CHAPTER 16. STRANGERS AND PUNISHMENT

Dearest gentle reader, I must send felicitations to the new Duke and Duchess of Hastings. Congratulations and stamina as they embark on the most exhilarating time in a young couple's life. I am, of course, talking of the honeymoon. Is there a more romantic notion? To retreat from society together... finally leaving watchful eyes behind.

While this author, along with the rest of the ton, will certainly miss its most-remarked-upon couple back in London, perhaps we might find solace in the promise of the duke and duchess returning to us bearing a surprise.

beautiful?" I ask him, holding a glass of juice. We were all at brunch, where we were standing across the Featheringtons, while I was, once again, standing with Prince Louis.

"It is even more." He replies. "I hope I could take you someday."

"You hope too much." I tell him, and we hear Colin clinking his glass, to get everyone's attention.

"May I have everyone's attention?" Colin asks, and everyone turns to him. "I would like to make a small but important announcement. I have happy news to impart. I have asked Miss Marina Thompson to be my wife, and she has accepted."

"Congratulations!" Lady Featherington tells them, as my jaw drops slightly.

"Well, they certainly look happy." Louis tells me, as I continue to look at them.

"Yes, they do." I say, still shocked. "Miss Thompson might be a polite young lady, but she is a stranger. I do hope this will not result the same, as the last time the Bridgertons trusted a stranger."

He gives me a 'are you entirely serious?' look, as I just smile at him, walking away.

"Are you ever going to let that go?" He asks, following after me.

"Now, why would I do that?" I question.

Benedict asks Hyacinth, as we were all sitting at breakfast. Benedict was across me, and Hyacinth was next to him, while Gregory was next to me. "Did you take the ribbon?" Benedict turns to Gregory.

"Dunno what you're talking about-" Gregory replies.

"I saw him do it." Hyacinth accusers. "I saw it in your pocket."

"It's not fair." Gregory says, as I hold my head.

"He does it every time." Hyacinth complains.

"Just give it back." Benedict tells him.

Gregory angrily throws his fork towards Hyacinth's plate.

"Gregory, stop!" I scold.

"Good morning." Colin greets, walking in.

"Morning, brother." Benedict and I greet.

"Colin, your engagement is in Whistledown!" Hyacinth exclaims, excitedly.

"Hyacinth!"

"What? It is!" Hyacinth defends.

"Very well." I tell them. "Everyone out, I think." I turn to Gregory. "And you, Mister, are coming with me."

Gregory complains, as we walk by the lake. "Why do I have to be punished?"

"You think it is a punishment to spend time with me?" I ask him, smiling.

"No, but it does kind of feel like I'm being reprimand." He replies.

"Well, you are not." I tell him, as he takes my hand. "We are going to have ice cream."

"Really?" He asks, happily.

"Only if, you promise to stop pestering our sister so much." I tell him.

"But I like doing that." He tells me, with a pout.

"Yes, and I am not telling you, not to play with her." I tell him. "Just merely telling you to not irritate her as much."

"I could do that." He tells me.

"Good." I tell him, as we walk into Gunther's Tea Shop.

"Diana." Louis's voice comes, as he spots me.

"Louis." I say, and gesture to Gregory. "I do believe you know my brother, Gregory."

"Of course." He replies. "He was the one throwing the peas, if I remember correctly."

"Mister Barnes, how are you?" Gregory asks, innocently, as I bite my lip to stop a laugh, at seeing Louis's awkward face.

"I am sure Mister Barnes is quite well." I tell Gregory, amused.

We sit down, and I order ice cream for all of us.

"I do hope, you do not mind." I tell Louis. "That I brought Gregory with me. He was pestering Hyacinth."

"Not at all." He replies. "I think I might enjoy his company more than your, after all, all you ever do is banter with me."

"Oh, do not tell me you do not enjoy it." I reply, with a scoff.

"Maybe a little." He tells me with a small smile.

so very lovely with it pinned up next season." Mama tells Eloise, as she holds Eloise's hair up.

"No. I will look like every other young lady, except less graceful and more bad-tempered." Eloise replies.

