𝑾𝑯𝑰𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮 || 𝑨 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚

03. 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒔

CHAPTER 3:
Into The Woods

‎ .˚ * ꒰ঌ✦໒꒱ * ˚.

THE GOLDEN RAYS of the morning sun peeked through the delicate, lace-trimmed curtains of Genevieve's room, casting soft patterns of light and shadow across the beautifully adorned walls painted a calming blue.

The sun had a gentle warmth that seemed to wrap around her like a comforting embrace, stirring her from the depths of her dreams.

She blinked awake, her doe-like hazel eyes reflecting the light as they fluttered open.

The sheets were crisp and white, whispering to her as she stretched her limbs and wiggled her toes in delight, relishing in the faint sound they made, a rustling laughter virtually urging her to rise.

With a quick flick of her wrist, she brushed her long, chestnut hair over her shoulder, the soft strands cascading over her shoulders.

Today was unlike any other, a tingle of anticipation igniting her heart as she remembered the previous evening, a masked ball where she had glimpsed Benjamin for the first time in what felt like a lifetime.

Memories of the forest and the laughter that had echoed through the trees flooded her mind, urging her to hasten her morning routine.

Genevieve swung her legs over the side of the bed, her white nightgown fluttering like a cloud as she hopped down.

She dashed to the dining room, her excitement propelling her forward, where she found her siblings already seated around the heavily laden table, morning sunlight gilding the soft rolls and sumptuous spreads that awaited them.

"Genevieve! Did someone remove the clock from your room?" Colin teased, his playful smirk evident even with his mouth half-full of toast.

"Good morning, Colin," she replied with a giggle, sliding into her seat beside Gregory.

She grabbed the jar of jam and spread a generous amount on her toast, savoring the sweet-tart flavor as it melted on her tongue.

"Let the dreamer sleep," Gregory chimed in, offering her a protective smile before turning to their brother. "She needs her beauty rest for all those charming daydreams."

"That's precisely what I was dreaming about last night!" Genevieve exclaimed, her cheeks warming at the memory of the cottage nestled in the woods, surrounded by chirping birds, frolicking deer, and whispering willows. "I was living in a quaint cottage, just like one from a fairy tale. Animals all around me, a little garden..."

"Our own little daydreamer," Colin declared, pretending to swoon as he placed a hand over his heart.

"But don't you stray too far in your fantasies, darling," their mother, the ever-wise Violet Bridgerton, interjected, her smile warm yet laced with caution. "You are a growing girl and mustn't let such silly thoughts distract you from the real world."

"I promise, Mama, I'm not distracted!" Genevieve insisted, yet the lightness in her chest at the thought of her hidden rendezvous with Benjamin made her words feel insincere. "It just fills the time."

"Oh, dear girl," Violet replied with a tender chuckle, pouring some tea into Genevieve's cup. "Just so long as you keep your feet grounded when the time comes for your first ball... and your first proposals."

Genevieve's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink at the thought.

Colin and Gregory exchanged knowing glances, their laughter carrying her along.