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London, England 1813
What had seemed like hours to our dearest Betty Morrigan, had really only been a measly fifteen minutes. She sighed, taking the opportunity to survey the room. Daphne was stilled engaged in a conversation with her mother and Rebekah, meanwhile Betty stood on the sidelines and watched as young girls all around her fixed their hair, tighten their corsets, and controlled their breathing.
Gasps from the other room forced Betty out of her thoughts and back to the painful reality that was presentation day. The entire back room of girls crowded the doors to try and catch a glimpse of what happened. Apparently, one of the Feathertingon girls fainted. A shame, Betty thought, she would have loved to see it.
"Oh, we're up next! It was so good to see you again Betty! We must get together for tea and catch up properly!" Daphne said once the commotion of girls tripping over themselves to watch the Featheringtons leave the presentation room after their disaster of an event.
"Of course, I'd love nothing more! We have so much to catch up on."
"Oh perfect, how's tomorrow?" Daphne asked, reaching forward to grab one of the girl's gloved hands. Betty hesitated. She couldn't help but to feel nervous about reintroducing herself to the Bridgerton household... let alone the stranger she once called her dearest friend. Daphne, noticing the hesitation, made a desperate plea just so she would hear her out. "Benedict will be hunting, you won't even have to see him."
Betty pursed her lips into a courteous smile. She knew there was no way out of it, especially with her mother standing right there. "That sounds wonderful, Daphne. It was really good to see you again... and good luck with your debut, although between us, I don't think you'll need it. You look absolutely flawless." Betty smiled, grabbed both of Daphne's hands, and gave them a squeeze. She'd hoped it would help calm the nerves, for her or Daphne though? Betty had no idea. "You're up. You're going to do amazing!"
One by one ladies lined up in front of the big white doors that would lead them to their rise or fall in society. Daphne had just gone, receiving high praise from Queen Charlotte. "Flawless, my dear." Even Betty could hear the Queen's words from the other side of the door. Finally, somebody else had received praise from the Queen. There was no more pressure for Betty to be perfect because Daphne already was.
It was finally the Morrigans' turn. They lined up in front of the huge white doors that would lead them out to the Queen along with an entire crowd of noble people from the London ton. Her mother hitched her arm around her daughter's and tugged Betty forward. "Smile," she said through a maniacally bare-tooth grin. "Let's make a good impression my darling!"
Betty took one last deep breath before focussing her attention on the doors in front of her, just waiting for them to open so she could get this over with. "Betty Morrigan." The announcer from inside the room proclaimed. The doors opened to reveal a room full of London's most honorable members of society. At the front of the room sat the Queen, higher than everyone else. "Presented by her mother, Her Grace, the Duchess of Somerset."
