#*colinbridgerton | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

burnthoneydrops · 1 year

Text

What Time Has Done (Part I) Benedict Bridgerton x Original Character Series

Synopsis: Emmeline Castillon is finally making her debut in London’s high society. After a few years away, the first ball of the season turns out to be quite the hassle with her rather protective older brother by her side. She manages to catch the attention of the some of the ton, but not the in the way she would like.

Requested: No

Warnings: none that I can think of, but please let me know if I forgot anything!

Word Count: 2988 A/N: This is a series I’m starting based on an original character but feel free to switch out her name for yours or whatever you’d like. Please give me feedback, it’s much appreciated!

Masterlist

From the bottom of the staircase, the room sparkled like a thousand diamonds, floating as if frozen in space and time.

“If you look up much more you’ll soon fall over,” my brother comments, a slight smile on his face.

“It just all looks so magnificent,” I reply, too fascinated by the decorations to notice the people giving me odd looks as I stood at the base of the stairs.

“Shall I leave you to your staring Sister? Or are you actually going to tour the room with me?”

“Yes, my apologies,” I take his arm and we begin to walk around, my attention now shifting from person to person as we step.

“Mr. Castillon!” Someone calls from behind. My brother is quick to look over his shoulder, and his face lifts lightly in recognition, turning the both of us fully around.

“Lady Danbury!” My brother smiles, putting himself slightly in front of me as Lady Danbury shakes her cane at us. “What a pleasure it is to see you ma’am. Might I say that dress is a wonderful colour on you.”

“Flattering as always Mr. Castillon,” she looks over at me, “and Miss Castillon. How are you this evening my dear?” “Quite well Lady Danbury. Your decorations are magnificent”.

“Why, it took but all my effort to remove her from the staircase so we could move on to other things,” my brother jests.

“Your compliments are appreciated Miss Castillon,” Lady Danbury replies, giving my brother a teasing smirk before looking back at me. “Have you been making your rounds? I have yet to see you on the dance floor”.

“Oh yes, we were just making our way around the ballroom ma’am,” I reply, trying my hardest not to look anywhere else in the room. Lady Danbury, while an excellent host and valued member of the ton, is quite an intimidating figure.

“Wonderful! Well I’ll be intrigued to find out who the lucky men are that fill your dance card,” she says as she walks away, moving on to entrap some other group in conversation.

“I am quite interested in that as well,” my brother comments as we begin to walk again.

“What?”

“Which men you have caught the eye of this evening. Countless of them I’m sure”.

“Oh well, I wouldn’t say countless-”

“Nonsense Em. Look, every eye is on you as we speak”.

“That is because I have delayed my debut by quite a few years. I can feel their whispers whipping past us,” I sigh, uncomfortably glancing at all the viscous mamas who look at me and then whisper to their daughters.

“You have to see it as quite the opposite Sister. The delaying of your debut has allowed you a few years advantage above the other young ladies this season. You have more knowledge and maturity and therefore all the more reason not to make a rash decision and bond yourself into a less than ideal marriage. I see it as the ultimate win for you Em”.

“Or, I am older and therefore less worthy of the attention because I have less years ahead of me to breed and bear children”.

“It is all a matter of perspective my dear sister”. Andrew parks us in front of the refreshment table, handing me a glass of lemonade before grabbing one for himself. The band strikes a last chord as the dancers bow gracefully, thanking each other for the dance. The mothers clap for a few seconds before pushing their daughters not so subtly in front of a potential suitor, offering them up for the next dance. I try to keep my shoulders up high so as to not hide myself in the corner of the room. Being back in London’s social season is much more intimidating than I had imagined. I see Mother making her way over to us, with two of my other siblings trailing behind her. Graham looks like he might tear our mother’s head off before the night is over, and it takes all of me not to laugh and attract more attention to myself.

“Good evening dears. Anything noteworthy to report?” Mother asks as she finally reaches Andrew and I. I shake my head no before taking another sip of lemonade.

“Is there any particular reason you look fit to burst Brother?” Andrew asks Graham, a smile fighting its way onto his face.

