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"So help me, Theodore Peregrine, if you come a step closer to me I will set my cat on you."

"Ingrid is harmless, she wouldn't hurt a fly!"

"You would not like to know what she does when I ask her to."

GEORGINA CARLISLE WOULD LIKE it to be formally noted that she is not a fan of early morning starts. Nor is she a fan of talking to a certain Theodore Peregrine at the crack of dawn; the fact that he just happens to be her best friend is irrelevant. She feels that both of the above are a) crossing boundaries which needn't be crossed, and b) the biggest pain in the ass.

"How the hell did you get in anyway? It's 6 o'clock in the bloody morning," The girl groaned as she sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eye. Theodore sat on her feet at the end of her bed, looking far too chipper for Georgina's likings.

"Clarissa let me in," The boy opposite her shrugged, and Georgina bit her tongue as to not shout her complaints at her older sister, who was undoubtedly aware of the dislike her sister held for being awake at an ungodly hour. Clarissa herself always woke up early in the mornings; working alongside Madame Delacroix as a modiste meant that she had to get to the shop early enough to get it set up before work. Georgina just couldn't fathom why Clarissa would have to be so selfish [ in her own opinion ] as to wake her up as well.

"Of course she did," Georgina kicked Theodore as to get him off of the end of her bed and got out, smoothing down the covers as she did so. "Well, seeing as you're here, can I get you anything? Tea, or...tea?"

"I'm good, thanks," Theodore replied, and Georgina didn't blame him. The tea she made always tasted like shit; partly due to the low quality tea leaves that they had, but also because Georgina wasn't really a good cook at all.

Georgina made her way to her [ very small ] closet, of which she and Clarissa shared, and picked out an outfit for the day, before moving to put on her necklace: a gold chain with a garnet pendant at the end of it. It was by far her most expensive piece of jewellery, and she wore it with absolutely anything and everything.

"So, are you wearing that to the ball tonight?"

"Would there be an issue if I was to wear it tonight?"

"Well, no- It's just- It's the first ball of the season, Georgie. Surely even you want to look presentable."

"Oh wow, thanks Theo! I didn't know you thought that low of me!" Georgina rolled her eyes, turning around to face her friend. "And no, I'm not wearing this tonight. Besides, I don't even know if I'm going to be playing tonight. I haven't had an invitation as of yet. Clarissa and Madame Delacroix are making me something and if I am going, I'll just wear that. "

"You know full well I didn't mean it like that, Georgie," It was Theo's turn to roll his eyes now, though more playfully than anything. He moved to where Georgina was standing and poked her in her side, forcing a [ somewhat stifled ] giggle out of the girl.

And yes, Georgina knew that he didn't mean it in that way. Theodore Peregrine had, after all, been her best friend since they were children, running amuck on the pebbled ground outside of their rather small houses. In a world full of entitled little girls and stuck up little boys, all of whom refused to associate with either of them due to their lack of money, the pair had decided to stick together, and had been as thick as thieves ever since.

"Now shoo, so I can change in peace." She shoved Theo out of the room and shut the door, before promptly changing into her dress, which had been hand-sewn by Clarissa, and re-emerging. She picked up her cat Ingrid — a small grey cat with wild eyes and even wilder fur — from the floor and made her way to where Theo was now sitting, in their small dining room/living room/kitchen. "Remind me why you're here so early, again?"

"Well, as resident mailman of this fine area of London, I have an invitation of the highest decree to pass on, from Lady Danbury, and addressed to a Miss Georgina Carlisle-"

"Well why didn't you say so, you idiot? Here I was thinking you were deciding to annoy me, but you finally have a true purpose to be here this early! Give it here!" It was only now that Georgina noticed the envelope that was resting in his lap, and she placed Ingrid on the table before snatching the letter off of Theo, opening it almost instantly. Her eyes scanned the letter eagerly, longing to find one piece of information in particular, and when the words had sprung out at her, she involuntarily let out a squeal of delight.

"What is it?"

"I'm performing tonight at the ball!" Georgina wrapped her arms around Theodore's neck and began jumping up and down from behind him, swaying him slightly side to side. "I am to perform alongside the string quartet, oh isn't this brilliant, Theo!"

