emeralds and diamonds ♔ bridgerton

Part 5

'modiste' read in all capital, white letters against the very deep purple background. i stepped in with anne by my side.

it had been two days since that dinner with the bridgerton's, yet i had not seen a single one of them around town. yesterday i did not even spend much time around town since i was called upon by the queen, again. i spent the day playing games with her majesty's ladies and she told me about her nephew, a prince. a prince who was available.

the pair of us began to look through the different silks that delacroix had to offer. "celui-ci correspondrait à mes yeux n'est-ce pas?" i looked back at anne who was behind me. i asked her if the fabric would match my eyes. but said in french so the dress-maker wouldn't join in on our conversation.

"oui, tu veux que je le mette de côté pour toi?" the modiste joined in on our conversation.

"you're french?" i turned towards madam delacroix.

"born and raised, i moved here years ago to join in on the london market." that made me smile. a woman, owning her own business in such a competitive market as this.

she began to fit me for multiple dresses and we talked. she told me all i needed to know about whistledown and i told her all she needed to know about court. "you know, daphne was about to be married to a man who already a son who he cast away with his mother. not a single payment." she said, i had heard the stories about lord berbrooke but not that one.

"no!" i responded in shock. most men had bastard children but they always gave them allowances.

"and last season eloise bridgerton was almost comprised by a print-shop boy." from the two hours i had known eloise bridgerton, with all her stubbornness, she didn't seem like the person who would fall into a trap like that.

"can you synch it more around the lower torso?" i miss my modiste, he always knew exactly how i wanted my dresses to fit.

she pulled it in around my hip line, "perfect." i muttered. it was white silk, with a shiny tulle as a nice little addition.

"so tell me about your suitors, we still have two more dresses to get through." she said as she unbuttoned the back of the dress i currently had on. a few mama's were gossiping, obviously my name came into the conversation. something about how if it weren't for my performance at the palace and my dowry, no men would be asking for a dance because my face wasn't enough. it's nothing i hadn't heard before.

"i wouldn't call them suitors, just gentlemen who are trying to pursue me." i commented as i looked into the mirror as she pulled the dress off of me.

i stepped into the next dress as she pulled it up, a very light blue, almost a white, but you could still tell it was blue with golden details. "i saw you with archibald, you guys would have the most beautiful children."

"children?! i've spent a few hours with him, i'm sure he's not even thinking about a proposal." genevieve, her first name, started to tie up the back.

the both of us laughed, "what about the bridgerton boys? they are all very handsome." she definitely was trying to get something out of me to gossip about with her friends. well, if gossip is what they want gossip is what they'll get.

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the bridgerton family all sat inside the drawing room of their very humble home. all except miss eloise who was out on one of her daily outings with penelope featherington, they both seem to be friends once again.

"i rather liked victoria." violet spoke over daphne's piano playing.

daphne paused, "you like everyone mama." a fact that everyone nodded in agreement.

"that is simply not true." violet picked up a small pastry, gifted by the diamond's own french chef.

"then who is it that displeases you?" benedict looked over at his mother, who was looking out of the window down at the bustling streets.

"the featherington's, except penelope, and those colors of their dresses shall make someone faint." the shade of the featherington gowns has always been a topic of conversation, but always judged because the mothers choice in fashion has never been a good one.

"does anyone else think it weird that her family jewel is an emerald, but she is still a diamond which is our family jewel?" hyacinth spoke up. her words caused everyone to think. even edwina sharma was considered a diamond and her family jewel was not a diamond. so instead of calling them a diamond, why doesn't the ton call them by their family jewel? although, an emerald of the season does not roll off the tongue.

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the mayfair ball was one of the extravagant. one could expect nothing less with two royals in attendance. but cressida cowper was not, she had not be feeling well so i sent her a basket of flowers and pastries. apparently many of london's ton members have never had fresh jeweled fruit and bonbons.

showing up late to a party was something i did very well. hearing the orchestra play as my name was called was one of the first moments of peace i had felt since we arrived in the new country.

one foot in front of another

that voice in my head as i walked down the steps. all the eyes piercing through my soul. i thought i was to be back at that very moment, the one with the introduction to the queen.

i made it to the bottom of the steps without falling on my face, something that has happened before. "lady howard." a man in a velvet blue naval uniform, but instead of gold it was silver details. i could guess that he was the prince.

"your highness." i dipped my head.

and within minutes i found myself dancing cotillion style with the prince. a charmer, although i have heard that this was his third season trying to find a wife. "do you enjoy riding your majesty?" i needed him to stop with the flattering and move onto something else before i pop my eye out with my own glove.

"it is a favorite past time of mine." he responded with that prussian accent of his. even if i did not know who he was i could tell he was prussian by him speaking just 3 words.

"we shall have to go ride together sometime then, shall we?" the music stopped, a sign that the dance had finished. "we shall." he kissed my hand, which was more of my glove.

i smiled before spinning around, towards colin bridgerton who was standing with penelope featherington. and to be sure, she was wearing one of those ugly orange shades. "lady howard!" colin looked suprised to see me, as if i wanted looking for a husband and would not be attending every ball that i was invited to. and god, i never knew that hearing lady howard over and over would annoy me so much.

"colin, always a pleasure," i began before looking at the neon- colored dress standing in front of me. "and you must be penelope, i have heard so much about you." i painted a smile onto my face.

she immediately gave a head nod, "lady victoria, colin was just telling me about your deserts that your chef makes."

"well i do love myself some sugary treats once in a while. perhaps you should stop by for tea sometime and i can have you taste them to see your opinion." did i just invite a featherington girl for tea? after her families ruinous actions, yes. but it seemed the only right thing to do.