LIMERANCE,, benedict bridgerton

xxv | the library

Despite Benedict's jealousness over Alexandria and Colin dancing together and Alexandria's bitterness with Benedict over him dancing with Tilley, Benedict went around to Tilleys estate and called upon her.

This resulted in the pair sleeping together unintentionally. Benedict was not under the influence of anything so he was completely aware of what he was doing. The guilt weighed heavily on him as he lay beside a sleeping Tilley. The thought of Alexandria finding out made him sick to his stomach with anxiety.

God why did he do this? He must never let Alexandria hear about this. Benedict didn't know what came over him to sleep with a woman he has only met once, he has been avoiding sleeping with Alexandria as he wants it to be as special as possible. What possessed him to do this?

Benedict snuck out of Tilleys home and back to the Bridgerton house, thankfully no one seen him leaving Tilleys home if they did he'd be subject to rather uncomfortable questioning. When he got back he was greeted with an empty house, Benedict was informed by a maid where the rest of the Bridgerton clan had gone. They decided to go to the library along with two potential suitors for Francesca. There would be no doubt that Alexandria would be at the library with them.

He didn't feel like he could face her in that moment especially after his endeavour with Tilley, even though Alexandria has no idea she somehow has a way of looking directly into his soul and knowing when he is hiding something.

Sighing, Benedict poured himself a glass of whiskey and sat down at his easel to pour out his feelings and guilt onto a canvas to hopefully create something beautiful and worth investing in. Benedict was longing for his paintings to be hung up in galleries, he needed this success.

Alexandria had had a spark of creativity for her novel following prior events with her and Benedict. As soon as Alexandria got home that night she poured out all her feelings onto a page and made it blend in with her story, she wrote well into the night and only stopped when she felt her eyes shutting. She shot up out of bed the next morning and got back to it.

"Alexandria." Clara said knocking on the door softly. "Yes?" Alexandria replied looking up from her novel for a moment. "Miss Featherington is in the foyer." Clara said and left the room. Alexandria was still in her night clothes but seeing as it was only Penelope, she shoved on her nightgown and bounded down the many winding steps.

"Pen?" Alexandria said slightly out of breath. She felt worried as Penelope never randomly called on her like this, let alone this early in the morning. "Stop worrying." Penelope said smiling gently as she saw the look on Alexandria's face.

"I am just calling on you to let you know that I'm planning on going on a trip to the library at twelve noon. You will join?" Penelope said with a hopeful tone laced in her voice. "Of course!" Alexandria beamed. The pair along with Eloise hadn't been for a library visit together in a long time. When they were little girls, their favourite past time was to scour the shelves and curl up in an armchair with a book. They could spend hours in there and never get bored. Alexandria's mother and Penelope's never got why of course.

"I need to get ready! I'll see you there." Alexandria squealed giving Penelope a quick hug goodbye before sprinting back up the stairs. "Alexandria stop making such a racket!" Rosalie shouted up to her. This only encouraged Alexandria to stomp louder. 

Penelope had only given Alexandria an hour to put herself together as it was currently eleven in the morning. She tucked all the pages of her novel she had been working on back into the drawer of her writing desk so that Emmeline wouldn't go snooping. Next she opened up her wardrobe where all her dresses were.

"Need any help?" Clara enquired from behind Alexandria. Alexandria usually hated using maids to help her get ready when she is more than capable, but as a friend it would be nice. "I would gladly listen to your input." Alexandria smiled back at Clara.