Somewhere Only We Know [B. BRIDGERTON]

Chapter One

Grosvenor Square, 1813.

Dearest reader, the time has come to place our bets for the upcoming social season.

Consider the household of the Baron Featherington. Three misses foisted upon the marriage market like sorrowful sows by their tasteless, tactless mama.

Far better odds might exist in the household of the widowed Viscountess Bridgerton. A shockingly prolific family, noted for its bounty of perfectly handsome sons and perfectly beautiful daughters. 

How very perfect indeed.

Or perhaps in the home of Lady Maria Norcrosse, issued with the task of presenting her niece, Lady Margaret Norcrosse, who has been affectionately known as Lady Meg, daughter of the late Earl of Swynford. Called a 'cool beauty,' as well as one of the wealthy heiresses in the whole of the country. It has been rumored that her cousin, Lady Murphy, the diamond of her season, will be with her, acting as her guide.

Meg stood in front of the mirror in her room, dressed only in a cream-colored chemise and lace-trimmed drawers, as well as a set of stays that one of the maids was tying off. She had her hands on her hips, and looked incredibly pleased with herself. Her hazel eyes snapped to the door as she watched her cousin, Emma, Lady Murphy run into the room with a large box in her arms. She practically threw it on the bed and and tore the top off.

Emma was Maria's elder child, lovely and charming, and married to a baronet, Sir Walter Murphy. Emma and Meg were close when they were children, seeing each other more often the Meg saw Peter. There had been a bit of a rift between the two when Emma had been named the season's incomparable and her head seemed to grow a little bit too large. Luckily, after her marriage, it seemed to deflate back to its normal size.

"Oh, cousin!" Emma gasped, clasping a hand to her chest. "Why, this is lovely! You will shine indeed!"

Meg giggled as she a maid finished helping her into her petticoat, tying it closed. She turned to Emma as she grabbed the gown from the box. It was white, with a tinge of a very pale shade of pearl pink. There was embroidery in gold and silver thread in patterns of flowers, along the hemline, the neckline, and the cuffs of the short puffed sleeves, as well as along the edge of the three yard-long train.

Two maids took the dress from Emma's grasp and brought it over her head and one of them began clasping the hooks together. Meg stood still, looking over herself in the mirror, smiling and her head held high. She had an air of confidence about her, confidence and a bit of mystery.

Her dark hair was intricately done up with several small ringlets along the sides, framing her face, bouncing a little every time she moved her head. On top of her head, she wore a silver tiara embedded with a few diamonds a pearls. Nothing overly extravagant, but enough to catch people's eyes.

She looked resembled a marble statue, beautiful and cold in a way that seemed almost calculated. She knew that was one of the reasons she was called a 'cool beauty.' Most people would think her cold and haughty upon first viewing. Her indifference towards marriage didn't help matters.

As the final clasp was done, Emma walked up to Meg, putting an arm around her, and smiling. Emma and Meg were the closest thing the other had to a sister, and it had created an enduring bond between the two. The moment was interrupted by Maria rushing into the room, looking almost frantic.

"Are you not yet ready?" Maria asked, her eyes wide.

It was odd. Maria had been so calm and so pleasant the day and a half that Meg had been there. But on the morning that Meg was to be presented, she seemed to wake up in a frenzy. Meg and Emma both knew of this. On the day of any sort of major event, Maria seemed to take leave her calm and reserved, warm and friendly attitude, and instead became quite the worrier, wanting everything to be perfect. Much like all those times, she looked pristine, now wearing a white empire waist dress with a chiffon chemisette underneath, and her hair perfectly pinned, but she held an almost wild look in her eyes.