A/N: This is an entirely new chapter, I've edited everything that was previously published so everything that happens from this chapter onwards is completely new! I hope you enjoy it <3
Lady Whistledown's
Society Papers
Dearest Readers,
It has come to this author's attention that His Majesty King George and Her Majesty Queen Charlotte have at last managed to convince one of their beloved children to take part in the season's activities. Prince Alfred, the youngest of the princes, made an appearance at a recent festivity. It came as no surprise that he was intrigued by the beguiling Blackthorne sisters. While he took his time to dance with both Lady Lucy and Lady Eleanor, it was the younger sister whom he opted to dance with once more before the night ended. The two appeared infatuated with each other, and this author anticipates the prospect of another royal wedding in the near future. A royal wedding will bring about celebration not only for the union but for the possibility of the crown finally having an Heir after a years-long wait.
Yours truly,
Lady Whistledown
Quite a few days had passed since Benedict had made his proposal to Lucy, and the three Blackthorne siblings were invited to Clyvedon Castle, the residence belonging to the Duke and Duchess of Hastings. Daphne had extended the invitation because they hadn't been to see the place since she had done some remodeling. The Duke and Duchess of Suffolk, on the other hand, opted to stay in the city since it was a bit too far for the Duchess to travel and she was feeling particularly weak in recent days. The castle was indeed grander than Lucy remembered it, only visiting this time around was different- the laughter and pitter patter of tiny humans filled the halls instead of an empty silence. Simon and Henry were off hunting, while Eleanor was playing with the children in the garden. Lucy and Daphne elected to spend their third and final morning together having breakfast on the second-floor balcony, which overlooked the gardens, meaning they had the perfect view of the children and Eleanor joyfully playing in a nearby lake.
"Have you seen Lady Whistledown's latest?" Daphne asked.
"Oh yes, I have. Eleanor is pleased, I believe" Lucy replied, chuckling.
"I'm sure she is. I imagine she cannot wait to get back to the ton, to see her prince once again," Daphne responded.
"She's been talking about it nonstop. That's it, she's set her sights on him- and we both know she always gets what she wants, being the youngest child and daughter," Lucy replied and both of the girls laughed in unison. Lucy wouldn't be surprised if the two were married by next month, with a baby on the way by the end of the year.
"What about you, Lucy? You haven't talked about any of your prospects the whole weekend," Daphne asked. Lucy felt her cheeks heat up, and she debated whether or not she should tell Daphne the truth about everything. It would help, after all, to hear another woman's opinion. So far, the only people who knew everything were Henry, their father, and Benedict. The past few days away from the ton afforded her the privacy and peace to think about the next way forward, and to her surprise, the more she thought about marrying Benedict the more she found herself wanting to. Still, though, she did not want to act on impulse, and another point of view was necessary in this situation. Specifically, a female one- her sister wouldn't do, because she was overcome with sunshine and flowers and giddiness at the very mention of love so she wouldn't be an unbiased source of advice. Her mother was out of the question as well, since Lucy did not want to burden her with her issues. She didn't even know about what was happening with James Bancroft. Daphne was therefore the perfect choice. She was Lucy's friend and in addition to that was mature enough to be sensible about things and give proper advice.
"Well, some things have happened, actually," Lucy began. There was a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"Oh? Go on," Daphne prompted, raising an eyebrow with a faintly concerned look on her face.
"Benedict asked me to marry him, Daphne" Lucy blurted. She figured she would get to the main point first, then explain, but judging by Daphne's reaction that could have possibly been the wrong move. The glass she was holding in her delicate hand went crashing into the ground, and her eyes widened.
"What?" She asked, sitting up in her chair.
"That's what I said too. In the same tone of voice actually- funny," Lucy tried to joke, but the look of shock and confusion did not disappear from Daphne's face.
"This is all very out of the blue, Lucy- I mean, I knew he had some feelings for you but I wasn't expecting this!" she exclaimed.
"It's a long story, so- wait, what? He has feelings for me- and you knew?" Lucy asked, now equally as confused.
"Well, no, I suspected. Since the last time we were all together, before you went to Suffolk for the year. He acts odd around you, Lucy, so it must be something," Daphne began. She bent down to pick up some shards of glass on the ground.
"But that's beside the point- how did this happen so randomly? I was just in London and the two of you didn't look like you were courting," she added.
"We aren't, not exactly. You see, a man named James Bancroft ravished me in the gardens at my first ball, and now father expects me to marry him and won't listen to reason. Benedict proposed, which my father refused, to try and help me. I spoke to him alone and he explained that he would still do it if I wanted to," Lucy explained. Daphne just sat there and nodded, slightly open-mouthed, so Lucy continued.
"And now I do not know what to do. I don't want to marry Bancroft, but I also don't want to end up in a marriage that makes both myself and Benedict unhappy. I don't want him to feel like he has to save the day and throw away his own chance at finding love. And I would love your advice regarding the situation" Lucy added, trying to keep the mood light. Her friend sat still opposite her, thinking about what to say. The past few days afforded Lucy time to come up with alternative routes, but she felt like there was nothing else she could do. Her father was stubborn, and he would not budge. The only other option would be to enter a nunnery, which was definitely off the table.
