you are in love, BENEDICT BRIDGERTON

INNOVATIONS AND SALUTATIONS

the day had finally came for all of mayfair after lots of preparation; the hawkins' balloon event.

alison stops in front of the balloon, just gazing at it in amazement, as dianna and edith walk ahead to go and greet samuel and his father - baron castlewood.

"i do hope you do not plan on getting inside that thing." a familiar voice speaks, coming up behind her.

alison chuckles, turning to meet her best friend's gaze. "not at all. it is just wondorous, and quite large."

now, it is benedict's turn to chuckle. "your odd thought process still always amazes me, i will say."

"it is not odd to be observant about science and such things. i may be a woman, but i would still like to know the inner-workings of these inventions." she tells him simply.

"well, i do believe there is to be a talk later on. why don't you go? i should accompany you, if you'd like?" the bridgerton man offers.

"oh, i would." the countess sighs. "but i have promised to spare kothari a moment of my time, so it happens."

benedict instantly frowns. "whatever for? did he not embrass you on multiple occasions as a child? that is what you told me."

"yes, but he is grown now." she smiles. "i had a chat with him, an evening ago now, and he seems to have quite matured. it is a miracle, some might say."

"you went to his house in the evening? please do not tell me you went unchaperoned?" benedict grows even more serious.

"you are always encouraging me to make the most of life without a chaperone, and now you reprimand me for it!" the girl whisper-shouts.

"what of his intentions?" he scoffs.

"he asked to be friends." alison shrugs. "his intentions are well. besides, they have never been bad. i've known him long enough to know that."

"friends." he chuckles. "you cannot honestly believe that is all he wants."

"me and him are just friends, like we are just friends." she points out.

alison's words form a knot in his stomach. how could that be? what she said was true, her and benedict were just friends. so, why did it bother him how she categorised the two relationships together. especially if her and kothari were only friends.

but, benedict is her best friend. yes, that is what he thought. the reason it bothered him so much was because alison was putting some man from the past in the same friend category as him. and benedict was so obviously above kothari, in all ways that mattered.