TW: s*xual harassment
Lucy sat in that drawing room for what felt like an age, alone, until one of her friends finally arrived. Daphne, to be more exact. When she walked into the room, an air of aristocratic elegance followed her- she had changed since she got married, and not in a bad way. she seemed more mature and at peace, and happy. Lucy remembered Daphne talking about the Duke- Simon- while they were courting. She told her everything right from the very beginning- about how it was all some fake relationship or something. Truly though, Lucy didn't understand what she was talking about the entire time, because everyone with eyes knew they both held a flame for one another. When they finally got married it came as no surprise to those closest to her. Lucy longed for a relationship like theirs- unapologetically in love and not afraid to show everyone. It was clear they understood each other extremely well even early on in their marriage, and in the year since Lucy had seen either of them together, she knew without question that their relationship had only strengthened.
"Lucy, how wonderful to see you again so soon," The duchess said.
"Your Grace, I simply could not stay away" Lucy joked as she stood up to greet her friend. Daphne giggled and the two of them embraced. They sat down again, opposite each other, and began drinking some tea and diving into the nibbles the butler had brought in earlier.
"So, tell me- are you excited for your debut?" Daphne asked.
"Oh yes, I didn't think I would be this excited but I truly am. I think waiting before being presented to society was a good choice- I'm more aware of what I want now than when I was one and seven," Lucy responded, sipping her tea.
"I agree, a late start isn't such a bad thing," Daphne began.
"But you do still need to be careful. Don't settle for the first person that comes your way," She added.
"I wouldn't dream of it. I know that I want someone who will let me be the person I want to be and still do the things that I love doing- writing, for instance. I know it is not respectable, but I would be thrilled at the prospect of publishing- even under a pseudonym," Lucy explained. Daphne smirked slightly, a glint of benedict on her face. It startled here for a moment, before she remembered they were siblings. She thought for a few seconds before she responded, and took a sip of her tea.
"You wouldn't happen to be Lady Whistledown, would you? I know you've been away for a while, but someone like her would no doubt have an expansive range of contacts," Daphne said, quirking an eyebrow. She was only teasing her, they both knew it, so Lucy played into it by acting mortified.
"Oh, Daphne- how preposterous! I would never dream of engaging in something so scandalous," She answered.
"Ah, I didn't think so. Have you seen today's issue, by the way? it's about you." Daphne replied.
"Me?"
"Yes, you. Here you go," Daphne replied, then stood up from her seat. She walked over to a table on the other end of the room and picked up a dainty piece of paper with floral patterns faintly imprinted onto it. Walking back across the room in a regal manner, she handed the paper to Lucy, who held it up close to her face to inspect it.
Lady Whistledown's
Society Papers
Dearest Readers,
With the social season approaching in full swing, many esteemed members of The Ton have begun making their returns to London from their countryside Manors. With less than two weeks left, the city is expected to once again host ball after ball to welcome the spring, and my dearest and most loyal readers know what comes with that- scandal. In addition to the new season comes a whole new group of ladies, belonging to these well-established families, who will be making their first debuts. They will be presented at court to Her Majesty Queen Charlotte, and attend their first ball as debutante's. Each and every young lady yearns to be crowned Diamond of the First Water at the behest of our beloved Queen, and this author believes there is one suitable candidate who is already expected to shine. It has been brought forth to my attention that the Duke of Suffolk George Blackthorne, as well as the rest of his family, made their return to The Ton only yesterday. Lady Lucy Blackthorne, the Duke's eldest daughter, is the most eligible woman being presented at court this season. Although she has undoubtedly had a slightly later start than most, stories of her beauty, intelligence, and wit make this author think that she will have no issue finding her match. The Lady's sister, Lady Eleanor Blackthorne, will also be making her debut. Lady Eleanor is said to be as exquisite a beauty as her sister, so I must confess that the gentlemen of the season have struck gold. However, the gentlemen of the ton are not the only ones who are in luck- Henry Blackthorne, the Duke's only son, will also be participating in his fourth season, much to the delight of ladies and their mamas all across The Ton. Perhaps this season will be the one where he finds his future Duchess.
Yours truly,
Lady Whistledown
"I thought it might be a bit on the nose if you called yourself the Diamond," Daphne said and laughed. Lucy sat there in surprise at what she had just read.
