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❝I DO BELIEVE YOU PROMISED TO SAVE ME A DANCE MISS BRIDGERTON.❞ Alexander Scott was hopeless when it came to the Bridgerton girl, he hadn't dared open up to someone in such a long time that the minute he let her into his heart, he'd completely allowed her to consume his very being. The infatuation with someome in such little time had scared the man endlessly but there was something about Delphia that gave him peace he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Alex! I was wondering when you'd come to collect on my promise," Delphia gladly accepted his hand and allowed him to take her to the dance floor. "Is it too soon to say that I'm glad to hear that your family is no longer involved with Lord Berbrooke?"
"Not at all, thank you Alex. You've done so much to help us,"
"I simply could not sit back and allow it to happen." Alex's stare was intense as they moved around the dance floor, to them it felt like only one another were in the room with them. "I saw you at the picnic, I saw how scared you were for your sister. I wanted to tear that retched man apart then and there just for making that beautiful smile leave your face." His hand left her waist and rested on her cheek, never stopping a beat as they danced.
To anyone looking they seemed like they were already married and in love, a lifetime already passed through. Violet Bridgerton watched both her daughters as they danced with the Dukes, her heart swelling with pride and adoration.
"I'm so glad to have met you," Delphia whispered, she could barely breathe with Alex so close to her, her whole body consumed in his touch. She wanted nothing more than to kiss him in this moment but with all those watching, she would be ruined. Delphia wouldn't have minded though, a kiss from him would be worth a lifetime of scandals. "You are a mystery Alexander Scott, I want to know more about you, more than I'd like to admit."
"I'll tell you anything you want to know love, I am open to you Delphia. Any question, you have the answer."
Before they could continue, their dance came to an end but they were not finished, without question the two began again to the second song of the night. This dance much faster than the last halted their conversation, both focused on one another as they moved. Their eyes stayed in contact, never once leaving the other.
"Who do you believe will be married first brother?" Colin asked from the sidelines of the ballroom, he and Benedict stood secluded from the rest of the crowd, hiding from the prying eyes of the young ladies around. "Delphia and Alex, they're drawn to each other and as much as I hate to see our little sister grow up, I've never seen her happier." Benedict spoke about his sister with such love in his eyes, Delphia had lost her spark when their father had died, they all had. Delphia however allowed herself to be shut up, while everyone managed their grief with people around them friends and family, she had spent her time mourning alone.
The Bridgertons hadn't spoke to Delphia in weeks, their own family had been shut away and it scared the older siblings. To see their little sister so disconnected from the world around her, it tore them apart. They'd allowed her time and spent their own keeping the rest of the family together, the younger kids were too young to understand why their sister hardly spoke or left her room.
It wasn't until months after their father had passed that the family moved to city of London, Delphia allowed herself back into her old habits of going for walks with Benedict, running around with Colin as they hid from their governess, she'd also found herself picking up new ones, Anthony had been spending all of his time in his father's old study, taking care of his family that Delphia felt he was far too alone for her liking. Delphia sat with him for hours even after she was supposed to be in bed and helped him sort through all of the papers and accounts their family owned. She didn't understand a lot of it but her company was much of a comfort to Anthony that even though he found himself doing a little extra work to fix any mistakes she'd made, he didn't mind because his sister was finally coming back to him.
Even after all this, she was not the same girl she once was. Delphia had allowed her grief to consume her and she did not know herself without the grief of her father taking over. Instead she found herself playing pretend almost, fooling those around her that she was getting better.
"I do believe it to be Daphne and Simon, Delphia even though she is going to fall in love soon, her heart will still be shielded. The Duke will be the one to open her back up, they just need more time." Benedict half agreed with Colin's words, he still believed Delphia to be married first but he would be happy either way. His sisters were going to be okay and that is all that mattered to him.
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"Prince Friedrich, this is the young lady I was telling you about, the season's sapphire." The queen and her nephew, made their presence known between Delphia and the Duke of Cambridge, even though she was introducing the prince in hopes of him marrying one of the Bridgerton girls, she was quite fond of the match being made in front of her.
"So lovely to meet you, Miss Bridgerton." Prince Friedrich grabbed Delphia's gloved hand and placed a small kiss on her knuckles, she hated that the action made her blush. She was in no way attracted to the Prince but rather his actions, Delphia was quite fond of physical touch. "Your gown, it is exquisite. You and your sister have wonderful taste,"
"Lovely to meet you, your Royal Highness." Delphia allowed herself to bow to the royalty in front of her, the queen's presence causing herself to shake a little with nervousness. "Please to see you again Alex, do come by the palace when you find yourself free."
"Of course Friedrich, always a pleasure to see you." Alex firmly shook the prince's hand as they spoke like old friends before they two royals took their leave.
"I would rather not explain my affairs with the prince at this very moment but we are good friends," Delphia merely nodded, she had questions but wished to respect the duke's decision to not tell her. She hadn't even asked but he knew she wanted to, it was written all over her face.
"I'm sorry that came across harsh, that was not my intention love, I must leave at once. Thank you for allowing me to accompany you."
Just like that the Duke had disappeared from his place beside Delphia and she was left wondering what had just happened. They'd been happily talking and dancing for most of the night, it didn't seem like he was in any rush to leave until the Queen and the Prince had made their appearances. Delphia couldn't help but feel upset at his sudden departure, she didn't understand if she had done anything wrong or something to scare the man away.
Alexander Scott was still a mystery to the Bridgerton girl, she knew so much about him but such little at the same time. She wanted to know more, she needed to know about him. Delphia could not begin to fall for a man who's life she did not understand or know about but yet she still found herself longing to be with him more than anything else.
