A jilted groom.
A broken-hearted bride-to-be.
A royal wedding in shambles.
Sensational? Quite.
But true? This author may traffic in chatter and speculation, dear reader, but misinformation? Never.
Explanations of why Miss Edwina absconded from the altar may be greater in number than anyone could possibly fathom.
But we must not forget, it was Her Majesty the Queen who placed the young miss on that special stage so that she could make her grand exit.
Allow this author to hope My carriage.
for Her Majesty's sake, as well as both the Sharmas and Bridgertons, that an official explanation emerges swiftly, lest the ton are run away by their tawdry imaginings.
"I did very much enjoy last night," Alex whispered in my ear, making me shiver.
"We really should put a stop to this," I tell him as I turn around. "What if someone finds out?" I ask as I mark my place in my book.
He shrugged, "I'm a prince, you're a Briderton, and we're engaged, it doesn't matter anymore."
I rolled my eyes as Mama asked us where Anthony was, "Where is your brother? He should be here by now."
"Perhaps he is still waiting at the altar for Miss Edwina," Colin suggested.
"There will be no mockery today," Mama told him.
"She mocks me incessantly," Gregory insists, pointing to Hyacinth.
"Are we not overlooking the benefit of this tragedy?" Eloise asked.
"Leftover cake?" Gregory asked.
"Yes," I said. "You are my favorite." I kissed the side of his head.
"You wonder why I mock you?" Hyacinth asked.
"Brother! How good of you to join us," Benedict said as Anthony joined us.
"Have you all eaten?" He asked as he took a piece of bread.
"You will need to break your fast later. For now, it is of the utmost importance that we act swiftly to limit the damaging consequences of the unfortunate events of your–" Mother struggled to find the word.
"Bungled nuptials?" Colin offered, making mother glare at him.
"Is all of this truly happening because a woman merely changed her mind?" Eloise asked. It does seem a little silly. Why can't people keep their opinions to themselves.
"Unfortunately so, Eloise. Yet, I suppose the reason does not signify. We simply must deal with the consequences. Now, I think it a pleasant morning for promenade," mama said, making everyone, including Alex groan. "Together, united, as the most respectable family that we still very much are.
"Respectable?" Anthony questioned. "A respectable family is headed by a gentleman, is it not?"
"Brother– Is there something more we should know? Or, perhaps, more than just I should know?" Benedict asked him.
"Forgive me. If a promenade is what you feel is wise, Mother, then we shall leave within the hour," Anthony said, not answering him.
"I feel like we're being left out of something," I whispered to Alex.
"Definitely."
"I shall be a little late. Shopping. I need a new pair of gloves, so as to look that much more united and respectable," Eloise said. Please, she's going to go and have a visit with Mr. Sharpe.
Everyone had parted for the promenade and I was just about to leave with Alex when Eloise ran to me and whispered, "I don't mean to alarm you, but the queen is here and is asking for an audience with the both of us."
"What did you do?" I asked harshly.
"Nothing, well– let's just go, we won't be back Alex," she said with a not convincing smile.
"Just walk with Fran and Gregory!" I called to him as she pulled me outside, where exactly like she said sat the queen's carriage. We both climbed in and sat next to each other and across from the queen as she stared at us.
"It's a beautiful carriage, Your Majesty. Your horses must be strong to pull all of this gold," Eloise said in a hope to make this a little less awkward.
"What were you doing visiting that printer shop in the middle of your brother's so-called wedding? And where were you at all Miss Eleanor? It seems that you and Mr. Bonaparte ran off to catch her, but were not seen again."
"Oh," we both said, looking at each other.
"I know it is you. Lady Whistledown herself. Or should I say themselves. It was a collective effort was it not?"
"Oh, Your Majesty–" we both go to say.
"Your denial shall only enhance your punishment. You were quite clever, Miss Bridgertons. Why, just last season, I recruited you and your friends to uncover the writer's identity, and the two of you, rather conveniently, found not one credible suspect," she said, suspicously.
"I am not clever enough to manipulate Your Majesty, well, Eleanor mi–" I slapped her arm and glared at her.
"Is it not curious that you are so rarely mentioned in those pages? I also hear you have a great distaste for society, just as the writer herself does. You do realize the power you wield in that pen of yours can be used for greater purposes than ridicule and gossip-mongering, yes? Lady Whistledown could be a strategic ally to the Crown, should she so please."
"And I would gladly help, ma'am, but I wield no such power, I assure you," Eloise tried to counter as I stayed quite.
"So, you would rather be my rival? Have you any idea what will happen once I reveal this secret of yours, child? People will seek their revenge. However bad your family's situation seems to you now, it will only get worse. I might be able to solve that problem. I shall give you three days to consider my proposal and come to your senses. If you do not, then I will deploy my resources to crush you like a serpent. Pride may not be as precious to you as your breath," she said before ushering us out. "Miss Eleanor, if I had ever thought that this is what you would do if you had a voice, I would've just told you to keep silent."
