CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS [BRIDGERTON]

eight.

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𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨
 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧
𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝.

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PRESENT DAY

Early in the morning, Augusta started her journey with a smile and a skip in her step. Not even the way Benedict had queried about her uncharacteristic upbeat behavior bothered her. The house where her sister was staying for a few weeks with her fellow artists was only a few corners away from the Bridgerton house and she could not express how elated she was to see one of her younger siblings after almost a year.

The gates of the Balfour mansion creaked open after she told one of the footmen that she was a guest of Alice Woodbury. There was an endless amount of flowers and a fountain of a Greek goddess adorned the garden in the front. Augusta's shoestrings crunched on the ground as she approached the exorbitant home. Surely her salary was being put to good use if Alice was able to offered this trip from across Europe. 

The ceiling of the mansion looked as if it towered London and reached the Heavens. The paintings of angels and Greek gods and goddesses immediately captured Augusta's attention as she appreciated a painting of high standard. Unlike the painting dull Lord Wetherby had presented to her the day before, the figures of the celestial bodies looked bright and so life-like. A squeal emitted from the top of the staircase reminded Augusta that she was still indeed a mere mortal.

A wide smile formed on the lips of the Woodbury sisters with Alice practically sprinting down the staircase and Augusta bouncing on the tips of her toes.

Alice had flung herself to her older sister's open arms. They wasted no moment in exercising their efforts in talking over the other's voice as they stressed numerous important events that had happened over the course of their distance. Of course, these numerous important events were far too crucial to be said on a mere letter.

"Gussie, your hair has gotten so long!" Alice exclaimed as she gently sifted her fingers through her older sister's blonde hair ─ the only physical trait all three Woodbury siblings shared. Alice and Albert were graced with their mother's nose and emerald green eyes while Augusta had gray eyes that resembled rainclouds.

"We must not trim your hair!" Her younger sister continued on and joked. "It is your one beauty! And ─ " Alice gasped in an exaggerated manner. "What are all these lines around your forehead?!"

Augusta chuckled. "And you are as beautiful as I recall, my dear sister." Her hand delicately landed on Alice's cheeks, the elder Woodbury observing the changes on her face. "Alice, you have grown! What have they been feeding you in that school of yours?"