The Emerald Viscountess

~12~

"The most fascinating thing just happened to me this morning," Anthony said, plopping into the empty seat next to Eleanora on the couch in the drawing room.

"Really?" she responded unamusingly, keeping her eyes focused on her needlework.

"Yes. I was riding my horse in the park, and met this mysterious woman on her horse. We essentially raced, and she had the audacity to rub in the fact that she won and I lost!"

Eleanora crinkled her nose in doubt. "No . . . that couldn't have been possible."

Anthony looked at her quizzically. "Why ever not?"

She looked up at him with a smirk. "Because I wasn't riding my horse this morning. Too busy getting my beauty sleep," she said smugly.

"How delightful," Anthony stated dryly. "Never even had the chance to learn the woman's name; it's a shame, really."

"Oh, you'll live; given the number of women you'll be dancing the night away and interrogating at the Danbury Ball tonight," assured Eleanora.

That evening, as practically the whole Bridgerton house was preparing for the ball, Eleanora tried to even her shaky breath as she tried on her first emerald gown of the season.

"What do you think of the dress, miss?" her maid asked, putting up Eleanora's hair into a bun.

She couldn't help herself from continuously staring at her reflection. Why she never committed to the appealing color sooner, she'll never know. "Yes. It is perfect," Eleanora smiled. "Madam Delacroix certainly went above and beyond."

She retouched her earrings for the millionth time, admiring how they resembled tiny green bursting suns. On the gown itself, it was a deep emerald color with sparkling roses scattered throughout, and more concentrated floral patterns closer to the hem. Her evening gloves were of the same green shade, and her necklace complemented the earrings. An emerald tiara was placed into her hair, and Eleanora almost wanted to tear up at how elegant she looked. If she learned of the financial worth of her whole outfit, she would faint onsight.

Eleanora was never one for fashion and looking good for society, just presentable, but seeing her outfit made her feel like she was going to wake up from the dream any second. She only hoped that the suitors at the Danbury Ball would find her as enchanting as she did of herself . . . her debut into the social season . . . Eleanora could barely contain herself. She had never been this excited for any social event before.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Bridgertons waited down in the foyer for Eleanora to come down the stairs, waiting to see how she looked in her color. Violet insisted on the whole family seeing, because seeing the colors on the woman at the Modiste made the viscountess giddy with joy, and she wanted her whole family to experience the same feeling. It was like a second daughter was debuting herself with Eloise, who was impatiently tapping her foot, not looking forward to the ball.

"My theory is that as soon as you see Nora, you won't pay heed to any other woman," Benedict told Anthony, making the older brother roll his eyes.

"And why, pray tell, would that be? How many times have I said: she is only a close friend, and I wish to find her a spouse as well as for myself."

Benedict only smirked, and carried himself as if he knew something that no one else knew.

"How much longer?!" Hyacinth whined.

"Just wait, my love. Eleanora will be down any second. I want everyone to see how she looks in her color," Violet assured. She turned to Anthony. "Anthony, has Eleanora told you of her color for this social season?"