daylight | b. bridgerton

viii | callers, cathartics

Vivienne entered the modiste to get her dress for the ball tonight. She decided to go with a lilac color, and it was to date, the prettiest dress Madame Delacroix has prepared for her.

However, the most interesting thing that she got that day was the note Madame passed her with a wink and a promise for another free dress. An invitation to another of Granville's parties, the day after next.

She left the modiste in high spirits and excitement for the future.

Vivienne got home to find the duke of Essex sitting in her drawing room once more. He had roses in his hand, and he was making conversation with her father. "Vivienne!" he called. "Come in and greet our guest."

She passed her dress to Anna, and entered the drawing room. "Your grace," she curtsied.

"Lady Vivienne," he said. "Lovely to see you again. I brought these for you," he gave her the roses.

Vivienne took them gratefully. "Thank you, your grace. They are gorgeous."

"As are you, my lady. Now I will not keep you long, I only wished to see you before the ball tonight, and ask if I may reserve a dance with you?"

She was shocked, looking between the duke and her father's glare. I do not like dancing. "I– I would be honored, your grace."

He put a hand on her shoulder, smiling down on her. "I am very glad you said that, Lady Vivienne. I shall see you tonight, and I am sure you will look beautiful."

She smiled back at him, faltering slightly under the weight of his hand. It felt like it was burning through her dress, and her father's stare was nauseating. "Of course, thank you verymuch.

A footman saw him out, and she turned to leave the drawing room as well.

"Well done, Vivienne. I am very proud," said her father. She waited at the door for a moment. Then she walked out completely.

Tearspricked at her eyes, and she did not entirely know why. Henry noticedshe ran past his study, where he sat doing paperwork. Immediately, hegot up and followed her to her room. "Vivy?"

"Get out please," she said, face down on her bed.

"Tell me what's wrong and then I will."

Vivienne groaned at how annoying he was being. "The Duke of Essex is quite taken with me, it seems."

"I do not understand," Henry said, moving to sit next to her on her bed. "Is that not good?"

"It, objectively, is. Which makes it worse, because it is not at all what I want."

"Oh."

She rolled away from him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"No," he said, "I understand. What is it you want?"

"I do not know," she said, muffled into the pillow. "But I want to figure it out without people telling me what I should or should not do. I want independence and I do not want these 'rules and standards' I must follow."

Henry's hand moved to her back, rubbing it soothingly."I'm sorry, Vivy. I'm really sorry you feel this way, and I am so sorry that society has made you conform into something you are unhappy with."

"You are?" she asked hopefully.

"I truly, truly am, Vivy. But..."

She groaned again into her pillow.

"That does not change society itself, no matter how right you are. That is why I have pushed you to find a good man, first, good standing second. Your survival is the most important thing to me, and this is how you can ensure it. Happiness can follow if you are alive."

"I knew you would not understand."

"Vivy–"

"Please leave me alone."

"Vivy, listen to me," he pleaded, "I do not want to find a wife."

"You don't?"

He scoffed. "Not in the slightest. But I am looking anyway, to ensure my place in society. It is a cruel regime we live under, to be so privileged, yet have all our freedoms taken away. The best thing we can do is endure, and find happiness where it presents itself to us."

His words started seeping into her, and she resolved that he was sounding more and more right. Perhaps it would be for the best if she just gave in.

"The duke is a good man, Vivy. He is also crypto-Catholic, and he is honorable and righteous. If you think you can be happy with him, as the next marquess, I say that is all that matters," he paused, as if  noticing the hypocrisy of his own words, but continued nonetheless.  "Nevertheless, I hope you know, that forever and ever, I will always, always be here for you, duchess or not."

She laughed, as tears actually began to fall. "Thank you, Henry."

notes.

short one & no benedict so more to come today for you guys watch out!