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In another life Violet Bridgerton wakes up a day before her husband's death and decides to ban bees from her home.
She gets to keep Edmund for longer this time. Even when she knows she can't make him avoid gardens and all pollinating flora forever. She tries.
And so, Anthony gets to be a son and a brother for a while longer, Gregory and Hyacinth make memories with Edmund, Violet gets to tell him she loves him one million more times. And Edmund teaches his children to accept fate and love when it comes knocking.
In another life Violet suggests that Anthony introduce his friend Simon to Edmund for advice on how to be a better duke than his father. And Simon becomes a frequent addition to her children' games and rabble rousing. Edmund mentors Simon like he would another young friend and the boy who was once a rake focused on revenge learns he is not doomed to be like his father.
In another life Violet secretly sends a servant of hers to help a young girl named Sophie in another nobleman's household as soon as she hears about the Earl of Gunningworth's death. When Tilly returns a year later with a bruised sixteen year old Sophie in tow. Violet opens her home and does the best she can to have the girl trained as a ladies maid while hiding her from the stepmother who would rather squander the poor child's dowry.
In another life it's the Bridgerton servants who embrace the abused orphaned Sophie Beckett with all the love of a family and finish raising her into adulthood.
Edmund at Violet's side fully supportive.
In that life Violet is given a chance to live with her love. And when a bee inevitably stings him years later on a hunting trip with some noblemen. She's able to grieve more healthily... And softly let go.
In another life her Anthony becomes a Viscount a year before Daphne's presentation to court. He grieves as he should, he doesn't hide himself from his responsibilities in raking and gaming. He leans on his mother and siblings for support. And in the wake of Edmund's death, they grow stronger and more United as a family.
In that life, Simon is there to support Anthony Benedict and Colin, but more importantly, he's also there for Daphne.
And in the process of consoling her in her loss. Simon finds that out of all the young ladies he knows, there's nobody who's side he'd rather be during a tragedy, than his best friend's sister.
Simon asks for her hand the day Daphne is presented at court and out of respect for the passing of her father agrees to a long engagement.
In this life Daphne becomes Lady Basset long before holding the title of duchess. And Violet prefers it so. It gives Daphne and Simon time to mature.
And despite his father being alive. Simon doesn't invite him to his wedding. Or visits any place the Duke could meet him with Daphne and his children until the Duke is truly dead.
In another life Violet Bridgerton is more attentive to her relatives. More insistent on supporting Marina's marriage to her original betrothed before he follows his dream and goes to war for king and country.
In another life young Eloise Bridgerton meets eccentric Oxford student Phillip Crane during Marina's wedding to his brother George. And finds him the height of funny.
In another life George Crane gets to meet his children and see them to their second summer. And when he still decides to do his duty to the country and go to war to escape his father's judgmental eyes. He does so having already secured the Crane line of succession with his son Oliver.
In another life Eloise first letter to Phillip is sent to Oxford. Expressing her condolences over his brother's passing and her well wishes for her Marina and the twins good health. Now that Phillip has to look after the Crane family estate until his nephew comes of age. The letters continue from there and though Violet knows, she never says anything.
In this life, by an entirely coincidental visit to Marina's estate with Eloise and Penelope that causes her to miss a fortnight of balls during her first season. Destiny sees Francesca married to Michael Stirling at the tail end of the season.
Violet herself was surprised to find that in an effort to see her 'interesting' Oxford scholar, Eloise had enlisted Francesca and Penelope on a scheme to visit their widowed cousin behind Violet's back and with Anthony and Benedict's blessing for a fortnight. Ironically also taking their maids with them including Sophie.
As a result of that trip, Francesca had missed the majority of balls where John Stirling had attended and made it back to London with Eloise in time to be introduced to Michael Stirling. His cousin. A merry rake who just needed one conversation with Francesca to be convinced she's the woman of his dreams.
In another life Violet is privy to the birth of young Lady Whistledown in the hands of little Penelope. And even encourages the darling wallflower to be more present in balls. In this life she doesn't nudge her son's to dance with Penelope as much, but she does encourage Penelope to expand her circle of friendships and be more outspoken about her interests. As well as covertly taking any occasion of Featherington celebration to gift the child a new dress.
Here it only takes a small nudge from his mother for Colin to realizes his attraction to Eloise best friend and gravitate towards Penelope in a natural way. What was once eight years of ignoring his feelings for Penelope rapidly reduced to three as soon as he understood that traveling the world would not lead him anywhere unless Penelope Featherington was also with him.
