two

∗

With the light breeze coming from the open window, Aelianna accidentally left it open the night before. As she slowly opened her eyes a ray of sun hit her light green eyes making her close them again after a couple of second she stood up from her bed she walked slowly towards her window, a little bird standing on the edge. "Hey there." She whispered as she watched the beautiful bird fly away once she sat at the edge of her window.

As she looked outside she smiled to herself and watched as the people on the street were minding their own business. Meanwhile, outside of the Veuilleton household, Benedict Bridgerton was walking on the sidewalk, greeting everyone that looked at him. A smile never leaving his lips. As he walked he looked around the place admiring the well-painted houses and perfect cut grasses of their front yards. But the house that captured his attention was the one painted in a Sage green color, white and light pink flowers were adorned on the front yard, with big trees with green and white leaves. As he looked closely he noticed a girl sitting at the edge of a window, her long light brown hair was down and he could tell that her face was full of freckles. uncommon. She was a natural beauty, she was so captive and looked so mysterious that made him want to know her more, she didn't look like the other ladies, she looked pure, innocent, and kind. It brought him peace.

As he continued to watch her from the sidewalk trying to decode her secrets, she stood up and left her place on the window edge. She closed her curtains but leaving her window open. "Watch out!" A girl shouted but it was too late.

"You kill him, Elaine!" Aelianna scolded her little sister once she was outside looking at Benedict Bridgerton unconscious on the sidewalk outside her household. When Aelianna closed her curtains she heard her sister's voice on the sidewalk shouting a 'watch out' so when she heard a crash sound she didn't hesitate to run outside even still on her nightwear to watch if everyone was alright, but only to find a boy unconscious on the floor. "He's waking up."

"Are you alright Sir?" Aelianna asked. Benedict Bridgerton was slowly opening his eyes only to find two ladies in front of his face, the sun blinding their faces. With a whimper, he sat up while rubbing the back of his head. "Apologize," Elia whispered to her sister while hitting her gently with her elbow.

"I'm so sorry." Elaine apologizes to Lord Bridgerton As he stood up from the floor. "No worries at all Miss.."

"Veuilleton."

"Miss Veuilleton." He said with a kind smile plastered on his lips, as he strained his clothes he got a better look at both ladies that were in front of him. One around her younger sister Eloise's age, with short brown hair and deep green eyes the other one with longer hair length and lighter green eye color, she looked around his brother Colin's age. The one he presumed was the younger was wearing a pastel green dress and had a silver plate on her left hand with some biscuits still on top. "We are so sorry for the accident. Would you like anything for your head?" Elia asked him, he noticed she was the girl sitting in the window moments before the accident, with her nightwear still on and a face full of freckles.

"It's alright. No need to worry." Benedict told her, after the girls apologize again he said his final goodbyes and left the sidewalk next to the Veuilleton household. Now returning to his house to chaperone his sister Daphne to Lady Danbury's ball.

∗

"My condolences, Your Grace, for your father." Said Lady Danbury to the duke once he stepped down from his horse. "Very kind of you." He simply replied.

"Kind of me? You hated the man." She said.

"It is so wonderful to see you, Lady Danbury." The duke said while giving a light kiss on the back of her gloved hand.

"Words I do not hear often enough." She joked. "Come. You must excuse the, uh, disorderliness." She continued, walking towards the entrance of her home. "As you know, I'm to host a ball this evening."

"Yes."

"I have managed to keep the details of your return quiet. But when those vulgar mamas discover that there is an eligible duke present at tonight's fete, I shall be able to keep such a secretno longer."

"That is what I was hoping to discuss." the duke intervene before Lady Danbury could continue. "I have only returned to London to deal with my late father's affairs. I'm afraid it leaves me no time to... socialize. And so, whilst I appreciate your most gracious invitation, Lady Danbury, I must ask you to accept my regrets."

"Your regrets are denied." Lady Danbury said with a small smirk on her face.

"I suppose a brief appearance..." the duke finally gave in with a sigh.

"Excellent. You may leave that flask you carry at home."

∗

"You look beautiful, my dear." Viscount Samson told her daughter, gently grabbing her hand to help her down the stairs. For tonight's ball, Aelianna was wearing a beautiful champagne color dress with some fancy details, her hair was up in a beautiful bun with a tiara on the top of her head. "Papa, is there any Lord, in particular, you would like me to get to know?" She spoke softly.

"No, the honeybee. Is your choice, just do it for love." He replied while leaving a small kiss on her forehead, his heart was warm with the special his daughter was for him.

"Papa?" She whispered.

"Yes?"

"I lost another freckle. When I woke up I saw myself in the mirror and I had one on top of my left eyebrow, but after the incident with Elaine and that Lord, it just wasn't there anymore."

"Another achievement." He spoke softly. "Don't be scared to live your life freely, honeybee. Not because they disappeared, you will not be as beautiful anymore, I know that they are a very important part of your life. but with or without them you will always be Aelianna Veuilleton. My daughter that I love and admire." He said truly while looking at her daughter's face. "Now let's go because we are late."