Aurelia glared at her reflection in the vanity mirror, horrified by the doll-like figure staring back. She couldn't quite believe it was her.

Lady Bradford had insisted that both her daughters be dressed as if they were expecting an audience with the queen. Aurelia was confused by what looking like a clown had to do with it. Even her ladies maid cringed as she pinned the mane of curls around her head like some strange halo, and almost apologised for painting such a monstrosity on her face.

The make-up did not stay on, she refused to leave the house with her face in such a state. Her blush ran passed her eyeballs, her lips were a garish pink even the Featheringtons would dream of touching, and her eyeshadow made her look like she was recovering from two black eyes.

It had to go.

The second her ladies maid vacated the room, Aurelia took to the washbasin and wiped every trace of colour off of her face. Her mother could yell and scream at her all night long if she wanted to, but simple make-up would do.

Thankfully, she'd scrubbed fast enough, as when she dried her face, Evelyn angrily barged into the room. "For a woman that is hell-bent on seeing us married off, she is going an odd way about it."

She slumped down on her sister's bed, her arms folded across her chest and a scowl so deeply imprinted onto her face that Aurelia was certain it would never fade. Like her sister, Evelyn had chosen to wash the clown paint from her face and reapplied a simple, more refined, look.

Evelyn, however, had managed to escape the lion's mane. Whether she had styled her own hair or not was unclear, but it definitely looked better than the disaster on Aurelia's head.

"Clearly, she was going for a safari look," Aurelia stated, sitting back down at her vanity to tackle the nest of curls. She never knew it was possible for her hair to hold so many pins, it began to feel like she was performing a magic trick with the amount she was pulling out.

"If father was here," Evelyn continued her rant, "he would not stand for this. He would think Mama had gone mad."

"Maybe the season has gone to her head. I'm sure, once it is over, she will be back to her usual, sour, self." Aurelia assured her.

They both just had to be thankful that their mother wasn't Lady Bridgerton. When Daphne came of age, who knew the lengths she would go to, to secure a match for her daughter.

Aurelia groaned, fighting a losing battle against her hair, causing her sister to take pity. Evelyn picked up the brush. "Do you think father is ok?"

Aurelia stared at her sister through the mirror, watching as she brushed her hair. "It's like Mama said, he'll be busy with business."

"But what if he isn't?" She pressed, not accepting her mother's answer as easily. "What if it is something else?"

Aurelia frowned. "What do you mean?"

Evelyn inhaled a long, deep breath, debating with herself as to whether she should share her concerns. "What if his 'business' is not his actual business?"

"You think he is doing something illegal?" Aurelia gasped. "Father would never doD such a thing, especially with Marcus at his side."

Evelyn shook her head as her cheeks blushed red. "I shouldn't have said anything."

Aurelia watched as her sister's worry seeped out onto her face. "Do you have any proof?" Evelyn wasn't one to believe gossip and hearsay without any hard facts, never mind making it up herself.

"Father would have written if he was going to be late," She explained, "and Mama didn't seem worried in the slightest that he wasn't back on time. It was as if she already knew."

Aurelia pondered her sister's words, seeing very clearly how she'd come to her conclusion. Their father's silence was very out of character, and Lady Bradford was so quick to dismiss their concerns. Maybe she did know more than she was letting on.

"I think we give it a day before we start badgering her about it," She said, "by that time, he will have probably returned and we can ask him ourselves."

Evelyn didn't share her sister's optimism, but she had no choice other than to go along with the plan. The last thing she wanted to do was aggravate her mother during a family dinner with the Bridgertons, she'd already suffered enough that afternoon due to her lack of gentleman callers.

Once she had tamed the disaster on her sister's head, and reapplied her make-up, they both prepared to face her mother. Hopefully, she'd be too distracted by the events of the evening to even noticed they change their appearance.

They said a little prayer just in case.

-----

"Lady Bradford," The Brdigerton butler bowed once he had opened the front door to the estate, "welcome."

The four Bradfords sauntered inside, Evelyn holding onto her little brother's hand to stop him from charging off.

The Brdigerton manor was as beautiful as Aurelia remembered, it was simply breathtaking. Visions of Benedict and herself playing in the foyer danced across her mind, as memories of them chasing after Colin in a game of tag sparked in her mind. She could even recall an image of Anthony sulking on the staircase because he was fed up of being 'it'.

It felt like nothing had changed.

"Lady Bradford," A voice sang from the top of the staircase. Violet Brdigderton cascaded down, as if she was floating, in a maroon silk gown. Lady Bradford would never allow herself to be caught in something so revealing, opting for a higher neckline, but she kept her opinion to herself. The Bridgertons were the key to being accepted back into London society, she wouldn't let anything compromise it.

"Lady Bridgerton," She chirped, taking hold of her host's hands, "thank you for inviting us. The girls were very excited."

"And we are excited to host you," Violet smiled. Both Aurelia and Evelyn curtseyed to her, followed by a bow from Athos after a nudge from his eldest sister. "You must be Andrew I've been hearing so much about."

Athos frowned. "Who's Andrew?"

Lady Bradford went ridged, horrified by her son's lack of manners. "Athos," She scolded, "that is not how we speak to people." The smallest Bradford wasn't phased by his mother's outburst, he was still trying to figure out who this 'Andrew' was. "Please excuse my son's behaviour," Lady Bradford apologised, "he meant to say his name is Athos."