“Your brother has spent the last two dances with some wonderful young ladies, haven’t you love?” Mother looks at Graham expectantly.

“They were lovely, until one of them tripped over both her feet and mine, nearly causing quite the scene. The other I learned had accepted my proposal to dance on the false information that I am talented in both poetry and the pianoforte,” he explains, huffing in anger. It would be clear to anyone who has seen Graham attempt these things, or merely talked to him for a short while, that the arts are not his strong suit in the slightest.

“Where on earth did she hear that from?” Andrew asks, already knowing but wanting to poke fun a little bit more.

“I haven’t a clue Andrew, maybe our dearest mother would know something?” Graham retorts, looking directly at her.

“I was simply boosting your prospects dear. You hardly seem keen on making progress yourself”. Andrew and I burst into a short fit of laughter. “And what about you Emmeline. Any potentially dazzling beaus you would like to tell us about?”

“Not yet Mama. We have just finished our tour of the room, not without being stopped by Lady Danbury first”.

“Well, seeing as it is her ball, that can’t be too surprising,” my younger sister, Josephine, pipes in. This is her first season too and Mother thought it best to divide and conquer the dance floor, Andrew taking me around and her taking the younger two.

“She stopped us as well. I thought she and Mother would never stop talking,” Graham adds, not one for lengthy conversations.

“What about you Josephine? Has anyone caught your eye?” I ask, trying to lessen the probability of Mother asking me another question.

“Lord Gershwin seemed quite taken by her during their dance,” Mother butts in.

“Was he?” I ask, looking back to Josephine to get her honest response as best I could. Andrew scoffs in disgust.

“What was that for?” Josephine asks him.

“Lord Gershwin is a cheater and a liar. He has left his unpaid debts on our club books for months and insists every time he is questioned that they are paid off. The evidence stares him clear in the face and yet he lies,” he concludes with a nod, seemingly happy with himself for bringing the truth to light. Josephine looks slightly disappointed.

“Well, people are allowed to change, are they not?” I offer, trying to not crush Josephine’s possibilities in one fell swoop.

“If he wanted to change, Sister, he would have repaid his debts. The day he does that, I might reconsider,” Andrew quips back, firm in his stance.

“All the better I wasn’t too interested anyway,” Josephine comments, shrugging.

“We’ll find you a better husband Jo, do not fret,” Andrew tries to reassure.

The song comes to a finish and the partners bow once more. I look around at them, scanning their faces before glancing at my empty dance card. Before getting too sad about the lack of names on the small sheet that for some reason determines if the night was a success or not, I look back up, catching some couples smiling goodbye at each other. One poor girl looks like she’s on the verge of tears and her dance partner looks like the wind changed and his face is now stuck in a permanent grimace. A few people over from them stands a group of chestnut haired gentlemen, appearing deep in conversation. They look vaguely familiar, but I cannot seem to place my finger on who they are. Lady Danbury makes her way over to them, causing all three of them to turn around as if they could go unnoticed by one of the most observant women in the ton. I cover my mouth to stifle a laugh as each gentleman makes some variation of a straight, closed lip smile. The tallest of the three looks above the group, clearly not engaged as Lady Danbury talks to one of the others.

He glances in our direction and my eyes widen as we make eye contact, a heat instantly rushing to my cheeks. I quickly look away, choosing to look down toward the floor and sipping on the lemonade still in my hand. I thank the heavens that Mother and my siblings are still engaged in lengthy conversation, much to Graham’s disappointment, and therefore did not catch my flush of embarrassment. I look back up and the taller gentleman is still looking at me, a small smile on his face.

I turn back to Andrew, and as the conversation comes to a lull, “Should we make another round Brother? Perhaps you can tell me more about the dastardly men of the ton”.

“Of course Em. We will catch up with you lot later,” he addresses the rest of the present Castillon clan. Then, as we distance ourselves from our family, “I saw you making eyes with a certain gentleman across the way”.

“Oh was I?” I ask, trying not to choke on the sharp inhale I took in response.

“Indeed. Fortunately for you, there was another man blocking my view, so you are saved from that humiliation for tonight”.