"Why am I the Diamond of the season? There are plenty of other ladies who could be Diamond!" She spoke.
"Yes, but none of them are the eldest daughter of a Duke, darling. You're the special one," Daphne responded.
"What about Eleanor? Why can't she be the Diamond?" Lucy asked, slightly worried at the attention she knew she was about to start getting.
"She's the youngest child and a woman, so she won't get the same amount of inheritance as you, or your brother for that matter. Henry is the most desirable in terms of title and inheritance, and you come in second- but you will undoubtedly get just as much attention as him. You don't have a title, but you do have just as much as him" Daphne replied and took another drink of her tea.
Lucy sighed and slumped into her seat, making her friend giggle. She knew her friend was right and that she was technically the most eligible lady participating in the season, but it was a burden that was beginning to weigh on her. After discussing Lady Whistledown's column, they spent as much time together as they could, with Daphne talking to her about Simon and the kids and Lucy explaining everything that had happened with her family since she last left The Ton. Daphne was surprised to learn of Lucy's father's behavior, and offered her unconditional love and support to her friend, which was more comforting than ever. Even that one chat with Daphne left her with a small weight lifted off of her shoulders- at least she had someone to talk to about the situation now who wasn't directly involved in it. However, throughout the friendly catch-up, Lucy found her mind drifting back and forth to Benedict. She was still slightly upset that he had departed so quickly, but she pushed aside that feeling and tried to continue enjoying her first catch-up session with her best friend.
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There was no time to dwell on what had occurred between Benedict and Lucy after that afternoon, because the next couple of days were filled with preparations for the girls debut. They had their dresses from the modiste delivered, elaborate yet demure jewelry imported from different European countries, extra classes on proper etiquette, and not to mention lots of dancing. Lucy and Eleanor took turns practicing with their brother, much to his discontent. Lucy was a fine dancer- Eleanor, however, tended to step on her brother's toes every possible chance she had.
"I wouldn't worry, Ellie. With a face as stunning as yours I'm sure any gentleman would not be offended if you stepped on his toes once or twice" their mother said, trying to cheer her up.
"Or twenty." Henry muttered under his breath. Eleanor stepped on his foot on purpose after that.
"Hey! Im just not sure I'd like to spend the next few weeks with a walking stick- I have much to do, you know" He added in frustration.
"Im sure you do. Watching boxing matches must be really taxing on your feet." Eleanor added sarcastically.
"I'll have you know-" Henry began, before he was abruptly cut off by another voice in the room.
"I think we should give the dancing a rest for the day, don't you think, mama?" Lucy asked.
"Yes, dear, I think that would be wise" her mother replied. Henry glared at her.
Soon enough, the time came for the girls to be presented at court for the first time. Lucy awoke that morning with a pit of fear in her stomach. She had noticed that over the past few weeks, she had been garnering more attention from people than usual. No doubt, it had something to do with Lady Whistledown's column about her and her siblings. Everywhere she went, the ravenous eyes of men and women followed her.
Jane, her lady's maid, dressed her as usual on the morning of her debut. Lucy wore a plain off-white dress with subtle diamonds sewn on along the hem in a line and the same below the bust, trailing all the way around her body. Her hair was in a tidy bun with matching diamond pins, and feathers were carefully placed into her bun- it was a customary hairstyle that most ladies at the time would wear, especially while being presented at court. She wore her mother's jewelry- a set including a bracelet, earrings, and a necklace that had been passed down from her grandmother.
Her mother and father, along with Henry, were waiting at the bottom of the staircase for Lucy and Eleanor to make their first appearances of the morning as women. The girls stepped out of their respective rooms that were opposite each other. They broke into smiles, from ear to ear, stunned at how beautiful they both looked. Eleanor was wearing a similar outfit to Lucy, with different pieces of jewelry but equally sentimental. She couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed over the sight of her little sister now all grown up. This day was truly monumental for both of them.
