Oceans Apart ||Bridgerton|| (♡ Simon Basset)

v.

I walk towards the pianoforte and give Lord Berbrook a small forced smile. I look back and see him grabbing a biscuit and sitting down next to Daphne. I sit down at the pianoforte and start playing. "Forgive me for not calling sooner. I presumed your affections were already engaged. Now I know. You and I were destined for each other." he says. I try to suppress a chuckle and press a few wrong keys. "Delia!" my mother whispers. And I regain myself and continue playing.

~

Violet Bridgerton and her daughter Daphne Bridgerton walk into the theater. Looking around at all the people present. Daphne locks eyes with her peculiar suitor and quickly turns to her mother. "Our box, mama?" she asks. "Mm-hmm." Lady Bridgerton says as she leads Daphne. "Lady Bridgerton!" Lady Danbury says loudly so they hear her. They stop walking and look at Lady Danbury. Lady Danbury is standing next to the Queen and some of her ladies. "Do join us." Lady Danbury says. Lady Bridgerton and her daughter walk towards them. They both bow as they stop in front of them. "Your Majesty, good evening." Lady Bridgerton says. "You must remember my daughter, Daphne." she says and Daphne steps forward. "Yes." the queen says as Daphne bows once again. "She made quite an impression." the queen says and then turns to her staff. "However fleeting it may have been." she says and she doesn't try to whisper. The queen snorts and then lets out a small chuckle and walks away. "I would like to welcome you both to my box this evening." Lady Danbury says. Lady Bridgerton opens her mouth to object. "I insist." Lady Danbury says before she can say anything. Lady Bridgerton nods and they follow her up to her box. Once they enter the box Daphne sits to the side and watches the opera.

Lady Bridgerton and Lady Danbury sit next to each other. "They are saying that her husband will not live till the end of the month." Lady Danbury says as she motions at the queen. "Surely another rumor provided by that vicious, scandal-mongering writer. Should her degradation know no bounds?" Lady Bridgerton says. Daphne is enjoying the opera and has no idea of the conversation that is taking place behind her. "Lady Whisteldown writes about my family too. Yet I suppose the duke can withstand such scrutiny, since he is, after all, a man." Lady Danbury says. "His Grace was fortunate to have you there with him as a child after what happened to his mother. Awful!" Lady Bridgerton says. "He is not what Whistledown writes." Lady Danbury says. "Nor is Daphne." Lady Bridgerton says. "It would seem our families have that much in common, then." Lady Danbury says.

"Tell me, where is your other daughter?" Lady Danbury asks as she looks at Lady Bridgerton. "Delia? She is at home." Lady Bridgerton says. Lady Danbury smiles. "She didn't want to come?" she asks. "Uhm...She...She is home, sick." Lady Bridgerton stammers. "It's okay. I have had a conversation with her, I know that she convinced you to let her stay at home." Lady Danbury says. "Well, more like forced." Lady Bridgerton says, but she can't help the little smile that creeps on her face.

"Tell me, do you know who this diamond in the rough is as Lady Whistledown calls her?" Lady Danbury asks. "I haven't the slightest idea but I read that she danced with His Grace." Lady Bridgerton says. "Are you certain that you don't know who she is?" Lady Danbury asks. Lady Bridgerton looks at her. "Do you know something that I need to know Lady Danbury?" Lady Bridgerton asks. "Let's just say that your daughter is a really good dancer." Lady Danbury says. "Delia?" Lady Bridgerton asks and frowns. "Mm-hmm." Lady Danbury hums. Lady Bridgerton's eyes widen. "Delia danced with the Duke of Hastings?" she asks full of disbelief. "She did." Lady Danbury says. "She actually danced?" Lady Bridgerton whispers more to herself than to Lady Danbury. "It looked like they were having a good time." Lady Danbury says. "Matches have certainly been made with far less." she says mysteriously. Lady Bridgerton looks at Lady Danbury. "What are you suggesting?" she asks. Lady Danbury turns to look at Lady Bridgerton. "Lady Whisteldown merely writes what she sees. Perhaps we need to help her to see things a bit more clearly." Lady Danbury says and the two women look at the stage. Lady Bridgerton is still a bit in shock over what she heard about her second daughter. "The duke is quite fond of gooseberry pie." Lady Danbury says. "The very dish my cook is renowned for." Lady Bridgerton says. They both look at each other and chuckle.