“How gracious of you Andrew,” I reply, joking to save face and internally being grateful that whoever that mystery man was decided to stand directly in my brother’s line of sight.

“The human blockade had rather wide shoulders, and a rather wide frame in general now that I think about it. Impossible to look around”.

“Did he now?” I try not to laugh at his casual use of “human blockade”.

“I am being quite serious Em, this is no laughing matter,” he is also trying to keep a laugh down.

“My apologies dear brother,” I widen my face so that I might have some chance of gaining a more look about me again.

A gentleman takes the few small steps from his spot against the wall over towards us and stops directly in front of Andrew. My brother gives him a look up and down, as if taking in everything he would ever need to know about this man in a matter of mere seconds.

“Lord Castillon, Miss Castillon,” he nods politely at each of us, giving me a closed lip smile at the same time, “I was watching from over there,” he points back to his spot against the wall, “and I was wondering if I might have the honour of a dance”.

“Lord Campbell, was it? I believe my sister’s dance card is full unfortunately. Good evening,” he pulls me along, away from Lord Campbell.

“What was the meaning of that? You know too well that my card is in fact barren”.

“I know Lord Campbell from my days at university. Trust me Sister, he is not the type of man you want to keep in constant company”.

“At this rate, Madeline will find a husband before I do”.

“I’m just looking out for your best interest Em. And don’t be ridiculous, our 12 year old sister is not about to wed before you”.

“It certainly feels like she might with the way you are behaving. Though if you are anything like this when she’s of age, I wish her the best of luck”.

“As your brother it is my job to scour the marriage mart as much as you and make sure you have the best options placed in front of you”.

“And you are deciding those best options are you? Andrew, it is already difficult enough with Daphne Bridgerton being proclaimed the season’s incomparable, I do not think I need the extra burden of you shooting down all my potential prospects”.

“Nonsense, here comes a ‘potential prospect’ now”.

A gentleman about Andrew’s height had made his way over to us and stood just as Lord Campbell had done a few moments before. He smiles at both me and my brother before looking between the two of us and choosing to address me directly.

“Would you care for a dance Miss?” I notice he has the same chestnut hair as the group from before, and I conclude that they must be brothers, or scarily similar mates.

I look at Andrew, half expecting him to have some reason or another why this man is just as much a piece of scum as the rest of them, and when he doesn’t object, an awkward pause fills the space.

“If I’m not crossing any boundaries, that is. Should your dance card be full, I will gladly take my leave-” “Not a bother there Lord Bridgerton. Emmeline would be happy to dance, wouldn’t you Em?” He asks, turning toward me half way through his thought. My breath hitches as it dawns on me why the group of gentlemen earlier were so familiar. The Bridgertons are recognisable anywhere.

“Of course,” I smile as politely as I can, as Lord Bridgerton puts his arm out, guiding me to the dance floor. Andrew takes a step back, most likely going to find Mother and tell her the good news.

“So tell me Miss, you are Lord Castillon’s sister, are you not?” He asks as the dance starts anew.

“Indeed I am my Lord. You have siblings as well, yes?”

He laughs, though I didn’t think I had said anything funny, “Seven in fact”.

“Seven?” I repeat, the shock in my tone quite clear.

“So it is not as common knowledge as we once thought”.

“You’ll have to forgive me sir. I knew there was an abundance of you but the number seemed to have escaped me,” I internally frown; this does not seem to be going well.

“It’s quite alright. I can hardly expect everyone to keep track of the Bridgerton clan. Surely it is not just you and Lord Castillon though”.

“Oh no. Andrew is the oldest, then there is I, Graham, Josephine and Madeline. Josephine is also debuting this season”.

“I was wondering about that. She seems of the age for this to be her first season”.

“And I do not?” I ask, not meaning to sound offended, but to the untrained ear it might have come across as such.

“No, that is not what I meant at all. Just that her being younger than you-” he starts to ramble.

“I am merely jesting Mr. Bridgerton. We delayed my debut by quite a few years so I could finish my studies on the continent”.

“And what is it that you study?”

