Can such a strange friendship turn into love? He never realized she was so lovely. She never noticed how charming he was. Miles Bridgerton and Vanessa Everleigh have known each for over a decade and both of them had never really given the other much...
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Later in the evening
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Vanessa began to feel confined in her room, and opted to wait for dinner early. She called her lady's maid, Bridget, and got dressed. Most women would tell their maids to make them look as elegant as possible for a house party dinner, but Vanessa got into the habit of simply trusting Bridget's judgement when it came to how she would look. And Bridget, not knowing what else to do without specific instructions, defaulted to a neutral and plain look.
Vanessa didn't mind looking ordinary, because it's what she believed herself to be. She thought the look fit her. Besides, she never really fit the mold anyway. When she came of age, Richard told her she ought to act like she was Lady Leigh, instead of Miss Everleigh.
He explained that because he was Baron Leigh, with no wife or daughter, then the honor of being called Lady Leigh should be hers. But even Vanessa knew that's not how it worked. She was merely a niece and ward, not a true daughter. He was right in saying that there was no one else anyone could call Lady Leigh, but she wasn't fond of being addressed as such.
The last Lady Leigh was the late Baroness Everleigh.
Vanessa's aunt was elegant, and deserving of being called a Lady. She was married to a lord after all, and she was a baroness. She walked with perfect posture, knew what to tell her maids when getting dressed, and followed the rules of society. Certainly, she didn't wear breeches. She was the perfect baroness. She was everything Vanessa was not.
And Vanessa refused to replace her late aunt Susan Everleigh.
So, she refused the title, knowing that it would never fit her, and knowing that it would never formally be hers. For now, the title would be reserved for Henry's future baroness.
Thus, Vanessa examined herself in the mirror, content with looking ordinary. When Bridget finished tidying her hair, she finally went down to the drawing room. Vanessa was not expecting anyone else to be there, as it was still very early to be waiting for dinner, but she saw Mary sitting on the sofa fidgeting with her fingers.
She looked dazzling in her blue evening dress, at least compared to Vanessa in her rather plain brown dress. Mary, just like many of the girls in the house party, was preparing for her first season. She had wanted to delay it by another year, but Kate told her that 17 was an ample age to be a debutante. So here she was, nervously waiting for the formal dinner to begin.
Vanessa sat next to her on the sofa and they exchanged pleasantries. Mary was very shy and quiet, so Vanessa was not surprised when she did not speak to break the ice. But Vanessa felt the tension and awkwardness in the air. This was a silence that needed filling.
"Are you feeling alright, Mary? Or are your nerves getting to you?" Vanessa asked carefully.
"Yes," Mary sighed. "I admit that I'm quite anxious." She continued to fiddle with her thumbs.