"Tonight? Isn't that such short notice?"

"Well yes, but I suppose it's a given, seeing as it's such a prestigious event. I could care less about when they're inviting me, more so the fact that I get to perform tonight at last!"

"What, you'll perform with the string quartet, then?"

"Oh, Theo, keep up! Naturally I want to perform alone, yet my harp is too quiet to be heard by itself. I suppose all experts need backing instruments?" Georgina had always preferred to work alone while playing her music, as she felt that many other instruments would overpower the delicate notes of the harp, which was by far her most expensive yet most prized possession. The string quartet naturally put a dampener in her plans, though she had always prided herself on her determination in situations much like this one. "Oh, Theo, this is simply fantastic! You're going to have to help me bring this to the carriage later on today, it's arriving at 8 on the dot, so please be there on time. I cannot afford to be late, not to an event as prestigious as this one."

"Employing me in manual labour yet again? Why am I not surprised?"

"You love me really," she grinned down at him, relinquishing her control on his neck.

The man now stood up, pulling Georgina into a one armed hug. "I have to go back to work now, Georgie. Thanks for the company."

"Company whilst I was held against my will."

"Yeah, whatever. I'll be here at eight, just as you wish, my liege." With a wink to the girl, he turned on his heel and left, shutting the front door behind him.

Still cradling the letter in her hands, Georgina made her way to her parents' bedroom, where the pair of them were still sound asleep. Clarissa hadn't chosen to wake either of them up, she noticed, though she ignored that fact. Her mother was turned facing her husband, who lay on his back, his eyes flickered shut. Georgina knew that she should be happy that her parents were still together, though the pained expression that her father wore even while he was asleep meant that she was more concerned for his physical health than anything.

Choosing not to wake either of them up, she pressed a gentle kiss to both of their foreheads, before shutting the door behind her, shutting out the reason why she worked as hard as she did. Her eyes fell yet again to the letter in her hand, and she felt a smile creeping up her face as she reread it. Though she would never openly admit it to anyone except Theo & her family, she was rather excited for that night.

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"Aw, don't you look beautiful, G!" Clarissa admired her younger sister as she brushed away some of the flyaway thread on the dress she wore: a deep red garment with gold-coloured thread running through it, which matched Georgina's complexion perfectly. Her necklace was still around her neck and she now wore matching earrings with it, though they were definitely not as expensive.

"For a mere harpist, I suppose so," Georgina shrugged nonchalantly, clearly not as enthused as her sister was about her outfit. She may have been a little more than excited before, but that was more so for the fact that she got to show off her musical abilities to a live audience. She had attended countless balls in the past, and while she had never once attended a ball held by Lady Danbury, she knew that it'd be just like the others. Lots of squealing women, lots of judgemental mamas, lots of men just enthralled at the idea of being in a room with so many beautiful people. All in all, a typical night for the ton.

"Stop it with that nonsense," Clarissa lightly swatted her sister's arm. "You know full well that you are a testament to your character, not your money or wealth." She pulled her little sister in for a hug, and though Georgina didn't reciprocate it fully, she smiled in her arms.

Georgina had always been close to her sister, who was four years older than her. Clarissa had always been very different to Georgina — much chirpier and sweeter than the younger girl, who seemed to constantly have something about her which made her look annoyed— yet they had been like two peas in a pod while growing up. With their father falling ill when they had barely entered their teenage years, and their mother devoting her life to caring for him, it had been up to Clarissa to look after her younger sister, and she took the job in her stride.

"Georgina, darling, don't you look delightful!" Lilian Carlisle, the girls' mother, now entered the room, an empty glass in her hand, which Georgina could only assume had been given to her father to drink from mere seconds ago. "Oh, my dear Clara, you have really outdone yourself this time." She gave both of her daughters a squeeze, wrapping them up in her embrace.

"Thanks, Mama," Clarissa smiled, pressing a kiss to her mother's cheek. Lilian released her control on her daughters and Georgina dusted down her dress to remove any creases, while Clarissa looked adoringly on at her baby sister. "Look, G, why don't you show Papa your dress? He'd love to see you in it."

