𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐀 𝐁𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒, 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐧

chapter one!

June 1st. The beginning of a new season. For most young ladies, this news was utterly exhilarating, new fancy ball gowns, suitors as far as the eye can see yet for Charlotte, it was not.

Charlotte Hamilton was a bright girl of twenty years old, she was smart, talented at singing and playing the pianoforte, not to mention that the girl was absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful. The young brunette had spent the first 20 years of her life living in Buckinghamshire and now, is being cast off to face the ton in London. Charlotte had been informed that she would be going to live with the Viscountess Bridgerton, and her many children, until her parents were to arrive. Charlotte was scared about the whole going into London fiasco, mainly because it was going to be a new environment that she was going to have to get used to but also because this was going to be the perfect attempt for her mother to marry her off, and I dare say there is a large chance the woman will succeed.

Her day commenced at exactly 6 o'clock in the morning, she fumbled out of bed and made her way to her closet. The girl quickly threw on a lilac dress with a flamboyant floral pattern laced with a silver lining, she put her hair into a neat bun on top of her head and strolled downstairs to where she greeted her aunt and cousin.

Charlotte was living with her widowed aunt and cousin. Her aunt's house was less than 20 miles to London so her mother and father decided it best that she went there before venturing into London as the couple would be arriving nearer the end of the month, Charlotte's brothers would also be 'gracing' London with their presence just a week after Charlotte.

John was the youngest Hamilton boy at 17 years old. John might just be the biggest nuisance Charlotte had ever come across, he would forever tease Charlotte about her love life and other silly things, often ending in small brawls between the pair.

Then there was Francis, he was older than Charlotte but only by 4 years. Charlotte couldn't really find anything she could critique about her older brother as he was quite an angel. Out of her brothers, Charlotte would confidently say Francis was her favourite sibling.

And lastly, there was Philip Hamilton. Philip is the eldest out of the four Hamilton siblings, and quite frankly thought himself to be the best. You would've thought that Philip, being a 30-year-old man, would be quite mature but no, he was far too high in the instep, according to Charlotte, he was ever so childish, and she considered him the biggest rake within the whole of Buckinghamshire and most likely London. Although having a lot to say about her brothers, Charlotte still adored them immensely, and surprisingly couldn't await their arrival.

"Good morning aunt, cousin" Charlotte said while buttering her toast, her aunt looked up at her with a smile and nodded "good morning dear," Charlotte's aunt, Lady Hemming, was an extremely sweet woman with an ever sweeter look; she wore a bonnet tied with a large bow, around the hat there were bright flowers in all sorts of colours aventurine green, topaz yellow, you name it she had it sitting there on her head. Her dress was the most elegant yellow that had frills and bows galore, although it was not Charlotte's idea of heaven she rather liked it.

"Good morning Charlotte, you look well" William, Charlotte's cousin, looked up from his book and gave her a charming smile he then went back to reading his copy of Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'

"As do you cousin," she said calmly.

Charlotte stepped into the carriage after bidding her aunt and cousin farewell.

"Write to us won't you Lottie!" pleaded William as he shut the door to her carriage, she smiled warmly at the boy "I shall write to you as soon as I arrive, Bill, don't you worry!" and with that her carriage set off for London.

⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡.｡༅:*ﾟ:*:✼✿･⭑✯･⭑✿✼:*ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

The journey to London was long and mundane, the only thing keeping her going was the amount of food she managed to stash in her bag from Lady Hemming's breakfast buffet and her copy of 'Oliver Twist' by Charles Dickens. Charlotte still had quite a long drive left to go and the girl began to grow drowsy, she shut her book and laid down across the seats of the carriage, the young brunette soon dozed off.

The Hemming's yellow and silver carriage came to an abrupt halt, jolting Charlotte awake. The girl that was once sound asleep dropped onto the floor of the carriage with a thud, a loud gasp was heard on the other side of the door, but Charlotte wasn't too bothered, quite frankly all she was bothered about was getting out of the horrendous position she was in. Charlotte wiggled and squirmed until the door to her carriage flew open and well, Charlotte flew out.

"My Lady! I am ever so sorry," cried the small girl from above her "please, allow me to help you up" the girl reached her hand out to Charlotte and, of course, she grasped it to pull herself up, once back on her feet she brushed herself off and stared at the grand house that was in front of her in awe, almost forgetting the female standing before her.

"Lady Bridgerton?" Charlotte questioned the girl then immediately curtseying, the small woman smiled "Daphne, please call me Daphne," Charlotte resumed her posture and smiled back at Daphne "I am assuming you are Lady Hamilton?" Daphne asked still maintaining her bright smile, Charlotte nodded at the girl,

"Yes, but please call me Charlotte" Daphne's smile widened at her response, "oh I already know we shall be the best of friends!" Charlotte grinned at the girl's enthusiasm about the pair "yes Daphne, I do believe we will".

author's note!

hi!
thank you all so much with the support since I announced this book, I appreciate all of the messages,I created this chapter a few weeks in advance of publishing so I could try and keep on top of updates. I am so prepared for this book and I hope you are too!!! <3