“Literature and artistry mostly, in France. There was a time when I was certain I would not debut at all and simply become a governess, so Papa thought it wise that I at least have some training in certain areas with which I could teach children. Then with some convincing from my mother and younger sisters, I decided I would enter the marriage mart and here I am.” I laugh awkwardly, hoping I didn’t say too much.

“Is that so? Well, you would get along great with my sister Eloise. She is much into literature of different varieties, much to our mother’s dismay on occasion,” he adds with a smile.

“You are all named in alphabetical order, are you not?”

“We are indeed,” he nods, almost surprised that I knew that.

“I do remember some things Mr. Bridgerton. Three years away did not melt my memories that harshly”. He laughs, and I can only hope that it means I made a good first impression.

“I just found out I am to begin my tour in Greece come the end of the season”.

“Greece? Oh how wonderful!” The song comes to a close, and we bow as is accustomed.

“Thank you for joining me Miss Castillon. I hope to see you again some time,” he smiles as he rises to full stature again, still having to look down slightly to make eye contact with me.

“Thank you for offering it Mr. Bridgerton. I greatly appreciate any excuse to be pulled away from my brother, though I wouldn’t go telling him that,” I reply.

He laughs, nods, and then departs, heading back in the direction of the rest of his family. His mother looks most intrigued when he rejoins them, grabbing his shoulder and no doubt peppering him with questions. I follow suit, finding Mama and my siblings. Josephine looks at me with wide eyes.

“You got asked to dance by Colin Bridgerton?” she questions me, amazed.

“That’s his name,” I mutter, trying to recall as much of the order of them as I can muster.

“You danced that whole time and you did not even know which one you were with?!” Josephine’s interrogation continues.

“Well, when there are eight of them and all the boys are to be addressed at ‘Lord Bridgerton’, there isn’t much time for guess work,” I explain, thinking it fairly reasonable.

“Sending you to the continent did much good for your academics, but poorly for your social knowledge,” Mother sighs.

“I do not think it was that obvious that I did not know the specifics. Besides, three years does a lot in the development of a person. The boys are hardly recognisable,” I try again.

“Hm, indeed,” Graham hums sarcastically, clearly holding the opposite opinion.

“When you spend three years not being filled in on the happenings of your hometown and focusing solely on your academics, things tend to slip your mind,” I try once more.

“Oh for God’s sake, looks like we’ll have some catching up to do,” Josephine says, though she’s never been one to turn away from good gossip.

#bridgerton #benedictbridgertonxreader #colinbridgerton #benedict bridgerton #benedict bridgerton x you #benedict bridgerton x reader #anthony bridgerton #simon basset #daphne bridgerton #eloise bridgerton #bridgerton x female reader #whattimehasdone

109 notes · View notes

feelgoodbridgerton · 7 months

Text

Chapter 10: Reunion and Revelation

Benedict was a bundle of nerves in his study, clutching the dreadful letter that had shattered his world. His beloved Ingrid Whittington had been snatched by the vile Lord Ashford and run over by a carriage. She was gravely wounded, and he had no idea where she was. He had to find her, before he lost her forever.

He heard a knock on the door, and quickly hid the letter. He opened the door, and saw his three brothers standing there: Anthony, Colin, and Gregory. They looked at him with worry and wonder.

"Brothers, I'm glad you're here. I need your help," Benedict said.

"What's wrong, Ben? You look like you've seen a ghost," Anthony said.

"Is everything okay?" Colin asked.

"Did something happen?" Gregory wondered.

Benedict sighed, and showed them the letter. "Read this," he said.

The three brothers read the letter one by one, their faces turning from shock to rage to disbelief.

"Bloody hell," Anthony swore.

"This is atrocious," Colin spat.

"This is unbelievable," Gregory gasped.

The letter was from an unknown source, who claimed to have seen Ingrid get hit by a carriage and didn't know if she survived.

"Benedict, this is terrible. We have to do something," Anthony said.

"I agree. We have to find Ingrid and rescue her," Colin said.

"But how? We don't know where she is," Gregory said.

"That's why I need your help. We have to find out where she is. We have to search every place, question every person, follow every clue," Benedict said.

