Opinionated: The American

First appearance

I felt the warmth of the sun prickle my skin as my back rested on the soft bed of grass. In that moment despite all the chaos that raged around me I felt at peace. A peace no one could take away from me.

"Ella! Why are you lying down? Simon is just arriving." I take that back. Lady Danbury could take that away.

With a sigh I stood, dusted off my gown and made my way towards the still open door. I made my way to the front of the house just as Simon Hastings came riding towards the flask in hand.

"Cousin!" I screamed hurling myself towards him.

"Still just as energetic I see Ella" Simon chuckled as I recollected myself and stepped back. Lady Danbury came up and invited him to the ball. He reluctantly agreed. Well more was forced to attend. As she stepped inside he turned his attention towards me.

"Any way you could send her attention away from me so I don't have to make an appearance?" He said flashing hopeful eyes my way.

"I'm very sorry your grace but I am in need of someone to go with and you just became available, and if I am forced to go I won't allow you to get out of it." I shined him a smile and made my way back up to my bedroom to prepare.

I had to admit, being in England was quite a sight. I had spent the majority of my life in New York besides staying with Lady Danbury on summers every once in a while. I haven't been back since I came of age. As someone who inherited a large amount of money from my father I do not wish to marry. In America it is uncommon but not unheard of but in England it is a different story. An unmarried woman is unheard of or frowned upon. Though I haven't even cared much what others' opinion of me is it is never easy to be swarmed by boys only to cast them down and then usually insulted.

I met Simon outside of the house as we walked in together. 

" This is going to be dreadful isn't it?" Simon sighed as we walked in the large front doors.

"You're not the one in a corset. The only struggle you will have is in gawks of marriage hungry mothers." I spoke quietly as we began passing guests. We met with Lady Danbury and she walked beside us as we made our way into the main ballroom.

"Smiles on children. If we are lucky both of you will catch the eye of someone this evening" With a side glance and a silent understanding Simon and I accompanied behind her into a lavish ballroom.

I stood quietly off to the side as I watched amused as Simon made a fool of himself in front of a young woman who bumped into him, quite obviously trying to escape a rather nasty looking man. It seems as though the man was still waiting for an opportunity to swoop on her and I took it upon myself to remove her from that situation. As another man happily greeted Simon I took the distraction as a way to introduce myself and cause a long enough conversation for this man to lose interest.

"Hello, I am sorry to interrupt but I was wondering if I might have a word with you Ms.-"

"Bridgerton, Daphne Bridgerton."

"Lovely to make your acquaintance. Would you mind a quick conversation?" She nodded and, with a strange look from Simon and his friend, we stepped towards the back room.

"I apologize from pulling you away, I just noticed a man lurking in the background. You seemed trying to escape him before so I was just trying to help"

"Oh. My deepest appreciation. Lord Berbrooke is quite a ghastly man and I seem to not be able to escape from his gaze." I laughed as she continued "I can't help but notice an accent. Where are you from?"

"I'm from America, New York to be specific." She smiled and began to speak before she was interrupted by the same man that Simon seemed so excited to speak to before.

"We must go Daphne" He took her arm and led her away bumping into another slightly older woman further down the ballroom and starting a conversation with her. I looked through the dance floor and couldn't contain my laughter as I watched Simon get accosted by women presenting their daughters to him. Guess it is my duty to save him. I sighed and made my way across the dance floor.