five • unlikely circumstances

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•••"the night's a perfect shade of dark blue

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"the night's a perfect shade of dark blue."
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Grosvenor Square, 1813

A new day dawns in Grosvenor Square, and that can only hope another successful day of our glorious season. With all talks of the Duke of Hasting's dancing with the diamond of the season- Daphne Bridgerton, the named "Sapphire", Nola Addington, cherishes the few days her name is kept out of the mouth of those in the town.

"Mother, none of these men are nearly as appealing as you made them out to be. Would it kill me to delay this another year... possibly?" Ginevra sighed, resting her head in her hands. "Mother, please. I do not mean to distress you, but I am having absolutely no luck."

"With Daphne catching the eye of Simon, all the suitors eyes will be on Miss Bridergton, mama. Nola is right. It's pointless." Sloan points out, sitting next to her little sister, running her fingers through her perfectly curled hair.

Simon enters the room, quickly reading the somber expressions, "what is the matter?" He walks to Nola, quickly noticing a tear slowly fall for her eye, quickly wiped away by her own finger, praying her cousin hadn't caught it.

"Nola would like to give up, Simon. She has not drawn an attachment with any of the men." Ginevra informed, standing and moving to the window.

"High unnecessary. I told you I would sort this out for you, and I did. I've arranged a promised proposal." Nola's eyes widened and a sudden look of displeasure grew. "Good heavens, what is the matter?"

"An arranged proposal? Do you see me as desperate?" She exclaimed, her voice slowly rising in volume, "or am I simply that homely that you deemed me unfit to find a man on my own?" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Sister..." Sloan chimed in, trying to comfort her.

"No, I'm not finished. How dare you, Simon. You caused this. Your attention towards the Bridgerton girl has caused me nothing but error. I know you. I know this is some sort of sick joke, but this is no joke to me, cousin. This is my life, and you sold me away like I was one of the horses in the stable. I may be a woman, I may be inferior to you and my promised, but I was to believe we had the mutual respect for each other that you would never cast me out." Simon attempted to stalk closer, slightly holding her face, which more tears had fallen from her eyes.

"Nola..."

"No! You don't get to do this. I need time. I need to be by myself." Nola ran out of the estate, the booming voice of Simon after her.

"Nola! Nola! God damn it, return to me at this instant!" She did not, and respectfully so. "She's never behaved like this." Simon shouted, grabbing his over coat from the chair, quickly trying to catch up with the girl. "Nola!"

his sapphire • anthony bridgertonWhere stories live. Discover now