Chapter Text
“Hush everyone, I think she’s coming!” whisper yelled Benedict, as everyone clambered around the door of Daphne’s room, positively exploding with excitement. It was the first debut of the house, after all. Violet Bridgerton, that good lady and the mother of this small army regiment, was anxiously pacing the corridor, hoping Daphne had not changed her mind. It was happening with many of her friends’ girls. They keep watching those dreadful spinsters strut around the city working and posting their little videos and doing only the lord knows what there, violet thought. One of her daughters was like this too, in fact. But there was still a year before her debut. She would just take away that dreadful phone for the year. “Daphne I believe—“
The door opened and out stepped Daphne, wearing her minimalist off white Versace gown. She smiled timidly, in typical Daphne nature. She had just recently completed her BA in a subject she did not remember, and due to the constant nagging of her mother, had also agreed to meet the DM, who had been suggested as an excellent match by her mother’s friend, Lady Agatha Danbury. She did not much care for either her BA or the DM; she did not much like abbreviations. All she wanted was love that would sweep her off her feet. What better way to start looking for it than meet the DM?
“Sister, you look excellent!” said Colin.
“I’m positive the DM will not be able to take his eyes off you!” screamed Hyacinth.
“Err.” said Anthony, looking into a ledger.
“You look great, Daphne, but have you considered what you will say when the DM asks you something about your BA?” said Eloise.
Everyone gave Eloise a disdainful look. Eloise didn’t mind, they were always giving her disdainful looks. And she was self aware enough to know when she deserved them.
“Child, what is that clothing? You will go in at once and wear a sari! Lady Danbury is a highly critiquing woman and she does NOT refrain from snide remarks and you know it!” exclaimed Lady Bridgerton, outraged at how the spinsters were eating away at even her most obedient child.
Daphne, being the most obedient child, made a face and went inside again. Lady Bridgerton went with her, lest she tried something like wearing a pastel colored sari.
“It truly baffles me how you won’t even let Daphne wear what she wa—“
“Not now, Eloise.” said Lady Bridgerton from behind the door.
Daphne sat on the sofa in her dazzling red sari, patiently waiting for Lady Danbury and the DM to show up. Eloise was in a position somewhere between sitting and lying on another sofa, book in hand. The other children were somewhere, Lady Bridgerton supposed. She was pacing the drawing room, and just as Eloise was about to admonish her for her nervousness, john the footman entered the room.
“Lady Danbury and the DM, ma'am.”
“Oh send them in! Send them in!” had it not been for Lady Bridgerton’s knee problem, and the propriety of a lady, of course, she would’ve jumped with joy.
John the footman retreated, and in came Lady Danbury and… the DM.
“Oh my god! YOU!” yelled Daphne, with all the poise of a gentle young lady. She could not believe that this man was the DM. the only man she mildly disliked. He was infuriating. He infuriated her at all parties thrown across Delhi. Either way, the chances of him being Daphne’s true love match were slim.
“Yes, me, miss Bridgerton. I had suspected you would react like this.” Sighed the DM, acting as though he were delighted to see Daphne. Of course, he, for one, was well informed about his potential marriage candidates, as one should be. Daphne wasn’t, because, well, her mother believed in the eternal concept of ‘winging through your marriage and suffering for eternity’. It was no business for a gentle young lady to monitor her husband to be. Not knowing names was ideal as well.
“You knew it was me! Why would you ever come here then?” asked Daphne in disdain. Every moment spent arguing was a moment wasted in finding her true love.
“Now, Daphne, that is no manner to talk to the DM, even if you two appear to be… friends. Apologies, lady Danbury, please be seated. Your grace as well.” Said Lady Bridgerton in haste, trying to conceal her daughter’s emanating disdain and loud speech. “We should let the young people talk of their sweet young people things, like we did as young people.” Laughed Lady Bridgerton, although Lady Danbury, and even the polite Daphne, did not find it amusing.
“You do realize, mama, that young people things have changed from when you were young? Also, that was a most peculiar alliteration—“started Eloise, but Lady Bridgerton glowered at her most furiously, so she did not continue.
The DM was seated on the far end of Daphne’s sofa, and everyone pretended to have tea while trying to listen to anything the marriage minded people said. Well, in principle, at least. The DM was only here to entertain Lady Danbury’s wishes, and Daphne would certainly not marry him. They did not seem like they would ever say anything. Just as Lady Danbury was about to interrupt (she had been trying very hard not to all this time), john the footman entered again.
“Whistledown has posted, ma’am.”
“Oh, fetch my tablet quickly.” said Lady Danbury excitedly, relieved to learn of something fun, as the drawing room did not seem to be very lively at the moment. Lady Bridgerton was momentarily shocked. Surely, match making was more important? She sent for her tablet nevertheless, as she felt she might miss the good gossip. She remembered that the spinsters posted of this and called it ‘FOMO’, and decided to be more resolute in the future. Match making was more important. Especially for Daphne, as every eligible bachelor seemed to be doing something the spinsters called ‘friend-zoning’ to her. The spinsters were always doing that, inventing terms without explaining anything.
John entered with their tablets and everyone at once opened Whistledown’s portal. Nobody knew who Whistledown was, but Lady Bridgerton was certain she was a spinster too. Or it could be a spinster’s mama, who had nothing to occupy herself with if her daughter wasn’t to marry. She usually commented on the dresses of the elitist groups, the marital prospects of people, and made cutting remarks on the prime minister. But today, she talked of Daphne. And she used the word popularized by spinsters-- ‘friend-zoned’ by all bachelors. Was the darling of the prime minister ever to marry?
Lady Bridgerton was overcome with dread. If Whistledown had said it, everybody was bound to believe it. what would happen to Daphne’s marital prospects now?