"Benedict, are you sure this letter is true? It could be a lie or a trap," Anthony said.

"I'm sure it's true. I love Ingrid, and she loves me. She would never go with Ashford by choice." Benedict said.

"Benedict, we didn't know you were in love with Ingrid. Why didn't you tell us?" Colin asked.

"I wanted to keep our relationship a secret, until we were sure of our feelings. We planned to announce it at Daphne's dinner party . But now, everything has changed. Now, I don't care what anyone thinks or says. I just want Ingrid back." Benedict said.

"Benedict, we understand. We are happy for you and Ingrid. And we are sorry for what happened to her. We will help you find her and bring her back safely," Gregory said.

"Thank you, brothers. You are the best brothers a man could have," Benedict said.

"You're welcome, brother. We are family, and we stick together," Anthony said.

"Well then, let's not waste any more time. Let's go and find Ingrid Whittington," Colin said.

The four brothers hugged each other briefly, then grabbed their coats and hats and headed out of the door. They were determined to find Ingrid Whittington and bring her home.

Benedict gazed at the fireplace, feeling numb and hopeless. He had spent weeks looking for Ingrid, but she and Ashford had vanished without a trace. He had followed every lead, every source, every clue, but they all led to dead ends. He had no clue where she was, or if she was still alive.

He felt a soft touch on his shoulder, and looked up. He saw his mother, Violet Bridgerton, sitting beside him. She gave him a smile that was both sad and tender.

"Hello, my love. How are you holding up today?" she asked.

Benedict sighed, and shook his head. "Not well, Mother. Not well at all," he said.

Violet nodded, and wrapped her arm around him. "I know, my dear. I know. It's been a very difficult time for you. And for all of us," she said.

Benedict rested his head on her shoulder, and felt a tear trickle down his cheek. "I miss her so much, Mother. I love her so much. I don't know how to live without her," he said.

Violet caressed his hair, and kissed his forehead. "I know, my love. I know. She's a wonderful girl. And you're a wonderful boy. You two are meant for each other. And I'm sure you'll find her someday. You can't lose hope," she said.

Benedict sniffed, and wiped his eyes. "But how, Mother? How can I find her? Where can I look? Who can I trust? It seems like everyone is against us," he said.

Violet shook her head, and smiled gently. "Not everyone, my dear. Not everyone. You have your family. You have your brothers. You have your friends. You have me. We're all here for you. We're all on your side. We'll help you in any way we can," she said.

Benedict looked at her with gratitude and affection. "Thank you, Mother. Thank you for being here for me. Thank you for being so kind and supportive," he said.

Violet hugged him tightly, and whispered in his ear. "You're welcome, my love. You're welcome. You're my son, and I love you more than anything in the world," she said.

They heard a knock on the door, and turned their heads. They saw Benedict's four sisters standing there: Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, and Hyacinth. They looked at him with concern and sympathy.

"Hello, Ben," Daphne said.

"Can we come in?" Eloise asked.

"We brought you something," Francesca said.

"We want to cheer you up," Hyacinth said.

Benedict smiled weakly, and nodded. "Of course, come in," he said.

The four sisters entered the room, carrying a large basket filled with various items: books, paintings, flowers, chocolates, letters, and more.

"We thought you might like some of these things," Daphne said.

"They're some of your favorites," Eloise said.

"They're also some of Ingrid's favorites," Francesca said.

"We hope they'll remind you of her," Hyacinth said.

Benedict looked at the basket with surprise and delight. He recognized some of the items as gifts that he or Ingrid had given or received from each other.

"Thank you, sisters. Thank you for being so thoughtful and generous," he said.

The four sisters smiled warmly, and hugged him one by one.

"You're welcome, Ben," Daphne said.

"We love you, Ben," Eloise said.

"We miss Ingrid too," Francesca said.

"We'll find her soon," Hyacinth said.

Benedict felt a wave of emotion in his chest. He felt loved and cared for by his family. He felt hopeful and optimistic about finding Ingrid again.

He looked at his mother and sisters with gratitude and admiration.

"Thank you all for being here for me," he said.