Georgina nodded and turned on her heel to enter her parents' bedroom, holding up her dress as to not collect any dust on its hem. She peaked her head around the doorframe before noticing her father's smiling face looking at her, a sentiment she returned. "Hi Papa, how are you feeling today?"

Frederick Carlisle had once been the strong male figure of the Carlisle house, and a true role model to both of the girls. And while she does feel guilty admitting it aloud, she had always been closer to her father than her mother. Lilian was closer to Clarissa, who had always been interested in the more stereotypical girlish activities, namely sewing and dancing, while Georgina was her father's mini-me; as a child, she had been the one to cause trouble whether she went, often with Theodore by her side as her somewhat compliant companion. While her mother would grow frustrated with antics, her father indulged in them, laughing and proclaiming that they had a 'right little miss on their hands'. She had always been his little Gina, and always would be.

It had also been her father who had bought Georgina her harp for her 11th birthday. For months on end, the girl had been talking about wanting the musical instrument, after she had seen a woman in the town square performing with one. Though his illness was already riddling his health at this point, he had made the journey to the shop to buy her it, and spent almost all of his savings on it. The gratitude Georgina felt towards both him and her mother in that moment was indescribable, as she stroked the instrument with such care. Over the years, the harp had become somewhat tarnished, and its wood chips began flaking off ever so slightly, though Georgina still cradled and cared for it like it was her baby, as she knew the hardships her father went through to get it for her.

"Not bad, Gina," her father replied weakly, grinning at his daughter with all the energy he could muster up. "Just got a headache, you know how it is."

Georgina knew that her father was underexaggerating how he felt to spare her own feelings; the phrase 'you know how it is' was far too casual when it came to the matters of his health. No one knew just how much the man was suffering because of how much he wanted to protect his family, though in reality Georgina just wished he would speak about it to them. Still, she didn't want to raise it with him now, not when she had such an important event in a matter of minutes.

"My word, aren't you a sight for sore eyes, Gina!" her father said, and Georgina smiled at his comment. "Going to the ball tonight, are you?"

"Of course, a harpist never rests now, does she?" Georgina moved to be nearer to her father, entering his embrace as he reached his arms out for his youngest daughter. "Should you need anything before I go, Papa?"

"Just for you to have a good time, that's all," her father rubbed her back soothingly, and it felt like comfort to Georgina. "Behave yourself, Georgina." He jested with her, holding her out by the shoulders.

"I always do," Georgina simply replied, giving her father one last kiss on the forehead before leaving. She turned around to wave to him and he followed suit, though Georgina noticed that his wave was a lot more feeble than hers. Sighing, she made her way back into the dining room of their house. Addressing her mother and sister, who were both sat down, she asked, "Do we have enough money to afford the doctor for this month?"

"Not as of yet, we're just short, I'm afraid," her mother replied sadly, shaking her head slightly.

"I'm working another shift with Genevieve tomorrow so I can bring some extra money into the house that way?" Clarissa offered.

"And my performance today shall earn me quite a large sum of money as well. It should be able to cover the rest of it," Georgina said, smiling weakly at her mother, who, with tears in her eyes, rose to embrace both of her daughter's in her arms once again.

"My darling girls," Lilian tightened her grip on her daughters, who knew better than to try to wriggle out of her grasp. "You mean more to me and your father than you shall ever know."

"Even though we're spinsters?"

"Georgina!" Clarissa hissed at her sister with gritted teeth, nudging her in the side.

"Ow, Clarissa! Why are your elbows so pointy?"

Lilian simply laughed at the interaction between her two girls. "Yes, Georgina, even though you're both spinsters. Husband or no husband, you remain the same in mine and your father's eyes-"

A sharp knock to the door cut through Lilian's voice, and Georgina used it as an excuse to escape her mother's embrace. "Oh, it must be Theo!"

She opened the door to see Theodore standing outside, wearing the exact same outfit as he had worn that morning, though with considerably more dirt down his front. "Looking good, Georgie. Turns out you can scrub up nicely when you want to, then!"

