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London, England 1813
If it hadn't been for the marriage market, spring would have been Betty Morrigan's favorite season. There was nothing better than a crisp spring morning stroll through Hyde Park. The fresh morning breeze, a golden sunrise, and fresh baked biscuits with love very early that morning. And who could forget about the never ending juicy gossip that flowed through the park that morning. What more could a lady possibly ask for?
Children ran around the park, chasing each other in a ferocious game of tag, their families watching from the grassy sidelines. Couples strolled by with their arms linked together, engrossed in various topics of conversation. Birds flew overhead, chirping to create a bittersweet symphony amongst them.
Betty took a deep breath, taking in the fresh London air that she had missed tremendously. She still couldn't believe that after ten years, she was finally back on English soil. She was currently strolling the park with her younger sister, Inez, who was enthralled with the topic of love, marriage, and anything that seemed to scream social season.
"So pray tell, dear Sister, what have I missed these past few years?"
"I beg your pardon, a few?!" Inez exclaimed, dropping the half eaten biscuit from her lips. "Betty, please, it's been ten and we've only managed to be able to visit every two!"
"Well, I- yes, but-"
Inez let out a sigh, "I'm not the one you need to worry about groveling to." Betty turned towards her younger sister, giving her a confused look. "Ben-" Inez started, but before she could even finish Betty had cut her off with a gasp.
Benedict. Betty had wished for his name to be nothing more than a forgotten word to her, but alas, for the past ten years Betty's heart had been tugging at that invisible string, silently longing for the person attached to the other end of it. She had just simply chosen to ignore it. And still, her heart couldn't help but to skip a beat at even just the slightest mention of his name. "Please, Inez. Just, tell me what I've missed. And don't spare any details!"
"Well, where do I even begin? I heard Cressida has been learning every language under the sun in order to score a Duke or higher in status this season! Do you think she'll try to go for James?"
"Of course she will, she'd be dumb not to. But you know Mama would never allow him to so much as glance at her for that matter. The Cowpers have been and always will be cunning, despicable, vile little monsters... How they've managed to go this long without a scandal breaking out is beyond me."
"Oh, they did have a scandal break out a few years back, but..." Inez trailed off, realizing exactly what had happened a few years back. It was Cressida's first season, towards the end of the summer of 1810. Cressida had her sights set on Benedict Bridgerton, especially now that Betty was long gone and out of the picture for good, as it had seemed. Benedict never expressed interest, but of course, under the scrutiny of the ton, was forced to be pleasant with the desperate girl.
