Mᴜᴄʜ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇʀ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ's ᴅɪssᴀᴘᴘᴏɪɴᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ, ɴᴏ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇʀs ᴡᴇʀᴇ sᴇᴇɴ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ ʜᴀʀᴛʟᴇʏ ᴍᴀɴᴏʀ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀʟʟ ғᴏʀ ᴠɪᴏʟᴀ, ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ʙᴇɴᴇᴅɪᴄᴛ ʙʀɪᴅɢᴇʀᴛᴏɴ.
Vɪᴏʟᴀ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴏᴏᴅ, sʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ɴᴏᴛ sᴘᴏᴋᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴʏ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ɢᴇɴᴛʟᴇᴍᴇɴ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀʟʟ, sᴏ ᴡʜʏ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀʀɪᴠᴇ ɪғ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴅ ɴᴏᴛ sᴘᴏᴋᴇɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ? Aɴᴅ ғᴏʀ ʙᴇɴᴇᴅɪᴄᴛ, sʜᴇ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ sᴇᴠᴇʀᴀʟ ᴅᴜᴛɪᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀʟʟɪɴɢ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏsᴛ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ.
Sʜᴇ sᴀᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ʀᴏᴏᴍ ɴᴇsᴛʟᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ғᴀᴠᴏᴜʀɪᴛᴇ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ, ǫᴜɪᴛᴇ ᴘᴇᴀᴄᴇғᴜʟʟʏ ᴀs ʜᴇʀ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ʜᴏᴘᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴀʟᴋ ɪɴ ᴛᴏ ɪɴᴛʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴇ ᴀɴʏ ᴍᴀɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴜʀᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴇʟᴅᴇsᴛ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ.
"Sɪsᴛᴇʀ, ʜᴏᴡ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴏᴛ sᴘᴏᴋᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴀᴛ ʟᴀᴅʏ ᴅᴀɴʙᴜʀʏ's ʙᴀʟʟ? Iᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴʟʏ ғɪʟʟᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴇʟɪɢᴀʙʟᴇ sᴜɪᴛᴏʀs'' Tʜᴇᴏᴅᴏʀᴀ ǫᴜᴇsᴛɪᴏɴs
"ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ʟᴀsᴛ ɴɪɢʜᴛ, sɪsᴛᴇʀ?''
"ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴜsᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ɪ ʙᴇғʀɪᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴇʟᴏɪsᴇ ʙʀɪᴅɢᴇʀᴛᴏɴ.'' ᴛʜᴇᴏᴅᴏʀᴀ ʀᴇᴍᴀʀᴋs ᴘʀᴏᴜᴅʟʏ ᴀs sʜᴇ sᴋɪᴍs ᴏᴠᴇʀ ʟᴀᴅʏ ᴡʜɪsᴛʟᴇᴅᴏᴡɴ's ɴᴇᴡᴇsᴛ ɴᴇᴡsᴘᴀᴘᴇʀ ᴇɴᴛʀʏ.
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𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟,
𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝐴𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑠 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑛𝑒𝑤𝑠. 𝐼𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑚𝑠 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑝𝑜𝑒𝑚 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑢𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛.
𝐴𝑠 𝑠𝑢𝑐ℎ, 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑟𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑟 𝑗𝑒𝑤𝑒𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑢𝑛𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑑.
𝐻𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑒, 𝑢𝑛𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡, 𝑦𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑜𝑛 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑖𝑠 𝑀𝑖𝑠𝑠 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑎 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑠𝑜𝑛.
𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑤𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝐻𝑒𝑟 𝑀𝑎𝑗𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑦 𝑚𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ 𝑝𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑀𝑖𝑠𝑠 𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑔𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑜𝑛, 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑓𝑒𝑤 𝑠𝑢𝑖𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑠, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑀𝑖𝑠𝑠 𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑦 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙.
𝑊𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑄𝑢𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔; 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑔.
𝐿.𝑊
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"Gᴏᴏᴅ ᴅᴀʏ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇss ʜᴀʀᴛʟᴇʏ, ɪ ᴡᴀs ʜᴏᴘɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴏᴅᴏʀᴀ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴍᴇɴᴀᴅᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴇᴀᴛʜᴇʀɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ's.''
ᴇʟᴏɪsᴇ ʙʀɪᴅɢᴇʀᴛᴏɴ ᴀʀʀɪᴠᴇs ᴀᴛ ʜᴀʀᴛʟᴇʏ ᴍᴀɴᴏʀ.
"ᴏʜ ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴍᴀᴍᴀ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ɴᴏ ᴏʙᴠɪᴏᴜs sᴜɪᴛᴏʀs ғᴏʀ ᴍʏ sɪsᴛᴇʀ, I'ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ sɪᴛᴛɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴡʜᴏʟᴇ ʜᴏᴜʀs!'' Tʜᴇᴏᴅᴏʀᴀ ʙᴇɢs
Tʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇss sʜᴏᴏs ʜᴇʀ ᴏғғ, "ʙʀɪɴɢ ᴠɪᴏʟᴀ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴅᴏ ʜᴇʀ sᴏᴍᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ''
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Tʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ɢɪʀʟs ʜᴀᴅ ᴀʀʀɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ Gʀᴏsᴠᴇɴᴏʀ sǫᴜᴀʀᴇ, ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴇᴀᴛɢᴇʀɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ ʜᴏᴜsᴇʜᴏʟᴅ, ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴏᴘᴘᴏsɪᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀɪᴅɢᴇʀᴛᴏɴ's, ᴇʟᴏɪsᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴏᴅᴏʀᴀ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴡʜɪsᴘᴇʀɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏʀɴᴇʀ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴍᴀɴ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀ, ғᴏʀ ᴍᴀʀɪɴᴀ ᴛʜᴏᴍᴘsᴏɴ, ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ.