"Well, er- I would tell you to listen to what your heart is telling you to do. The fact that you're considering marrying Benedict is telling in itself. And the fact that the first thing that came to his mind was to propose to you is also very telling," Daphne explained slowly.
"That's what I was thinking too," Lucy replied quietly. Her cheeks were crimson, she just knew it.
Daphne smirked knowingly, meeting her friend's eye.
"I think you're just looking for a reason to say no to Benedict, but you have none. Otherwise, you would have disregarded the notion immediately," Daphne said. How could she possibly know Lucy that well? She was making a lot of sense- it did seem as though Lucy was searching for a reason to say no. She supposed, in her head, that this wasn't how her story with Benedict was supposed to go. They were supposed to have time to explore their confounding feelings for one another, and possibly fall in love if that was indeed what those feelings were to lead to, not be rushed into a marriage. That was the thing that made her so reluctant about the situation.
"I think you might be right. But I'm just so scared that it won't work out, Daph," Lucy replied, feeling the familiar sensation of her eyes tearing up.
"I was scared too. I didn't understand what I was feeling when I was courting Simon. But in the end, I knew" she responded, smiling warmly.
"You may not understand now, but you will in the future. And Marrying Benedict can never end badly for you, you two have known each other all your lives. He will try to make you happy regardless," Daphne added. Lucy still looked hesitant, so Daphne continued speaking.
"Lucy, he is eight and twenty. He has met a lot of eligible ladies over the past decade, yet he has not shown interest in a single one of them. He has not come to the rescue for them either, meaning that his feelings for you are different, and strong enough to completely change his life. I do not wish to speak on his behalf, I am merely noting my observation" she continued. As she spoke, Lucy began to feel a bit better about her situation.
"I suppose most marriages start like this- with the couple not knowing very much of each other but are willing to take the chance. Perhaps Benedict and I are lucky since we know each other quite well already," Lucy responded.
"Precisely!" Daphne replied, enthusiastically.
She explained to Lucy that a relationship is like a tree that can branch out in different directions. A marriage with Benedict would undoubtedly end in happiness, but the status of their relationship may change over time and grow new branches. It could start as merely a friendship and partnership, and then could grow into something more romantic. There was also the chance that it may not, but that would be okay too. At least Lucy would be comfortable knowing that she would forever be bound to someone who at least loved her in one very important type of way, and would make sure that she lived a good life.
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Evening came, and that meant the Blackthornes were almost ready to leave and head back to London. Eleanor and Lucy were sitting in Lucy's room, talking about the prospect of publishing. It had long been a dream of the eldest Blackthorne daughter to publish, but she knew that if she were to do it, it would have to be under a pseudonym. It would be highly improper for her to use her given name, and could potentially bring shame upon her family.
"You could use your first initials, just with different names. Like Lydia Booth, or something like that," Eleanor chirped.
"I actually quite like that one. The first name sounds very intriguing, although I think people may surmise who the real author is if I use my initials. I was thinking Mary L. Knightley" Lucy replied.
"Oh! With an L for Lucy, that's brilliant," Eleanor responded cheerfully.
"And the 'knight' meaning night, which ties into the 'black' in Blackthorne," Lucy replied, returning a smile.
"You are smart, sister," Eleanor stated.
"I try to be. Mary is also inspired by mother, of course" Lucy responded.
"Excellent. That shall be your author's name then, Lucy. How wonderful" Eleanor exclaimed.
"Yes, now all I have to do is find a publisher that will work with me," Lucy said, more glumly.
"Have you thought of publishing under a male name? it might be easier for you," Her sister asked, doe-eyed.
"Yes, but I've decided against it. I don't want to pretend to be something I'm not- ironic since I'm using a pseudonym anyway. I still want people to know I am a woman, to know that my sex does not change the fact that I am intelligent and can do more than obey and have babies. I want to inspire other young girls like myself, sister" Lucy replied in a heartfelt tone.
She dabbled with the idea of publishing under a more masculine name, but the more she contemplated it the less she found the notion appealing. Being a woman provided her with a unique perspective as a writer, and it allowed her to write about and understand things that men couldn't possibly fathom. Knowing that a woman wrote her material was of vital importance, to make her potential audience know that she understood them, and spoke for them. It was all she hoped to accomplish with her writing one day- helping other women feel seen and heard and represented, no matter their social status or background in general.
The girls made their way out of the room and down to the front door, meeting Henry there. They said their final goodbyes to each other- the Duke pulling Henry into a manly hug and Daphne pulling Eleanor and then Lucy into a very non-manly hug. Before she let Lucy go, though, she whispered in her ear so that no one else could hear what she said.
"Write to me, tell me if I need to bring my fancy party dresses the next time I come to London," Daphne grinned.
"I will, Daph," Lucy responded, smiling sheepishly.
The Blackthorne brood then left the grand castle and hopped into their carriage, meant to take them far away from the countryside and back into the chaos that is the city once more. They traveled for some time, the discomfort of the bumpy roads not hindering Eleanor's well-renowned ability to sleep anywhere and at any time. Once she was fast asleep, Henry and Lucy were the only ones on a plane of consciousness in the carriage, so he decided to bring up the topic of her pending engagement(s).
