Hope for the Hopeless

The Queen's Jewel

Green.

That was what she'd decided to wear for Lady Danbury's season opening party.

It wasn't traditional but it was her favourite colour, and it brought out her eyes more, or so she'd been told.

It was Benedict who'd told her she should wear more green, that it brought out her complexion and eyes when she wore it.

She had wavered away and thought about wearing blue but remembering that Blue is the Bridgerton colour she decided to stay well away when she'd had her gowns made for the season.

She had one blue gown, that was all, and it had been too beautiful a material not to go for it. But Green was the Penwood colour after all so it made sense that tonight, she wore her dark green gown.

Her heart was still a flutter after the events of her debut, the Queen declaring that she was worth the wait had her anxious. She remembered the glares from some of the women in the room, the one that was closest to her in age had looked at her with such intense hatred that Sophie had thought that if looks could kill she would have surely dropped there and then.

She was doing her best not to think of it and her father coming into her room did a good job of giving her a distraction.

Her mother's emerald necklace proved to be the distraction she needed. It was something she'd always coveted and wanted to wear but her father had told her it was for a special occasion...

"Your mother wore these the night I met her, i'll never forget that moment and it just seems fitting that the night you venture into society, that you should wear them also" he said as he presented her with the box which caused her to squeak excitedly.

She would have hugged her father but she didn't want to crease her dress.

"You look beautiful darling, your mother would be so proud of the woman you've grown into..." Richard said once the necklace was in place along with the small emerald earrings that he'd had made for her 18th birthday.

"Thank you Papa. I just hope I don't disappoint you or Charlie..." she admitted

"Oh sweetheart, you could never disappoint me, or Charlie. We just want to see you happy so if you decide that no one in London is to your fancy or who you'd like to marry them you do not need to rush..." he said

"Papa... I need to get married one day... I am sure I have waited too long to come to London as it is but there are many gentlemen here I am sure... I will find someone... acceptable" Sophie said, a little bit of resignation in her tone as she finished her sentence.

Richard frowned, raising a brow and wanted to say something to his daughter, about how he was sure that Benedict would eventually come to his senses, that men were rather slow in matters of the heart, but he knew it was fruitless. Sophie had told him she did not wish to discuss him so he just smiled "you do not have to settle for acceptable darling, you should be looking for extraordinary"

"Papa... I am just... looking for a husband... someone who is not a brute and I can be friends with is all I am hoping for... anything else is a bonus" Sophie said "but I need to finish getting ready. I do not wish to be late" she said dismissing her father. She knew where this conversation was going and it was not a place she wanted it to go nor something she wished to discuss.

Richard sighed "Of course, Charlie and I shall be downstairs in 10 minutes with the carriage"

Sophie met them at the carriage, nervous sort of excitement in her stomach as she climbed into the carriage, ready for her first proper outing in society.