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.
A young lady's presentation to the queen was perhaps her most important engagement of all. The queen's opinion was above all and a dismal response would surely mean a dismal season and few prospective suitors. Fortunately, Camilla Lennox was the daughter of a very important man. The queen would never deem to look poorly upon the young woman, but even if she did- the men of the ton would still be interested in courting the daughter of a lord. Her debut had gone well, the queen smiled approvingly down at the young woman and caressed her cheek matronly before sending her on her way. As far as debuts go, Camilla's was nearly perfect.
Which is perhaps why everyone was so surprised when she ended her first season single. No one expected her to remain eligible for long and she had indeed received several proposals, but her brother and father had denied them all. It seemed, at least to those on the outside, that no man was worthy of the only daughter of Lord Richmond.
In truth, the denials had all come from Camilla herself. Her dear father was willing to take the brunt of the disapproval because he wanted only the best for his only daughter. Camilla would marry for love, that was the agreement among the Lennox family. So when Anthony Bridgerton approached the Lennox men about a possible engagement between himself and Camilla, they were naturally overjoyed.
Charlie and Anthony were well acquainted following their rather wild days at school. Camilla was close friends with Anthony's younger sister, Daphne, and seemed rather taken by the young viscount.
But then, Camilla did something rather unexpected- she rejected Anthony's proposal. And then she withdrew from the London season and returned to Goodwood House in Sussex without another word.
No one knew whether to expect her the next year or not. Naturally, the ton was abuzz when it learned of her return to London. Finally, they might find out what happened between the eldest Bridgerton and the young lady.
The ball at Danbury was the first event of the season and the ton was excited by the arrival of not one, but two dukes. The Duke of Richmond was expected, as were his two children. The unexpected arrival was Simon Basset, recently made the Duke of Hastings after his father's death. Women were beside themselves at the prospect of wedding a duke, or seeing their daughter's wed him. Upon his arrival at the ball, Simon was almost immediately swarmed by eager suitors.
