[2] The Queen Mother of Württemberg | A. Bridgerton

Chapter 12

Marrying Her And Loving You

A march down the aisle may very well be the longest walk any young lady ever takes.

It does not simply cover the length of the church, but rather, countless floors for dancing, and meandering paths for every afternoon promenade too.

It is a wonder, then, that feet do not tire or, heaven forbid, trip under the scrutiny of all those attentive eyes keeping close watch, indeed.

St James's Palace, London

"Does it fly?" The Queen asked the man about the peacock.

"Uh, some, Your Majesty," he nervously responded.

"What kind of answer is 'some'?" The Queen questioned.

"Well, it does not soar, but if you like, I can place it on a high perch and allow it to glide down," he suggested with a smile.

"Only if you follow its path," the Queen glared at the man and turned around to leave, her ladies following her inside the palace.

"The fireworks are ready, Your Majesty," Brimsley informed the Queen too. "Timed perfectly to discharge directly after the bride and groom utter, 'I do'."

"Whatever you have planned is not good enough, Brimsley. Make them bigger, longer, brighter. Our guests must be captivated," the Queen stated and noticed the servants going up the stairs. "I believe I asked for His Majesty's wing to be closed off today. I do not wish for anyone to lose their way and end up somewhere...curious."

"Of course, Ma'am. Though, you may rest assured His Majesty appeared in rather good spirits this morning," Brimsley added.

"And what of our other grand plan?" The Queen asked him. "Is everything in place?"

"Indeed," Brimsley nodded.

"What grand plan?" The Queen Mother of Württemberg finally spoke.

"Her Majesty has created a plan to unmask Whistledown," he explained. "Every young lady that remains under suspicion of being Lady Whistledown will have a footman assigned to her, watching her every move."

"Simply watching will not be enough. We must entrap the scribbler," the Queen stated. "Perhaps you might put forth false rumors so that when Whistledown prints them, we will be able to trace the origins."

"An ingenious idea, Ma'am," Brimsley nodded.

"Yes, that is why I thought of it," she smiled.

"And who are these young ladies that remain under suspicion?" Charlotte asked her.

"The less you know, the better, Daughter," the Queen smirked and turned to one of the servants. "The author thinks she has bested us all with her illicit spying and reporting. Well, no one has sharper eyes on the ton than I do."

The Queen Mother of Württemberg winced when she saw her mother inhale her usual 'calming' powder. The air continued to carry the sweet scent of blooming roses, but it did little to ease the tension that had lingered all week. She glanced to her right, where her daughter walked beside her, head slightly bowed, her hands clasped in front of her.

"You've been quiet this week, my dear," the Queen began, her voice gentle but probing. "Is something troubling you?"

"No, Mama," she didn't lift her gaze from the ground. "I'm perfectly fine."