"Have you thought about what you're going to do?" he asked, quietly.
"I need to speak with Benedict again. Even if I do say yes to him, I don't know how it would all work out logistically, Henry" Lucy responded.
"He said he already had that part figured out, Luce" Her brother replied. She glared at him suspiciously.
"Why do I have a feeling like you know what he's planning, and that it is going to be the worst plan ever?" She asked, semi-rhetorically. He shrugged.
"I suppose you'll just have to wait and find out, sister. It all depends on your answer" He responded, then laid back into his seat and shut his eyes, putting an end to their conversation.
Clyvedon Castle wasn't terribly far from the city, but it was farther than Lucy liked when it came to bumpy carriage rides. Relief came when she was finally met with the view of their front door, and she was the first one out of the carriage. Henry came tumbling out of the vehicle behind her, before outstretching his hand to aid their sleepy younger sister. It was late in the day, yet there was still a ball to attend later on, meaning that the girls would have to break themselves out of their sleep like trances and prepare. That wouldn't be difficult for Eleanor in particular to do though, because she mentioned to Lucy that she would never miss a ball that Prince Alfred was believed to be attending- she already knew what she was going to wear before they even left to stay with Daphne and Simon.
The Blackthorne sisters engaged in their pre-ball rituals- bathing in lavender-infused water, steaming their faces, brushing their hair thoroughly, and making sure they applied the perfect amount of perfume to all the important parts of their bodies. They applied their perfume the way the French did, having been taught by their cousin who married into the French nobility. Eleanor's perfume of choice was iris, while Lucy leaned more toward jasmine because she found that she received more compliments when she wore that specific scent. They then put on their outfits and accessories of choice for the night and made their way down the stairs to where the rest of the family were waiting. Both Lucy's father and mother were going to be in attendance, seeing as though they wanted to make themselves known to the prince. Her father was most pleased that Eleanor managed to garner his attention, and was probably desperate for the two to marry- he was like that. He believed his daughters must marry for social mobility rather than love, whereas with Henry he wasn't all that fussed. His only stipulation was that she was respectable. It was rather unfair, Lucy had always thought, but it was the way of their world and their father's mind. Now that Lucy was ruined in his eyes, his last hope was for his younger daughter to bring in that social mobility and status. He would surely bask in the attention and praise he would receive if he managed to marry off one of his daughters to a royal, in her first season no less.
The event being held on the next street over from Blackthorne Hall, it only took around ten minutes to arrive by carriage. The family of five stepped out onto the ground carefully and made their way into the grand hall of the Smythe-Smith residence. The Bridgertons were in attendance, of course, yet Lucy was warned not to approach the family.
"Do not even think about it. I have had enough trouble from that Bancroft, I don't need any from Benedict" her father warned.
"But, father- he was only trying to help. He doesn't feel anything for me, we are more like brother and sister," she lied. She knew that different feelings had started to bloom, but her father didn't need to know that.
"We are in public, Lucy. You will behave like a respectable woman. You may speak with him freely within the confines of our house, but you may not in public. You forget you are not a girl any longer, and you will be betrothed publicly to James Bancroft in less than a week-" he began, but was cut off by his now agitated daughter.
"Father, I do not want to marry him, why will you not listen to reason?" She whisper-shouted.
"You should have thought of that before you went into a garden alone with him. And allowed him to ravish you. You will have a comfortable life, anyway- his family has money. You will marry legally and whatever happens after that is none of my concern," He added.
"You are heartless, father. How could you make me do this?" She asked, on the verge of tears already.
"I had thought briefly about letting it pass. I realized that I cannot let this ruin your sister's prospects. When you bring ruin to yourself, you bring it to the whole family. What would the prince think if he knew Eleanor's sister was a shameless charlatan?" he answered. The rest of Lucy's family seemed to be oblivious to the scolding happening, as Henry was off dancing with a redhead, while Eleanor was chatting with their mother cheerfully about when the prince would arrive.
"But no one even saw us, father-" Lucy started, before being cut off by her now blue-faced father.
"You do not know that. These things can come back to you when you least expect it, and that is the end of this conversation- I will have no more of it," he interrupted her with his definitive response, then went off to pour some lemonade for himself. Lucy was left there standing alone- well, not exactly alone, but her mother and sister were too engaged in conversation to acknowledge her. Her cheeks were hot, as were her eyes, and she had to force them open wide so that tears would not fall. She looked around, at all the people dancing around the ballroom, wishing she could swap lives with one of them. They all seemed so happy and without a care in the world. Through the dancing, on the opposite side of the room, she saw Benedict. He was standing facing her and sipping a drink, not listening to a word Colin was saying in his ear. He had no doubt seen the entire exchange and did not need to be able to hear it to know what had unfolded. Lucy's eyes met his, and he offered the simplest sympathetic smile. It was an ordinary gesture, yet it warmed her heart more than anything or anyone ever had- he was like the light at the end of a very dark tunnel, like the moon shining down on a forest otherwise devoid of light.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapterrr <3 Pls dont forget to leave votes and comments