Collin Bridgerton was completely, utterly, and undoubtedly... in love,
With non other than Josephine Hydeton.
He couldn't stop himself, and he really tried to. Even visited Miss Thompson in order to stop the siren that plagued his thoughts and desires, but once again he couldn't help himself visiting the girl next door at every chance he got.
Dancing with her at the beginning of the season was never simply ' looking out for her', no matter how many times he tried telling himself. It was always granting his inner child's dream of one day dancing with her, holding her silk gloved hand and the nook of her back as they glided across the floor.
Or was it granting his own wish in doing so? He could never tell. But what he could tell is that he wanted to spend every waking moment, every laugh and every tear near this girl.
But did she feel the same? Did she want him as much as he wanted her? And if she did what did he have to offer? He was the third son of the Bridgerton name, the only thing he had to offer was a home, estate and money that didn't belong to him. Everything shared with the reminder of his siblings and mother, nothing he truly owned.
Whereas she was a Countess, the only child to the Stephen Hydeton Early of Wexstone, one of the most respected and richest names in England and even respected by the queen herself!
Of course he was a Bridgerton, just as well respected and wealthy, but he was not like his brother Anthony. He wasn't a Vicount. He was just... Collin. And she was Countess Josephine of Wexstone. Just a Bridgerton and a Countess.
" Collin!" Violet said, placing her needle work onto her lap with a huff.
" Yes Mama?!" Collin said, quickly snapping out of his dazed state and stat up straighter.
" Are you okay dearest? You've been acting out of odds since we came back from the event last night, you haven't caught something have you?" She quickly placed her stitch work onto the chair beside her and hurriedly walked over to Collin to place a hand on his forehead.
" No no mama, I am completely well thank you," He gave her a reassuring smile before gently removing her hand from his head " What I am feeling cannot simply be cured by a honey and lemon tea." He thought to himself as his mother went back to her needle work.
" Miss Thomson has re-joined the season I have heard, well read." Violet said, raising her eyes to see if she had caused a reaction in her son, but only got a dazed nod of acknowledgment.
" Oh, is she?" Collin said, asking out of politeness and conversation while still thinking about another girl who made his heart rate. He smiled slightly, a reaction that Violet took notice of.
" Why yes," She smiled, eyes going back and forth between her needle work and her son " No more standing around events sulking anymore! Why I don't know why you attended them dear if you only care to share a dance or two and spend the rest of the event sulking like a child who's lost it's toy!"
Collin wouldn't class Jo as a toy, but she sure was the reason for his mood changes during the awfully boring events of pretty dresses and desperate suitors.
" Why I'm sure she'll be attending the museum today with the rest of the ton!" She took this comment as another chance to observe his reaction.
" No one informed me of another event!" Collin said, more alert than before.
" I thought you knew dearest, we leave in an hour or so." Violet said, taking into account of his sudden change in demeanour.
" Blast!" He muttered under is breath, as he stood up and quickly made his way to his room to change. The sudden realisation for his love for the girl who had captured his heart, had made him anxious of his appearance, and he certainly wasn't dressed for an outing of any kind.
Violet hummed thoughtfully as her son quickly exited the morning room. Perhaps there wasn't feelings for Jo as she suspected.
***
" You look bored little one." Simon said, looking down at Jo as they stared off at the pictures in the gallery. Bored wasn't the correct wording Jo would use, more like mind boggling paralysis to the creative side of her brain.
She internally cursed her self for these feelings, normally she would love nothing more than to discuss art with Simon, anything with Simon really, but she was actually becoming bored.
And all because of a stupid, smug faced, blue eyed boy, who was unintentionally ruining any interaction she had with anyone else but him.
Blast!
" No of course not Simon!" Jo said, squeezing the arm she had her arm hooked on for reassurance " And little one," she scoffed amusingly " You haven't called me that since we were children."
He shrugged with a smile.
