III. YOUNG AND INNOCENT

CHAPTER 3. YOUNG AND INNOCENT

Lord Bridgerton?" Lord Wetherby, asks Anthony, who was sitting across from our sofa, with Daphne, having just scared her suitor off.

"Yes, I believe so." Anthony replies. "You are blocking my view of the window."

Lord Wetherby looks at me awkwardly, offering me a strained smile, and walking off.

"Well, I must be off to my club, then." Anthony tells us, cheerfully. "Sisters. Mother."

We all give him a look of disbelief, as he happily makes his way out, after scaring off every caller that dared walk through the doors.

what Lady Whistledown has written of late?" Eloise asks, coming to sit between Daphne and I.

"Should anyone pay any heed to what Lady Whistledown writes of late?" Hyacinth asks. "I certainly do not."

"Mama, perhaps we might attend the upcoming Salisbury ball by ourselves. Just you, Diana and I." Daphne suggests. "And the Merriweather tea too."

"I believe that Anthony has already replied on our behalf, dearest." Mama tells her. "Apparently, he has managed our social calendar through June.

"He'll be there for the entire season?" I ask, delighted, and they both give me a look. "I mean, how are we supposed to find any suitors with him lurking around."

In all honesty, I was glad Anthony was coming. I wasn't in any hurry to look for suitors and he was perfect at scaring them off.

"Lady Whistledown has made her opinion of our dear sisters's fortunes quite clear." Eloise tells us.

"Oh, enough about Lady Whistledown!" Daphne scolds.

"A caller for Miss Daphne Bridgerton." The guard tells us.

"Oh!" Daphne lets out a disappointed sigh, when she sees who it is.

"The Lord Berbrooke." The guard announces.

"Lord Berbrooke." Mama greets. "Um... Uh... Come in! May I help you to some freshly prepared biscuits?" Daphne grabs Eloise's hand, who in turn grabs mine. "Diana, Eloise, allow some room for his lordship, will you?"

But we don't move.

"Eloise, are you not due for a visit with Penelope this morning?" Mama tells her, and turns to me. "And Diana, didn't Lady Danbury invite you for tea and biscuits?"

"I believe we should like to stay." Eloise tells Mama.

"I believe you should like to go." Mama tells us, and we sigh, getting up, and walking out the door.

the doors at the Danbury house, my head in my book. I don't even notice the Doorman opened the door so I could walk in. I just keep on walking, and turn a corner, walking right into someone.

I would have landed on the ground, if the person whom I had run into, had not saved me.

"We should stop meeting like this, Miss Bridgerton." He tells me, playfully. "Otherwise, it might become a habit."

"Mister Barnes." I greet, and nod, as I take a step back. "I did not realise you were staying here."

"Lady Danbury was kind enough to offer me her hospitality." He replies.

"Yes, she is quite generous." I reply, with a smile.

"Yes, but she always has a reason for doing everything." Lady Danbury tells us, as she joins us. "I'm delighted to see you accepted my invitation for tea, Miss Bridgerton, though, I must say, you have arrived quite early."

"Yes, Mama all but pushed me out the door." I tell her, smiling. "I hope it isn't an intrusion."

"Oh, not at all, my dear." She tells me. "Your company always soothes me. Come now, we shall have the tea in the drawing room, it has the best view." She turns to Mister Barnes. "Perhaps, you would wish to join was, Mister Barnes."

"I would be most honoured to make Miss Bridgerton's acquaintance." He replies, and I smile softly.

Lady Danbury smirks, and takes my arms.

"Then, it is indeed a shame, it is a ladies only event." Lady Danbury tells him, with a laugh, as she guides me to the drawing room.

"You certainly know how to crush someone's hope, Lady Danbury." I tell her, as we sit down at the table.

"My dear, you wound me." She replies, a smile on her face. "Are you to say, you would rather be having tea with Mister Barnes, than myself?"

"No, not at all." I reply, and pick up the cup of tea, the maid poured. "I just meant, you needed not tease Mister Barnes."

"You are young, my dear. Young and innocent." She replies, taking a sip of her tea. "Sometimes men need to be teased, and deprived for them to realise what they want."

"Forgive me, Lady Danbury, but I do not understand how that would work." I tell her, sipping my tea.

"All in due time, my dear." She tells me, mischievously. "But enough about how men's minds work. Tell me, did you finish the book?" She asks, pointing to the book I brought.

"Not quite." I tell her, with a sigh. "It has been near impossible to spare even a moment with my debut. It has been one big rush of events, and Mama has been so stressed."

"Your Mama, need not worry." Lady Danbury says. "You both are exquisite girls, and soon will find more than suitable husbands."

"But what if I want to focus on my studies?" I ask her. "How can I do that, and still be able to find a nice husband?"

"How can you not do that, Miss Bridgerton?" Lady Danbury replies, with a beaming smile. "You just need to find a husband, who understands that you want to study, and not merely sit by the fireplace and sew all day long."

"Are there even men like that out there?" I ask her, with a scoff. "Everyone I have meet till now, has been a, excuse my language, Lady Danbury, a pompous ass."

Lady Danbury laughs.

"You may be right, my dear." She tells me. "But a different type of man might just surprise you."

OH MY GOD, IT IS SO HARD TO WRITE IN THEIR MANNER OF SPEAKING. BUT I THINK I DID A DECENT JOB, SHOULD YOU THINK SO?