FLORENCE | Bridgerton

[1.2.7]

𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯: 𝘖𝘯𝘦
𝘌𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘛𝘸𝘰: 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵
𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘚𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘝𝘢𝘶𝘹𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭

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Lady Whistledown's
SOCIETY PAPERS

There will forever be just two words that come to this author's mind that morning after any good party, 'shock' and 'delight.'

Well, dear reader, the scandalous accounts from last night's soiree at Vauxhall are quite shocking and delightful indeed.

Emerging, phoenix-like from the ashes of irrelevance, is one Miss Daphne Bridgerton. The illustrious debutante was seen dancing not once, but twice with one of the season's most eligible, and in their case most uncatchable rakes, the Duke of Hastings.

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Walking down the staircase towards the drawing room, I am greeted with the sight of a rather large, rather expensive-looking arrangement of flowers.

"They arrived just this morning, my dear," Mama said, taking a sip of her tea as she glanced away from the morning's Whistledown paper.

I puck the letter from within the flowers and open it, smiling when I see a familiar name scribbled at the bottom.

Miss Florence Huntingdon,

It would be a pleasure and honor to be able to accompany you for a promenade this morning around Hyde Park.

I do hope that you agree to this seeing as I am presumably already in a carriage bound for your lovely home.

Yours,
Frederick, Duke of Windsor

"What does it say, my dear," Mama asks, putting down her Whistledown to look at me.

"The Duke of Windsor has asked to promenade with me this morning at Hyde Park," I reply, smiling down at the letter before putting it back in its envelope and glancing up.

"Well, then you must get ready, my dear! Go, go!" Mama ushered me upstairs, following close behind as she rattled on about what dress I was to wear.

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We had been walking for a fair few minutes, already deep into a conversation when we passed Cressida and her mother, who were promenading with some fine-looking gentleman. As we passed each other we grinned and nodded respectively at each other's choices.

"I am happy that you agreed to promenade with me this morning, Miss Huntingdon," Frederick announces, smiling over at me as we continue to walk around the park.

"Well... how could I say no when you sent such beautiful flowers, You Grace?" I retort, chuckling slightly as we round the bend. 

"Please, just call me Frederick. I told you at the Opera that 'Your Grace' sounds far too posh for someone I consider a good friend to say to me..." Frederick says, stumbling slightly when he says 'friend'.

"If I am to call you Frederick, then please, just call me Florence... no 'Miss Huntingdon' it too sounds far too fancy for someone who I see as- for you to say," I retort swiftly. Blushing slightly as I fumble my words.