wildest dreams | BRIDGERTON

𝟏𝟐 | 𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐧

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄

Daphne was far from impressed when her only regular caller was Lord Berbrooke. A vile and disgusting man who was more than twice her age. She blamed her brother, Anthony. He had scared everyone off and now she had gone from being the Diamond of the Season to the girl who barely had any attention from the male population in the ton. 

Anthony didn't see it that way. And it frustrated the young girl. She had been dreaming of this moment all her life and everything was being ruined. 

Instead of having any callers for the afternoon, not that she would have any anyway, she decided to go out for a ride on her horse. And of course Anthony had to join her. Both Bridgerton's dressed into their riding gear, still elegant and expensive looking despite being made for horse riding. 

They made their horses walk at a slow pace through the park. It wasn't a cold day in London however the sky was complete with clouds and no rays of sunshine. Almost like Daphne's mood.

"Lord Berbrooke is harmless. There will be others." Anthony reassured his sister, giving her a side glance. Men tipped their hats at them in greeting as they passed and woman gave small gleaming smiles, eyeing the oldest Bridgerton.

"Lady Whistledown has all but declared me ineligible... worthy of the affection of a detestable simpleton and no one else. Tell me, what others should ever want such damaged goods now?" Daphne complained, her face scrunched up in frustration and unhappiness.

"You speak as if Lady Whistledown were to be held in higher regard than Her Majesty the Queen herself." Anthony retorted back smartly, however although his words were true being that the Queen was of much more importance, Lady Whistledown's opinion mattered these days. Everyone read her paper in the ton. And everyone tended to believe her words, thinking her of a woman of wise wisdom and the knower of everything that went on. "You give far too much credit to some anonymous scribbler. These musings, they're not true."

"Only they are true, Brother, and they are true because of you. You have managed to scare every worthy suitor away. Whistledown has merely reported it." Daphne huffed, feeling as if her brother was not understanding her point of view on the current dilemma.

"I am looking out for you. I am protecting you." Anthony defended himself. "It is my duty."

"And what of my duty?" Daphne raised her voice, ignoring the few stares they received from the people strolling in the park. She lowered her voice after an awkward moment of silence, "You have no idea what it is to be a woman, what it might feel like to have one's entire life reduced to a single moment. This is all I have been raised for. This... is all I am. I have no other value. We can't all be Adeline Carrington." Anthony looked away from his sister, her words sinking in. "If I am unable to find a husband, I shall be worthless." Daphne spoke with distaste towards herself and her own value. She held herself in such a low regard and the recent events have caused a massive decline in the girl's confidence and optimism.

"Daphne, you're a Bridgerton." Anthony reminded her, thinking what she had spoken of was absurd.

"It would be easier if I were not." She scoffed before speeding her house up into a trot, ignoring Adeline Carrington running over to them after a ball landed not too far from where the two siblings had been.