace back and forth an empty study at the queen's ball with the goal to calm down, but I find myself unable to, due to freshly new circumstances.
This is bad, absolute absurdity.
I startle as someone enters the study.
With widen eyes, I stop pacing and become relieved at the sight of Benedict standing by the entrance. "I saw you run off. Is everything alright?" He asks as he closes the door behind him.
"Oh things are just delightful, Benedict.. I was only thinking about how extraordinary the book collections are in this study. I mean have you seen the authors; Hoffman, Burney, Carter and also Queen Charlotte declared me the new diamond!– WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK?!" I practically shout as I stressfully fan myself, tension returned.
I am aware that I accidentally charmed the queen at the Danbury ball, but never in a million years did I expect her to actually choose me to become this season's diamond.
"Would now be the proper time then to extend my congratulations?" Benedict jokes to lighten up the rather anxious atmosphere, but I am not in the mood for silliness.
"This is not an amusing matter, Benedict! Now that I am the diamond, all eyes and ears will be on me constantly as if I had not enough of it already. Never mind that fact, I am now also expected to be engaged.. nay.. married at the end of the season!" I break our eye contact as I resume to go back and forth the room, fanning my face almost dry.
"This is bad. This is bad." I repeatedly say.
"Come now. Just because the queen announced you the diamond, will not mean that you are forced to be married at the end of this season. Miss Edwina was last year's diamond and did not marry–"
"You do not understand!" I interrupt Benedict. "Many actually believed Miss Edwina worthy of that title. She actually possessed the qualities of a true diamond. I, on the other hand, do not.. and trust me, there are many out there who think the same. Because of the queen's most recent announcement, the entire ton will now attentively wait for me to eventually break and act like the reckless Bloomsbury maid they expect me to be and.. and..." Breathlessly, I stop talking and shake my head.
It is too overwhelming, utterly unbearable.
Suddenly, I feel two arms locking me into a warm embrace and for a moment I stand completely frozen still.
Without questioning, I let the side of my face sink onto Benedict's chest as he rests his chin on my head. "It is going to be alright." He mutters comfortingly as he gently caresses my back.
I close my eyes and sigh. "I can not keep putting on this- this facade and pretend to be unbothered by the ton's disapproval of my presence." I quietly say with a raspy voice as Benedict continues to hold me. "Every minute spent here, being treated like I do not belong... It is draining me empty, Benedict."
Benedict tightens the embrace as I feel his chest gently rising before letting out a deep breath. "You do not have to live up to what is expected from a lady in today's society. You do not have to pretend nor force yourself to be someone you do not want to be. Instead, become the person you are happy to become."
I lean away from Benedict and look at him with astonishment whilst he can only smile as per usual. "If you want to be an independent and stubborn world class composer who oddly enough renovates houses in secret,"
I let out a chuckle, causing Benedict to laugh as he speaks. "-then be that person, but promise me that you do not become a sorrowed woman married to a man she does not love, forever forced to lie to others and to herself that she is content with her life.– That is not what you deserve."
When I first met Benedict, I prejudiced him to be like any other condescending and misogynistic man from the ton, but I am humbled to admit that he is far from it. He may not be aware of everything completely, but he is eager to understand others.
"You are a good friend, Benedict." I calmly say as I lightly pat his arm. A smile grows on his face before he takes my hand, intertwining our fingers. "You as well, Nancy Griffiths. I am glad we met." He responds before planting a kiss on my hand.
And for a moment, we stay like this, holding onto each other in pleasant stillness. Unharmed from the obstacles of reality, as if there is no one else in the world except for me and him.
•
As Lady Danbury and I sit silently in the carriage on our way home, I notice her frequently glancing at me.
I am not going to keep up with this the entire ride.
"Is something the matter, Lady Danbury?" I finally ask. She smiles at me silently for a moment before staring out the carriage.
"I suppose there is.– I thought her majesty the queen announcing you her diamond would've terrified you, though you seem rather calm, almost happy even."
Do I?
"Believe me, Lady Danbury, I am not thrilled with the queen's decision, but I realized soon after, it is not the worst thing to happen." I say as my mind immediately goes to Benedict.
"Perhaps Mr. Bridgerton has anything to do with the sudden realization. You two really seem to have connected the past few weeks."
"I.."
I want to object, but is there really anything to be opposed of? Benedict and I have grown closer ever since we first met and now, come to think of it, he has been the only person I have been able to talk freely to without second thoughts.
"I suppose you are right, Lady Danbury." I finally conclude a bit confused.
"By the way dear, I almost forgot. Before we left, the queen has requested you to perform at Mayfair's only theatre next Monday. A perfect chance to win adoration from the ton, as she described it."
"A performance?" I repeat quite nervously as I start to fumble on the skirt of my dress.
"You have performed many times, dear. Do not tell me now that you are nervous. I recall you being most comfortable hiding behind the pianoforte as a child." Lady Danbury says, noticing the sudden panic on my face.
"I still am. It is- it is just... it is nothing. I am most honored to soon be performing in front of the ton and queen Charlotte."
Many believe the reason I returned to London is because I am finding myself a husband. Lady Danbury believes it is because of her that I came back which is partially true, but there is one other significant reason as to why I am here.
•
A/N: Hi! A very short chapter indeed. I have been receiving a lot of notifications lately of people adding this story to their reading lists, thank you once again and my apologies for taking so long to publish a new chapter. A combination of being busy and writer's block I guess. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
