A Paupers Gaze (Anthony Bridgerton)

Beneath you

"ADELIA YOUR GOING TO BE LATE!" My brothers voice echoes around our small living quarters. Tying the apron into a bow I snatched the piece of bread from Archie's plate causing him to yell in disbelief.

"You can chastise me all you want little brother, but until you get a job that helps us put bread on the table until then you can't complain." Chuckling I left my brother to his quiet grumbling.

Trying not to bring attention to myself I hurried down the streets making sure that my maids ruff and head piece were placed straight before I entered the Bridgerton residence. I was extremely lucky to receive a job here. My brother and I were orphaned when I was 18 and he was 13. As a legal adult I had to take Archie in, making sure that he was well looked after and that we were fed. I had heard that London held the most job prospects, so I uprooted my brother and I from our small Yorkshire village and took us to the Capital. At first it was hard. Not many people wanted to take me on with my Northern disposition and the fact that I had a teenager to take care of on top of that, but the kindly head maid at the Bridgerton house took pity on my story.

I had finally made it to the servants entrance of the house just on time for the day to begin. Mrs Wilson was about to begin her daily instructions about what was to happen in todays calendar and it was a big one. The social season was about to begin and it was the day that Eloise would present herself to the Queen.

"Adelia, Florence and Cora. You will be helping the young Miss Bridgerton get ready for the day today. It is incredibly important, and you know how Eloise feels about such engagements, so be prepared for her to bite back a little." We chuckled at Mrs Wilson's instruction.

"Yes Mrs Wilson." We chorus back to her,

We quickly shuffled out of the servants quarters and up the main staircase of the Bridgerton household. Nervously we all looked at Eloise's door. As much as we loved to work for this family, she will not be best pleased with what today holds. Hesitantly Cora knocks on her door.

"Miss Bridgerton. We have come to get you ready."

"Ugh. Fine. Please do come in."

One after the other we entered the room. Myself heading for the wardrobe gently collecting Miss Eloise's dress and placing it on the bed before retrieving her corset and undergarments. I could tell this was going to be a struggle with the look of distain that Eloise was shooting towards the feather that Florence had placed on the dressing table. Throughout the whole process of getting her ready, Eloise was complaining about the structure of society and how today has been a source of dread for the whole time she was in the country. 

I will say that there was definatley one positive to being in a lower class and that was not having the same expectations surrounding marriage being placed upon you. At least I could spend my days working and not having to worry too much about possible proposals or anything of the sort. But I did have to worry about if I could get food on the table and keep the roof over mine and my brothers head.

As I was buttoning up the final clasp of Miss Eloise's dress I could hear shuffling coming from outside of her bedchamber door. The supposed whispering and the slight chastising tones of the Bridgerton family trying to decide if anyone should open the door.

"Miss Eloise. Are you aware that your siblings are at your door?" I spoke quietly, hoping that the earwigging Bridgerton's would not be able to hear me.

"Yes I am Adelia. There persistence is rather annoying. Yet rather humorous. I feel like you should open the door soon as they will just barge in. Maybe it will brighten my day if you give them a slight startle." 

Nodding I smiled in her direction and quickly opened the door in front of me to find Lord Bridgerton reaching towards the handle. I met his eyes and it felt like I had the air knocked out of my lungs as I remembered, his eyes also widening slightly. 

I steadied my self quickly trying not draw attention to it, but the images kept flicking through my head as I remembered that I was beneath him both figuratively and literally.

And it would never work.