Georgina used the fact that she was wearing heels to her advantage and stomped on his foot, to which Theodore winced. "I am a lady, I'll have you know. I always scrub up nicely." She turned to go back inside, and then looked back at the boy. "Well? Are you coming inside or not? I have a harp to be moved."

She led Theo inside to hers and Clarissa's shared room, where her harp took up most of the space. Theodore began to move the instrument, groaning slightly as he carried it through the house and out into the carriage, which was waiting outside for her.

"What shall you be doing tonight then, Theodore?" asked Clarissa once he had returned to the house, dusting off his hands as though he had done intense strenuous work.

"A little bit of that, a little bit of this," the man merely shrugged at her words. "I suppose I shall go whether the wind takes me."

"Or wherever your genitals takes you," Georgina murmured under her breath, though Theo seemingly heard, as he subtly sent a swift kick to Georgina's ankle. Sending the boy daggers, she looped her arm with his. "On that note, though, I think it's time I get a move on, or I really shall be late. I'll see you both later?"

"Have fun, darling!" Lilian waved her daughter farewell, and she and Clarissa watched as Georgina and Theodore left the house, shutting the door behind them. Arms still linked, Theodore helped Georgina up into the carriage, which would take her to the ball.

"Relax a bit, Georgie," the man broke into a smile upon seeing the plagued look upon his best friend's face, her eyebrows furrowed in discontent. "It's a ball, not a funeral."

"I have to do well here, Theo. We could really use this extra money-"

"You'll do well. You have the Peregrine good luck following you," He grinned at her, and she pulled him into a hug.

"Hope the wind takes you somewhere pleasurable, Theo." She said, as Theo stepped down from the carriage step and back onto the gravelled ground. "

"It always does," The boy replied, shrugging. "See you later, Georgie." He shut the carriage door behind her, and signalled to the horsemen that she was ready. With one swift movement, the horses began trotting down the path, and Georgina was officially left alone.

Silence hung in the air as she watched her surroundings morph into each other: the trees blending in with the darkening sky, bursts of lavender from the flowers swirl into numerous shades of pink and orange as the blossoms of the plants grew larger. Georgina herself had never been one to appreciate nature as much as most did, though she certainly couldn't deny the beauty of her surroundings at that very moment. It only built up her anticipation for the event of which she was about to attend, an event of very high prestige, indeed.

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"If you do need me for any more pressing matters, Miss Carlisle, I should be around. Feel free to come and talk to me should you feel necessary," Lady Danbury assured Georgina once she had given her the tour of her house, which was notably larger than Georgina's. "As you can see, many guests have already arrived, but there are more still to come. Feel free to enjoy yourself before your performance, just after the string ensemble."

"Thank you for your hospitality Lady Danbury, truly," Georgina gave her a polite smile, bowing to her slightly before she walked off, most likely to socialise with her other guests. Sighing, Georgina moved towards her harp, prepared to polish it for the next hour before she were due to play her music.

She had only gotten halfway there, though, when a woman approached her. She was roughly the same age as her, though slightly taller than her, and looked far more glamorous than she did. The woman was wearing a pale pink dress, her blonde hair tied let out loose on her shoulders, and she looked to be in a rush, judging from the colour rushing to her cheeks.

"I'm awfully sorry to bother you, I just need you to talk to me, ideally for the next two minutes or so."

"Oh? How come?" asked Georgina, and it was a fair question; after all, the woman had practically jumped her mere seconds ago.

"See that man over there? Blackish hair, blue eyes, hunchback, a bit of a screw-face, sort of like yours actually," the woman subtly nodded towards a man, who was standing by the drinks table, watching her intently. "I'm avoiding him. He won't leave me alone."

"I'll choose to ignore that last comment, and I suppose I can grace you with my company for another-"

"Oh, great, thank you!" She beamed at Georgina, offering her hand to her. "I'm Leonora. Leonora Archibald. But you can call me Nell. I am sorry for startling you, but you see, it's my second year on the marriage market, and my Mama is all too certain I have to find a husband this year. And I wouldn't mind it if she would choose some eligible men to court me, not someone who still has his mother tuck him into bed!"

