PART ONE
CHAPTER SEVEN
GUILTY AS SIN

Paige awoke the morning after the Danbury ball feeling very confused within herself. For she had potentially had the most enjoyable night in her entire adult life. But at the cost of dancing with someone who was not the first person to call upon her. It was strange in a sense that Paige felt as though she owed something to Charles Bridgerton. After all, he had been her only caller, nobody else had made the effort to call upon her prior to this. And despite him not being at the ball the night prior, or if he was he did not make an effort to search her out, Paige still felt guilty for having spent the latter half of the night dancing with a single man, a Duke at that, and Charles' best friend. 

It was silly of her though, to feel as though she owed something to a man who had only truly interacted with her the once, surely. Paige knew better than that, she was much more certain of herself than that. Yet she was unsure why she still felt that way. Perhaps it was the harsh words of her mother over the last few years that she would not find a husband that made her cling to the first man who possibly could be that for her. Or maybe it was the fear of getting to know a Duke. In her mind, she knew that someone from her family did not belong higher up in society than they already were. It remained a shock to Paige that they had somehow managed to keep their place in society all these years, for they were not the proper respectful family they should have been. And she knew she would never fit into the role of Duchess. Nor was she sure she wanted it. 

But she had to push these feelings aside, and prepare herself for that morning. Her older sisters had whispered all evening on the ride back to the house about Paige having been seen dancing all night with a Duke. Their wondering minds thinking back to a few seasons prior when a single dance with a Duke had changed Daphne Bridgerton's entire season. How it had taken a house that received no callers to a house that was overrun with them. Both Prudence and Philippa had been so excited by the prospect of their youngest sister finally getting what they had all deserved, the opportunity to pick through suitors, that Paige felt guilty. For she knew that despite having danced with a Duke the night prior it would be hard to shake the words of Lady Whistledown. And she did not blame potential suitors for still being put off by the indirect words of the season gossip papers. 

Therefore, Paige readied herself as she had done the time prior, with little hope for whom might just be waiting for her. But part of her, a part which was perhaps a little delusion hoped for perhaps just two specific callers. Maybe that way she could at least start to bury some of the guilt she was feeling overridden by. It would sure make her nights much easier to sleep through if that was the case. At least that was what she was telling herself. But she also prepared herself to not have any suitors, just because she had a semi-successful night the night prior did not mean anything. Not in a society where words were harsher than actions. 

She sat herself in the same chair as earlier in the study, a poor attempt at needlework before her. A part of Paige, the part which knew there was limited years before her, wanted to get better. The part of her which longed for children, sometimes, wished that perhaps this would make it so that she could pass something of meaning onto them. Or not, she wasn't really sure of anything any more. Only that her heart and her mind were at war with one another. Over what, she wasn't even sure of that. Oh to be a teenaged debutant in a world where being pretty was the only thing that mattered. 

The first two hours would pass and once again, no suitors would appear. Paige watched anxiously as the faces of her family dropped upon coming to terms with the realisation that they were indeed the Featherington's and their luck would not change like it did for the Bridgerton's just because their debutant daughter danced with a Duke. The only once who did not seem overly disappointed with this realisation, bar from Penelope who had disappeared early that morning, was Paige's mother Portia. And as hour three and four dragged on Paige realised that maybe dancing the night away the night prior was not something she should have done. 

"A Mr Charles Bridgerton for Miss Paige." Arnold's strong voice announced and Paige didn't realise that there was stress held in her shoulders until she felt it relax. And through the door walked the tall dark haired beauty she was honoured to call her first caller. 

"Mister Bridgerton." Paige stood to greet him and she watched as a smile broke out upon his face. In his hands was once again another small bush of flowers, Peonies, and she was quick to take it before placing the bush upon a small table. 

"Miss Paige how lovely it is to see you again."

"On such a fine day as well Mister Bridgerton, would you perhaps like to take a walk in our gardens?" Paige offered, she knew the Featherington garden was not going to be as lovely as the one in Charles' own London house but she posed the question to get away from all keen eyes of her family. She looked back to see if her handmaiden Lillian was still in the room. Meeting the familiar green eyes of Lillian she smiled, knowing that the older girl would be more than happy to chaperone. 

"Why of course." Charles was quick to accept, anything to take keen eyes and nosey ears away from their conversation. After all, he had a few cheeky remarks about the night prior he wanted to get in, just to see her reaction. 

It was a quick walk from the sitting room and outside into the garden, the pair remained silent during this time. In a quiet that was not comfortable but Paige would not state it to be overly awkward either. Rather she could only feel herself relaxing the more and more they walked into her garden. The garden her parents had allowed her almost free rein over since she was barely 10, the time when she had been first diagnosed with the same condition her uncle had. 

"Is this your garden Miss Paige?" Charles started the moment he had noticed just how relaxed she was now they were outside. And if he could recall the information passed to him by his younger sisters, he was sure his assumption was correct. 

"Yes Mister Bridgerton, I've been caring for it for many years now." Paige confirmed keeping herself as formal as possible, knowing it was expected in this situation. 

"Miss Paige please just call me Charles we have been family friends for years have we not?" Charles probed to see just how willing she was to drop the formalities, just how much she was a stickler to society and its rules. After all, if she completely refused it could put a massive hole in the best case scenario plans he had formulated. 

"Only if you drop the Miss. Makes me feel a little bit icky." Paige confirmed and the smile of which graced the face of Charles Bridgerton was one she knew in a few years she would miss so dearly seeing. She knew she would have to make the most of the time she got to see it, and she would indeed attempt to cause him to smile at her like that as frequently as possible. 

"I believe we have a deal then." Charles added waiting to see where Paige would lead him through her garden. He noted the vines of which gently cased a wooden seat and he pondered as she lead him over. 

"Come Charles, sit let's enjoy the nature around us." Paige gently encouraged sitting upon the bench first. At first it appeared that Charles was unsure, and therefore much like she would beckon a dog to sit beside her, she patted the spot beside her. Trying to stop herself from laughing at the comparison she had drawn in her own mind. Once he was sat she took a little while to look around herself, she wanted to enjoy every moment in the garden she had crafted unsure, if she was successful, when the last day she would tend to it would be. 

"So Paige..." Charles started unsure of what her reaction would be to the next part of his teasing but he was desperate to start it, "I heard you had a rather splendid night last night dancing with a Duke of mine." His words were chosen carefully when he claimed the Duke of Cheshire as his own. 

"Are you two talking about me?" What Charles had not expected was for a cheeky response to his own statement. Paige was a little nervous about her own response, gone the feeling of guilt which had held her conscious in its grip earlier in the morning. 

"What if we were?"

"I do hope he lied about how good of a dancer I am." Paige shrugged, she knew she had left the Duke with very sore toes following their evening of dancing. Charles only laughed at her response.

"Does it really not bother you that we are both trying to court you and are discussing with one another?" Charles probed a little further knowing that two 'best friends' courting the same debutant was not uncommon but it often didn't end well. It was humorous that this would not be the case for Charles and Arthur. It would not even be an option

"You're both trying to court me?" Paige was more shocked by the confession than anything else, sure she might have wanted that but the rational or maybe irrational part of her brain was telling her that it was never going to happen. 

"Of course we are?"

"Is it not a competition between you two?"

"Not exactly Paige." Charles shared no more, but he knew the cogs were going in her mind now at the words he had shared.