"Lady Cowper." Violet greeted as the two families continued to walk together in the park.
Violet sighed to herself when Lady Cowper tipped her nose up as she walked by the Bridgertons, Lady Florence, James, and Elijah.
Out of all the people, the Cowpers snubbed them?
"Lady Eaton." Lady Danbury greeted them, but she was ignored.
"Oh, Lord Hall." Lady Florence tried, but the same response happened. Shunned.
"Lord Cho." Lady Danbury tried again.
Everyone was ignoring them.
Their only hope was that many of the ton would still be kind and greet Evelina since they feared her mother the most.
The Danbury Estate.
"After everything that happened with his scullery maid last season, and Lord Cho cuts me?" Lady Danbury scoffed, dismissing her maid as she moved to sit next to Lady Florence.
"We know what we are to deal with, at least..." Lady Florence sighed, looking at Lady Mary and Edwina.
"We shall not remove ourselves from this fight. All will be lost if we run now." Lady Mary said, holding her tea cup.
"I should like to remove myself from this room." Edwina scoffed after sipping her tea, when she stood up, walking over to Elijah who tried to distance himself from the tension between him and his brother.
"Every day that goes by without our altering the ton-shared sentiment will harden it." Lady Danbury sighed as Elijah offered her a biscuit.
Edwina looked at Elijah, sighing to herself, when she put on a smile. "Thank you, my lord," Edwina said softly, taking the biscuit when Elijah nodded.
"Perhaps we need another story as to why things ended." Lady Mary sighed, looking over to Kate and James.
"We have already started to tell one. We cannot change course now." Lady Danbury said, looking at Elijah and Edwina.
"Well, if we cannot speak about the reasons, might we at least act as though they are of no consequence to us?" Lady Florence asked.
"A ball." Lady Danbury said, looking at Lady Florence, as if she read her mind.
"Yes. Together. We prove to the ton that our story is true. It was, indeed, a mutual decision between all interested parties, and there is no scandal or ill will between our families at all." Lady Florence continued, trying to think that it might work.
"Hmm..." Lady Danbury nodded.
Lady Mary looked over at Edwina who clinked her teacup to the saucer, as she did not look very happy about the idea. "A ball would give Edwina a chance to be seen with her new husband..." Lady Mary said, looking at Edwina and Elijah.
"Another ball?" James spoke up, clenching his jaw as he looked at his brother. "So, that the ton might inspect this wreckage with an even closer eye?" He asked as the room went quiet.
"A ball may very well work." Edwina spoke up, wanting to do with anything that opposed whatever James or Kate had to say. "After all, the viscount and my sister have been so good at hiding their true feelings from everyone in public this far." Edwina continued, trying to fight back the tears in her eyes. "It should not trouble them to do the same a little longer..."
"Edwina..." Lady Mary gave her daughter a warning look to try and keep her composure.
"I do hope I will not be expected to dance at this ball..." Elijah said, quietly, when Lady Florence gave her youngest nephew a small smile.
"Hmm... I could speak with the new Viscountess Bridgerton... She may be very inclined to throw a ball, like the duchess, Lady Hastings, last season to show the ton of her new marriage..." Lady Danbury began to say, before she was interrupted by Newton's barking.
"Ugh, Newton." Kate sighed as her dog came over, barking at James. "Oh, Newton. My apologies." Kate apologized as Newton tried to get James's attention, whimpering. "Newton, out. Out. Newton, out..." Kate said as she stood up, along with James to shoo the dog out of the room.
When Newton moved to go back to the servant, Kate looked at James as he subtly caught a whiff of her perfume. The two looked at each other, longingly, while everyone in the room noticed.
Elijah cleared his throat as Edwina scoffed.
"Was I truly that blind?" She asked, looking hurt. "Were they always this obvious?" She asked, moving to sit back down as everyone sighed.
"If this plan is to work..." Lady Florence began to say as she stood up.
"I suggest the two of you stay on opposite sides of the room at all times." Lady Danbury said, reaching out her cane to separate them.
"Lady Danbury!" Kate exclaimed.
"All we need would be for someone to witness something untoward--" Lady Danbury began to say.
"I beg your pardon, Lady Danbury. I do not know what you mean to say." James spat at her.
"What she means to say, James, is that those of us in this room at present are the only ones who know the full truth of the matter... And Lady Evelina Bridgerton... And the Duchess of Hastings..." Lady Florence sighed, walking over to her eldest nephew.
"And we would prefer to keep it that way. As should you. If there is so much as a passing look between the two of you, then this plan of ours will be for nothing. Are we all in agreement?"
"Of course." Kate nodded at Lady Danbury's question as she moved to sit down again.
"Quite, Lady Danbury." James nodded, looking more annoyed at himself than the situation.
"Um... Miss Edwina... I had my servants return to the Chateau to retrieve this." Elijah spoke up as the room went quiet.
Edwina turned to look at him as he pulled out a small box, opening it to reveal a gold ring with a pink colored jewel with smaller diamonds.
"It is lovely, my lord." Edwina smiled at him, but her smile did not reach her eyes as she still felt betrayal from James and Kate.
"It was my grandmother's. She adored the shade of pink as I know you do. It was left in my possession after my father's death." He said, taking out the ring to place it on her finger.
"How very sweet, Lord Bardot." Lady Mary smiled a bit.
But the sweet moment was interrupted as James stomped out of the room. Lady Florence sighed, walking over to Elijah and placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Very lovely, Elijah." She smiled at her youngest nephew, before heading out to follow James.
~season 2, episode 7: "Harmony"~
~1055 words~
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Midnight Rain:
FanfictionHe was the ninth Viscount Bridgerton and also a former "capital R rake." She was the thirteenth surviving child of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland and Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. She also happened to be a shelter princess...
