𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 | b. bridgerton

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒 + 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

Before you start reading, here are a few things to take note of in terms of what to expect from this story as well as alterations made to 'Bridgerton' lore/canon to better fit this fanfic.

The social season that the main plot follows begins in February 1816 which is roughly when the present day of the 'Queen Charlotte' series is, meaning there's a bit of a gap from where Season 2 ends. In terms of how the main players of the series currently stand, the newlyweds Kate and Anthony are currently on their honeymoon. The remaining Bridgerton family remain in London in Bridgerton House, but Benedict is now in his own bachelor lodgings since returning from the Academy. He lives close-by though and frequently visits his family.

Benedict is also currently at a crossroads because he is still annoyed with Anthony for buying his spot at the Academy. Since returning to London, he is in a phase of "artist's block" so to speak and amidst a bit of a "nepo-baby" realisation crisis.

For the purpose of this book, Eloise, as well as the rest of the ton, are unaware of Penelope's identity as Lady Whistledown and the pair are still best friends meaning Whistledown's exposé of Eloise interacting with radicals does not happen (FYI, Miss Shonda I'll never forgive you for ruining Penelope's character like that just for the sake of the plot).

For this story, I am using an amalgamation of period-accurate titles for certain positions and altered or new titles for other characters. Given that a duke was the highest level in the peerage of England, it was very common for them to possess other titles. For example, the Dukes/Duchesses of Norfolk also possess the earldoms of Surrey and Arundel and many other subsidiary titles. The modern peerage system in England was created in the 12th/13th Century so it would've been very common for a certain title to have already been held by as many as ten different people prior to the current title holder at this point in the 1800's. A lot of the time, many positions were created and dissolved essentially at the whim of the monarchy so it would've been unlikely that you were the first to have ever been granted that specific title. For example, Samuel had been bestowed the Earldom of Suffolk and the Earldom of Berkshire by the king but he was not the first person to ever hold that title or similar.

The position of Earl Marshal is a real hereditary title - one that passes through generations in a family - of the Duchy of Norfolk. And it is accurate that a woman, at the time, would've not been able to hold this title, hence why the position falls to Samuel, rather than Jo (plus it sounds really f*cking boring so Jo, I'm kind of doing you a favour girl). It is someone with the responsibility to organise state affairs such as the monarch's coronation and state funerals. Although it has 'Earl' in the title - according to my research - the position itself is held in the same reverence as the title of 'duke', hence why Samuel is sometimes referred to as "Your Grace/His Grace".

Please bear in mind that like 'Bridgerton', this novel is not nor does it intend to be 100% historically accurate, there is definitely some creative licence being taken. Apologies if I have made mistakes in terms of accuracy in regards to the peerage system or noble lifestyle, I have done my best to try and capture as much of the nuance and complexity of it as possible.

There will possibly be hints of #Polin in this story but it is by no means a Colin/Penelope fic.

Character Ages of OC's (+non OC's to better fit this fic)

Benedict Bridgerton - 27 years old

Josephine Howard - 21 years old