⚘twenty eight⚘

As much as I do not wish to attend the Featherington ball I must. I am doing it for the Bridgertons and no one else. If we continue to put on a brave face the ton will forget about what happened with Anthony.

"Exquisite. Is it not?" Aunt Featherington asks.

"We might think it a foretaste of my wedding to Cousin Jack, I suppose," Prudence says. "Might he finally dance with me tonight?"

"Not if he knows what is best for him," Philipa says.

Aunt Featherington gasps. "Oh, I shall swoon." Her Majesty walks through the door into the ballroom. "This ball is truly my crowning achievement."

I rush to the Bridgertons as they arrive. Benedict has arrived with his family since I arrived early to support Penelope. I know it is hard on her to have to continue to pretend that Eloise does not exist.

"I... I cannot do this tonight," Eloise tells Lady Bridgerton. "I am sorry, Mama. I fear I must disappoint you yet again."

"The only thing that'd disappoint me is seeing you care what anyone else thinks," Lady Bridgerton tells her. "That would not be you. I do not want you keeping things from me ever again. Now, you have come thus far this season. It would be a shame for you to turn back now."

I hold my arm out to Eloise. "Come now. I think I know where Aunt Featherington has placed the best cakes." I laugh lightly. "And where she is hiding Penelope."

I help Eloise find Penelope before finding Benedict.

"It is all rather gaudy," Benedict tells me.

I nod my head. "Did you expect anything else from my aunt?"

Benedict laughs. "No. I suppose I did not." He holds his hand out to me. "We might as well dance."

I smile as I take his hand. "Lead the way."

My smile does not fall from my face as Benedict, and I dance. When the song ends Benedict and I do not leave the floor.

"Would you care for another dance, Mr Bridgerton?" I ask.

Benedict chuckles. "I shall dance with you for the whole night if it makes you happy."

As we dance, I realise that Miss Sharma and Anthony are dancing together.

"Anthony is dancing with Miss Sharma," I tell Benedict.

Benedict smiles. "It was only a matter of time."

"I hope he may finally tell her how he feels," I tell him.

Every other couple on the dance floor slows to a stop. All eyes are on Anthony and Miss Sharma. It is incredible to see. You can tell by the way they look at one another that Anthony and Miss Sharma are in love.

With a little help from Her Majesty everyone seems to regain their composure. Couples start to fill the dance floor once more.

Benedict holds his hand out to me. "I cannot let my brother have all the fun."

I laugh lightly as Benedict, and I start to dance once more.

"Everyone, outside," Aunt Featherington announces as the song ends. "I have a surprise for you all."

Benedict looks at me. "Do you know what the surprise is?"

I shake my head. "No, but if I know my aunt it will be over the top."

Benedict and I start out the front of the house.

"Just over there. The real celebrations will begin shortly," Lady Featherington says.

I stop and turn to Benedict. "I will be out in a moment. I must speak to my aunt."

Benedict nods. "Do not delay. We must see this magnificent surprise."

Before I can approach my aunt Lord Featherington walks towards her.

"Well, if we do have to leave, at least we gave a memorable farewell party," Lord Featherington says.

"I gave a memorable farewell party for you," Aunt Featherington tells him. "I've instructed the maids to pack up all your things. Your essential things, at least, with enough money to get you on a boat back to America and out of our lives."

Lord Featherington chuckles. "I thought we were leaving together."

"No. You are leaving," Aunt Featherington tells him. "Alone."

"Portia..." Lord Featherington says as he steps towards her.

"Never touch me again," Aunt Featherington instructs.

"Portia, we are a team," Lord Featherington says. "And an excellent one at that."

"Oh, I already have a team," Aunt Featherington corrects. "They are three young ladies, often nettling and contrary, but they are mine. And it is clear to me that you do not care about them at all, so I am sending you away with your favorite person. Yourself."

"This entire scheme was as much your idea as mine," Lord Featherington argues. "If not more."

"Do you honestly expect anyone to believe that such a confident, well-spoken man needed a woman to help inform his plan?" Aunt Featherington asks. "A woman who is a victim herself, having invested the last dregs of her money into this very scheme. There is a record of it, my lord. I will keep a large share of the money to support myself and my young ladies, and I had Mrs. Varley forge a signature on a document stating that as soon as one of my girls has a son, the estate shall pass to them. Varley has excellent penmanship, you see. The ton, of course, will be infuriated to discover that you have run away with all the money that you tricked out of their trusting hands. You are welcome to try to explain it to them now that they're all gathered."

"You are cruel," Lord Featherington states.

"I am a mother," Aunt Featherington tells him. "And you are not leaving any worse off than when you arrived. With nothing."

Aunt Featherington turns around and looks shocked to see me. "How much did you hear?"

"All of it," I confess.

"I had no choice," Aunt Featherington insists.

"I never once have wished to cast you out of my life," I tell her. "I would have given you the money to keep this whole situation from coming to fruition."

"I was embarrassed," Aunt Featherington confesses. "To need to ask my niece for money. It was something I could not bring myself to do."

"If this happens again you must come to me," I tell her. "I will help you."

Aunt Featherington nods. "Thank you."

I head outside to find Benedict. But Penelope finds me first.

"Have you seen Eloise?" Penelope asks.

I shake my head. "No. I have not. Is everything alright?"

"I just... I just need to see her," Penelope tells me.

"I do not know where she is," I tell her. "But if I see her, I will let her know you are looking for her."

I finally spot Benedict. "Here you are."

"Have you sorted things out with your aunt?" Benedict asks.

I nod my head. "I have. I think we are in a much better spot now."

Anthony walks towards Benedict and I. "Brother. Diana."

"I've decided to leave the Academy," Benedict tells his brother.

I look at him in shock. "What?"

"Whatever for?" Anthony asks.

"I know about your donation, Brother," Benedict tells him. "You were trying to help in your own misguided way, perhaps because you sensed the truth, which is that I'm simply not good enough."

"Benedict. Stop. You're beginning to sound like me. If you want to paint, paint. It is one of your many talents. Chief among them, your natural gift for seeing what others need, even when they cannot see it themselves. It's a gift that has taken me far too long to recognize, but I would not have done... if it were not for you," Anthony tells him.

Benedict claps his brother on the shoulder. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, Brother."

Benedict stands with his arms wrapped around me. We have found our own little spot away from everyone else.

"I am sorry to have sprung that on you," Benedict tells me.

"It is alright," I assure him. "You shall find some other place to study art."

Benedict nods. "I am sure there are plenty of other schools I will be able to get into."

Suddenly fireworks start to go off. They must be Aunt Featherington's surprise.

I smile widely. "I have my own surprise."

"And what might that be my love?" Benedict asks.

"I am with child," I tell him.

Benedict smiles widely. "You are with child?"

I nod. "Yes."

Benedict pulls me close to him and kisses me. After pulling away Benedict places his hands on my stomach.

"You have made me the happiest person once again, my love," Benedict tells me. He kisses me again. "I shall love you forever, Diana."

"And I shall love you forever, Benedict."

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A/N Thank you for coming on this journey with me. I really think this story is my favorite that I have ever written and it means a lot to me that you all enjoy it just as mush as I do. So thank you for sticking around to see what I could do for Diana and Benedict. I'm going to publish my original epilogue again after this.