The London Ton

Chapter 9 - Falling from grace

Alina did not know how long she spent lying on the floor before Lily found her. She was worried when she saw that Alina was not in her bed and had found her in the drawing room, sprawled in an unnatural position on the floor. She had helped her to her room and tended to the already forming bruising on her ribs.

Lily was rather sure that at least two of her ribs were broken but Alina dismissed her and told her it was simply a bruise and that she needed a good night sleep.

The next day, when Alina woke up, the pain at her side was nearly unbearable. She had trouble getting out of bed and when she stood in front of her mirror, she saw the large bruise, blue and purple that covered her right side. Lily applied a paste to lessen the pain and tried again to get Alina to let her called the doctor since the Duke had left this morning. Alina assured her she was fine. Truth is, she was ashamed. Ashamed of what her father had done to her and heartbroken of what he had said to her.

With her father gone, Alina decided to leave for Lady Danbury's estate where she could spend a few day. Plus, she could use the presence of the Lady.

The ride to the Danbury estate was anything but smooth and Alina had to repress cries of pain at every bump on the road.

When she finally arrived, she did her best to walk properly. She greeted Lady Danbury and told her she would take a nap before getting dressed for the ball.

Soon, Alina found that it would be impossible for her to find a comfortable position to rest so she decided to started preparing herself for the evening. It was only the middle of the season and Alina found herself once more conflicted. She did not like to attend balls and all the presentations she had to go through. A part of her was wishing for the season to end as rapidly as possible. On the other part, she did not want the season to end for it would mean that she had been married. Dread filled her at the thought of her future. The Viscount was not a bad man. He was pleasant and Alina enjoyed his company. She even found herself attracted to him in a way she had never been to anyone before. Over the many dances they had shared, she had enjoyed their closeness. The feel of his hand on the small of her back. The caress of his breath on her face. His large hand enclosing her smaller one. She had never felt this pull before. Maybe if things were different, if their meeting had never been arranged, she would had let herself be seduced by the Viscount.

Lily arrived soon after to help her dress, begging her to not attend the ball and rest. But, Alina was proud, perhaps too much, and assured her that she would be fine. Descending the stairs to the hall, she winced in pain when her feet touched the floor with too much force. The action was not missed by Lady Danbury who worriedly asked her if she was fine. She assured her that she was and made her way to the carriage. Lily was lingering behind Alina and Lady Danbury beckoned her to explain to her Alina's attitude.

It did not took long for Lily to tell everything to the elder Lady who once again found herself powerless towards the power of the man she loathed. She knew that Alina was too proud to miss the ball, that people would talk if she was to.

So, reluctantly, Lady Danbury dragged herself to the carriage, promising to keep a eye on the young miss.

Anthony Bridgerton was nervous. A feeling he was not accustomed to but that he found himself feeling more and more since the arrival of Miss Wellesley. On the carriage ride to the ball, he couldn't help his knee to bounce repeatedly.

"Would you stop that !?" Snapped Eloise, "Alina will be here, beautiful as ever and you can make a fool of yourself in front of her all night, do not worry."

Anthony glared at her but stopped his bouncing. His palms were sweaty, his collar felt too tight and his thoughts were swirling. Would he really make a fool of himself in front of her? The thought left him a bitter taste. He had swore that he would not fall in love. That love was not something he would engage in ever again and there he was, nervous to see a woman, eager to impress her. He had come to term with his feelings because, and as much as it angered him, he could not deny that he was utterly and completely in love with Miss Alina Wellesley.