,wallflower' • BRIDGERTON

chapter 29

Lady Featherington's jaw tightened as she shifted her focus to Hope. "How could I possibly forget, the beautiful Ms. Buckingham, now a princess," she remarked, bowing along with her family. Annoyance flickered across Hope's expression as she observed the theatrics. After the bows, Lady Featherington approached Hope deliberately, catching her off guard. She gently took Hope's hand, planting a kiss on her knuckles, leaving behind a trace of nude lipstick.

With a soft hum, Lady Featherington patted Hope's hand. "Let us hope this marriage isn't a barren one," she added, feigning a slight pout. The words struck a chord with Hope, and a pang shot through her chest. Lady Featherington's departure left an unsettling stain on Hope's mind. She clenched the hand that had been kissed, digging her nails into her palm. As she took a shuddered breath, the weight of Lady Featherington's words lingered heavily in the air.

"Hope, are you alright?" Benedict asked, gently squeezing her hand. Hope tried to shake off the discomfort, nodding her head. "I'm fine," she lied, her voice strained. Benedict knew she was lying, the way her eyes stayed on the pebble ground and how her hands clenched into a fist only confirmed his worries.

✑

Violet and Lady Danbury finally decided that instead of trying to promenade with the Ton, they would arrange a ball to distract others from the pressing situation. They arranged a meeting to speak about the arrangement of the ball at the Danbury estate, the rest of the Bridgerton family excluding the young ones, Benedict and Colin, had all gone back home.

Besides the lingering emotions of her own situation with Benedict, she felt the need to talk to Anthony, already sensing that he had done something rather stupid to cause this uproar. She stood in the foyer. looking at the paintings that adorned the walls. She could hear the sound of a door shutting from upstairs and suddenly Anthony made his way down the large stairs. His eyes landed on Hope, who stood just at the bottom.

He stopped his movements before examining her expression. "You've been quiet today." He said, before finally walking down to the bottom of the stairs. "I did not come here to talk about me," her voice was still so quiet, so timid.

"Well... what are you here for?" He asked, now standing in front of his sister. "What you did was stupid. You lied to Edwina all the way up to the altar just to lie again. If this ball does not go as planned we might as well throw ourselves to Lady Whistledown. That is the cost of your lies." She spoke her voice now above a mutter of words. She expected Anthony to snap at her, but he alone smiled at her as if nothing could possibly be wrong.

"You have nothing to worry about. I will play my part." He said simply before turning on his heel and beginning to walk away from her. "And then?" she probed, closing the distance between them. Anthony paused, turning back to face her. Hope's inquiry delved into the heart of the matter, the underlying issues that haunted their family.

"This plan... It is only a temporary solution. If this ball is successful, of course, the rumors of scandal will die. Yet, no matter what, it still leaves you with no one to marry. Unless your designs for the season have changed?" she asked, with a tilt of her head.

"You do realize it is still possible for our family to endure whether I decide to marry to not? this line does not end with me," he argued, making Hope hum and nod her head. "It does not. but are you to rely on your brothers to do a duty that you cannot?" She asked, making him take an angry step towards her, finally ripping the mask from his face.

"Do you need me to admit I made a mistake? Is that what you want?" He spat, his eyes flashing with frustration and resentment for his own self. "To tell you I should've asked Miss Edwina for her hand? That I never should have taken things this far? I realize." He recognized his tone, causing him to take a step back and gather his thoughts before looking Hope in the eye once more.