Meet Me In The Afterglow | Benedict Bridgerton

Diamond of the First Water

Grosvenor Square, 1813.
Dearest reader,
the time has come to place our bets for the upcoming social season. Consider the household of the Baron Featherington. Three misses foisted upon the marriage market like sorrowful sows by their tasteless tactless mama.

Far better odds might exist in the household of the widowed Viscountess Bridgerton. A shockingly prolific family, noted for its bounty of perfectly handsome sons and perfectly beautiful daughters. How very perfect, indeed!

Perhaps, maybe, it is finally time for the daughter of Lord and Lady Giles to make her debut; after hiding away from such events the past few years. Seeing as the family needs to produce an heir, as the current one is unwed and single.

"I do not see why I have to participate, mama." Complains Elizabeth as the carriage sets off from the house. She is sat, miserably, in a baby pink dress; her hair in a neat bun atop her head. Beside her is her mother, opposite her is her brother and beside him sits their father." I'm not a debutante this season, I see no reason for me to come along-

"It is the year your brother finally finds himself a wife, and I would like us all present for that occasion, Elizabeth." Her mother scolds and Elizabeth rolls her eyes; looking towards her brother, who is sharing an equally sad expression.

Elizabeth knew why he did not want to marry, and she knew why he had agreed to try this year. Her brother liked men, he had told her as such four years ago, when he had come into her room crying— admitting that he felt ashamed over his attraction to men. He had admitted that he'd had sex with men, and he could not ever see himself doing the same with women. He had admitted he could never love a woman the way that he loved men, and Elizabeth had held him while he cried.

So now here Edward sits, the heir of the family, a homosexual who has finally forced himself into the market of marriage purely to get his parents to stop whining at him to get a wife and produce them a grandchild. Elizabeth felt sorry for her brother; she truly did.

"Cheer up, Edward, we're almost there." Lord Giles instructs, and his son clears his throat, sitting up straight and forcing a smile onto his face as the carriage comes to a stop outside of the palace.

He is the first one out, offering his hand to his mother; his father doing the same for his sister. Elizabeth links her arm through her fathers and the two follow Edward and Lady Giles into the palace; people whispering around them, wondering if it is finally Elizabeth's season. She sighs. This was going to be a long day.

Today is a most important day, and for some, a terrifying one, for today is the day London's marriage-minded misses are presented to Her Majesty the Queen. May God have mercy on their souls.

Spirits seem to lift the moment Elizabeth catches sight of the band of Bridgertons stood gathering in a hallway; and it is Hyacinth who notices the Giles' first, rushing over to Edward almost immediately— having claimed him as her favourite five years ago. The ten year old throws her arms around the man, and he smiles as he hugs her back— Gregory rushing over to Elizabeth before Colin even gets a chance to move.

"Mother is with Daphne." The twelve year old explains, grinning up at Elizabeth before he asks," are you joining her, Beth? Please say you are!"

"I am not, I'm afraid, my dear Gregory." She responds, causing the boy to sigh dramatically. Elizabeth looks up as Colin approaches, Benedict in tow— Anthony heading over to talk with Lord Giles instead.