by-blows//bridgerton oc

twenty

I find West painting in his studio when I return home.

"What are you working on?" I question.

"A painting for Lord Ashbury as a gift to his wife," Weston tells me.

I walk around his easel to see the canvas. It is a beautiful painting of what appears to be a forest clearing with an estate in the background.

"It is beautiful, West," I tell him.

He turns to face me. "I am finished with this one for the day. I have had a sudden stroke of inspiration."

"Have you?" I question.

"I have realised that I have never painted you," West states.

I smile slightly. "I suppose you have not."

"I think that is something we should remedy immediately," West tells me.

I laugh as I step away from him. "Where would you like me?"

"On the bed," Weston tells me.

I sit down on the edge of the bed. I know I have no reason to be shy in front of my husband. But this is new. I have never modeled for him before.

"Lean to one as if you were going to lay down," West instructs.

I try to do as he says but it is rather hard. West laughs lightly as he walks towards me.

"Not quite, my love," West tells me.

"This is rather hard," I confess.

West reaches out to position me how he desires. I feel as if I may fall off the bed at any moment.

"Something is not working," West tells me.

"You are being rather critical," I state.

West laughs as he reaches out towards me once more. This time I feel him reaching towards my shoulder. He starts to slip the sleeve of my dress down my arm.

"What are you doing?" I question.

"I could not help myself," West tells me. He kneels down beside the bed. His face close to mine. "You are so beautiful, Juliette my love."

"I do not think there will be much painting," I state.

"Painting will have to wait." West laughs as he places his lips on mine. "I have more pressing matters to attend to."

Formed under pressure, desired by many, yet possessed only by a fortunate few, there is nothing on earth quite so envied as a diamond. Might our queen finally extinguish the fevered speculation and bestow the highest of honors to a most fortunate young lady tonight? With so many futures at risk, I do suspect this author is not the only one waiting with bated breath.

Her Majesty's ball is tonight. This is the one ball West knows he cannot make an excuse not to attend. When Her Majesty invites you to an event you simply must attend.

Much to his dismay I slip away from West to find Eloise. I know she is still nervous and uncertain about the season. I wish to see if she is fairing any better tonight.

"El!" I shout.

Her face falls when she notices me. "Juliette." She grips onto my arm. "The queen, she... I somehow managed to charm her. She seems to, in fact, like me. I don't..."

I laugh lightly. "That would be a good thing for any other young lady in this room, El."

"Not for me," Eloise insists. "I do not know how you have managed an entire season of these absurd events alongside people like Cressida Cowper is beyond me. And it's not just her. It is all of them. Staring at me as if I were some fine China teapot."