limerence || benedict bridgerton

viii | jealousy, jealousy

Alexandria walked into the hall of the Bridgerton manor with her parents and Emmy tailing behind her. "Do not make such a dramatic exit this time" Rosalie whispered into her ear. "Yeah I'll just learn to keep my hands to myself this time the men can do whatever they want" Alexandria said sarcastically with an eye roll and shoved past her mother.

She found her way to the table with the champagne and secured herself a safe spot at the wall, nursing her champagne and sulking in the corner partially due to the fact she couldn't spot Benedict, Colin, Eloise or Penelope anywhere and largely due to the fact she was scared incase a repeat of last time happens again.

Still nursing her champagne, she spots Colin and Penelope making their way towards her. "Oh thank goodness you're here" Alexandria said now placing her empty glass down besides her. "I was looking for you everywhere" She lied. "Really?" Penelope arched a disbelieving eyebrow. "Well I was looking for you both with my eyes in this spot" Alexandria confessed.

"Miss Avalon" A man known as Mr Dexter walked up to Alexandria. "Mr Dexter, to what do I owe you this pleasure?" Alexandria said putting on her most polite voice. "Would you like to dance with me?" He asked. "I'm sorry, my dance card is already full for tonight" Alexandria lied letting him down softly. "Maybe some other time?" He said hopefully and she nodded.

"Oh Lex that was cold" Colin laughed. "You're a savage, Alexandria Avalon" Penelope laughed and Alexandria simply just shrugged. "There is no one on your dance card!" Penelope said in disbelief grabbing the dance card that was dangling from Alexandria's wrist which was blank.

"I know! Shush" Alexandria said shushing Penelope. "Why did you turn him down?" Colin asked. "I mean he was quite a handsome man" Penelope added on.

"I just don't feel like dancing" Alexandria said. "Or being in any man's company or embrace tonight" She added on sadly, thinking back to what happened with Mr Wilson. "Oh Lex" Penelope said sadly, hugging Alexandria as she remembered back to what Alexandria told her about Mr Wilson.

"It's quite alright I'm fine" Alexandria lied. Penelope and Colin cocked their heads to the side not believing her.

"Where is your brother anyway?" Alexandria asked Colin changing the subject. "Which one?" Colin said. "Who else would I be talking about? Benedict" Alexandria stated matter of factly.

"Oh he's off dancing with some woman. I believe her name is Molly Huntington" Colin said. Alexandria's face dropped, Molly had always had a crush on Benedict and made it her lives goal to get with him, partly because she liked to wind Alexandria up.

Alexandria watched bitterly from the sidelines as Benedict and Molly danced, occasionally they would laugh at something the other has said. "Are you alright?" Penelope asked looking at Alexandria's face which was red with fury and her eyes which were narrowed into slits. "Quite" Alexandria answered simply and Penelope knew better than to push her especially when it came to the topic of Benedict and Molly.

"Careful your jealousy is showing" Colin said loud enough for Alexandria and Penelope to hear. "You would think you're in love with my brother with the way you're staring at him and Molly" Colin teased and Alexandria cut him a fierce glare.

"You know, I quite fancy that dance with Mr Dexter now" Alexandria announced and strode off in Mr Dexters direction. "Mr Dexter" Alexandria said. "Oh Miss Avalon!" Mr Dexter said surprised. "A spot on my dance card has just cleared. Does that offer for that dance still stand?" Alexandria asked. "Absolutely" Mr Dexter smiled and took her hand and they made their way over to the dance floor.

"This will end in tears" Penelope said to Colin. "That's expected with those two" Colin chuckled.

Benedict spotted Alexandria make her way onto the dance floor with Mr Dexter, who was notorious for being a rake. Benedict's formerly happy mood had just soured.

Alexandria placed her hand on his arm and he put his hand on her waist and they began dancing. Benedict and Molly also began dancing at the same time as them. Benedict and Alexandria could not keep their eyes off eachother, the tension was extremely obvious.

Alexandria glared at Benedict before smirking at him and Benedict simply just glared longingly at her. It seemed like both of their partners were oblivious to this staring contest that was going on between the two but everyone else wasn't.

