Masked Hearts: A Bridgerton Story

16. Dinner of Disaster

"And where are you off to at this hour?"  The sound of your mother's voice rings between your ears as you adjusted your fern coloured dress. "I've been invited for dinner." Her face showing an expression of interest, "Oh? Where?" 

Finishing your final adjustments you spin to face her, no longer looking at her through the mirror. 

"The Bridgerton House." You try to say it causally but the very name made your throat run dry. 

"Ayesha." You continue to zip around your room in pursuit of the things you will be bringing with you. "Mmm, Perhaps I should wear the pendant of emeralds instead.." You hum, looking at your reflection, paying your mother no mind as she leans against the frame of your door with an arched brow. 

"Ayesha." She says again.

"No, these jewels will suffice, what am I to bring them-"

"Ayesha Russell. You stop this instant." You finally froze.

"You will be dining at Bridgerton house?" 

"Yes Mama, I believe I have already said that."

"Does Lord Bridgerton know you'll be in attendance?" 

"I doubt the Viscount would need to be made aware of my presence, I am no one of notable company--" Resuming your flurry of actions, moving towards your closet to pick your shoes.

"Lord Benedict Bridgerton."

You stand straight. Head turning slowly to meet your mother's knowing gaze. "I do not know what he knows. Besides, it does not matter if he does or not. I am Eloise's guest, not his. He is betrothed. I am surely the last of his concerns."

Little did you know he was thinking of you in that very moment, the one before and the one to come. 

Lies came rolling off your tongue and you knew it. 

"Do not lie to me. I am your mother." You groan, continuing to slip your feet into your flats.

"I am not lying. He is betrothed. That is true. What legitimate feelings could I rightfully harbour towards a promised man? Not only that, but one that is marrying a princess." You say with a huff, collecting your belongings, slipping through the space between your mother and the doorframe and heading downstairs with her quickly moving behind you. 

"Ayesha do you truly think I do not know when you tell a lie? I can see right through your very being that I created." You stop on the last step, your back still facing your mother as she stood at the top of the grand staircase. 

You exhale heavily. 

"I'll be back before late." Is all you say before making your way out the door and into your carriage. 

---

As you got out of your carriage one of your footmen made the Bridgerton staff aware of your arrival. Just as you made it to the door, it opened. Eloise tugged you inside before greeting you. 

"Oh you don't know how happy I am to see you, Gregory has been insistent on displaying his new found adoration for magic, and I'm just a hair away from hoping he makes himself disappear." Eloise whispers, linking her arm under yours and making your way inside. 

You had only caught  a mere glimpse of the elaborate and long dinner table that was still in the process of being made before Eloise swooped you upstairs and into her room. 

"Are we not supposed to be downstairs?" You say in a whisper-like tone, not sure why she had brought you up here. 

"Yes, but I just wanted to preface that I have 7 brothers and sisters, so I would like to apologize for any.... theatrics you're about to be subject to." You laugh but are quickly silenced by her mother's voice yelling for Eloise. 

"I suppose we must make our way downstairs,"

As the two of you made your way to the table you noticed the various arrangements of food  that presented themselves at the center amongst the 10 seating arrangements, although there was one empty chair for where the now Duchess used to sit you'd imagine. 

"Oh! You're here! Already-- " Your presence seemed to have caught the matriarch off guard spurring her into a brief moment of shock, "I could have only hoped that Eloise would make notice of these things but you know her," You smile along with her words. 

"My apologies, mama. I just wished to warn her of the chaos of our family." Eloise laughs before leaving you to have  a seat at the table. "Oh my, that is a lovely dress you're wearing. Is it a custom?" Following closely behind Violet Bridgerton as she led you to the table, in which almost instantly all eyes were on you. 

"Yes, it is. Mme. Delacroix is quite talented with her hems." You agree, taking a seat between Kate and Eloise and across from Gregory and Anthony.  You did your best to ignore the stare you felt coming from across the table to Anthony's left. 

You could feel his gaze. 

"So, please, Introduce yourself." The Viscount gestures to you as he begins to serve himself. 

"I'm--" 

Before the syllables could even come out, a Bridgerton maid approached the table announcing someone's arrival. 

"Lord Darius, Earl of Lancaster." She says before stepping away.

Your head immediately snapping up at your brother with confusion. 

"Darius? What are you doing here?" You speak first with the questions.

"I could ask you the same thing.... I'm here to return the Viscount's gloves that he lent me at White's earlier" There was not a single understanding face at the table, everyone was confused.

"I'm sorry, how do you know Lord Darius?" Anthony turns to you. 

"He is my brother." Benedict's mouth falls open, "You're Ayesha's brother?" Benedict asks to which Darius nods and Eloise shouts. 

 "So it is you!"  Eloise points a finger to you, now you were confused. 

"She is who?"  Colin asks meanwhile their mother held her head in her hands trying to make sense of all this.

"She is Benedict's mystery maiden whom Whistledown wrote about." 

All heads turned to you but for the first time your gaze met Benedict's and his eyes widened before they fell apologetically. You turned to face Eloise with a look of disapproval and suddenly she realized what she's done. 

"You are the one that Whistledown wrote about?" Hyacinth asks first, but Gregory quickly piles on, "Is it because of you why the princess hastened the engagement?" Even Darrius felt he had something to add but Lady Bridgerton stood. 

"That's enough. Gregory, Hyacinth, head upstairs for a moment. Clearly there is much to be discussed." 

The pair whined and dragged their feet, "We're old enough, why can't we stay--" 

"Upstairs, Now." Their mother was in no mood to negotiate. 

This left the remaining adults in the room. 

"Eloise. Explain yourself."