Upper Ten Thousand// Anthony & Benedict Bridgerton

One

I stand in front of the floor length mirror in my bedchamber. I smooth out my white dress with my palms.

"Are you finally ready?"

I turn and see my younger brother, Valentine, standing in the doorway.

I smile. "I have done this four times before. I do not think I could be any more ready."

"It was your choice to debut at eighteen," Val reminds me.

"And I do not regret it," I assure him. "I have had my time to find a man I deem worthy of my affection. I do not wish to rush things."

"Well if you do not make haste you will be late for Her Majesty," Val tells me. I huff. "I shall not be the one to explain to Lady Danbury why."

"You could at least tell me how wonderful I look," I tell him.

Val sighs. "You look lovely, Sister. Now may we please go?"

I smile widely. "Of course, Brother."

Today is a most important day, and for some a terrifying one, for today is the day London's marriage-minded misses are presented to Her Majesty the Queen.

Val and I make haste in an attempt to make it to the palace on time. I slip into the room where all of the other young ladies of the ton are waiting to be presented to Her Majesty.

"You are late," Lady Danbury tells me.

I smile sheepishly. "Not very though."

"Late is late," Lady Danbury tells me.

"I am sorry," I assure her. "It will not happen again."

"If it does I shall remove that mirror from your room," Lady Danbury warns. "It is no doubt what kept you so occupied as to forget the time."

Lady Danbury is my sponsor since she took Valentine and I into her home when our papa died eight years ago. It happened so fast. One day our papa was there and the next he fell from his horse. Our mama had died seven years before that from a wasiting sickness. Val and I were orphans. Lady Danbury's late husband had been a distant relative of my father's and Lady Danbury herself had been a friend of my mother when she was young. She insisted we move into her home in London. It was a hard adjustment to move from the Scottish Highlands to London but Val and I made due. Lady Danbury is the closest thing that Val and I have to a family now.

"Mercy."

I smile widely at my friend. "Daph."

Daphne Bridgerton, my very best friend. I met her the week I moved to London and the two of us have been dear friends ever since. It had seemed like we were always meant to be friends. I have always been thankful for that. I do not know how I would be able to survive the cut throat nature of the marriage market without her by my side. This is to be her debut into society. Her mama, Lady Bridgerton, agreed to let her push her debut back a few years to better prepare.

The Bridgerton family is one of the best, most revered families in the ton. The oldest child is Anthony. After the passing of Lord Bridgerton, some years before I ever met the family, Anthony acquired his title of Viscount. After him is Benedict, the second son and another Bridgerton I would consider a dear friend. Next is Colin who only recently came back home after finishing his studies. Daphne is next, the oldest daughter. Eloise is the next daughter followed by Francessca. The youngest son is Gregory, only a year older than Hyacinth the youngest Bridgerton.

"You look beautiful, Daph," I tell her.

Daphne waves me off. "It is you who looks beautiful."

"Are you nervous?" I ask.