Vɪᴏʟᴀ sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴇʀsɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴘᴇɴᴇʟᴏᴘᴇ ғᴇᴀᴛʜᴇʀɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ, ᴡʜᴏ sʜᴇ ɴᴏᴡ ᴄᴀʟʟs ᴘᴇɴ, ᴀs ᴍᴇɴ ᴡᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴘᴀsᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ, ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀʀɪɴᴀ.
Fɪɴᴀʟʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ sᴜɪᴛᴏʀ ᴀʀʀɪᴠᴇᴅ, ᴘᴇʀғᴏʀᴍɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ ᴘᴇɪᴄᴇ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ʜᴇ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴡᴀs ǫᴜɪᴛᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ, ᴇɴᴘʜᴀsɪs ᴏɴ "ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ''.
Lᴀᴅʏ ғᴇᴀᴛʜᴇʀɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ ʙᴇɢᴀɴ ᴄʟᴀᴘᴘɪɴɢ ʟᴏᴜᴅʟʏ, ᴘʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴇɢɢɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ
"ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀғᴜʟ, ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀғᴜʟ, ɢᴇɴᴛʟᴇᴍᴇɴ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴀʟʟs, ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙɪᴅ ᴘʀᴜᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ, ᴘʜɪʟʟɪᴘᴀ ᴏʀ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴘᴇɴᴇʟᴏᴘᴇ ᴀ ғᴀʀᴇᴡᴇʟʟ ᴀs ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏ''
Aʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴍᴇɴ sᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴜʀsᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇɴ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇʏ ʙɪᴅ ᴀᴅɪᴇᴜ, ᴀ ᴍᴀɴ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴘᴜʀᴘʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʙʟᴜᴇ sᴜɪᴛ ᴛᴜʀɴs ᴛᴏ ᴘᴇɴᴇʟᴏᴘᴇ,
"A ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴡʀᴇᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ sᴏɴɴᴇᴛ, ɪɴᴅᴇᴇᴅ.'' ʜᴇ ʀᴇᴍᴀʀᴋs
Pᴇɴ ɴᴏᴛɪᴄᴇʙʟʏ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇs ɢɪᴅᴅʏ ᴀɴᴅ sᴍɪʟᴇʏ, "Lᴏʀᴅ Bʏʀᴏɴ ʜᴇ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ!'' sʜᴇ ᴊᴏᴋᴇs ᴀs ʜᴇ ᴄʜᴜᴄᴋʟᴇs ʙᴜᴛ ᴅɪsᴀɢʀᴇᴇs
"I ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ sᴏ, ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴅᴀʏ ᴘᴇɴ.''
Vɪᴏʟᴀ ᴘᴜʟʟs ᴘᴇɴᴇʟᴏᴘᴇ ᴀsɪᴅᴇ, ᴄᴜʀɪᴏᴜs ᴏɴ ᴡʜᴏ ʜᴇ ɪs ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜʏ sʜᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴇᴄsᴛᴀᴛɪᴄ ᴀs ʜᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ,
"Wʜᴏ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴅ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴇʀsᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ?''
"Cᴏʟɪɴ Bʀɪᴅɢᴇʀᴛᴏɴ, ᴇʟᴏɪsᴇ ᴀᴍᴅ ᴅᴀᴘʜɴᴇ's ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ, ʜᴇ ɪs ᴇᴠᴇʀ sᴏ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ'' Pᴇɴ ɢʀɪɴs ᴡɪᴅᴇ, ᴀʟʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴠɪᴏʟᴀ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʜᴇʀ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢs ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅ ʜɪᴍ,
"I ᴍᴜsᴛ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴜᴍʙᴇʀ ᴏғ ʙʀɪᴅɢᴇʀᴛᴏɴ ᴄʜɪʟᴅʀᴇɴ. Aʟsᴏ ᴘᴇɴ, ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ᴛᴇʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ᴀᴅᴏʀᴇ ʜɪᴍ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡɪsʜ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇsᴛ ᴏғ ʟᴜᴄᴋ ɪɴ ᴡɪɴɴɪɴɢ ʜɪᴍ ᴏᴠᴇʀ.''
"Tʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴠɪᴏʟᴀ, ɪ ᴘʟᴀɴ ᴏɴ sᴇᴇɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇxᴛ ʙᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇᴀsᴏɴ?''
"ɪɴᴅᴇᴇᴅ, I'ʟʟ sᴇᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ.''
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YOU ARE READING
Entirely ~ Benedict Bridgerton
RomanceI've been obsessed with him since I started watching, his cute facial expressions and mannerisms, how could I not? Viola Hartley and her family move from the North of England to London after the death of her father, the Earl of Northumberland. As a...