Georgina stifled a laugh behind her hand and Nell followed suit, the two women giggling to themselves in the middle of the ballroom. "So, what is your name then?" Leonora now asked Georgina.

"Georgina. Georgina Carlisle."

"I haven't heard that last name before. I say, are you new to London?"

"No, lord no. I'm a harpist, see?" Georgina indicated to her instrument, which was only a couple of metres away from the pair of them. "I haven't the time nor money to attend these balls regularly."

"Oh!" And there it was; the reaction Georgina had been waiting for. The fabled cry of shock when they realised she was, in fact, a lower class woman who was simply trying to make ends meet. She prepared herself for what was to come next: the offhand comment and sudden rush away. Yet, instead, she was met with something entirely different. "That is magnificent, indeed! Oh, but you must be so talented!" The girl continued to ramble on, her sentences all warping together, as she began to talk of her abilities to play the pianoforte, though she despised of it.

At some point during their conversation, Georgina became increasingly aware of the fact that she must've be sporting a shocked expression on her face, because after some time of talking, Nell turned to face her and said, "What? Have I said something wrong?"

"Oh no, not at all," Georgina replied. "I'm just not used to being greeted with such warmth at these events. Usually it's just condescending mothers looking for someone to pick on, and I'm their chosen target."

"Well, perhaps you should get accustomed to this 'warmth' you describe, Georgina," Leonora said, grinning. From across the ballroom, her Mama shouted her name, and Nell grimaced slightly. "I must dash now, before my Mama drags me over there by my ear. She really is frightful when she gets angry. But do you know what, Georgina Carlisle? I have a feeling we are going to be very good friends!"

"As do I, Leonora Archibald," Georgina returned the sentiment, watching as Nell gave her a quick nod before speeding over to her mother, careful to avoid the man she had been hiding from minutes prior. The conversation now over, Georgina made her way over to her harp, where she sat down and began to polish it, preparing it for her performance later that evening.

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Benedict Bridgerton had reached his wit's end, and it wasn't even ten o'clock yet. The fete seemed to be never ending, with countless Mamas and their equally annoying daughters all vying for his and his brothers' attention. Quite frankly, he couldn't wait to be given the thumbs up to leave, though he knew that the time would never come fast enough.

Having just spoken to Lady Danbury, and having watched his younger brother fawn over a certain Miss Marina Thompson, Benedict was left by himself, watching the monotonous nature of the dancers, as the women got twirled around by the men looking to court them. He could never imagine himself in their shoes, never imagine himself fawning over a woman in such a manner. He considered himself above all of the madness the marriage market brought.

He was convinced he would've remained rooted to his spot on the outskirts of the dance floor all night, had he not heard a sudden change in the music playing. While the strings had been playing a more lively tune, the tempo suddenly changed, and was replaced with a more gentle sound, emerging from...a harp? The noise complemented beautifully with the strings, which provided a good background to the sound. The notes were gentle and controlled, yet powerful enough to echo through the hall, given that everyone was quiet, of course. And best believe they were; if they were not dancing on the floor, they had all stopped to listen to the enchanting music, their eyes all searching for this mysterious performer.

And Benedict found his eyes doing the exact same thing. Almost frantically, he began to search the ballroom to find whoever it may be playing such a beautiful tune, and then he saw her.

She was sat down on a chair, her red dress smoothed down as she played the instrument before her. She wore a look of deep concentration as she focused on nothing but her harp, her eyes holding a certain sparkle to them, which Benedict could only assume was passion. He watched as her fingers ran smoothly over the instrument, moving intricately between the strings of the harp. He was entranced, to say the very least. How was it that someone could play such a beautiful sound?

He didn't know how long he remained rooted to his spot, simply listening to the sound she was producing from her instrument, but it must've been a while, because by the time he had noticed, Colin had returned from his place on the dance floor, looking thoroughly content.

"I say, Brother, what has you looking so...contemplative?" Colin asked Benedict, waving a hand in front of his face, as if to check his consciousness. Benedict moved his hand out of the way, and shook his head slightly.