They all smiled back at him with affection and encouragement.

"We're always here for you," they said in unison.

Days Later Benedict was sitting in his study, staring at a map of the city. He heard a knock on the door, and looked up. He saw his brother, Anthony, standing there with a serious expression.

"Ben, I need to talk to you," Anthony said.

Benedict frowned, and gestured for him to come in. "What is it, Anthony?" he asked.

Anthony closed the door behind him, and walked over to Benedict's desk. He took a deep breath, and said, "I think I've found Ingrid."

Benedict felt his heart skip a beat. He jumped up from his chair, and grabbed Anthony's arm. "What? Where? How?" he asked.

Anthony looked at him with sympathy and caution. "She's at St. Mary's Hospital. She was admitted there about three weeks ago, under the name of Jane Smith. She was found unconscious on the side of the road, with a broken leg and a head injury. She had no identification on her, and no one claimed her."

Benedict felt a surge of relief and joy. He had found her. She was alive. She was here. He hugged Anthony tightly, and thanked him profusely.

"Thank you, Anthony. Thank you so much. How did you find her? How did you know it was her?" he asked.

Anthony smiled slightly, and said, "I have my sources. And I recognized her from your description.

I came here to tell you this in person."

Benedict looked at him with confusion and curiosity. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Anthony sighed, and said, "Ben, there's something else you need to know. Something that might not be easy to hear."

Benedict felt a pang of fear in his chest. He sensed that something was wrong.

"What is it, Anthony? What's wrong?" he asked.

"Ingrid has amnesia and doesn't remember anything or anyone, including you."

Violet Bridgerton came to Whittington House with a letter from her son Benedict in her hand. She was met by Lord and Lady Whittington and their three daughters: Clara, Esme, and Adelaide. They welcomed her with curiosity and worry.

"Good afternoon, Lady Bridgerton. What a pleasure to see you. Please, come in," Lord Whittington said.

"Thank you, Lord Whittington. I have some urgent news to share with you," Violet said.

"Is everything all right?" Lady Whittington asked.

"Is it about Ingrid?" Clara asked.

"Where is she?" Esme asked.

"Is she coming back?" Adelaide asked.

Violet sighed, and nodded.

"Yes, it is about Ingrid. And no, she is not coming back. Not yet, at least. Please, let me explain," she said.

She took them to the drawing room, where they sat down on the sofa. She gave them the letter from Benedict, and saw their expressions change from confusion to horror to disbelief. The letter was from an unknown source, who claimed to have seen the kidnapping of Ingrid Whittington by Lord Ashford. The letter told how Lord Ashford had hired some ruffians to snatch Ingrid from a park, where she had been with Benedict. The letter also said that Lord Ashford had taken Ingrid to a hidden place, where he planned to force her to marry him or elope with him.

"Oh, my God," Lord Whittington exclaimed.

"This is awful," Lady Whittington cried.

"This is impossible," Esme said.

"This is outrageous," Clara said.

Violet shook her head, and tried to comfort them. "No, no, no. This is not anyone's fault but Lord Ashford's. He is the one who did this. He is the one who should be blamed and punished," she said.

"But why? Why would he do this?" Lord Whittington asked.

"I don't know, Lord Whittington. I don't know what goes on in his mind. But I do know that he is a cruel and selfish man, who cares nothing for Ingrid or anyone else but himself," Violet said.

"What are we going to do? How are we going to find her? How are we going to save her?" Lady Whittington asked.

"That's why I'm here, Lady Whittington. To tell you that Benedict has been looking for her for weeks, with the help of his brothers and his friends. He has not given up hope of finding her and bringing her back safely," Violet said.

"Benedict? Benedict Bridgerton? Why would he look for her? What does he have to do with this?" Clara asked.

Violet smiled sadly, and looked at them with sincerity and honesty. "Because he loves her, Clara. Because he loves her more than anything in the world. And because she loves him too," she said.

The Whittington's looked at her with surprise and curiosity. "What do you mean? How do you know?" Lord Whittington asked.

