The Artist's Muse

A Very Special Friend

As the season progresses, so does the drama. Miss Cowper appears to be growing more agitated than usual with the absence of suitors calling upon her. This Author witnessed her purposely step upon a young man's foot after he turned her down for a dance. It would seem that in order to secure a suitors name on one's dance card, purposely stepping on said suitor's foot would not be the proper way to go about it.

As for the Bridgerton family, Miss Francesca has been spotted at several events with the same young man. Perhaps a proposal will be on its way soon? Mister Benedict Bridgerton has a line of young ladies wishing to place his name on their dance card, yet he has not obliged any. Perhaps that shall change tonight...

LADY WHISTLEDOWN'S SOCIETY PAPERS, 10 AUGUST 1815

x.x.x

Benedict entered the ballroom alone. He had debated when his family had been preparing to leave if he was going to join them. At the last ball, he had left early but had the most terrific night he'd had in a long time. While he hadn't felt the connection he so obviously felt with Lander, he had been giving it more thought and had decided he could live happily with Flor after all. He had feared ruining the incredible night, but he feared ruining his future if he did not capture the woman who caused him to feel for the first time.

As Benedict's eyes roamed the ballroom for Flor, he spotted each member of his family. Eloise with Pen and Colin. Anthony and Kate taking a turn on the dancefloor. Violet with Mrs. Danbury. Each of them enveloped in their own conversations. Finally, he found Francesca with John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin, taking a turn on the dancefloor as well. John appeared to be an upstanding individual, though a little shy, but he and Francesca fit together well. They were both skittish, but they appeared to be opening up to one another as time progressed. Each member of the family approved even if they were a little weary.

Many people viewed Francesca as being an outsider in the Bridgerton family as she was not as loud nor as outspoken as other members of her family. No one within the family viewed her as such. She was simply Francesca. It was how she had always been, and it was how they believed she would always be. There was nothing wrong with her.

Benedict supposed that, even though she had never said, Francesca yearned to be known as someone other than just a Bridgerton. It felt wrong to view their family as just anything, but it was how the world viewed them. The Bridgertons were meant to fit the role the outside world had cast them into. It came as a shock when someone did not play the part. Benedict felt pride each time he saw his siblings forge their own path. Francesca deserved to find someone who complemented her. They all did.

Benedict's eyes caught sight of another couple on the dancefloor. A blonde woman wrapped in the arms of a man with light brown hair. He felt his heart stop in his chest. It could not be. Yet it was.

Flor spun, a wide smile on her pale face, before she was encircled back into Lander's arms. It would have hurt enough to have seen Flor in the arms of another man, but for the other man to be Lander? Benedict was not sure he could stand it.

He swallowed hard, Flor's eyes meeting his, before he turned to find a stiff drink.

x.x.x

"I thought I spotted you slip in here," Lander's voice said from behind Benedict as he took a sip of his third, or maybe it was his fourth, drink. He'd retreated to the peacefulness of a secluded alcove to debate if he should have one more drink or go home. Clearly, he should have gone home.

Benedict took another sip of his drink, staring out the window that overlooked the gardens. Couples were pairing off, but all made sure to keep a safe distance between one another. Benedict had been foolish for believing he could just whisk Flor away as he had the other night. He should have known a beautiful and kind woman like herself would have had plenty of suitors. He hadn't assumed one would be Lander. That, he thought, was where the problem lay.