"Let's go, sister," Eleanor said, lacing her arm into Lucy's. They practically skipped down the hall, and made a dramatic pause at the top of the staircase, waiting for their family to react. All three heads turned as the girls began their descent down the stairs. Margaret's facial features softened as she smiled proudly at her girls, as did Henry's. Even their butler, Thomas, seemed to be emotional. He was with the family for almost ten years and had seed the girls grow up before his very eyes, so it was no wonder that he reacted so. Their father, on the other hand, seemed less thrilled. It was clear that he was not interested in any theatrics and simply wanted to get on with things.
"Oh, how wonderful do you both look!" Their mother exclaimed, clasping her hands together.
"Yes, yes- Now hurry, into the carriages, we mustn't be late." Their father spoke. He motioned for them to hurry up down the stairs, and then ushered his family out of their grand Mayfair home, and soon they were on their way to Court.
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The palace was magnificent, Lucy was sure she had never seen more gold in her life. The curtains were even breathtaking, hanging down from the high and grandly painted ceilings. The family of five made their way down a luxurious hallway, following all of the other families present, and finally reached the room where they were to wait for their queen.
To Lucy, the wait felt like a millennium. She was excited for the moment, but a part of her was terrified. She was terrified that the queen would be unimpressed, that her hopes had gotten too high after reading Lady Whistledown's musings of the girl. The Blackthornes stood there, making conversation with everyone around them in anticipation of the Queen's arrival. The atmosphere seemed to have a buzz, and the polite yet loud chatter that filled the room died down immediately when Her Majesty was announced. The group fell into a synchronized bow as the monarch walked over to where she was to sit. One would be able to hear a pin drop in that moment, is what Lucy thought.
Much to her delight, as the eldest Blackthorne and her sister approached the queen after being announced, Her Majesty's approval began showing on her face. As the two girls approached her, they earned a nod of approval with a smile.
"Impeccable," The queen stated simply.
After witnessing all the ladies being presented at court, the Blackthornes followed the group to the ballroom of the palace where the first ball was to commence. Lucy couldn't help but notice how many eyes were on them. On her and her sister. The eyes of gentlemen ascertaining whether they were beautiful enough, and making their assumptions on whether the two of them would make good brides. Mamas carefully observed how they were dressed, and their daughters sizing up their competition. Lucy wasn't thrilled at the idea of being presented and attending ball after ball, but if it meant finding a husband, she knew she had to endure it. It couldn't be that bad, after all it was slightly exciting. It was what she was made for. Eleanor, on the other hand, was as radiant as ever and basked in all the attention. She didn't yearn to be in the spotlight, but she wasn't one to shy away from it when it was afforded to her.
The ballroom was as elegant as Lucy imagined it would be. The tiles on the floor were a carefully designed, cream-colored marble, with wisps of brown running through them. The walls were the same shade of brown and had regal patterns engraved on them, enhanced by the candles meticulously perched on them. The room was decorated with flowers of light and calming spring colors- pinks, blues, and purples- hanging from the ceiling and draped across tables.
Not long after they were announced, a flock of gentlemen eventually encroached on them. While many of them were paying more attention to Eleanor, being younger than Lucy, quite a few had offered Lucy many compliments and asked her to reserve dances for them on her dance card. The men seemed nice enough, but she felt it was unlikely that any of them could potentially be a future husband for her. Nevertheless, she obliged as she was expected to and reserved dances for them. As the night went on, she danced every so often when it was her time to. The conversation was steady and respectable, but no one stood out to her. Instead, she found herself constantly wondering where Benedict was. She knew his sisters were here, and she'd seen Anthony with Kate earlier, but there was no sight of Benedict himself. She even saw Colin at one point, dancing with Penelope who seemed to be enthralled by each other. As her mind wandered, she realized the waltz she was dancing to was coming to an end. She bowed to her partner and made her way to the drinks table, where her sister looked like she needed rescuing.
However, she was abruptly stopped when a tall, blonde haired man stepped in front of her, obstructing her path.
"Lady Blackthorne, a pleasure to make your acquaintance" He said. He bowed and took her hand and lightly kissed it.
"The pleasure is mine," Lucy replied.
"James Bancroft, My Lady" he responded.
"Forgive me for being so forward, but would you do me the honor of sparing a dance?" He added.
"No forgiveness is needed, Mr. Bancroft. You seem to be far less forward than many gentlemen I have encountered tonight." She giggled.
