❝ i don't suppose you remember me, do you benedict? ❞
❝ belle! you've grown ... i mean you're a lady now! ❞
❝ i think 'lady' might be a bit of a stretch ❞
━━━━ 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄 | belle grantham and benedict bridgerton were inseparabl...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
BELLE HAD NEVER had cause to run so quickly in her life — so fast she was concerned her heart might fly straight out of her chest.
Almost not discussion had followed Daphne's announcement that she and Duke were to be wed, as soon as the group of them realised that the need for a duel had been made redundant, a sense of panic had set in and all of them sought to make it seem as though they had never been any intention of such a thing taking place.
Belle didn't even get a chance to confer with the Duke, who looked positively shellshocked at the Bridgerton's girl announcement, before Anthony had seized her by the arm and was guiding her back towards the mare she had ridden there.
The sun was quickly rising over Mayfair on the journey back into the city, as the four Bridgertons and Belle hastily rode back to the home.
Anthony had made it very clear that it would raise no suspicion should the three brothers stumble through the doorway at dawn in their clothes from the previous night, but such a sight would not go down as well should it be the two girls — especially with one of them in her nightdress.
So, now, Belle ran. Her hand was in Daphne's as they descended from their horses, leaving the three men to see to them, as they sped through the house and up the stairs, the hands only parting when they entered their respective rooms.
Belle had not set foot in her room since leaving for the Trowbridge Ball the previous night, her bed was still spotless made with her nightgown lying neatly at the foot.
As soon as the door shut behind her, the brunette wasted no time in discarding her dress and pulling her nightgown unceremoniously over her head. She was incredibly thankful that Grace had elected to our her hair into a simple style the previous evening, meaning after removing only a few pins, her brown hair was free from its styling. Her biggest struggle in her haste had been with trying to wrestle the pair of Daphne riding boots from her feet, however eventually she had opted to kick them off before tucking them out of sight under the bed.