"Nothing, I just...have some matters to attend to." He excused himself and made a beeline towards the harpist, who had now stood up from where she was seated previously, and was now packing away.

"Hello," Benedict greeted her chirpily, waving slightly. The woman turned to look at him, her face rested in a scowl, and the otherwise confident man suddenly became very self-conscious of his own movements. "I heard you playing. The harp, that is. You are very talented."

As though she had just snapped out of a trance, the woman replied, "Thank you. It's nice to hear my talents being appreciated by someone, at least."

"Surely you must have noticed the crowd forming around you and your instrument?"

"I don't seek to perform for anyone except myself, so I pay no heed to any crowd."

"Well you must do, otherwise you wouldn't be performing at such a prestigious event." The woman now turned to fully face Benedict, her arms folded across her dress, a scowl marking her features. Though she looked annoyed, Benedict couldn't help but note how very pretty she was, especially now that he'd had the privilege of seeing her up close.

"We cannot all afford the luxury of attending such events without having to have a reason behind it. Though I don't see how this is of any of your concern."

Benedict was intrigued by the girl, even while hardened persona was set to intimidate him. "I'm Benedict Bridgerton. Tell me, what is your name?"

"Elizabeth Downing," The girl replied, though almost too quickly. Growing up with seven other siblings meant that he had become rather experienced at spotting a liar, and a good one at that.

"That isn't your name," He laughed at her futile attempts at dissuading him, and he could've sworn that he saw a smile threatening to grace her features. "What harm will it bring you if you I were to know your name?"

"It shall not bring me any harm, but rather yourself," She stated simply, focusing her attention back on her instrument, which some horsemen had come to take away. "Trust me, Bridgerton, a man of a status such as your own should not even be seen interacting with half of the people in this ballroom right now, let anyone someone such as myself."

"Well, unlike what you may think of me, mystery woman, I do not care for what people think of me," Benedict said. "I only care for the quality of my company, and I do believe that you are deemed to be of a high quality."

"What, because of my musical abilities? You hardly even know me!"

"And? I can get to know you. We have only just met, after all, I know as much about you as you know about me. Though perhaps even less, seeing as you haven't told me your name yet!" He said the last bit in a sing-song voice, which the girl turned her back to.

"I really must get going, I am almost certain my carriage is waiting for me now." Dusting down her dress and moving her hair behind her shoulders, the woman turned to face Benedict, curtseying before him before walking off. "It was a pleasure, Mr Bridgerton."

Benedict watched as she left, wanting nothing more than to stop her, before she stopped abruptly, and turned around. "Oh, and one more thing. It's Georgina, Georgina Carlisle."

He might've imagined it, but Benedict could've sworn that he saw her shoot him a quick smile before she walked off, and disappeared amongst the crowd of people. Turning his back to where she once was, Benedict sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Trouble in paradise, Mr Bridgerton?" A voice from behind him spoke, and he turned around to see Lady Danbury. "I never did paint you to be the biggest fan of these events, but I most certainly didn't expect you to look so down during such occasions. Tell me, what's on your mind?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Benedict started, not planning on continuing his sentence, but one stern look from Lady Danbury made him continue. "It's just- that harpist, Miss Carlisle, you know of her?"

"Know of her? I hired her, of course I know of her."

"Right. Well, she disappeared before I could fully converse with her. She revealed to me her name, but nothing more. I don't know what it is about her, she just seemed sort of-"

"Interesting? Intriguing? Or perhaps even...beautiful?" Lady Danbury smirked up at the man, a knowing look on her face.

"Precisely," Benedict tipped his head back, groaning as he realised just what he'd admitted to the older woman. "And now I'm fairly certain I'm never going to see her again."

"I wouldn't worry about that, Mr Bridgerton," Lady Danbury said knowingly, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "After all, I do have a strong influence in these very crowds. And I think you'll find that many of these balls require a harpist with a talent as prominent as hers."

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.ೃ࿔ Elodie Speaks . . .

The first chapter is officially here!! I did NOT think I would ever be able to write 5K words in a first chapter, but here I am anyway! I love Georgina and Benedict so much and trust me, their relationship will develop further as the book goes on. As always, thank you all so much for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter!