Wilhelmina Trowbridge, Age 11

After the tragic death of Niamh Trowbridge, the widowed Eric Trowbridge was to be married to the newest debutante on the market, Lorelei Jameson. The two had promenaded many times, and the then 11 year old Wilhelmina was heartbroken. Lorelei was always very kind to the young redhead, but all she wanted was her mother.

The redhead would cry herself to sleep, as she was tonight.

Mina clung to a stuffed doll as tears ran down her face uncontrollable. Little sobs and whimpers escaped her mouth, but she covered herself with the doll, for her father was downstairs with Lorelei.

The door to the room swung open, the knocks previously on the door being casted out by the young girl, and in came the debutante.

"Mina?" The redhead shot up and faced the blonde women, eyes wide, red and swollen. "Are you alright, my dear?" Mina wanted to nod, but a sob escaped her mouth and she hid behind her doll.

The blonde's eyes widened and rushed to the girls side, quickly scooping her into an embrace, not caring about the fact that her new dress was being ruined by the tears of the young girl.

Only the sobs of the one and ten year old and the reassuring words of the five and twenty year old could be heard through out the room, Mina clinging to the woman for dear life as she sobbed and sobbed until she only whimpered.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lorelei asked, making the younger girl nod.

"I..." She sniffled before speaking again. "I miss my mummy." Lorelei's heart broke as new tears ran down the girls face, softly wiping them away with her white gloved hand. "I know you do, Mina. You don't want to move on and continue without her, do you?" The blonde said, making the redhead nod.

"I felt the same way when my older sister passed away." Lorelei told her. "It felt like there was a chunk of my heart missing and it could never be filled, no matter what I did. Margarite was my best friend. I did everything with her and told her everything." Mina looked at the woman with wide eyes.

Lorelei always had a smile on her face. Mina could never have imagined she lost someone so dear to her. She listened intently to the woman's words and took them to heart. When the woman finished, her eyes were glossy, but she refused to let the tears fall.

"Would you like to meet my sister tomorrow?" Lorelei asked, making the redhead nod, a smile now on her face. "Can I? Can I really?" Mina asked, making Lorelei nod. "Of course. She'd love to meet you. Here, let's go ask your father if he'd let you go with me tomorrow, yes?" Mina nodded again, the two of them leaving the room hand-in-hand as they walked to the second floor of the great Trowbridge manor, to the conservatory, where Earl Trowbridge was waiting.

"My Lord? Mina wanted to ask you something." Lorelei spoke, Eric turning towards the debutante and his daughter, who had ran over and hugged him, surprising him, still wrapping his arms around her. "What is it, Apple?" Eric asked, Wilhelmina sitting on his lap and playing with his tie.

"Can we go see Ms. Lorelei's sister tomorrow?" She asked with a smile on her face as she looked at her dad, who looked at Lorelei, who nodded. "Well, I don't see why not?" The three of them spent the rest of the night together, and the following day going to the cemetery together.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

The wedding of Earl Trowbridge and Lorelei Jameson was the talk of the ton. Everyone wanted to attend, but only those close to the Earl and his soon-to-be-wife were invited, including the Bridgerton's, who were a close family friend to Niamh, but who'd lost contact after her passing.

Wilhelmina was standing straight and still as Viscountess Huxley stitched up a pale lavender dress for the young girl as Lorelei watched lovingly.

"You will grow up to be a beautiful girl, Lady Trowbridge." Viscountess Ricci's Italian accent being prominent in her words.

"Thank you, Viscountess Ricci." Wilhelmina said, a slight smile on her face.

"You are most welcome." Viscountess Ricci smiled at the redhead, for she was the most polite little girl in the ton. And the only one who suited the red hair, not like the Featherington's.

"Are you excited to become Countess Trowbridge, Lorelei?" Viscountess Ricci asked, as she stitched in white lilies to the dress.

"It feels like I'm in the clouds, My Lady." Lorelei spoke.

Wilhelmina watched as the Viscountess stitched her dress in wonder.

"Viscountess Ricci?" The younger girls voice rang, making the seamstress look up at her. "Yes, Wilhelmina?"

"Do you think when I'm older, I could work for you?" Mina asked, fiddling with her fingers. The seamstress just smiled.

"Don't you want to be the woman in charge, Mina?" The redhead nodded. "We girls can make our own way in life. We just need to find which path is ours, and if we're brave enough to venture down that path." The Viscountess said, looking up at the girl once again from the stitching. "Don't you think so?" Wilhelmina nodded with a big smile on her face.

That night was the first night Wilhelmina Trowbridge picked up a paintbrush and let her hand be the guide.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Years after the wedding, Eric and Lorelei grew apart, especially when Eric became obsessed with wanting a male heir. He never neglected his daughter, but all he wanted, needed, was a son.

Wilhelmina became a famous painter, under the pseudonym Fleamont Pettigrew, for a woman could never become a renowned painter.

Her father was finally given his wish earlier in the year when Lorelei gave birth to a little boy named Joseph. Only a month later, had Eric Trowbridge passed away.