"What did we just get into?" I asked her. "Or more specifically, what did you get us into?"
"I'm sorry?"
"I will commit murder."
~
I sat on Eloise's bed as we sifted through the Lady Whistledown pamphlets. We were trying to find something, anything that would reveal who she was so that it wouldn't be pinned on us. "You saved them all?" Pen asked as she came in with Alex and Alonzo. "You must have, what, every issue ever printed."
"Double that. There are two copies here of every one," she explained.
"Eloise, why ever–"
"The queen thinks it is us," I told her with hardly any emotion in my voice.
"That I we Lady Whistledown," Eloise continued.
"Are you being humorous?" Alonzo asked with a laugh.
"She has given us three days to confess. She is threatening our family, Pen," Eloise cried.
"We should get rid of these," I tell her, packing htem away with Alex.
"Yes, If the queen discovers I have all of these, it will only make us appear that much more guilty," she said, helping us.
"But you are not guilty. El, this is a terrible mistake," Pen said, confused. "We will somehow arrange to see Her Majesty. We must implore her to listen to reason."
"Oh yes, because Her Majesty has always been so reasonable," Eloise scoffed as Alex threw the papers into the fire.
"But why would the queen think it is you both? Yes, you are outspoken and opinionated and–"
"One of her footmen saw me visiting Theo, and saw Eleanor and Alex rushing after me."
"I know. I should have listened to you. I was selfish, and now I may have even put Theo into harm's way too. The queen must think he has something to do with Whistledown," she realized in a panic.
"But he does not, and neither have you and why does she not suspect Alex? El, this is madness," Pen stressed.
"I should warn him," Eloise said, grabbing her coat and rushing for the door.
"No!" I yelled.
"No, you should not. You should stay as far away from Theo and that print shop as you can. You should wait for Lady Whistledown to print her next issue. Then, with any luck, you can use that in order to prove your innocence," Pen insisted and Eloise groaned.
"Why is she not thinking of Alex?" Eloise questioned.
"Diplomacy and politics," Alex said. "If she accused me, it would cause a rift between countries and potentially send both sides into war."
"Another bad thing, your mother and Lady Danbury planned a ball, Anthony now knows that Edwina was in love with me and only was going to married him out of necessity, and everyone's mad at everyone," Alonzo said.
"Ugh, not another ball, and Len, where were you and Alex when you went to run after me?" Eloise asked.
"Well, we found you and I knew you would be okay with Theo so we left and just had an extra music practice," I told her. "Now, if you will excuse me, I am feeling a little ill."
~
A little while later I heard a knock at the door. "Come in!" I yelled. It was Mama and she looked at me sadly.
"Is everything alright dearest? Eloise told me you had taken ill," she said, sitting on my bed.
"My stomach feels upset," I told her. "I could have eaten something rotten."
"Perhaps, is it your monthly?" She asked.
"No, I shouldn't have it for–" I stopped trying to count. "Three weeks ago."
She gasped a little, "Eleanor, you must tell me, have you ever been with a man?" She asked. I shook my head quickly. "Do not lie to me."
"I haven't I swear!"
"Well, then we must send for a doctor straight away," she said, rushing from the room.
"Eleanor, what is the matter?" Alex asked as my mama left.
"I'm late and I lied to my mama that I have never been to bed with a man," I told him.
"Could this mean that you are with child?" He asked.
"I do not know," I told him. "If I were I would be over two months, we would've known by now."
He sat on the bed and hugged me, "No matter what it is, I will be here, if you are with child we will get married as soon as possible. If it is something worse I will never leave."
"I shouldn't have lied to my mama, what will she think? What will my brothers think?" I asked him.
"That can be dealt with later," he said as he kissed my head. "Just sleep for now." He left and a short while later Mama came back with the doctor.
"We shall not involve Anthony for now?" I asked her.
"No, we shall not," she nodded.
The doctor came and examined me and asked me a few questions. "Well, she is certainly not pregnant," he said. "No other signs other than an upset stomach." He said some more things, but I could not understand them as what I just heard had shocked me too much.
"What?" I asked him.
He repeated it and Mama gasped, coming to hug me from my left side as I looked to the bed. "As for the symptoms, it could be the stress of the failed wedding or salmonella poisoning. I suggest keeping her in bed for the next day."
"Thank you, let me show you out," mama told him. She opened the door and quickly whispered to Alex before he stepped in the room.
"Lenny, I'm so sorry," he said as I started to cry and he came and hugged me. He whispered in my ear and just held me as I cried.
~
Lady Bridgerton walked down the stairs and showed the doctor the door as Anthony entered.
"Mother? Is everything alright?" He asked.
