The Secret Ingredient ~A Bridgerton Fanfic~

~A Young Beginning~

     Young Elenora Pemberton raced past the bustling carriages, a grin plastered on her face. She possessed some wonderful news she needed to share with Daphne Bridgerton. Not paying attention to the surrounding traffic amongst the ton, the girl stumbled onto the edge of the busy road. She was about to get hit by a horse-drawn carriage when a mysterious figure pushed her out of harm's way. Her glasses, which had precariously sat on her nose beforehand, were now shattered across the pavement. A young boy, a few years older than she was, lain strewn atop her. His arm was stuck beneath her torso.

     "Get off me, you great buffoon!" Elenora shrieked, kicking at the boy.

     "I can't move, you lout! You are on my arm."

     "Well, I can't get off your arm if you are on top of me." She grunted under her breath. The boy rolled over with a groan and she slid off of his crushed limb. They had made it off of the cobblestone street and onto someone's lawn. They miraculously went unnoticed by everyone, as their age was not scandal-worthy.

     Elenora closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she lay sprawled out in the lush grass. Wisteria, she thought. We must be at the Bridgerton's. The young boy rolled over on his side, propping up on his uninjured arm, and watched the girl relax. She bolted upright to look at her savior for the first time, remembering what had happened a mere moment ago. His dark brown waves fell down gently from his head, shading the twinkle of his green eyes as he watched her.

     "How dare y- Benedict?" A puzzled expression came to her face, overriding her previous spiteful one. He smirked as she realized his identity. He was the second oldest brother of Daphne Bridgeton, and a friend of Eleonora's as well. Her family had always been close with the Bridgerton's, especially her brother Oliver and her mother. The Bridgerton kid's crooked smile turned into a cheeky grin as she pushed him over onto his back. "Benedict Bridgerton, how dare you tackle a young lady when she is just minding her own business?"

     "You were about to be run over, and you are no lady! You are but a child." He said, chuckling at her. Elenora huffed, her blood beginning to boil. Benedict could sense her eyes burning into him, as if they possessed the intensity of the sun, attempting to channel her anger through a piece of glass, igniting him like one might set fire to an anthill. His face flushed as he concluded he had provoked the beast within this small girl.

     "Well, for your information, Mr. Bridgerton," she spat, "That wasn't my intention. I am out to pay a visit to your sister." She doesn't mention his other remark. He cocked his eyebrow, eager for her to continue as she straightened her dress. "Now, where are my spectacles?"

     Elenora's eyes darted all around her, suddenly turning anxious. Not noticing the bottom of her dress was now soiled and torn, she stood up from her place on the lawn and brushed herself off. The girl knew her mama was a kind woman, but if she lost her glasses yet again, she would bring her father into the picture, of which Elenora was definitely not looking forward to. After her misplacing six of his quill pens, Lord Pemberton once forbid her from helping the servants bake for half of the Season, something she had done since in training cloths. At a mere ten years, she learned how to craft pies far better than her own maids, which has inspired her even more to pursue baking. There was no way on Earth that she could bear for her father to take that from her again.

   "Are these what you are looking for?" Young Benedict asks politely as she notices him standing behind her, holding the delicate silver frames of her once spectacles between his paint covered fingers. They were bent and damaged from being trampled, and the glass that provided her enhanced vision was nowhere to be seen. Elenora let out a small shriek, knowing exactly what would take place as soon as she arrived home. Lord Pemberton was not a cruel and unjust man, but he had his ways of disciplining his children. By taking away what they loved the most, he was certain that could fix their behavior.

     Noticing how worried his friend was, he awkwardly placed his colorfully stained hand on her shoulder, then quickly pulled it away. He looked down at her glasses with a frown, fidgeting with the twisted metal. "I am terribly sorry about your spectacles, Lennie." Elenora sniffed and wiped her nose on her dress. Benedict, being awfully mature (on occasion) for being in his fourteenth year, decided he should make it up to her. True, her family was clearly not lacking in money, but he had always cared for Elenora, and did indeed feel a reasonable amount of guilt.

     The young girl watched as the paint splattered boy rushed through the wrought iron gates into the large, wisteria covered home. She gazed at the magnificent brick walls and wondered if he was retrieving Daphne.

~Author's Note~
     First chapter, YAY!   I hope I can come up with more chapters quicker, but anyways I hope you like it! Just wanted to give some backstory to our main characters 🥰