Mina became a shell of who she used to be. Of course, her dear friend, Lucy Granville, helped her mourn, but she just needed more. She was to become the Countess after her father passed, but with her new brother, she no longer had that responsibility, and she was grateful to any god there was.

The social season also started, her old friends, Daphne and Cassandra Bridgerton, being chosen by the Queen herself. She wasn't envious, in fact, she'd been ecstatic. Of course, that didn't stop her stepmother from wanting her to go to the balls. So here she was, her ladies maid, coincidentally named Ruth as well, helped her into a baby blue gown.

"Could you ask Lori why we have to go to the ball, Ruthie Boothie?" Mina whined, as Ruth fixed up her wild red hair.

"Because, Minnie, you are already five and twenty and you still have not found a husband." Lorelei spoke, as she walked into the room with baby Joseph in her arms.

"Loriiiii!" Mina whined, turning her pink lips into a pout, making Lorelei snort. "Come on, dear. We'll only be there for a while. Promise." The blonde said. "Fineeeee." Ruth let out a sigh of relief, making the three women laugh out, and the little ginger boy giggle.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Wilhelmina hated the party the second she stepped out of the carriage. Lorelei sighed as she saw Mina's sullen face. She bounced the baby in her arms before addressing her stepdaughter.

"Mina. At least put a smile on your face. Pretend, my love. I hate to say this, but pretend you're having fun. Florence Edwards and Gwendolyn Blackwood should be here as well, so please, at least pretend you're enjoying yourself?" Lorelei asked, making Mina sigh and nod. Lorelei smiled before looking at her son.

"Hear that, Joseph? Minnie's going to enjoy herself tonight!" Joseph squealed, making Mina smile. "Anything for this little rascal." The redhead said, giving the little boy a kiss on the head. The three walked in and immediately, Wilhelmina found her two dearest friends, Gwendolyn and Florence. "May I go, Mum?" Mina asked her stepmother, who nodded happily. She rushed over and jumped on one of her closest friends, Florence Edwards, who was standing in the corner before being joined by their newly arrived friend, Gwendolyn Blackwood.

The three laughed and talked for a while, before Florence pulled Mina away from Gwendolyn, seeing Viscount Bridgerton walking towards her. "They will have such adorable babies together." Florence said, making Mina nod. "Definitely. Imagine it! A baby, with Anthony's hair color and texture, with blue eyes like Gwennie, and just a mix of their facial features." Mina said, making Florence gasp.

"That would be the prettiest baby of all time, My dear God." The two laughed and walked around together, before Mina spotted another friend of hers. "Look! It's Benedict!" She waved happily at him, before Flo smacked her hand down. "He's with Colin, stop it." Mina sighed at Florence. "Flo, when will you and him finally talk?"

"When he stops being a Mama's Boy, grows a brain, and actually figures out all the hints I've been giving him for the past decade and a half." The younger girl hissed, making Mina sigh. She understood why Florence was feeling this way. She felt that way with Benedict, not that he was a Mama's Boy, but the fact that he was so oblivious to all the signs she'd given him.

"Love how one of us three will be married by the end of this season." Mina said, making Florence nod as they watched happily as Gwen danced with her longtime crush. "Ms. Trowbridge?" Mina turned around to see Benedict Bridgerton looking at her. "Well, if it isn't the 2nd born Bridgerton. How may I be of service to you, good sir?" She asked with a cheeky smile.

"I was wondering if you'd do me the honor of judging some art pieces?" He asked, making the redhead look at her friend, who shoved her towards the man with a smile. "I'd be delighted." Mina waved goodbye to her friend before walking off with her other friend. "So. How've you been, Benny?" She asked as their arms linked together, walking around the ballroom.

"I've been doing well, Minny. And yourself? How have you been?" Benedict and Wilhelmina had just recently become friends, but the two of them had a secret. A secret that no one in the ton knew, and they could never know. Why, you ask?

As the two silently slipped out of the ballroom, they found their way up into a spare bedroom Lady Danbury had given for the two exclusively, Benedict's lips were already on Mina's, making her moan. "It has only been a week, and I find myself starved from your touch." Benedict said as their lips parted from each other's for a split moment. "Shut up and kiss me, you fool." Mina said, making him smirk and give her what she wanted.

After the ball ended, Benedict left the bedroom first to avoid suspicion, and Mina left last, the two already having their next date set up. "Mina! My Lord, where have you been?! You had me worried!" Lorelei said frantically, Joseph's nanny swiftly catching up to her with Joseph in her arms.

"I felt a bit ill, so I asked Benedict Bridgerton if he could escort me outside for some fresh air. Sorry for worrying you, Mum." Lorelei let out a sigh and nodded, giving her daughter a huge hug.

Oh my god!
is that an update I see?????
why yes it is my dears
have you missed me? ik you did 🤪✌️
anyways my plan is to finish the first three Bridgerton books I have out now (my ideas are sldndkdnej) then continue with the others I have. Capeesh?
n e ways have a good night/morning/evening/afternoon