Love is a choice (Benedict Bridgerton)

8. Her Golden Hour

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!" He greets excitingly before facing the queen. "And Your Majesty.– Allow it to now be my honor to present to you one of London's best; Miss Nancy Griffiths."

We all stand up and begin to clap as I look around the room, attempting to find wherever it is Nancy will walk out from.

Bewitched.

Finally, dressed in a blue dress and her hair up to perfection, a bewitching Nancy Griffiths walks up to the middle of the room.

Now, she is what I imagine a Goddess would look like, if there ever is such a thing.

"She looks lovely." Mother whispers to me as we all sit back down. "Beautiful." I mutter quietly as Nancy takes a seat behind the pianoforte.

The entire room is filled with an uneasy silence as we all await for the season's diamond to begin. For the first time, Nancy Griffiths appears to be at her most discomforted state.
With a frown on her face, eyes glued on her inert hands on the black and white keys, I notice her breathing getting faster.

People are starting to mutter. Some are even cruelly enjoying Nancy's inability to do anything.

Suddenly everyone stops.

As the entire congregation looks at me, I notice that I had just stood up from my seat without even realizing it at first.

"Benedict, what are you doing?" Anthony whispers as I nervously look around the conservatory.

Speechlessly, I lock my eyes with Nancy who has a stunned expression on her face by the sight of me.

Only now do I realize how much I have actually missed meeting those beautiful honey-colored eyes. I slowly feel myself becoming more at ease in the unbearable silence, and it appears, so does Nancy as she gives me a reassuring smile.

I let out a silent chuckle before acknowledging the ton. "My apologies." I loudly say before taking back my seat.

My family does not utter a word, but even with the absence of their voices, do I still hear their thoughts. My mother's approving smile already tells me everything.

The ton falls silent once more, as suddenly, the sound of a beautiful melody fills the entire room. Nancy has started her composition.

Once I wondered what it truly meant to admire a woman. I used to think it was enough to look at her and feel inspired, to delight in her beauty, causing all your defenses to crumble...

But as I now watch the beautiful Nancy Griffiths in her element, I realize, it is beyond all of those things. Admiring a woman is about honoring her whole being with your deeds and words. To not only accept, but to also feel a hint of fondness for her imperfections. To actually know her and be completely awestruck before all that she is and can be... and I admire Nancy Griffiths wholly.

Witnessing someone play as captivating as Nancy does, is almost dreamlike. It is as if a whole new side of her is being brought to light for the very first time; taken out of the mines, a diamond that has been polished to finally shine.

"A true diamond indeed." Mother whispers as she continues to watch Nancy play, completely marveled.

After a short while, Nancy begins to slow down as the sound of the piano softens. Until finally, she hits her last note.

Without letting a second pass, all of us in the conservatory stand up and begin to clap and to cheer for Miss Griffiths and the talent she shared.

Nancy gets up from her seat with a poised smile and bows. At last, a strange feeling in my stomach flutters, as our eyes finally meet.

The noise becomes softly, and my surroundings irrelevant as it is only she that I can see, that I truly want to see.

•

The queen has provided a soirée in honor of her diamond in the other ballroom right next to the conservatory. Many seem to have changed their perspective on Nancy after that amazing performance, so much so, that she has been preoccupied talking with other people.

It is so crowded that I cannot even find her. "Mr. Bridgerton!" Someone behind me calls.

Mr. Granville approaches me with a smile. "That was some performance, wasn't it?"

"Truly was." I respond as we clink glasses.

"The two of you seem have created a very strong bond since our last encounter." He grins, referring to the night Nancy and I met at Mr. Granville's party. "She must be very special."

"Miss Griffiths is- she is.. honestly speaking, unlike anyone I have ever met." I quietly respond as I have finally spotted her trying to escape another conversation with strangers.

"Excuse me." I say to Mr. Granville before sneakily walking up to Nancy.

Without her seeming to notice me, I come to stand behind her. "Enjoying the party, Miss Griffiths?" I ask, causing her to jump startling.

I laugh heartedly as Nancy can only hit my arm with rolling eyes. "You annoying little–"

"I've missed you." I quietly cut off.

A hint of surprise appears on her face at the unpredictable sentence I have uttered. Even I do not know where it came from. "I- I am sorry. I did not mean to make you feel uncomfortable–"

"I have missed you as well, Benedict." She responds, before looking away, face slightly turning red.

"You were incredible back there. It was truly remarkable the way you were able to move the entire audience with something you composed.– No wonder the Americas did not want to let you go." I say jokingly.

"You are exaggerating."

"But I am not. Did you play that song often in New York?"

"I actually wrote it two days ago." Nancy responds as we begin to walk around the ballroom. "A pianoforte is the only piece of furniture I have in the house so far. A very old and cheap one, but I felt so inspired that I could not wait to write it."

"And what, if I may ask, inspired you to write it?" We both stop walking as I face her with raised eyebrows.

Part of me wishes that I am the one Nancy took inspiration from to write such a beautiful piece, but I think I have yet to become someone special in her life.

Nancy's eyes twinkle from the candles that light up the room as she looks at me in a way that I cannot seem to unravel what it truly means, but I feel it is something good.

"Just.. several things, I suppose." She smiles.

•

A/N:
I am so sorry it ook so long for me to publish a new chapter. Deadlines were closing in and it was driving me insane. Anyway, I am luckily doing well and.
I hope you are having a wonderful day :)