"Hold me close so I can finally... breathe"
Marriage wasn't something Carina Bridgerton looked forward to. And true love was not something she dreamed of. She had declared it very clearly to her family that no marriage shall ever be expected from he...
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"As low as you can go, Lady Danbury?" The Queen questioned as Carina, Simon, Lady Danbury and her mama, all stood before the Queen for their appeal. "With these knees, yes, Your Majesty." She replied with a smile. Carina swears Lady Danbury fears no one and nothing. "Very well. Let your young people come forward." Carina and Simon stepped forward, standing side by side. "I have heard a rumor that the special license you seek to marry has been denied. I am not quite sure what you believe I am to do about it. Well, plead your case." The Queen states.
"Your Majesty, I assure you nothing untoward has occurred." Carina started. She had thought a romantic story, worthy of a fairy tale happy ending shall win her heart and so she began spinning her tale, "It is only that we love each other so very much. While I was deeply flattered by the attention of your nephew, the prince, I... I simply could not ignore my long-standing affection for the duke. You see, Your Majesty, it was love at first sight." Simon loudly interrupted, "It was not, Your Majesty." Now, clearly he either did not understand the severity of this situation or he understood and just did not care, because he was going crazy mad.
"The young lady flatters me, but it was not love at first sight for either of us. There was attraction, certainly, at least on my part. But Miss Bridgerton thought me presumptuous, arrogant, insincere. All fair, really." He spoke up, when Carina interrupted him, offended by his words. No matter how true they were, they should not have been uttered in public, in front of the Queen, no less. "You are one to talk, you thought me a prim young lady barely out of leading strings." She exclaimed while he smiled at that. Yet, his eyes did not stray from the Queen and Carina's couldn't remain off of him.
"Not to mention the sister of my best friend, and so romance was entirely out of the question for both of us. But in so removing it, we found something far greater." He continued. At this, Carina smiled and said, "Friendship. We found friendship." Simon continued, "You see, Miss Bridgerton and I have been fooling all of Mayfair for some time." Carina's jaw dropped in shock. Oh so they were being completely honest now? "We have fooled them into thinking we are courting... when really, all along, we simply enjoyed each other's company so much we could not stay away from one another. I have never been a man that much enjoyed flirting, or chatting, or, indeed, talking at all. But with Carina... Miss Bridgerton... conversation has always been easy. Her laughter brings me joy." He said. Now Carina's jaw dropped for a different reason, along with the butterflies in her stomach and tears in her eyes.
"To meet a beautiful woman is one thing, but to meet your best friend in the most beautiful of women is something entirely apart." Simon's voice cracked, and Carina could see tears in his eyes as well. Maybe, just maybe, they would be alright after all. "And it is with my sincerest apologies, I must say it took the prince coming along for me to realize I did not want Miss Bridgerton to only be my friend. I wanted her to be my wife." Simon pleaded. "I want her to be my wife." He emphasised. After a deep breath, he spoke up, "And so I plead with you... not to make us wait."
