metanoia // bridgerton.

•part forty-five•

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Hastings House, 1813.

The duke and duchess of Hastings has graced us with a marvelous and quite a surprising return. Though we are very keen to have this couple back, we also have to consider the bizarreness of their shortly cut honeymoon.

I have thought they'd need at least two months to get over their marital bliss, but not even four weeks had passed since Miss Bridgerton became a duchess of her land or her husband.

Hopefully, this has nothing to do with the duchess' family's scandal. For we all would hate to cut this marriage's honeymoon short. After all, we need an heir to the dukedom soon.

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AFTER staying at her home with Colin for half an hour more Clara went to the Hastings House to sleep the remains of the night. Simon was gone by the time she came back to the carriage, and even if slightly surprised to see him out, Clara did not question anyone where he had went, deciding to go to his city residence alone.

After laying down, a fatigued Clara tried to fall asleep but as always it just did not knock on her. Wide eyed, the duchess continued to think about the recent events, Simon's lie, her supposed pregnancy and Colin's scandal. The only good thing Clara could think of was seeing her brothers and mother again, the hug with Violet warming Clara's burdened heart only a little bit.

Clara had missed everyone like crazy. She hadn't thought it would be like this, she thought she'd be happy being away from their annoying behavior or their lack of understanding to what she wanted, but Clara longed for them even after seeing them again. A part of her felt regretful she did not stay with them that night, but Anthony was also present and he surely would've gotten more suspicious than necessary. Colin already questioned her and Clara knew he did not believe in her answer. Not that it mattered, she saw how plagued he was with his own issues, Clara wondering how much longer she'd be able to keep her and Simon's drift apart a secret.

The duchess continued to fight with sleep as she twisted and turned on her bed, feeling like a room she was sleeping in was unfamiliar, and it was. She had been in this house only once when she tried to stop Simon from leaving. When she first kissed him. It seemed like such an old memory but it had happened a month or two ago, Clara still remembering her heart when their lips brushed almost merely.

Clara loved Simon back then, too much to realize, but she had been angry at him too. Like she was now, however, this particular pain was far bigger than back then, this betrayal was worse and left her in a horrid state. Clara was never one to worry before but now as she brushed a hand through her stomach unconsciously, she knew her concerns were the worst type a woman could go through. At least in her case, because had it been Daphne or her mother years ago, they would've wanted the opposite of what she wanted.