" Felt it was right for this situation." He continued to gaze upon the works.
" And what occasion will this be hum?" She tilted her head to get a better sight of his smug face.
" That you like Collin Bridgerton, or may I even say lo-"
" Hush!" Jo said, looking around to see if anyone had heard, no one did. " Do you know how you sound right now? Anyone could've heard that Simon!" She scolded, making sure not to raise her voice over a whisper.
" And what is so wrong with that?" Simon said, raising an eyebrow at Jo.
" I do not need my name to be spread in the Whistledown gossip sheet when I have an eligible suitor on the line, I'm certain you of all people know how unpleasant that feeling is." Jo urged, hinting towards a time where all Whistledown would do would bring up his name.
" I do." Simon said, his mouth forming a straight line and then looked back upon the art work.
" Well I do not think that I'm the only one who has feelings for a Bridgerton." Jo said, breaking the unsettling silence.
" You do know that it is a ruse right?" Simon said, bending down to whisper in Jo's ear making sure that no one could hear " I told you everything already, this is just a beneficial agreement betwe-"
" Simon it is an insult to my intelligence if you think me to believe that the only emotions between you and Daph is mutual friendship," Jo said, stopping him before he could explain himself any further.
Simon was speechless, his mouth hung slightly open but then slowly closed his mouth to compose himself.
" And what do you know of these emotions," Simon said " You'd think I'd know more about them as they are my own!"
" It's you eyes Si, they practically light up whenever you are in each other's company. You actually laugh and smile and enjoy your self when you are with her," She gushed, her own smile widened at the thought of Simon finding someone that he could actually be happy with. She then looked back onto the swirls and splashed of delicate colour. "And the reason why you don't notice them is because you are far too stupid and stubborn to accept them." She finished, making Simon smile to himself.
" And what say you?" Simon said, making Jo's head snap back.
" Excuse me?"
" I see all same same signs in you whenever you are in his presence, what is the difference between my feelings and yours?"
" That you have no other excuse to ignore them other than your down right ego, I have multiple."
" And those being?" Simon pressed on, and Jo chuckled helplessly to herself.
" Well one of them being, he is only two years my senior! He is still so young for marriage I do not think it has even crossed his mind! And if he is I shan't be the one to keep him back from his dreams, did you know he plans to travel?"
" The same dream as yours." Simon said.
" Exactly. And I know if I had the chance I would not allow anything to stand between it, so why would he? Not to mention the rumours it would cause! Everyone knows I have grown up along side the Bridgerton's, therefore along side him. People will suspect a promise as children, something suspicious in the making, also I already have a worthy suitor who is moments away from asking me to be his-his wife." All this was said very quickly and in a whisper to make sure that no one out side of them could hear them.
" But will you accept?" Simon said, and Jo paused " Will you accept Jo?"
" I-I..." Jo was flustered at that question, she never thought beyond that point, would she really say yes?
" Hello Josephine." A voice said behind her, making the butterflies in her stomach roar.
" Collin." She said turning around and suppressing her giant grin to a respectable smile.
" I see you've dressed in your family colours, had enough of the roses?" He scanned her up and down, taken back how beautiful she truly looked in her pale pink dress, even without all the jewels and sparkles.
" Of course not, I just missed being in my normal wear that's all. Why do you miss the roses?" Jo smiled, a hint of mischief behind her eyes.
" Slightly," Collin smiled back " But maybe I can miss them less if you join me to look upon the art work of them."
" O-of course." Jo smiled, and nodded her head towards Simon to say goodbye and walked of laughing along side Collin, both looking at each other with the same hopeful longing in their eyes.
" Yeah, that gave me my answer." Simon smiled to himself, and walked away to his own section where he would also soon be struck with his own hopeful longing.
Authors note:
I'm backkkkk!!! Thank you all for being so patient with me while I completed my end of year exams!!
Enjoy this longer chapter and expect frequent updates 😌