Gravity || Anthony Bridgerton

Three - Danbury Ball

'Your dresses have arrived!' Lady Bridgerton announced as she entered the room. All of us hurried to meet her as Daphne giggled.

'Oh! This one is quite ravishing,' Daphne exclaimed, looking at the dress laid in her mothers arms.

'Mary Edgecombe wore a similar shade last season.'

'And secured three offers the very next day, one from an earl,' Daphne explained to me.

'Mary Edgecombe, now the Countess of Fulton, apparently spent the last year living in a cottage hundreds of miles away from her earl,' Eloise commented, holding what looked like an article in her hand. 'She is miserable. It says it all here,' Eloise pointed to the paper in her hands.

'Do no tell me that is yet another scandal sheet. Eloise-' Lady Bridgerton was cut off by her daughter.

'No, no, this one is different. This one lists subjects by name, in full,' Eloise informed.

'Let me see!' Hyacinth ran towards Eloise grabbing at the article.

'Lady Whistledown,' Francesca spoke, snatching the article from Hyacinth's grasp.

'The author,' Eloise stated.

'Surely Lady Whistledown cannot be her true name?' I asked now intrigued, reading the article over Daphnes shoulder.

'She loathes the fact that we've been named alphabetically, oldest to youngest,' Daphne read out, walking to the other part of the room causing us all to follow.

'The papers were distributed across town today without charge,' Eloise spoke over her mothers shoulder.

Both Daphne and Lady Bridgerton suddenly gasped.

'What is it? What did she write?' I questioned, trying to decipher whether it was good news or bad. I stood straighter at the thought of bad news.

'Well, at least she has one thing right,' Lady Bridgerton's tone was proud. I relaxed as I saw a smile spread across her face. 'She has named Daphne as the season's Incomparable. She calls you a "diamond of the first water."' She looked down at Daphne with a proud look in her eyes. She looked back at the article, 'She also says that "Miss Elizabeth Newton follows closely in her footsteps, as a new perfect addition to Grosvenor Square." Well, how lovely!'

I smiled from ear to ear. I felt accepted, and I was delighted. 'Did she really say that?' I asked in disbelief, holding a hand out to take the article from Daphne. My eyes widened, it was true. Eloise approached, wrapping an arm around me. All my hard work had paid off.

-

Later that afternoon as I headed to the drawing room I saw Anthony making a quiet exit.

'Business in town?' I asked, catching his attention.

He turned his body toward me, 'Oh, yes, I shan't be long,' His voice was high as he nervously fidgeted where he was stood. He was hiding something, I just couldn't figure out what it was. He quickly rubbed the palms of his hands against his coat.

'I shall see you at the ball this evening I suspect?' I tried to change the subject.

'Of course.'