"And there is nothing wrong with that, Sister." I tell her, and she gives me a small smile.

"Lady Bridgerton. Miss Eloise, Miss Diana." Madame Delacroix greets. "I understand we are here

on the matter of dropping our hems?"

"Precisely." Mama tells her.

The door opens, and Lady Featherington and Miss Thompson enter.

"Lady Bridgerton! There you are." Lady Featherington greets, enthusiastically.

"Lady Featherington. Miss Thompson." Mama greets.

"It is lovely to see you, Lady Bridgerton." Miss Thompson replies, bowing.

"You must call me Violet now, I insist." Mama tells her.

"Is this not just delightful, to know now that our families will be joined forever?" Lady Featherington asks, esthetic.

"Yes, it certainly is something." Mama replies, and Lady Featherington grabs Mama's hands.

"You must join us tomorrow night, you, and dear Colin, and the viscount." Lady Featherington tells us. "We have so much to celebrate."

"Of course, I wish we could." Mama tells her, anything but sad. "But I'm afraid, Diana asked the Prince to join us tomorrow night."

"I did?" I ask, and Mama gives me a look, so I turn to Lady Featherington with a sweet smile. "I did."

"I'm sure, Miss Diana could persuade His Royal Highness to join you to our house." Lady Featherington doesn't back down. "From what I've heard, she does have the little Prince wrapped around her finger."

I immediately get defensive, my mood depletes drastically.

"And, where might have you heard that, Lady Featherington?" I ask her, dryly, some might even say, rudely.

"Diana shall, of course ask the Prince." Mama cuts in, before I could say anything else.

"Perfect." Lady Featherington tells us, cheerfully. "Now, I shall need to steal Madame Delacroix away for a moment."

"I know, you will say, it is not lady-like to say such things, Mama." I tell her. "But, I do not like that women one bit."

"Yes, Diana it is not lady-like in the least." Mama replies. "But, I do agree." She looks at me and I smile at here.

"I do believe, Eloise will need a new dress for the dinner." I say.

"Of course." Mama agrees. "And, you, my dearest, will need the Prince to join us at dinner."

us for dinner?" I ask Louis, as e promenade by the lake, with Benedict chaperoning us, but he was off somewhere, and I could not be more thankful.

"I don't know how I could ever say no to you?" He replies.

"Ah, brilliant." I say, with a smile. "We will be joining the Featheringtons."

He stops, and I look at him, with furrowed brows.

"The Featheringtons?" He asks, a horrified look on his face. "I do not think I could sit through an entire dinner with the Featheringtons."

"You just now said, you did not know how to say no to me." I tell him.

"Well, I believe I found I way." He replies, and I give him a look.

"Why do you not want to join us?" I ask him, as we start walking again.

"Because." He says. "Lady Featherington has only ever made an effort to get my attention after she knew I was a Prince. And the only time, I ever did talk to her, she had made me wish I hadn't. I do believe, I have never meet a women, as obnoxious, as her."

"So, would you have me suffer through that dinner alone." I ask him, dramatically.

"I could rescue you, by inviting you to the Palace." He tells me.

"I can not miss this dinner." I reply. "It is the dinner, where we will discuss the details of my Brother, Colin's wedding to Miss Thompson." I turn to look at him. "Come, please. Mama made the excuse, that your were joining us tomorrow, so that we would not have to attend, but now Lady Featherington wants us to come even more, and she will surely make a great deal out of it, if you d not come."

"I would sound really selfish saying this." He tells me. "But what would I get, if I come."

I scoff, looking at him in disbelief.

"Oh, I did believe this was friendship." I tell him. "And, I thought friends did favors for each other."

"What if, I join you." He tells me, as we stop, once again, and he steps closer to me. "And, you finally admit, that what we have, is a little more than plain friendship."

My breath hitches, at the close proximity, and he looks down at me, and we hold eye contact.

"I..." I was at a loss of words, as he smirks down at me. I shake my head, and compose myself, as I start walking, and he follows after me. "What if, you join us." I tell him. "And, I might admit, that what we have, is a little more than plain friendship."

"I will take, what I can get." He replies.

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