Sweet Honour- Benedict Bridgerton

3. You Are Insufferable

That morning, with the words of Lady Whistledown still thrumming in her mind, Victoria laid in her bed feeling sorry for herself. Spring had sprung so why hadn't she? Her mindset oh so plain and melancholy meant that her body had no energy at all.
A knock at the door prompted Victoria to at least sit up.

"I am resting." She shouted.

"I do not care, it is almost lunch time! Make haste!" A young voice sounded from the other side of the door, it could be none other than Iris, Victorias younger sister.

"Curse it, why must I make haste? Do I have plans I am unaware of?" She spoke, Iris opened the door and trudged into Victoria's room, "I did not permit you to enter!" Iris gave no notice and allowed herself a seat on Victoria's bed.

"It is not only you that lives in this house." Iris said, "Ada is practically gushing to go to the modiste, she complains that she must look her best for the season. Father is festering away in his office and has not given either of us a word of attention and you- well, here you are, in your bed. What is the point in travelling here if all were going to do is stay at home?'"

It was at that moment that Victoria realised that she could no longer be disconsolate and enraged at her family's mention in Whistledown already, but merely use it to her advantage. A catalyst perhaps.

"Fine. Fetch Ada, we will take a turn to the modiste and then promenade along the ton, does that suit your needs?"

"To perfection, sister." Iris grinned as she stood up from the bed, "But are you really going to leave like that?" She gave an awful look of disgust at Victorias unbrushed hair and sleeping attire.

"Just go."

After Victoria's troubled morning, she was glad to see that the modiste was quiet, maybe the ton hadn't looked at the passive aggressive words on that gruesome paper yet? She thanked her gods as she paid Madame Delacroix for her time and her sisters dresses without any tribulation. Although, Victoria admired the dresses upon the mannequins, the ones set on hangers in glorious rows. It was a shame that she was simply too old to make her debut, most of the other girls are 18 years of age but 23? She knew she was pushing it. Ada was twelve and Iris had just turned seventeen (and she had no interest of the social season) so it would be a while before they made their debut. She hadn't told a soul why she wanted to go back to Mayfair, she didn't know how she was going to win the heart of her lost lover without debuting herself to society. And so, when she turned to leave and bid Madame Delacroix goodbye, it might've been a blessing what Madame said as the bell rung when the door opened.

"The Queen is holding a ball, as one of her pre debutante means to suss out the contenders." she said, in that thick bubbly french accent, "Will I see you there, perhaps?"
It took a little deliberating, but she knew she could be persuaded. "When is this ball, Miss Delacroix?"

"This evening." Delacroix had a little glint in her eye, that might've been unnoticeable to others like Ada who was too busy reimmersing herself with her gowns, but Victoria noticed it clear as day. Because Victoria had that same glint, one that meant; now I have a chance.

"I suppose I might, are the gowns I sent for last month ready?"

"Of course, as soon as I received your request I made them to the highest quality, put you at the top of my list." Madame Delacroix procured a brown box from underneath her table, and opened it discreetly to reveal the contents. Iris gasped at the pearls and sapphires that embellished the top half of the dress in patterns of roses against the light blue background.

"You are a star, Delacroix. Thank you."

"My pleasure."

By that time they needed to get home to prepare for their festivities, they hurried out of the shop, paying Delacroix their many gratitudes.
The box hit the ground in a thud as another family rushed by, only one of them held back to help the sisters with their packaged gowns strewn across the ground.

"My sincerest apologies, it seems my family are too boisterous to look where they are going." He chuckled as he bent down to retrieve the belongings, his brown hair breezing in the brisk spring air.

"Do not worry, I should have noticed my surroundings also." Victoria giggled quietly to herself, which earned a jolt in the rib from one of her sisters. The young man stood up, gowns in hand, and locked eyes with Victoria.

"Although, I wish I had been looking where I was going," He said, and Victoria was a little taken aback by his flirtation. "forgive me, but I do not recognise you? Are you new here?"

"Partly, yes. My family have returned after moving to Cornwall, it seems as though we missed our home town too much."

"Ah," he understood, "it was great to meet you all." He cast an eye toward Iris and Ada, and yet again back to Victoria.
The young man began to walk away, and the girls back to their carriage, but he stopped midway and jogged back down to them.

"I'm afraid I did not get your name." He said with a smile.

"Victoria Knight." She replied "And my sisters, Iris and Ada."

"Will Maywood. Great to meet you," he stopped with a disappointed smile "I have said that already." He squeezed his eyes shut in embarrassment. "Nonetheless, it is true." He waved goodbye and began his travel back to his family, that seemed to have not noticed his leave.

"I hate you, you know that." Iris insulted as she sat back in the carriage.

"I do not see why you would hate me so." Victoria retorted.

Ada butted in, "Yes, do not speak to our sister like that." Self righteousness bode well on her little twelve year old body, but that emotion was quickly overcome by excitement as she remembered her new gowns.

"No sister, you do not get it. Victoria has dragged us back here, and to the modiste - for which there seemed very little reason as she had already ordered us gowns!" Iris reposted.

"That's untrue, you're the one that dragged me out of bed and made me give Ada a turn at the modiste."

"That is not the worst part, you bump into a dashing young man and practically make him fall in love with you!"

"Are you feeling alright, sister? I do not remember him confessing his love to me." Victoria quipped in return.

"You should've seen his doe eyes, it was indisputable!"

"You are insufferable."

"And you wonder where I get it from."