"Because Benedict my son told me so, Lord Whittington. Because he told me everything. They have been been together since after the ball, they wanted to keep their relationship a secret, until they were ready to announce it which they were going to at the dinner party. But now, everything has changed. Now, he doesn't care what anyone thinks or says. He just wants Ingrid back in his arms," Violet said.

The Whittington's looked at each other with mixed emotions: shock, disbelief, confusion, anger, sadness, but also relief, joy, hope, and happiness.

"Is this true? Is this really true?" Lady Whittington asked.

"Yes, Lady Whittington. It is true. It is the most true thing I have ever known," Violet said.

She reached out her hand, and held theirs tightly. "Please, believe me. Please, trust me. Please, help me. Help me help them find each other again," she said.

The Whittington's nodded slowly, and squeezed her hand back. "Of course, Lady Bridgerton. Of course we will help you," Lord Whittington said. "We believe you. We trust you. We We thank you," Lady Whittington said.

"We love Ingrid. We want her to be happy," Clara said.

"We love Benedict. We want him to be happy too," Adelaide said.

"We love them both. We want them to be together," Esme said.

Violet smiled warmly, and hugged them all.

"Thank you, Whittington's. Thank you for being so kind and supportive. Thank you for being my friends," she said.

They all smiled back at her with affection and gratitude.

"Thank you, Lady Bridgerton. Thank you for being our friend too," Mrs. Whittington said.

Ingrid blinked her eyes open, feeling a dull ache in her head and leg. She saw a woman in a white uniform leaning over her, smiling with relief.

"Oh, thank goodness! You're finally awake! How are you feeling?" the woman asked, sounding like a nurse.

Ingrid tried to move, but winced as pain shot through her body. "Ow! What happened to me?" she croaked.

The nurse's smile faded, and she looked at Ingrid with pity. "You've been in a terrible accident, my dear. A very terrible accident."

"Accident? What accident?" Ingrid asked, feeling confused.

The nurse sighed and took Ingrid's hand. "You were abducted by a rogue who pretended to be your lover."

"Abducted? By my lover?" Ingrid repeated, feeling more confused.

"Yes, my dear. He whisked you away in a carriage and planned to elope with you."

"Elope with me? To where?" Ingrid asked, feeling curious.

"We don't know, my dear." the nurse said. "You were found on the side of the road and brought in by a stranger who saw you jump out of one carriage and get hit by another."

"Hit by another carriage?" Ingrid gasped.

"Yes, my dear. And then, you were stomped by the horses."

"Stomped by the horses?" Ingrid echoed, feeling stunned.

"Yes, my dear. And then, you were brought here."

"Brought here? To this hospital?"

"Yes, my dear. To this hospital. St. Mary's Hospital."

"And then?" Ingrid asked.

"And then, you slipped into a coma, my dear. A very deep coma."

"A coma? For how long?"

"For several weeks, my dear. Several long weeks."

"Weeks? I've been here for weeks?"

"Yes, my dear. You've been here for weeks."

"But... I don't remember anything. I don't remember who I am. I don't remember where I came from. I don't remember why I was abducted. I don't remember who wanted to save me."

"That's normal, my dear. You have amnesia, my dear. A very severe amnesia."

"Amnesia? What's that?"

"It's a loss of memory, my dear. A very tragic loss of memory."

"Oh..." Ingrid said, feeling sorrowful.

"Don't worry, my dear. It's not permanent. You'll recover your memory soon."

"I will?"

"Yes, my dear. You will."

"How do you know?"

The nurse smiled and squeezed Ingrid's hand. "I know because I've seen many cases like yours, my dear. And because you have a loving family who has been praying for you every day."

"Family?" Ingrid asked, feeling hopeful.

"Yes, my dear. Your family. Your parents and your three younger sisters. They're here to see you."

"They are?" Ingrid asked, feeling excited.

"Yes, my dear. They are. They've been waiting for this moment for so long. They're outside the door right now. Do you want to see them?"

"Yes, yes, I do!" Ingrid said, feeling eager.

The nurse nodded and got up from her seat. She walked to the door and opened it slightly. She peeked outside and said, "You can come in now."

