Carmella 'Ella' Camden, a curious and intelligent young woman, dreams of finding love and companionship. Despite her beauty and wit, she constantly feels overlooked by noble men during her social seasons, who only seem interested in her friends and...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The next morning, Ella awoke to the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains of her room. She stretched languidly, savoring the comfort of her own bed after months in the countryside. The sounds of the household stirring downstairs reminded her of the warmth and familiarity of home. A gentle knock on the door brought her fully awake.
"Miss Ella, breakfast is ready," the maid announced.
"Thank you, Mary. I'll be down shortly," Ella replied, sitting up and beginning her morning routine.
Once dressed, Ella made her way to the dining room, where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked bread greeted her. The room buzzed with the lively conversation of her family. Her parents, Viscount and Viscountess Camden, were already seated, along with her siblings.
"Good morning, everyone," Ella said, taking her seat next to Adrian.
"Good morning, Ella," her mother replied with a warm smile. "How did you sleep?"
"Wonderfully, thank you. It's so nice to be back home," Ella said, helping herself to a slice of toast.
Adrian nudged her playfully. "See, I told you there's no place like home."
Ella laughed and turned to her sister, Grace. "Grace, are you staying with us at the estate?"
Grace nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yes, I am. I haven't seen you and Adrian in a few months, so I thought it would be nice to stay for a couple of days. William—the Marquess of Huntley—also agreed."
Their father, Viscount Camden, looked over his newspaper and smiled warmly. "It's good to have the whole family under one roof again. It feels like old times."
Her mother, the Viscountess, turned to Adrian, her eyes bright with curiosity. "How was it, dear? Did you enjoy your time in the countryside?"
Adrian nodded, reaching for a slice of bread. "It was quite refreshing, Mother. The countryside has its own charm."
The Viscountess continued, her interest piqued. "Did you have any chance encounters with the Duke of Darlington? I heard that he and his brother were staying there for a couple of weeks."
Adrian chuckled, glancing at Ella with a teasing glint in his eyes. "Yes, Mother, we did meet the Duke. In fact, we met him quite a few times. Isn't that right, Ella?"
Ella, caught off guard, managed a smile. "Yes, we did." As she spoke, memories of her interactions with the Duke flashed through her mind—the way his gaze seemed to linger on her, the moments they shared in conversation. She could feel a slight tint of blush creeping up her cheeks.
Grace, ever observant, noticed the faint blush on Ella's face. She raised an eyebrow and took a sip from her tea, her curiosity clearly piqued.
The Viscountess looked between her children with a knowing smile. "It sounds like you had quite an eventful stay. The Duke of Darlington is a charming gentleman, from what I've heard."
