"Hold me close so I can finally... breathe"
Marriage wasn't something Carina Bridgerton looked forward to. And true love was not something she dreamed of. She had declared it very clearly to her family that no marriage shall ever be expected from he...
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Carina walked to the Duke with a smile on her face, "So, I was thinking about us doing something different..." Simon just simply looks at her, with an unreadable look on his face, worried, she continues before he cuts her off, "The ice flavors here are divine, yes, but, well, perhaps the two of us..."
"Of course, Miss Bridgerton." he replies stoically. Hearing him call her by her last name was like a bucket of cold water was dumped on her being, he was not acting like himself, like her Simon, today. "Simon. What happened?" She whispered, quickly catching on. "Nothing happened Miss Bridgerton? What did you have in mind for today?" He said, trying to brush off the topic.
"Well I did not have any specific activity in mind. It is no matter let us just continue with our original plan." she says, a little bit dejected and definitely not in her happy mood from a while ago. "No. You wanted to-" "Something is wrong, Simon. What is it?" She interrupted, filled with nerves.
"Nothing is wrong, Miss Bridgerton." he sighs and looks into her eyes with his own crazed ones. "Then why-" taking her hand in his, he interrupts and whispered, "Carina, let us just go and do something different like you wanted, hmm? It is too crowded here." he says, with a look in his eyes, one she caught on to. It was not safe to talk here.
Nodding and immediately linking her arm through his, she whispered with a smile as they took off, trying to lighten the mood, "So where to, My Lord?" "Hmm..." his lips quirk up at the corner, finally a little less tensed, "I was thinking... perhaps a quaint boat ride through the lake, Miss Bridgerton?"
"That sounds lovely, Your Grace." She replies, as they continue to walk. Whatever has been bothering Simon must have been quite serious, Carina knows that for sure. Yet, she believed they could find an acceptable solution to it, for she believed there was nothing they couldn't do, that she wouldn't do, when they were together.
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Dipping her fingers into the lake, Carina giggles at the feeling of the cold water beneath her fingers, and Simon couldn't help but smile at the sight of her. So carefree, with her perfect smile and that twinkle in her blue eyes. He would be mad to look at her and not smile at her, beautiful and smart Carina. His Carina. Unsure of the possessive nature of his thoughts he blinked at put them at the back of his mind.
"Carina... I- I can not join you any longer." Simon said instead, refusing to even meet her eyes. "What can you mean?" "I have to leave England. I am leaving England. I have moved up the plans of my departure. But you now have a bevy of suitors at your disposal, and I've been afforded relief from mamas and daughters alike in order to conduct my affairs in peace whilst remaining in London. Thus our arrangement has succeeded, Miss Bridgerton."
"Stop calling me that..." Carina says, a pang of hurt in her heart. She had known this day was to come, she had known it all, she had known the Duke would never return her affections and she would have to bear the weight of her feelings alone. But she anticipated more time, she had not known he would break the agreement off so soon.
