Dearest gentle reader,
it is often said that those who marry in haste must repent at leisure, a sentiment that is clearly shared by Miss Daphne Bridgerton, who has apparently rejected not one, not two, but three proposals already this week. Some believe she is showing admirable forethought in her deliberations, but I would venture a different conjecture, that she, like this author, is still waiting on the only suitor of note.
It seems, for the Giles family, that there shall be an heir after all. Wedding bells are ringing after Edward has proposed to the sweet Annabella Williams. Does this mean that Miss Giles is next to find love? She is seemingly getting closer to Benedict Bridgerton, the two looked cozy at the picnic; sharing a slice of cake.
"Daphne, have you thought about with whom you would like to dance at tonight's ball?" Violet asks her daughter. Elizabeth had come over to avoid wedding preparations as her brother and parents would not stop arguing. She is sat beside Benedict, studying a composition of which her brother wrote, and he is lounging beside her, watching her with a small smile as her brows furrow as she studies.
"I have some ideas." Daphne responds, stopping her pacing to sit beside Elizabeth; the girl moving up so that she can sit down. Benedict sits up slightly as Elizabeth squishes herself against him; the two sitting awfully close together." Lord Weaver is a fine dancer."
"Lord Hardy was asking about you at White's last night." Anthony states from where he's sat at the table, reading something.
"Lord Hardy?" Violet asks, tea cup in hand." What about the duke?"
"The duke has not proposed, mama." Daphne responds simply. Anthony goes to whack Gregory as the boy steals some food from him, but he is too fast and escapes with a grin on his face; Anthony chuckling slightly." I am still considering my best course."
"Wise girl." Anthony approves with a smile.
"And Lord Hardy is a fine option." Daphne adds to her response. Elizabeth chews on her bottom lip as she studies her brothers work." Although, he is rather boastful."
"My dear, why ever do you complicate matters so? You just simply marry the man who feels like your dearest friend." Violet tells her daughter. Elizabeth feels Benedict move a strand of loose hair behind her ear and she looks up at him. He removes his hand and smiles at her; blushing slightly as he looks away.
"Oh, oh is that it, mama? Well, how very simple indeed!" States Daphne, sarcasm dripping off of her tongue.
"Yes, quite." Violet responds and she chuckles with irony.
Later on, back at home, Elizabeth stands quietly as Eleanor helps her with her corset; her hair tied into a neat bun once again— her mother ranting on about Bridesmaid dresses. They only had three days to go, and Elizabeth was aware of that fact; and apart of her couldn't wait for it to be over so she did not have to listen to anymore wedding talk.
Yet another ball to attend, and Elizabeth is getting used to how they appear to go. Except, tonight is different; for the first person to offer her a dance is not Benedict, but Colin. She curtsies to her best friend, and he smiles to her as he bows before he takes her hand. It's nice to dance with Colin, and it reminds Elizabeth of when they were younger, and would pretend to throw a ball at Aubrey Hall with Daphne and Eloise; Colin dancing with the three of them as Anthony, Edward and Benedict had been too busy to play along with them.
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Meet Me In The Afterglow | Benedict Bridgerton
Fanfiction"Are you not expected to start your season, soon?" Benedict asks suddenly, breaking the silence that had been collecting for nearly three hours. "Mother says I shall become a debutante just after my twenties have started. I have a few years to go b...