Benedict's eyes remained planted on Alexandria's the entirety of the dance even as Mr Dexter swung Alexandria about and inched his hand too closely to her bottom. Something about Alexandria's warm brown eyes compelled Benedict that he couldn't look away. Right now her eyes weren't warm they were cold.

Benedict took the opportunity to glide his eyes over Alexandria. She was wearing a stunning baby blue dress that was decked out in jewels and lace. One of the Bridgerton colours. Alexandria also raked her eyes all over Benedict, he was looking so much more handsome this evening.

"Those two are completely oblivious to the fact they're both enamoured with eachother." Lady Grant said to Lady Danbury. "They will be married one day mark my words!" Lady Danbury laughed. "I so hope they realise that they are perfect for eachother, it seems Benedict is the only perfect option for my granddaughter" Lady Grant said and Lady Danbury nodded.

Once the song was over they pulled away from their respective partners and left the dance floor. Alexandria felt overwhelmed by the rush of feelings she was feeling for Benedict- which was no surprise, but also the audacity of the both of them to maintain eye contact so intensely infront of the whole ton.

"Are you alright?" Benedict asked making his way to stand beside her. "Hmm yes" Alexandria said and grabbed herself another glass of champagne. "Great dance" Benedict simply said. "Fantastic" Alexandria said sarcastically.

"Benedict what a lovely dance that was! Do you want to go out for an evening stroll on the grounds?" Molly said making her way toward Benedict. Alexandria downed her almost full glass down in one. "Be careful" Penelope said alarmed noticing Alexandria's heavy glare fixed on Molly while downing her drink.

"Always" Alexandria smiled and grabbed another glass. "It was a lovely dance, but I'll have to decline you offer. Maybe some other time Miss Huntington." Benedict said and Alexandria stared at him in disbelief that he turned down her offer. "Oh very well. See you around, Mr Bridgerton" Molly faltered and walked away, shooting daggers towards Alexandria who smiled at her sweetly.

"You ought to slow down" Benedict said. "What? I'm fine!" Alexandria said a bit too loudly. "I'm only on my fourth glass this evening" Alexandria said enthusiastically counting on her fingers. "Only? You've only been her forty five minutes!" Benedict said sounding a little concerned. "How lovely you been counting!" Alexandria smiled up at him and placed a hand on his arm. "Oh shush" Benedict said but he didn't want to move his arm, in fact he wanted Alexandria closer to him.

Alexandria observed the ballroom with her eyes and noticed Eloise talking to her mama after just dancing with a lord, obviously distressed. She threw her hands up and ran out the ballroom very obviously upset and in tears.

"Eloise" Alexandria said trying to leave before Penelope stopped her. "It's best not to, I just came from over there Eloise isn't happy with Lord Morrison and his behaviour and the way he speaks about women. He also tried to prevent her from leaving the dance floor." Penelope winced. "I'll kill him" Alexandria said suddenly feeling protective. "You won't. You're drunk" Penelope laughed, she wasn't lying. "Well I'm going to go after Eloise and make sure she's alright" Alexandria decided. "Best leave her to herself for a while" Penelope suggested and Alexandria nodded.

"What's going over there?" Alexandria asked Benedict and Penelope and now Colin who had just walked back over to them. Edwina was enthusiastically encouraging Anthony to dance with a very unhappy Kate. "Why is she making them dance together?" Alexandria asked bewildered.

"I think Anthony is planning on proposing but he just needs Kate's blessing" Benedict said. "Edwina is so oblivious to the fact they're not just enemies" Alexandria chuckled. "It's a bad idea making them dance".

"Oh a very bad idea indeed" Penelope agreed. The four watched Anthony and Kate dance, they never took their eyes off eachother once. They fit so perfectly when they danced like they were made for one another. Throughout the entire dance, Alexandria could see that they speaking to eachother but towards the end, the conversation got increasingly more heated it seemed.

When the dance was over, the pair stared at eachother before Anthony stormed off. "Well that was a turn of events certainly" Alexandria said in shock.