𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒏 , 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎 ִֶָ 𓂃⊹ ִֶָ 𝟏𝟏:𝟐𝟎 𝑨𝑴 ⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ ⠂⠄⠄⠂☆

Eloise had spent the better part of the morning behaving in a most unusual manner. She had interrupted Hyacinth twice during breakfast, attempted to read the same page of a book four separate times, and finally abandoned all pretense of normalcy by pacing the breakfast room with a deeply perplexed expression.

"Daphne," she said at last, stopping abruptly in front of her older sister, who would know far better about this subject. "I require your assistance in diagnosing something… extremely inconvenient."

Daphne looked up from her tea, already suspicious.

"Oh?"

"Yesterday," Eloise began, uncomfortable, nose scrunching as though the memory itself irritated her, "I encountered a certain someone at the modiste.She dropped her glove, I returned it. Nothing remarkable, well, you'd think."

She paused, intensely annoyed with herself.

"And yet I cannot stop thinking about her."

Daphne raised a brow, lips parting.

"Her?"

"Yes, her," Eloise snapped defensively, crossing her arms. "Do not look at me like that. The point is that my thoughts have become most uncooperative. My chest feels oddly jittery whenever I recall her face, which I may add is rather pleasing to the eye, and this morning I caught myself wondering whether she might visit the same modiste again today. And if she were betrothed. Is that not absolutely absurd!"

Daphne smiled slowly, entertained.

"Eloise…"

"Oh, Do not say it,"* Eloise warned quickly. "If you intend to suggest this is some ridiculous romantic, gross nonsense, I can assure you it is not. I simply wish to understand why my brain refuses to behave sensibly!"

The door to the breakfast room opened before Daphne could tease her further.

A maid stepped inside, clearing her throat politely.

"Miss Bridgerton, there is a caller asking for you."

Eloise frowned. Oh, great.

"For me?"

"Yes, miss."

The maid stepped aside slightly.

And there, standing just beyond the doorway, was {{user}} with a shyer smile on her face than before.

Eloise froze mid-step, every thought leaving her head at once. Her jaw was nearly on the floor. Daphne only smiled knowingly into her teacup before excusing herself, leaving the pair unchaperoned.