| NOBELS | BRIDGERTON

25 | DENIAL & DANCING

     OPHELIA STEPPED OUT of the carriage and stood beside her brothers and the Sharma's, waiting for the Bridgerton's. They were once again out to attempt to give a happy closure to the abrupt ending of the wedding. Antony and Violet approached, the former with pink roses in his hand.

"Lady Danbury." He nodded his head at her. "Lord Hall, Sir Hall."

Ophelia looked at her feet as Antony began to pass roses down the line of women. To Mary, then Kate, then Edwina and lastly to Ophelia. But they noticed that Edwina passed her roses to the footman who placed them in the carriage.

"How thoughtful of you, Lord Bridgerton." Lady Danbury smiled.

"Now remember, before we are to send out our invitations, we must appear to be enjoying each others company. Shall we?" Violet spoke.

Everyone headed in, Ophelia walked past Antony and didn't notice how he paused to smell her perfume in the air. The one he had inhaled many times before due to their closeness. It was something he craved every time he saw her. The girl noticed all the people staring at them as they walked though.

"Do not be deterred. I we can put this wedding behind us, so can they."

Edwina walked away alone. Antony went with Mary and Ophelia walked around with Kate. The two had been distant recently and it was hurting both of them.

"Kate-"

"Lia-"

The two paused and smiled as they both attempted to speak at the same time. Kate took the opportunity to speak first.

"Lia, I am sorry for what happened. I understand that you take your father's words to heart, but how on earth did you find that in Lord Bridgerton. You did not see him as a friend."

The girl sighed. "I do not, but there was something. I felt as though I could be myself around him, let my walls down. You must have noticed, the lake, when I splashed him. Or the jokes I had made to him. I do not know why I was so fond of him."

Kate did not know how to reply. "What were you going to say?"

"Oh, I was going to apologize." She said. "I really ruined things up for your family, and I am very sorry."

"I have ruined things too, Lia. With the Sheffield's. Neither of us has helped my family as much as we would have liked."

"It is frustrating." Ophelia mumbled.

"What is?" Kate asked.

Another sigh escaped her lips. "To want someone you cannot have."

Eventually Edwina joined them, all looking at the statue in front of them depicting a couple dancing. "It seems both Miss Cowper and Miss Goring are swallowing the story about the wedding being halted due to a mutual decision."

"That is good." Kate said softly.

"Well." Edwina looked at the two. "I appear to be a very good liar. Something else you two and the Viscount have taught me, perhaps."

Ophelia sighed. "Edwina, what will it take for you to forgive us? If I must apologize every day for the rest of my life, I will. Your happiness is all that has mattered to us. And now I am reaping the consequences of destroying it."

"I remember the stories you used to read to me from Appa's library." She said to Kate. "The stories of true love and happy endings against all odds. Did you yourself ever actually believe them? Or has everything you told me been a lie?"

Kate sighed. "Of course I believe in true love, as does Lia. Of course we believe in happy endings. How could we not? You saw Appa and Mama, how happy they once were."

"What I saw is how even that ended in tragedy. Happy endings do not exist. At least not in real life." Edwina left and Kate did to, deciding to get some fresh air after that conversation.

Ophelia turned to the statue again, just as Antony walked over and stood on the other side of the statue. "Miss Hall. I've been wishing for a moment to be alone with you. To speak."

"There is nothing to speak about, my lord." She replied.

He stood in confusion. "We kissed."

"We did not. Nothing happened between us. How could it?" She said. "You were Edwina's intended. There is no world in which we would kiss without consequences."

He walked around and looked at her. "Are you quite serious?"

She looked back at him. "We did something we were not meant to. We should not have done it."

The girl walked away before he came any closer to her. She did not regret what she did but she could not openly admit she wished to do it again. Not without people knowing and causing a scandal.

What is it about betrayal that excites us so? The ton itself has certainly felt its peculiar kind of frenzy after the promise of a wedding to end all weddings was broken. Yet this author has it on very good authority that the Viscount's failed nuptials may not be the only betrayal our dear Bridgertons must manage at present.

The Sharma's, the Halls and Lady Danbury walked into the empty Bridgerton house. George even joined so he could spend the night with Gregory and Hyacinth. The ball had already started and yet no one was there. Ophelia wore a sage green dress with diamond jewelry.

"Well." Violet sighed. "This is unexpected."

"It is still quite early, I suppose." Mary said.

The musician came over. "Would you still like us to play, my lady?"

"That will not be necessary."

Benedict then spoke. "If there is no need for my presence, I'll head to my studio. I, for one, do not wish to be around such misery all evening."

"Wait." Antony called to his brother.

"I know of your opinions, brother."

"You will stay for a dance. There shall be dancing. A new perspective, yes?"

"Dancing?" Colin spoke. "With whom?"

"Antony." Violet said, clearly worried about her sons actions.

"Hyacinth!"

The girl popped her head over the balcony, soon joined by George and Gregory. "Yes, brother?"

Ophelia couldn't help but smile at the mans plan as he called up to his youngest sister. "Come down here and do me the honour."

Gregory and George looked at each other and in sync spoke. "If she gets to dance, so do we."