"No, it is not dearest, something has happened to your sister," she sighed, leading him into the office.
"What's happened?" He asked, panicked. "Was it Hyacinth? Francesca?"
"It was Eleanor," she said and he sighed, rubbing his face, sitting down.
"What has happened?" He asked once more.
"We have found she has salmonella poisoning–"
"So she'll be alright," he sighed in relief.
"Yes, but that's not all," she said and he looked at her expectantly. "She is unable to conceive children."
~
"It seems wrong to not care," I told Alex as we walked through town. "I should be feeling some sadness, some strife, but for some reason I do not."
"Feels a little freeing, to know you can do what you want with no consequence?" He asked and I nodded. "You really shouldn't be out of bed."
"Oh, I'm fine, it was a stressful day," I waved him off.
"It was salmonella poisoning," he corrected. "You should be resting."
"We should be practicing," I retorted. "You have a big audition coming up."
He sighed, "I'm not sure if I should go."
I stopped walking immediately, "What?"
"I have all these duties and responsibilities, I don't know if I can," he said sadly.
I grabbed his hands, "It doesn't matter, that will all be waiting for you when you get back, this is for you."
"You know if you say one word I can storm the castle and tell the queen you're not Lady Whistledown," he told me as we continued walking.
"Maybe tomorrow when the deadlines are up if we can't think of something else," I laughed. "Has Alonzo been with Miss Sharma all day?"
He nodded, "he has. He is certainly in love, no matter how upset with everyone she may be he will stay by her."
"Well, it isn't him she's mad at," I reminded him. She loves him, she's just incredibly betrayed at the moment."
"As that may seem I do believe it is time to be getting you back home," Alex told me. "Your mama and Anthony should be back from the art gallery."
~
Alex and I sat next to Eloise on the couch, looking over her shoulder as she read.
"The invitations are ready to be distributed, ma'am," Mrs. Wilson said as she came into the room.
"Oh, excellent, Mrs. Wilson. Oh, dear little Augie is still suffering from his cough, so the duchess will naturally not be able to attend. But that is precisely why it is so important that the rest of us embrace this theme of harmony and work together to impress our guests. If we garner enough support, the queen may even be swayed to forget all about this wedding business," Mama said, making me freeze. I would prefer to mention anyone but the queen. I saw Eloise get up and run to the window, opening it.
"It is positively suffocating in here," she said.
"Eloise, dear? Are you feeling unwell?"
"Do not fret, Mama. I'll still be in attendance at your ball," she told her, turning back to all of us.
I turned quickly to my fiance, "if we fled the country would that be noticable?"
"Possibly," he nodded. "But we could get married in my country in less than a week."
"Participating in this farce along with the rest of us," Anthony complained with a stonic expression.
"I am doing this for all of us," mama said, exacerbated.
"Perhaps there is still time to change your theme," Benedict suggested.
"Has there truly been no Whistledown delivery today?" Eloise asked Mrs. Wilson who shook her head. Ah, yes the dreaded Whistledown, only making Eloise and I seem more quilty.
"Good day, Bridgertons," Penelope said, entering the room. Eloise quickly grabbed me and ran with Pen to her room. Alex followed us with an eye roll.
"I am going to confess," Eloise told us.
"What?" the two shrieked.
"No, no, no. If you confess, I confess, and I don't want to confess," I told her.
"Look, between the two of us we know all we need to know about Whistledown. I shall find a printer, publish a counterfeit paper, and give Her Majesty exactly what she wants," Eloise said and I started to panic. There goes my life. Maybe Alex and I should run. Is she really willing to start a war over some gossip paper? "An ally."
"And you'll use the assistance of that apprentice, Mr. Sharpe," Penelope said, annoyed.
"I do not wish to speak of that boy ever again. I am doing this for my family, Pen. I make the queen, once more, our supporter. It'll make the rest of society overlook all the scandal we've recently caused," she said. I sighed, this was kind of the best thing.
"Eloise, I do not wish you to do anything rash," Alex told her, calmly.
"There is little sand left in this hourglass. If I have to say I am Whistledown, then so be it," Eloise shouted. Then she turned to me, "Are you with me?"
I sighed, "Yes." She sighed in relief.
"That'll only last for so long. You cannot continue lying like that. What will happen? What will happen when the real Lady Whistledown decides to publish again?" Penelope questioned.
"I no longer care what the real Lady Whistledown does, or does not, decide to do. She is dead to me. Pen, I have made my decision, Len agrees. At the very least, it will allow me a little more time to finally find the real writer and make her pay for all of her crimes. I only wish to thank you, the both of you, and Alonzo. For always being such loyal friends, whatever the circumstances," she told them.
"I love you both," I smiled, giving each a hug. "Also, Eloise, this was a surprisingly well thought out and tangible idea."