In another life Penelope Featherington has the opportunity to reject two very respectable marriage proposals behind her mother's back before accepting Colin's suit. Attributing this to Violet and lady Danbury encouraging her to show her natural wit more often in the ballroom rather than the library.
And in another life, where he's not scared of bees or afraid of living past his father's age. While shepherding Eloise around her first season, Anthony Bridgerton meets a woman who also has a younger sibling to marry off and lost her father years before too. A bright intelligent woman who dislikes his arrogance and constantly challenges his opinion.
In this life Anthony's leftover grief over Edmund's passing, is healed by his stubborn decision to have a long courtship of Kate Sharma just to see her fume. The smile slowly comes back to Anthony's face with every exasperated gesture from a disbelieving Kate anytime he gives her flowers. While she insists he's a lunatic for courting her when he doesn't even like her and he remains adamant that he really wants her to be his wife.
In another life Violet rejoices in Anthony following his heart instead of his head. Because in this life it's the sister of the diamond who makes the Viscount stop in his tracks abruptly enough to lead him on a merry chase. And it's never Edwina who catches Anthony's eye.
And then there's Benedict.
In another life Benedict grows up with a little more attention and a little more support from the father who was there for him trough most of his life. Benedict finds the love of his life at home cleaning the library. In this life, Benedict paints to his heart content and fills his sketchbooks with the same face.
His sister' lady's maid. Sophie. The one maid his father made him promise not to joke about with when he and his mother brought her in. Sophie who is kind and good and always treats him like a normal person. Who volunteers to clean his art room often and was there to hold him when he broke down after his father died. He'd once snuck her out of her duties during a masquerade ball when they were younger just to dance with her. Because he... Didn't know anyone better than Sophie in the world.
In this life Benedict pouts when Violet laughs at how tragic he believes his unrequited love to be. And understands her position when Violet confides that Sophie probably hasn't returned his advances because she's lived her life hiding from her stepmother.
In another life Benedict Bridgerton listens to Sophie's fears. Not as a master and a maid but rather as a friend. Understanding that the bastard daughter of an Earl wouldn't be accepted in society any more than a maid was. And in another life a more mature Benedict proposes to Sophie regardless of any sacrifices he must make to be the man she deserves.
In another life Phillip Crane decides to earn more recognitions at Oxford before broaching the subject of marriage with Eloise Bridgerton, despite loving her very much. She agrees to wait and they blissfully extend their unofficial courtship for years without a care for society's opinion. In this life Eloise becomes Mrs Crane, wife to Dr Phillip Crane the Bothanist. Aunt to the heirs of Romney Hall instead of their stepmother. And Violet is happy to note that Marina (now dowager lady Crane) looks as pleased with their marriage as the rest of the Bridgerton family.
In this life Marina lives to see her children grow up, she lives to eventually remarry someone like George. She lives to find her happiness. And Eloise is there with Phillip to support her. As are Benedict and Sophie in My Cottage.
In another life Hyacinth meets Lady Danbury's grandson during a childhood tea party and announces quickly to her father how she intends to marry the mischief making Gareth StClair and the boy enthusiastically agrees. In this life there are no diamonds or a convoluted treasure hunt to bring them together. Just a note in Edmund Bridgerton's will that states that if Gareth still wants to marry Hyacinth when she comes of age, there's a place for him with the Bridgerton table and a property he's welcome to work on, should his father disinherit him for something or other.
Hyacinth's future marriage is decided among laughter and celebration. From a man who went away to travel and returned to find that he still wanted to marry the little girl he loved in his childhood, now turned into a wonderful young lady.
As for Gregory. The gallant knight in shining armor. Violet merely requested his help in protecting a young miss who's uncle was a traitor to the crown and was willing to put her in danger to achieve his nefarious deeds.
In another life Lucy Abernathy did not even know she'd been in danger before her uncle was arrested on charges of treason and her brother almost implicated on it. Had it not been for the Bridgerton family who vouched for the siblings so strongly Lucy might have lost all hope.
In another life Gregory Bridgerton takes one look at Lucy Abernathy and promises to protect her from all the dangers of the world. Including her beautiful but stupid best friend Hermione Watson.
This is the life where Gregory's grand declaration of love from a balcony is heard by all the ton and Lucy's acceptance of his suit is received with cheers and congratulations.
In another life Violet Bridgerton lives to correct mistakes and make her children's life easier. She sees everything she missed the first time around and endeavors to fix it.
In another life the Bridgertons manage to be happy without quite so many scandals or painful stories . And Violet Bridgerton lives long enough to see the beauty of it.