The Muse // Benedict Bridgerton

Funny Feeling

Eleanor could not stop talking about Prince Alfred the whole way home, and Henry was equally enthralled by the royal. So much so that Lucy thought that if he were a woman, he would have proposed to the prince before they even finished their introductions.

"Oh, Lucy- could you believe he asked me to dance again? He didn't ask any of the other girls- I was watching!" She exclaimed giddily.

"I have no doubt that you were, El" Lucy replied and laughed.

"We got along so well, I know we have so much in common, and-" Eleanor continued before she was cut off by their brother.

"Ellie, love the enthusiasm, but be smart about this. Don't jump into anything- you just met him. You may find that you have absolutely nothing in common with him, the more you get to know each other," Henry warned, although he was not quite reprimanding the girl, but rather just making sure that she didn't get too ahead of herself.

"You're such a spoilsport, Brother" she replied jokingly.

"Well, yes, I am sometimes. When it comes to protecting you two," he responded, his gaze flickering to Lucy briefly.

"I don't want anyone to get hurt. But by all means, enjoy your season, sister. He may be your perfect match for all we know," he added with a soft smile of reassurance, which Eleanor reciprocated.

"Well, I for one am thrilled at the prospect of being the sister of a princess, He did seem quite taken with you. I wouldn't be surprised if he made more appearances just to see you." Lucy chimed in and matched her sibling's smiles.

"I agree. Also, I hear Her Majesty is pressuring all of her children to marry and produce legitimate heirs- and our family is a noble one so El could definitely have a chance," Henry explained.

"Why thank you, brother. Because I have absolutely nothing else going for me, do I?" she asked in an accusatory tone. Henry looked shocked at the sudden change of atmosphere.

"Oh, come on- you know what I mean. He's looking. And you're a young girl that's piqued his interest. I'm sure there are a lot of reasons why he singled you out," Henry reassured. Eleanor did know what he meant, and Lucy knew she did, but she kept arguing with their brother just for the sake of it- they often enjoyed play fighting with their words as it kept things lively. Talk of the prince didn't die down after they left the carriage. In fact, it carried on as they walked back into their residence, up the stairs to their mother's room to tell the whole story once again, and then followed Lucy to her room. When the Lady's maid came in, Eleanor began telling the story again to her. When Lucy was readying herself for bed, and then getting herself into bed, Eleanor was still talking about what had happened, and what could happen. 

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The day after the last eventful ball, the Blackthornes hosted the Bridgertons for dinner. They arrived just after the sun set for the evening, and all of the Bridgertons along with their spouses were in attendance. Even though they weren't related by blood, the two families were close enough to have an informal dinner. Everyone sat wherever they wanted to and spoke freely, as chatter and laughter filled the room. Lucy and Benedict weren't sitting near each other, but they definitely could see each other. This resulted in quite a few momentary stolen glances across the room throughout the night.

Once they finished with dinner, the group headed into the pastel purple colored drawing room, while the younger children were sent to bed. There was more chatter and a few drinks, and everyone was in high spirits. Everyone except Lucy. She couldn't help but think about everything that was going on in her life. If she had just stayed in Suffolk and met a nice man there who she could have settled down with, none of this would be happening with James Bancroft. On the other hand, she would have never gotten to explore her feelings for Benedict- they would have never even come to the surface. Although, that could have been a good thing. Everything she was feeling was far too confusing. She was also thinking about what was going to happen, now that Benedict knew her secret.