"I believe it is now time to get ready for your family ball," Alex said disappointingly.
"Yes, I do believe so," Eloise agreed sadly. "We will see you both there."
What is it about betrayal that excites us so? The ton itself has certainly felt its peculiar kind of frenzy after the promise of the wedding to end all weddings was broken.
Yet this author has it on very good authority that the viscount's failed nuptials may not be the only betrayal our dear Bridgertons must manage at present.
We got ready and waited, ready to greet the guests. I was wearing a similar dress to Eloise just like when we were younger. The first to arrive were the Sharmas, I politely nodded to Kate and hugged Edwina. I'm still a little mad at Kate and Anthony, I still love them both.
Next the Bonapartes came, Alex came to me and Alonzo went to Edwina. Then, nobody else.
"Well, this is unexpected," mama muttered, upset.
"It is still quite early, I suppose," Lady Mary reasoned.
"Would you still like us to play, my lady?" One of the men said.
"That will not be necessary," Mama told him.
"If there's no need for my presence, I'll head to my studio. I do not wish to be around such misery all evening," Benedict said, trying to make a run for it.
"Wait–"
"I know of your opinions."
"You will stay for a dance. There shall be dancing," Anthony told him. "A new perspective, yes?"
"Dancing? With whom?" Colin asked.
"Anthony," Mama called.
"Oh, Franny!" I yelled and heard running.
"Hyacinth!" Anthony called.
"Yes, Brother?" She asked when her, Fran, and Gregory came to the ledge.
"Come down here and do me the honor," he told her.
"If she gets to dance, so do I," Gregory countered.
"Me too," Fran said, as they all ran down the stairs.
"Come. Show this dowager the benefit of all these lessons I hear you've been taking, Mr. Bridgerton," Lady Danbury called to my younger brother.
"He's much better than me, I'll say," Eloise laughed, making me laugh too.
"And you, my lovely Francesca, shall finally dance with a prince," Alex said, taking her hand, making my mouth drop. "What? I needed a new dance partner."
"Something lively. A country dance, perhaps? I believe the theme you have chosen tonight is harmony, Mother," Anthony said as the music started. Eloise grabbed my hand and pulled me over to Benedict as we held hands in a circle with our family. We all branched off and danced with each other and I gestured for Alex to follow me as we ran to the corner where our violins were and joined in the music as we danced around.
Everyone clapped as the song ended. Alex and I bowed playfully and place out instruments down.
"Perhaps a quadrille?" Hyacinth asked.
"Perhaps a nap?" I suggested instead.
"Uh Perhaps we should start eating some of that food," Colin argued. I pointed to him and held his arm as we headed off to the corner to grab some.
We were shoving food in our mouths and laughing when mother caught everyone's attention.
"Mrs. Wilson? Is something wrong?" she asked.
"It was just delivered, ma'am," Mrs. Wilson said, handing over a paper. I gasped, it was a Lady Whistledown.
"Is that Lady Whistledown? Has she published, Mama?" Eloise asked as we both rushed over.
"Indeed, she has. And now we may know why we are the only ones here. Should our lives be distilled down to the sum total of our choices, then Miss Eloise Bridgerton has certainly made a dangerous, perhaps ruinous one. For she's apparently been associating, unchaperoned, with improper company. Political radicals, in fact," mama read.
"Oh, Eloise," I hugged her trying to comfort her.
"That is not all," Mama stops me. "It seems what one twin does the other is to follow suit as well. Miss Eleanor Bridgerton has found herself in a scandal as well. The instrumental practices with Prince Alexzander are not all that they seem. They were both seen sneaking off at several gatherings and one could only think of what that meant. Maybe there is a reason why their engagement was so out of the blue. Perhaps, this is the same reason as to why the marriage between her brother Viscount Bridgerton and Miss Edwina Sharama is now in ruins. Perhaps, the Bridgertons are waiting for another wedding, one to announce the arrival of a new Italian Prince or Princess."
Everyone took a moment and Eloise looked at me ins hock and backed away, looking at Alex and I.
"Is this true?" Benedict asked.
"Have you ruined our sister?" Colin asked, angered. "This won't stand!"
"Brother, why are you not more upset?" Benedict asked, looking at Anthony, who just stared at me. I looked to the floor and closed my eyes and took a breath.
"I don't know if the sneaking off is tru–"
"It is," I revealed. "But we have never touched one another. We left because we were bored, so we went to meet with Alonzo."
"Then that settles it," Anthony concludes.
"But what about the baby?" Colin asked.
"There is no baby," Alex corrected him.
"Zan–" Alonzo begins.
"THERE IS NO BABY!" I yelled. "Because I can't have children." I left it at that as I fled up the stairs and into my room. I face planted on my bed as I cried. Maybe I did want kids, or... at least the possibility.
— Yours Truly, Lady Whistledown