𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 | anthony bridgerton

𝐢. freedom

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

"Are you sure you want to return to those ninny like flock of hens you call family, dear Cat?" Rosalie Cowper questioned as she bid her favourite granddaughter farewell at the doors of Rosebush Hall, the ancestral home of Rosalie Cowper's maiden family. "I wouldn't, personally."

Catherine simply smiled lightly, admonishing her grandmother momentarily with her piercing blue eyes.

"They are your family as well, grandmother." 

"It is a pity you cannot outrun blood." Her grandmother said with some evident frustration which only made Catherine laugh gently. At that, Rosalie stopped her criticisms of the Cowper's and turned to study her granddaughter. "You have grown so much, my dear, what a shame it had to be in such isolation."

"I did not mind, I'm good with the elderly." Catherine said with a small wink as her grandmother swotted her arm. "Truly grandmother, thank you for providing me... a home."

"One that you should've had in the first place." Rosalie snorted, in quite an unladylike manner before patting her granddaughters cheek. "Now off you go. You shall be late for the ceremony if you do not leave now."

Catherine was leaving at quite a difficult time as she had to change in the carriage and go straight from Rosebush Hall to the ceremony of the diamond in but one day, before even seeing her family again as she had to stay for her grandmother's health. This would be Catherine's first season as a debutante and her older sister's second, and yet it seemed their family were far more optimistic about Cressida's chances rather than their youngest daughters.

Catherine knew this after receiving a letter from her mother which stated that 'there was no shame in two seasons' which seemed to be both comfort for Cressida and admonishment for Catherine. Something the youngest Cowper knew all too well.

"Your dress is in the trunk under the bench." Her grandmother continued as Catherine held her up as they walked to the carriage. "A dress fit for a diamond of the first water if I do say so myself!"

"Please, grandmother." Catherine said, forcing herself not to roll her eyes at the older woman. "I am no diamond, not even of the second water."

"Pfft you're more of a diamond than Cressida." Rosalie said as they reached the carriage and a footman helped Catherine into the carriage, looking back to her grandmother for their final farewells. "You will do well in London, child, I'm sure of it... And if not you always have a home here."

"Goodbye grandmother." Catherine said with a small smile. "I will carry your unending wisdom with me forever! Particularly the one about men and their coc-"

At that, her grandmother didn't even wait for the footman to close the door but slammed it shut herself much to her granddaughters laughter. She couldn't but smile lightly as she watched the carriage disappear through the gardens and out the gate. She was glad the last thing her heard was Catherine's laughter.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Catherine walked through the halls of the palace with purpose, her head held high as her gown swished against her legs. It was a beautiful thing, made of white silk with rose detailing across her bust and down the skirts. With her hair down just so with golden roses pinned into her blonde curls, she looked the very image of her grandmother when she was young. When Rosalie Cowper neé Fleuria was the diamond of the first water in 1763.