-

"Another ball, you did not attend." Lady Bennet said as she took a seat at the table were the family was having breakfast outside. "Any specific reason, my darling? The queen was wondering where you were."

Elena puts down her tea and smiles at her mother. "I apologize, mama. I wasn't quite feeling like it. I was a little nauseous."

"Very well."

-

At Will's boxing match, Arthur, Anthony, Elena and Daphne all enter at the same time. Elena lets go of Arthur's arm and takes Daphne's.

"Whatever happened to Simon, Daph? I mean, you two we're inseparable and then poof, you act like total strangers." Elena said while they walked around.

"That is no longer important, Lena. I now have a prince. And shouldn't you be grabbing Benedict's arm instead of mine?" Daphne smirks at Elena.

She grins. "Very funny." She says sarcastically. She spots Prince Friedrich and points at him. "There's your prince now."

Friedrich approches and bows at the young ladies. "Miss Bridgerton, Miss Bennet. Lovely to see you both.

"The pleasure is ours, your highness." Elena curtsied. "But I shall take my leave now and leave you two. Excuse me."

Elena leaves and head towards her brother. "Shall I escort you to your dear Benedict, so you can abandon your own brother?" Arthur said and Elena playfully rolled here eyes.

"Do not be silly, Arthur. You can stay with us if you'd like."

-

"Tell us, Mr. Mondrich, is it true you've been training with the Duke?" Lord Featherington asked Will.

"Let is not exaggerate my role. I am a mere pupil. Target practice, at best." Simon said.

"His grace is modest. He's one of the least pitiful students I have ever trained." Will replied.

A second later, Elena arrived with her brother. "Morning, gentlemen." She greets everyone.

"Miss Bennet!" They all day in unison.

"Are you ready for the match, Mr. Mondrich?" Elena asked Will.

"I was born ready, Miss Bennet. Is that not right, Hastings?"

Simon stares at Daphne and the Prince. A little sense of jealousy showing on his face that Elena noticed.

"Hastings?!" Will called again and Simon looked back.

"Of course. Our underdog, Mr. Mondrich, shall emerge victorious." Simon said looking at everyone.

"I, for one, have 40 shillings on Mr. Gillespie. After all, he is the prince's man." Mr. Featherington says.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats! The match is about to begin!" The announcer yells.

Elena stares at Simon with those "I know you love her" eyes before going to Benedict. "You noticed that too, right?" Elena asked as they headed towards their seats.

Benedict scoffs. "Please, I can smell the jealousy from afar."

-

"Come on, Mondrich! Punch him hard like you mean it!" Elena raised from her seat at screamed. Benedict looked at her shocked and surprised.

"You're quite excited for a boxing match, Miss Bennet." Benedict said.

"Are you kidding? I haven't had this much fun since the last time we went out." She looked down to him. A bell rings. She looked back up and saw that Will has won. "Yeeesssss!!!! Great match, Mondrich." She applauded.

Benedict smiled at the sight of Elena. She was all happy and cheerful which made him happy.

-

At a club, a group of gentlemen surround Lord Featherington. Yelling and telling that he has debts to pay.

"Gentlemen! I assure you, on my good name, each of you will receive your payments. I merely need two days to raise the blunt." Lord Featherington said and the gentlemen dispersed.

Nearby, Benedict sits at a table reading something. He stops reading when Mr. Granville starts talking. "What do you think, Bridgerton?"

Benedict turns around to see him looking at paintings hung on the wall. "This one more to your liking?"

He stands up from his seat and approches him. "Mr. Granville-

"Perhaps they should take it over to Somerset house, so it can be skyed right next to mine."

"I believe I owe you an apology, sir. Though, Miss Bennet tricked me."

"Unnecessary. You know, Miss Bennet has told me many good things about you." Mr. Granville states as Benedict stares with a puzzled face.

"She has?"

"Oh, yes. She tells me how much she enjoyed your art and how beautiful it is. So?" Mr. Granville indicates to a landscape painting.

"A touch morose for my tastes." Benedict said.

They move to another painting. A portrait of a man. "Tragedy. The hound deserved better." He says making Mr. Granville laugh.

"Where is yours?" He ask.

"My..."

"Your work." He says and Benedict blankly stares. "Are you to tell me you're not an artist yourself? But Miss Bennet tells me-

"W-well I sketch, in a sketchbook but nothing much." Benedict shrugs as he speaks.

"Mhm. Either way, you should come by my studio." Mr. Granville hands him a card and leaves.

-

It was 4 o'clock. At Bennet's it is mandatory that they have tea together in the drawing room.

Lady Bennet slammed her tea on the table after what she just heard. "You took her where?!" She yelled at Arthur.

"He kept close watch the entire time, Mama. And plus, Daphne was there." Elena tried to calm her mother.

"It does not matter. A boxing exhibition is no place for any young lady. William, can you please tell them?" Lady Bennet told her husband.

He first looks at his wife, then Elena and Arthur and then back to his wife. "All is well, my love. Flower here, doesn't seem to have one single scratch on her. Therefore, Arthur took good care of her."

" *cough* *cough* Benedict." Arthur fake coughed. Elena kicked his foot from under the table making Arthur wince in pain.

Thomas who wasn't listening or drinking tea, was writing something on a paper. Isabella takes a little peak and Thomas quickly hides it away from her.

"What are you writing?" She asked her brother suspiciously.

"Nothing." Thomas cleared his throat.

"You sit about, writing nothing all day long." Isabella said.

He sighed. "Very well, I am telling Aunt Liana about what an officious little busybody you are."

What he really was writing, is his confession to Eloise Bridgerton.

Isabella chuckled ironically and went back to what she was doing.

Elizabeth noticed the time and told her mother. "Mama, it is almost time. Did you not want to leave to finish Elena's dress?"

Lady Bennet also noticed. "Oh, dear god. Look at the time. Come, Elena. We must make haste to the modiste."

The three ladies get up and head downstairs to the carriage. The servants help them board it and they leave.

-

"Et, what colour of fabric did you want, Mademoiselle Bennet?" Madame Delacroix asked Elena while bringing 3 colours of fabric.

"She shall go with light blue." Lady Bennet answered straight away for her.

"Mama." Elizabeth looked at her mother.

"Right, sorry. Your dress, your decision." Lady Bennet steps away.

Elena looks back at Madame Delacroix. "Black and White, please. I want my dress to represent balance."

"Oui, mademoiselle. Tout de suite." Delacroix smiled and started measuring Elena.

"What about these earring, Lena?" Elizabeth walked towards Elena and shows her the jewelry.

"It is perfect, I shall get those too." Elena said but with no enthusiasm.

Something was wrong.