𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚎 - 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚝 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚘𝚗

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚟𝚎

"I am happy. I am always content Viktoria, I just do not think a marriage could give me unconditional happiness, at the end of this season I can return to Sweden and I will remain unmarried and I shall never be more at peace with my life choices," Florence replies, as she spoke she had placed her hand comfortingly over her sisters but Viktoria had flinched her hand away.

"You are not happy! Look at yourself Florence! You are so undoubtedly in love and wanting someone but you won't let it happen, you have a chance of being with someone who you genuinely want, do not ruin this for yourself."

Florence stares at her sister but her eyes fall immediately fall to the bump and Viktoria shuffles uncomfortably under the gaze. Florence sighs.

"I told you not to marry him," Florence states and Viktoria scoffs.

"And I told you I had no choice but this isn't about me. If you are so invested in the Bridgerton man, allow yourself to be happy with him."

A pregnant silence follows after that, Florence remains under the watchful and knowing gaze of her sister, Viktoria is waiting for a response so Florence resigns and nods her head yes, agreeing to allow herself to be happy even if it is for a short while

"Tell me about you and John," Florence states after a while, she wonders if her sister fell into such a depressive state like she herself had done, but John and their parents had hid it from her.

"I know what you're thinking Florence and no, I am alone, he is never with me, we do not speak, we live separate lives in the same home, he takes his lovers where I eat, I cry where he sleeps, whenever we are out for a stroll is when we are the standard and idolised couple but other than that I never see him," Viktoria confesses, Florence feels instantly guilty for her sister after all she had contributed to the unhappiness piled on her sister but also because her sister obviously believed John would love her, Viktoria trails her hand over the bump her body is growing.

"I do not talk with him either, Mister Bridgerton that is, and publicly but when we are alone there is also not much talking but he already knows so much about me already, it is incredible."

Viktoria laughs, "I understand the tainted reputation now, seems like you have 'Mister Nice Bridgerton' wrapped around your finger."

Florence smiles and so does her sister. Neither of them exchange words after that, they sit in a comfortable silence, basking in the enjoyment of their reunion.

Viktoria stands then, rather suddenly and gestures for Florence to stand too, she complies and is quickly lead out the room by her younger sister and away, Viktoria only mumbles about what there is to do, Florence admits now that she did miss her sister but she still has terrible timing.

•

The next day, the enjoyment of the early sky and sun is robbed from under Florence, Viktoria practically shakes her awake far too early.

They take out some horses, earning a lecture from Viktoria on how Florence sits on the horse, riding astride. Florence can only roll her eyes, it is still too early.

When they arrive back at the Aspley home, the sky is completely breaking with morning, Viktoria is quick to force them inside to enjoy the early meal.

Florence excuses herself saying she has no appetite and disappears up to her borrowed room. She slips out of the heavy material of the dress, leaving her only in her stays, her hand ghosts over where Benedict had touched previously and if she pushes just hard enough and her eyes close she can imagine it's him, she inspects herself in the mirror and enjoys the purple bruising at the collarbone before it trails down underneath the stays.

She is just going to reach underneath them when the door bursts open and a heaving Viktoria is in the door frame. Florence states at her confusedly and Viktoria gasps for breaths before spluttering out the urgent news.

And in the broken gasps and inhales, Florence can hear only some of it - 'Mister Nice' and 'here'.

Florence dismisses her sister, dresses herself again in the heavy and weighing down material, checks she is presentable, fumbles with some scents before heading down the stairs, watching each step carefully, everything is blurry.

And as she pushes open the parlour doors, he rises to his feet. Benedict seems absolutely in awe by her, and Viktoria stands by her sisters side but she is quick to notice his fixation on her and is quick to move away and disappear down a hallway.

"Florence," Benedict breathes and he bursts into a smile and so does Florence.

authors note
so i wanted there to be more to this chapter but i felt like this was a good place to end either way