Even though she was planning on finding her sister and retiring for the night, she couldn't help but feel like she should dance with him. He seemed different than the other men she had met that night. His hair was almost too outrageously long to not be tied in a queue, flowing past his chin and sitting an inch above his shoulders. His eyes were a light green shade, and his face looked like it came straight out of a painting. He was definitely the most handsome man she had come across in a while. She took the hand he offered and he led her to the floor. As they began to dance, they locked eyes and he offered her a modest smile, which she timidly returned. She wasn't used to being paid attention by gentlemen as handsome as he was. Their eyes were locked almost the entire time, and after a couple of swirls and lifts, the dance ended and they bowed to each other once again.
"That was delightful," Lucy said.
"I hope I have the honor again soon, My Lady" James replied, happily.
At this point, Lucy was completely mesmerized. The fact that Benedict was nowhere to be seen seemed to escape her mind, and her thoughts now consisted of the mysterious blonde stood in front of her. He didn't make her feel the same things that Benedict did, but she could not deny his attractiveness. Also, the fact that he seemed to be the perfect gentleman meant that he must be exceptional husband material- she had no doubt her family would approve. Suddenly, her wishes to leave the countryside and move to the city, and marry someone she cared for did not seem so farfetched. She barely knew this man, but with time surely things could develop positively.
"Would you care to take a stroll around the gardens? I hear they're quite beautiful" He asked Lucy.
"Oh, well, I don't believe my parents would approve of me wandering around in the garden without a chaperone" She replied hastily.
"Of course, we could stroll around the front part, in plain sight" he responded.
He shot her another smile and she couldn't help it. She said yes. Something about him made her not want to disappoint him, even though it would be a small trivial matter in the long run. He offered his arm and she slid her hand into his elbow, as they made their way through the doors and into the gardens. They stepped onto the dark grass, which flickered with shadows cast by people standing on the patio area and inside the ballroom.
"So, Mr. Bancroft, why have I never heard of your family? Forgive me but I'm quite curious, since we visit London quite frequently" Lucy asked politely.
James laughed briefly, but his laughter was followed by silence. Lucy could tell he was thinking, and thinking deeply. She didn't know what about.
"Did I say something rude? I apologize if I have, I-" she began before she was quickly cut off by Mr. Bancroft suddenly grabbing her arm, and pulling her behind a large hedge. Not great. Of course this was happening to her, she thought.
"Mr. Bancroft, please unhand me- this is improper!" Lucy exclaimed.
She felt his grip tighten around her forearm, and she felt her heart begin to race- not in the same way it did with Benedict.
"Come on, I can tell you want this- you're a bit older than most girls here so you probably know a little about a man's needs" he replied, his smile growing more devilish with every word he spoke.
"You couldn't keep your eyes off of me, do not deny it- I won't tell anyone" he added as he moved his other arm to the side of her neck, and brought her face to his. She tried her best to resist, but she knew she couldn't make a sound and risk being found in this situation. He pulled her closer and eventually roughly pressed his lips to hers, and squeezed her neck so tight that she thought she might swoon out of pain. She eventually got him to peel his lips off of hers, but he was still firmly holding onto her.
"Please, Mr. Bancroft- Please stop, you're hurting me-" She said through a strained yet quivering voice. He did not release her, he didn't even seem to notice that she had said anything. Well, maybe he did, but he certainly didn't seem to care. He kept trying to kiss her again, but she managed to dodge his attempts. A couple of minutes later she heard people approaching, and she knew they were walking in their direction because the muffled voices were growing louder. She panicked. She was ruined. On the night of her first ball, she was ruined.
"What in god's name is happening?" A man said. His voice was quiet but the anger in it was evident. It was also extremely familiar. Then, a second voice spoke up.
"Luce, oh my god-" he trailed. His voice was mixed with disbelief and slight anger. It was also quite familiar. Mr. Bancroft decided to loosen his grip on her as he looked towards the two men, and she took this opportunity to finally push him off of her, and onto the ground. Hard. She turned around and faced her father. He had never seemed more angry in his life. His face was red, ready to explode, and his eyebrows were furrowed. Then she looked at her brother. It was clear that he was beginning to see red.
A/N: Slightly longer chapter! I hope you enjoyed it & thank you for readingggg, pls leave some votes and comments- I'd love to chat with you and hear what you think <3