𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐄 difference between a sin and a clandestine longing? A yearning that pulses silently beneath the surface, sheltered away from a place where love is tightly defined and drawn by ancient hands. Can a heart so full and so p...
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୨⎯ ༻♛༺ ⎯୧
SIENA'S CONVERSATION WITH MR. AINSWORTH had been invigorating indeed, but it had not been enough to redirect the direction of her thoughts for long. In fact, somewhere in her jumbled and tangled mind, the feelings that had erupted inside her stomach when speaking to him had been more so... puzzling. Could it ever be possible to feel interest in one when completely madly in love with another? Could this be the very reason for Eloise's escapades to the printer's? Those questions that linger on the surface of her brain have been pounding at her cranium for a whole hour now, unable to let her do anything other than stuff her mouth with fruit and lemonade.
She has been using her time to think on the furthest sidelines of the gardens, promenading the outskirts of the gathering and avoiding both Penelope and Eloise at all costs— even when she spots the brunette searching for her with her beautiful blue eyes. Hiding has felt both thrilling and nerve racking, and she feels anxiety build up in her chest every time she comes too close to getting in the girls' lines of sight. After all that has gone through her head during the ceremony, she does not believe she can bear to stand in front of Eloise and not crumple at her feet begging her to only look at her forever.
So, she has taken the hardest but safest alternative— avoiding her altogether.
With her parents on one end of the gardens, her brothers scattered around with the Bridgerton men and some other gentlemen of the ton and Bruno off somewhere with the youngest of ton, Siena has decided to position herself strategically closer to the entrance back into the castle, where not many people seem to glance twice. Well, not many, but certainly some. Mr. Russel, for once.
"Do you not think it would be embarrassing to choke on grapes in the middle of a matrimony hosted by the very queen of England, my lady?" He approaches the girl, hands clasped behind his back as he leans over her shoulder.
A cackle escapes her lips even before turning, recognizing his voice and finding his comment amusing enough for such scandalous noise to slip from her mouth. At the surprised looks from the ladies around, the girl covers her mouth and looks at her friend, giving him a widen of her eyes.
"Do not make me laugh like that when there are so many people around!" She scolds him, earning nothing but a small laugh on his part.
"I do not decide how it is you are going to noise your laughter, Siena. Though if I had known such inhuman cackle was to erupt from your lips, then I would have decided against even approaching you."
Another laugh escapes her lips, this time too uncontainable for her not to have to slightly double over to stop herself, "You are evil!"
Some ladies walk away from the two, feigning understanding smiles when they meet the apologetic bows of the man, "You are making a fool out of us."
