LIMERANCE,, benedict bridgerton

xix | my cottage

Alexandria awoke with a giddy start, today was the day that she was going to see Benedict's cottage. Of course her parents didn't know, only Clara her maid. Alexandria began getting dressed and getting picked which Clara was going to help her with but she insisted she could do it herself.

It was about time Alexandria thought to herself, that she needed some independence. Albeit with a mother like hers she was independent in her own way growing up, but Alexandria didn't want maids and servants doing stuff for her anymore.

Benedict made his way up the steps of the Avalon household and knocked on the door, Clara answered.

"Mr Bridgerton." Clara greeted and stepped aside to let him pass. "Clara! how lovely to see you." Benedict said politely. "Miss Avalon is just getting packed, I'll let her know you're here." Clara said and went upstairs to fetch Alexandria.

It had been around five minutes and Benedict was getting bored of waiting around in the lobby. He saw the door to the drawing room etched open slightly and decided to go in, he knew it was highly inappropriate but his curiosity got the better of him.

Benedict crept around to the desk and saw papers scattered all over, he knew this was Alexandria's writing. He started flipping through the papers situating himself in a comfortable position to read them. He quickly realised that this novel was a compelling love story and got sucked in.

The more he read on, the deeper he got drawn into the story it was so deeply emotional and raw and like nothing he's ever read before. To Benedict it seemed like Alexandria was spilling out her heart directly onto these pages. It felt a little too personal.

He could feel himself get choked up at the story, a lump forming in his throat.

"Benedict?" He heard Alexandria's soft voice say and he practically jumped out his skin at being caught snooping.

He looked up at Alexandria expecting her to be furious but she wasn't, she just looked curious. "What are you doing?" Alexandria asked stepping closer to Benedict.

"I am so sorry, I did not mean to look I only meant to read one page, one line even! but I just got so mesmerised with the story." Benedict said apologetically. "Benedict you have no idea how much your words mean to me." Alexandria said genuinely.

"Really?" Benedict said and Alexandria nodded. "I have always been made to feel so stupid for my dreams of persuing a career in writing. No one's ever had the time of day or patience to read my writings when I was young so any stories I've ever written since then I've just kept to myself." Alexandria confessed.

"Lex that was the most beautiful story I've read, I didn't even finish the chapter but I wanted more." Benedict said reassuring Alexandria whose cheeks heated up quickly.

"You should publish this." Benedict said seriously. "Ben..." Alexandria said shaking her head. "Seriously." Benedict said abruptly grabbing Alexandria's hands so she would look at him in the eyes.

A moment passed between the two of them. A million thoughts racing through their minds being told in their eyes.

"Shall we go?" Benedict spoke up. "Let's." Alexandria said and she scrawled a quick note and left it for her parents.

❀•°❀°•❀

The carriage ride out of Mayfair and to my cottage took around just over 2 hours. The carriage ride was surprisingly not boring, Alexandria and Benedict talked continuously leaving no space for silence. However, the carriage was halted to a sudden stop.

"What's happening?" Alexandria asked Benedict then she looked out the window where across the lake she could see a little house situated essentially in the middle of nowhere.