"What a lovely name," Violet dismissed her concerns. "I'm certain you, Gregory and Hyacinth will have a splendid evening in the nursery." All it took for Athos's grin to grow as wide as his face was the mere mention of toys. "Albert will take you there now, and I'll escort your mama and sisters to the dining hall."

Athos skipped down the corridor, forcing the poor butler to chase after him to steer him in the right direction.

"They are so lovely at that age," Violet sighed, smiling at memories of her now adult children when they were babies. "Now, follow me, everyone is waiting."

If that thought didn't scare you, nothing would. When the Bridgerton tribe all congregated in the same room, they had this innate ability to make you feel as if you are stood before them completely naked. They were intimidating, to say the least.

Violet whisked them through the halls, making remarks on new pieces of art hung up on the walls and reminiscing of times when the Bradford and Bridgerton children would play together.

Aurelia wasn't paying much attention, she was more concerned about what chaos lay behind the dining room doors - or, should she say, 'who'.

Pushing the doors open wide, Violet lead them into the room, revealing a ginormous dining table that could easily seat twelve people, at the least.

Each chair on the left was occupied by one member of the Bridgerton hord, leaving Anthony sat on the right by himself, next to four empty seats.

"Lady Bradford and I will sit on the end," Violet instructed her guests, "Evelyn can sit in the middle and Aurelia next to Anthony."

Aurelia's fists balled up at her side as she tried to conceal her irritation. Dancing with Anthony was torture enough, but being expected to endure his company for a whole meal? Murders had faced less cruel fates.

Hesitantly, she took her seat next to the eldest Bridgerton, not even honouring him with a sideways glance. Luckily for her, Benedict sat opposite them both, hopefully serving as a buffer for her aggravation.

"I was certain your mother would have rejected our invitation," He confessed, as the servants filled their glasses with lemonade, "after my impromptu visit yesterday, I feared she might have wanted to keep some distance between us."

Benedict's call did put Lady Bradford's head into a spin, Aurelia had worried she would never recover. She detested anyone who defied her orders, so when Benedict had insisted that the dress Aurelia was wearing was suitable for a promenade, she became rather flustered. He was definitely in her bad books, but not enough to disregard him as a suitor completely.

"She's survived worse," Aurelia laughed, before taking a sip of her drink.

"Besides," Anthony piped up, "you're an eligible bachelor, and she has a daughter of marital age. You can do no wrong."

Aurelia nearly choked on her lemonade.

If Anthony were a gentleman, he would have tried to conceal his amusement, but from Aurelia's experience, he was anything but.

"I'll have you know," She growled, "my mama doesn't like to involve herself in my business, and can form her opinion on someone without the influence of their marital status." It was a lie, of course, but one she would tell again in defence against Anthony's taunts.

In an attempt to defuse the tension, Benedict remarked, "What marvellous weather we are having," but his words went unheard.

"Oh please," Anthony scoffed, "no one's mother keeps out of their child's business, especially yours. Or have you forgotten we grew up together?"

Aurelia bit back. "I wish I could, but you always seem to be lurking about in the dark corners of the room."

"You are in my house."

"Really? I hadn't realised. I thought the decor was a but too refined for your taste."

"Do you know who you are talking to?"

"A pain in the arse?"

"Aurelia Bradford," Her mother's voice cracked like a whip, "How dare you use that language in such a respectable household." Thankfully, it appeared that Lady Bradford had only picked up on the foul language and not the rest of the conversation, otherwise she'd be in even more trouble. "Apologise this instant."

"Now, now, Lady Bradford," Violet jumped in to keep the peace, "I'm certain the outburst wasn't entirely Aurelia's fault, the Viscount has a habit of testing people's patience."

"No, Lady Bridgerton, it is not acceptable, she must apologise."

A wicked grin rippled across Anthony's face as she smugly glared at the Bradford girl, already enjoying the show. Aurelia could kill him.

Clearing her throat, she said, "I'm sorry Lord Bridgerton," Everyone was shocked by her calm delivery, they thought she would have put up more of a fight. However, Aurelia was not finished yet, "I'm sorry that you lack so much of a personality you had to form one based off of a donkey's rear end."

Lady Bradford clutched onto Evelyn's shoulder to stop herself from passing out in horror.

"And what of you, Miss Bradford?" Anthony barked back, "What do you feed yours when you run out of canine excrement from the street?"

Lady Bridgerton turned pale with rage. "Anthony Bridgerton, what would your father say if he heard you-"

The whole room went silent as Violet's hand flew to her mouth. No one dared move. The late Viscount hadn't been spoken of in the Bridgerton household since his death, not a single member of the family had brought him up in conversation for five years - until now.

Anthony inhaled a sharp breath. "Excuse my ill manners, Lady Bradford, but I must go."

He didn't wait for permission, he no longer needed to. He was the head of the family and if he wanted to leave, he damn well could. He rose from his seat and swiftly exited the room, as everyone sat at the table watched him leave in complete shock.

Seconds, but what felt like minutes, passed without a single word being uttered. Everyone was too stunned to speak. It wasn't until Lady Bradford recomposed herself that her anger was unleashed onto her daughter. "Fix this."

"Me?" Aurelia scoffed. "I wasn't the one who-"

"Fix it!" Her mother barked.

Aurelia clamped her jaw so tightly that she feared her teeth would break. Pursing her lips, she stood up from the table and strolled out of the room after Anthony.

A sincere apology was going to be a true test of endurance, one she did not believe she could pass.