How To Love A Prince - A. Bridgerton

Chapter One

" Ladies beware! As It came to my ears, and they had taken in the news with great joy, the handsome and unmarried royal highness, Prince Edward of England, has returned from his extended studies abroad to join this year's season. Rumors say, your highness is finally looking for a lovely young lady to wed. Perhaps Miss Edwina Sheffield, whom Your Majesty the Queen just announced to be the brightest jewel of the season, will be regarded as a suitable option.
So my dear matchmaking mothers 1814 promises to be another eventful season as there will be not one but two handsome gentlemen available to pursue. Viscount Anthony Bridgerton, London's most elusive bachelor, who had shown no indication that he plans to marry before, now announced he was also looking for a wife. Will the consummate rake finally find his perfect match?

-Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1814

~•~

Prince Edward of England jumped out of the carriage rather improperly, landing directly into a puddle of mud that immediately sprinkled his knee-high boots with fine brown sprinkles. The Queen, who had been waiting for her youngest son to return, wrinkled her nose in disgust. But as soon as the brightest of contagious smiles appeared on her youngest son's lips as he spotted her, the hint of disapproval disappeared from her stern features to be replaced by a warm and welcoming glimmer in her eyes. As usual, her son was a feast to the eye, tall, broad built dressed in the finest fabrics accessible with soft brown skin and pitch black locks cut short. "Mother!", the man called out and jumped up the stairs of the castle's front, where the Queen stood with her tiny dog in arms and her several gentlewomen at her sides. "Edmund!", she responded, pressing the animal into the nearest gentlewoman's arms to have her hands free so he could stroke her son's bearded cheek lovingly. Edwards's smile got even wider as he placed a gentle kiss on his mother's hand. The whole encounter was rather informal, as every return had been since the young Princesses passing and the King's tragic illness. "I'm overjoyed you're back, my Prince.", Queen Charlotte said while leading her son into the castle. "As am I, mother. Tell me, have I missed something of importance?" Prince Edward was a cultured man with many great interests of which he shared a few with his mother. One of them was to be informed about the past season's most notable events. "The Duke of Hastings found himself a wife.", Charlotte gladly told her son, while holding onto his arm as they strolled through the massive entrance hall. "Do I know the fortunate Lady?" The Queen looked up at her son fondly, taking in the curiosity in his bright green eyes that was so similar to the one in her dark ones. "Daphne Bridgerton. ", she notified "She declined a proposal of Prince Friedrich for him. True love, I suppose." "Unfortunately I never had the pleasure to meet miss Bridgerton.", Edward stated smoothly. "Unfortunately indeed. She could have been a perfect match for you", his mother continued. "But fortunately there will be another miss Bridgerton get introduced to society. You're just in time for the opening ball tomorrow. Perhaps you would like to join to get a first glance at this year's debutantes." "If it's your wish, my dearest mother, I could never refuse." And as he intended, his statement brought a content expression to his mother's face. Edward studied her worn-out face that had once glowed with youthful beauty and to him, Queen Charlotte was still the most stunning woman he ever encountered. She was beautiful and graceful with a brave heart and a strongly opinionated mind paired with a sharp tongue and all she wanted was to find her son's wife's with the same qualities. Then like every mother she wanted her children to live the best life possible. And Edward loved women. He admired their curves and softness, the bright intelligence behind angel eyes as they single-handed handled the matters of a household as if it was nothing while taking care of several children with great love. Edward was convinced the female sex was far more capable than society pictured them to be. Again, his mother was the perfect example. As long as his father had been out of his mind, she was ruling the kingdom, and the country was greater than ever. But his undying love and deep appreciation for women, in general, didn't mean he was planning on marrying one of them. Because the picture-perfect prince every Ladies would dream of was exclusively falling for men.
Which was the main reason he'd avoided court for the past three years. It was much easier to live out his inclinations away from the dangerous chatter of London's high society and his mother's expectations. Haven't it been for an unfortunate event in France, what lead him to almost get caught in the bed of his soft-lipped paramour, he would have not been back by now. "You're planning at staying at the palace?", Queen Charlotte asked as the two entered the blue salon where a tea table had been set up. Pastel coloured biscuits and puddings on silver plates made Edward's stomach growl. "I would prefer withdrawing myself into my apartment", he denied while taking a seat on one of the delicate golden chairs his mother cherished so much, already reaching for a pink macaroon. " Of cause.", the Queen said, her massive skirt billowing as she sat down herself, a slither of disappointment in her voice. "To move on to more serious matters... How's your majesty the king's well-being?"

~•~

On the other side of town, Anthony Bridgerton closed the newest issue of Lady Whistledown's Society papers with a displeased huff. "What's getting in your mood, brother?", his younger sibling Benedict asked, his gaze focused on his drawing. " It seems like I got competition for miss Sheffields hand in marriage. The Prince is back in town." "The Prince?", Benedict asked, now looking up from his work, a dark eyebrow raised in question.
" Prince Edward. Seems like there's a royal highness with each season now. According to lady Whistledown, he's looking for a suitable wife himself."  "You're just jealous he's going to get all the attention.", Benedict chuckled, highly amused about the thunderstorm in his brother's dark eyes.  Anthony huffed again. "I'm going to dance with miss Sheffield tomorrow. She'll be my perfect match.", he then continued, grabbing a biscuit from the table beside him. He bit into it with force. " You know what I think of that idea of yours", Benedict pointed out, the charcoal in his hands scratching over the paper as he drew a shadow.  Anthony didn't answer. His gaze was now glued to the door where their younger sister Eloise was approaching.  "Is that the new Whistledown?", the girl asked in excitement and Anthony nodded, not intending to hand it over to her. So Eloise rolled her eyes and made a big step forward to grab it herself. With curious eyes she skimmed over the text: " rake", she mouthed to Anthony, who rolled his eyes at his sister's comment. "Mother will be delighted to hear about the Prince.", she now chirped " She will immediately try to set you two up.", Benedict corrected her with a hint of a smile on his lips. Eloise blew a raspberry at him. "Eloise!", the voice of their mother echoed through the house.  " Drawing room!", Eloise called back.  A few seconds later, Violet Bridgerton appeared. " There you are.", she exclaimed. "We have to leave for the dressmaker soon." She spotted the papers in her young daughter's hands: " Is that the new Whistledown? Did she wrote about you?" She was as equally excited about the paper as Eloise had been, maybe even more. " She wrote about Anthony", Eloise gladly informed her, her eyes mischievously twinkling at her oldest brother. Anthony wasn't overly fond of the way his mother's lips first formed a smile that quickly turned into a frown over the mentioning of her son. "Well, ..", she finally spoke up. " nothing new on you, Anthony." Benedict and Eloise chuckled, for what their mother glared at them briefly. "But the return of the Prince is exciting news.", she added with a look at Eloise. Benedict burst into laughter at the way his sister's expression turned sour as if she had just bitten into a green apple.  " I'm not interested in marrying a Prince, mother.I'm hardly fond of the thought of marrying at all!"