tomfoolery / bridgerton au

chapter 2

Alma brushes the mane of one of the horses, talking away as she always does. "You're so very beautiful today, Scotch. Must be my magnificent work, you know. You disagree? Well it isn't very gentlemanly." She tuts, smirking to herself.

"Alms, how many time do I have to tell you?" Sebastian sighs, with a smiles as always, when he finds his daughter talking to the horses.

She looks over with a smile. "You have nothing new to say so I tend to stop listening, papa."

"Really? But I am so wise and clever, you really should tune in occasionally." He smirks.

She giggles. "Well, if you insist."

"Your mother wants you back inside. Be kind." He says gently.

"Aren't I always?" She forces a smile and sets the brush down, taking a deep breath before heading back towards the cottage. She heads up the twisty path, mentally preparing herself for facing her mother.

It's never been a secret that Alma is not Sebastian's daughter; if it wasn't physically obvious (Sebastian's family come from Asia, Alma's mothers family from Europe), then it's obvious by how her mother presents herself around her daughter. While Sebastian has been a model father to a child not even of his seed, Amanda still can't fathom that she has a bastard child. And she often reminds her she doesn't belong.

Amanda and Sebastian couldn't have any other children. Sebastian had 2 sons from a previous marriage, Amanda had Alma. They settled with the farm, instead, and nurtured that into a healthy, steady business and livelihood.

"Ma?" Alma calls as she enters the small cottage.

Amanda looks out of the kitchen. "Your hair is a state once again, for goodness sake Alma!" She sighs deeply, shaking her head.

Alma quickly reaches up to flatten a few stray curls from her messy pony tail. "Sorry..." she mumbles.

Amanda heaves a sigh. "There is no time to clean you. Suppose he knows what he's heading to so why present ourselves as anything but the peasants we are." She snaps, muttering.

Alma doesn't even pretend to have a clue what her mother rambles about. She takes a deep breath and enters the kitchen. "Papa said you wished to see me?"

"Yes." Amanda says as she pulls some bread rolls from the oven. She turns to her daughter, placing the towel over her shoulder. "You have a visitor coming..."

"Oh ma, please not another suitor-"

Amanda cuts off her pleas. "Not today." She takes a deep breath and huffs. "The man is called Duke Hastings, Simon. He is your brother, by half."

Alma feels the air catch in her throat as she forgets to breathe; she pats her chest as she coughs, her mind racing. Brother? Duke? What? Huh? Holy Fuck. "I'm sorry..." she swallows and clears her throat. "Brother, Duke?"

Amanda nods. "Articulate your words, girl." She tuts. "Yes. You'd have found out eventually - your father was a Duke. When he died, the title went to his only son who didn't give any thought to you until now all of a sudden. Pfft." She scoffs shaking her head.

"Duke... Brother... title..." she whispers as it whirls around her head. Her father was a Duke and now her brother, who is also a Duke, is coming to see her? Why on earth-

Her thoughts are cut off by a quick knock on the door. Her heart clenches as Amanda walks over, Sebastian's voice floating through the door before it's even open. Once it is open, Alma can see the 3 gentlemen there. Sebastian, a shorter brunette gentleman and then a tall, dark skinned one. That, she realises, with be the Duke.