The door opened wider, and five figures enter the room. Ingrid saw a man and a woman who looked like older versions of herself, and three girls who looked like younger versions of herself.

They rushed to Ingrid's bedside, tears in their eyes. They hugged her and kissed her and called her by name.

"Ingrid! Ingrid! Our darling Ingrid!"

"Mom? Dad? Is that you?" Ingrid asked, feeling overwhelmed.

"Yes, my dear. It's us. It's Mom and Dad." the Mrs. Whittington said, stroking Ingrid's hair.

"We're so happy to see you, sweetheart." Mr. Whittington said, holding Ingrid's hand.

"And we're your sisters, Ingrid." the girls say, smiling at Ingrid.

"Sisters? I have sisters?" Ingrid asked, feeling amazed.

"Yes, my dear. You have sisters. Three of them. This is Clara, this is Esme, and this is Adelaide." her mother said, pointing at each girl.

"Hello, Ingrid. We're so glad you're okay." Clara said

"We've missed you so much, Ingrid." Esme said

"We love you very much, Ingrid." Adelaide said

Ingrid looked at them all with wonder and gratitude. She felt a warm sensation in her chest, a feeling she couldn't quite name.

"Thank you for coming to see me." she said softly.

"Of course we came to see you, my dear." her mother said. "You're my daughter. You're their sister. You're our family."

Ingrid smiled and felt a tear roll down her cheek. She didn't remember them, but she felt a connection to them. She felt like she belonged with them.

"Benedict is waiting for you." Your father says.

Ingrid frowned and shook her head. "Benedict? Who's Benedict?" she asked.

Her sisters gasped and exchanged shocked looks. They couldn't believe that Ingrid had forgotten about Benedict, the most handsome and charming man in town.

"Only your one true love." Adelaide said dreamily.

"Yes, your one true love." Clara gushed. "The man who's been looking everywhere for you since the accident."

Ingrid felt a pang of curiosity. She wanted to know more about this mysterious man who had captured her heart.

"What does he look like?" she asked.

"He has dark brown hair and blue eyes." Adelaide said. "He's tall and muscular, with a handsome face and a dazzling smile."

"He's a true gentleman." Clara said. "He's kind and generous, smart and witty, brave and loyal."

"He's madly in love with you." Esme said. "And you're madly in love with him."

Ingrid felt a flutter of excitement. She wanted to meet this wonderful man who had made her feel so happy.

"Where is he?" she asked.

"He's outside the door right now." Esme said. "He came as soon as he heard that you woke up."

"Do you want to see him?" Adelaide asked.

Ingrid nodded eagerly. She wanted to see him. She wanted to remember him.

The nurse smiled and got up from her seat. She walked to the door and opened it slightly. She peeked outside and said, "You can come in now."

Benedict felt his heart race as he entered the room. He saw Ingrid, lying on a bed, bandaged and bruised. He felt a surge of relief and joy, mixed with fear and worry. He rushed to her side, and gently called her name.

"Ingrid, Ingrid, it's me, Benedict. I'm here to take you home," he said.

He reached for her hand, but she pulled it away. She looked at him with confusion and fear. She didn't recognize him at all.

"Who are you?" she asked.

Benedict felt his heart sink. He couldn't believe that Ingrid had forgotten him and their love. He wondered if she would ever remember him again.

"Ingrid, don't be afraid. It's me, Benedict Bridgerton. We're in love, remember?" he said.

He showed her his drawings of her and poems about her.

"Please, Ingrid, please remember me." he begged.

Ingrid shook her head, and tears filled her eyes. She didn't remember anything. She didn't know who he was, or who she was. She had lost her memory in the accident.

"I don't know you. I don't know anything." she said.

Benedict felt his heart break. He couldn't give up on her, not after everything they had been through. He decided to stay with her, and try to jog her memory. He told her stories about their past, showed her pictures of their families and friends, and read her favorite books. He hoped that something would spark a recognition in her eyes, a smile on her lips, a warmth in her heart.

But nothing worked. Ingrid remained distant. She felt alone and lost in a world she didn't understand.

2 notes · View notes