you are in love, BENEDICT BRIDGERTON

PEACE

whilst edith spent the entirety of the last few days by edwina's side, alison would visit once a day but other than that she would stay home in stand-by-mode. benedict could tell that she was worried for kate, and so he insisted on coming over each night after he parted from the academy - a strange thing, almost as if he was coming home to her each night. and as well as that, he rather enjoyed it, regardless of having no idea why.

on this particular day, edith arrived home with news.

"al! al!" the younger girl would yell as she ran up the stairs, her voice getting closer and closer to alison's room. "al!" she flings the door open to see alison, who is almost dozing off whilst attempting to write poetry.

"edith, what is it?" alison asks, once she's snapped out of her daze.

"miss sha-" edith pauses to catch her breath, as her gaze noticeably softens. "kate is awake."

"what?" the countess is quick to stand and walk right past edith, and out of her bedroom door. "are you coming or not?" she turns back to her sister, before making her way down the stairs in haste.

the carriage ride takes less than five minutes, as lady danbury only lives down the street from the driftwaters. alison eagerly scribbles on some parchment throughout their journey - which edith figures is something for kate.

"kate!" alison calls out as she runs up the stairs and into the sharma girl's room, upon their quick arrival.

the house servants look at alison in distaste as she quickly runs up the stairs and doesn't even bother taking her cloak off.

"alison?" kate chuckles, sitting up in bed, once the younger girl makes her way into the room.

"are you alright?" the driftwater girl stands in the middle of the room, slightly awkwardly with a mix of fright.

kate nods. "yes." but then, her smile turns into a slight frown. "no." she shakes her head. "no, i am not."

"oh, kate." alison steps forward and sits on the bed, giving the older girl the most gentle hug that she could manage. alison knew that the reason for her sadness was anthony, and she also knew that there was nothing she could do to convince him to sort anything out for himself. "he hasn't visited, has he?"

"on the contrary, he did."

alison shuffles slightly in her seat after pulling away, a look of intruige plastered across her face. "what happend, then?"

"he asked me to marry him, alison." kate lets out a shaky breath. "i could not allow it."

"but why? kate, this is a good thing." the countess attempts to convince her.

"he does not love me." kate shakes her head once again. "i've come to that conclusion. he made it clear from the start that he does not believe in love."