Nancy Griffiths, a young & beautiful woman with musical talents, came from a poor working class family from Bloomsbury. Together with her mother, Nancy worked as a maid at the Danbury household while her father was a simple clerk.
Following the pas...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
- BENEDICT BRIDGERTON -
I despise it.
Nancy Griffiths seeming happy to be in the presence of another suitor is the most infuriating thing I have ever had to witness.
Look at her enjoying whatever nonsense Ellis Dacre is uttering as they dance for the third time.
"At least try to hide the fact that you are jealous." Anthony mutters as he comes to stand beside me.
I pretend to not know what he is referring to with a shrug. "What do you mean?"
My dear brother nods, grinning. "Very well. Come to me when you are ready to talk about whatever is pestering you. I will go check up on Kate and Eloise."
And with that, the viscount leaves me to it.
At times, I wonder whether it is mere lust I feel towards Nancy, or worse; love. But one thing is certain; I can not get enough of her.
I want to be around her constantly, talk to her about our passions, kiss her again, touch her once more and listen to her play the pianoforte.
The beating of my heart increases its speed as I meet Nancy's eyes from across the room. Quickly, the pretentious smile on her face turns into a subtle shock. For the first time in a month, she looks at me.
Should I go to her and steal her away from Lord Ellis Dacre or should I stay as I am?
"Mr. Bridgerton." Lady Danbury greets as she approaches me.
Never mind.
"Lady Danbury."
The dowager countess smiles and locks her arm with mine as we walk around the room.
"How have you been?" She asks.
I awkwardly laugh. "I've had better months."
"Mhm.. Is this about Miss Griffiths?"
"Perhaps. How is her house renovation going?" I ask to change the subject.
"Oh splendidly from what I have heard.– she will be there tomorrow to do more work. Although I do not like the thought of her laboring alone, I am glad she has something to make her feel somewhat close to her parents."
"Me too. I know how much she misses them."
"You two were closer than I thought. She usually avoids telling anyone about the house. A pity nothing more has come from your courtship."
A pity indeed. I somehow feel glad Lady Danbury rooted for my relationship with Nancy to grow into something more, but I suppose the two of us were never meant to be together anyway.
A frown finds its way to my face as left from the dowager, I notice Eloise following after an unfamiliar man to the upstairs. "Mr. Bridgerton?" Lady Danbury calls. "Is everything alright?"
Something tells me my sister is up to no good.
"Excuse me for a minute." I say before unlocking my arm and running off to where I saw Eloise leave.
I find myself standing in a hallway with dozens of doors.
The question now is behind which door does Eloise hide? I am usually one to let her do whatever she pleases, but after what happened last year, I can not let my little sister go yet through another scandal and be looked down upon by the ton.
"I am in love with you, Theo!" I hear Eloise say.
I burst open the door to my right and find my sister standing very close to a young man I have never seen before wearing clothes from the lower class. "Benedict?!" Eloise says surprised.
"Eloise, what in the world do you think you're doing?" I ask infuriated.
"Sir, I am–"
I cut off the man and hide Eloise behind me. "You stay away from her!"
"Benedict, you don't understand! I was the one to invite him–"
"What is happening here?" Nancy asks as she enters the room concerned.
She freezes as she sees the whole scenario that occurs at the present moment.
Closing and locking the door behind her, she takes a few steps forward. "Theo?!" Nancy exclaims confused.
"You two know each other?" I ask.
"This- this is Theo Sharpe. A printer from Bloomsbury and my best friend since we were little kids.– Theo, what are you doing here?"
"It is my fault!" Eloise says as she steps away from me. "I- I needed to talk to him- S- So I invited him to come here secretly."
Has she lost it?
"Why would you do that Eloise?"
"Because I could not keep these feelings to myself any longer! I- I had to tell him how I feel."
"Feel?" I repeat shocked. "You risked not only your reputation, but our family's as well just to tell some printer how you feel? This is unacceptable, Eloise. He is from Bloomsbury! He is insignificant!"
"Benedict!" Nancy yells.
Suddenly, the words that I uttered from my mouth, have realized me.
"Nancy- I didn't mean to–"
"Let me tell you something Benedict. Just because you come from a wealthy family while people like Theo came from nothing, does not give you the right to think he is beneath you.- He is a hard working, kind and honest man."
"He is not like you, Nancy. You are an accomplished composer who has established herself in this world already. This man is a printer."
I feel an instant guilt as I watch Nancy remain quiet for a moment with a hurtful look on her face.
Why do I keep saying the wrong things tonight?
"Excuse me." Nancy says before leaving the room.
"Nancy wait!" I yell before going after her.
"Leave me alone, Benedict."
"I- I did not mean to offend you. All I am saying is–"
"Oh you have said enough!" She interrupts as she turns to me. "I can not believe that you are just like them."
"Like who?"
"Like the rest of the ton, thinking anyone coming from a lower rank is unimportant.— You know something Benedict, you are absolutely right. I am an accomplished composer. I have the wealth not many people from Bloomsbury can ever possess,"
Nancy pauses for a moment to calm herself.
"– but I actually had to work hard to get to where I am today. Consider me part of your society all you want, but you have no idea of all the abuse, mockery and rejection I had to face every single day just because I did not come from a wealthy family like you.– I may seem like an impressionable young lady now, I may be this season's diamond, but I will always be the girl from Bloomsbury and I am proud of it, Benedict."
Yet again, Nancy Griffiths has put me in my place and humbled me once more. I never meant to look down upon anyone, but I guess I was being foolish and oblivious all over again, blinded by the privileges I was born with.
"Nancy, I am so sorry." I quietly say.
"I am sorry too, Benedict." She responds. "-for thinking you could be different."
