CHAPTER 17. TRUST AND FORGIVENESS

pastimes in the country?" Mama asks Miss Thompson.

"I enjoyed riding above all else, my lady." Miss Thompson replies.

"Please, you must call me Violet now." Mama tells her. "Remember?"

"Miss Thompson is such a proper young lady, is she not?" Lady Featherington cuts in, and Louis and I share a look.

"Have you traveled at all beyond England, Miss Thompson?" Mama asks. "It has long been Colin's greatest ambition to travel the world."

"Never." Miss Thompson answers, genuinely. "Though it is now a great ambition of mine as well."

"I am sensing a honeymoon in foreign parts." Lady Featherington interjects. "What think you, Lord Bridgerton?"

"I would not like to speculate." Anthony tells her, politely.

"Yes, indeed. I believe a honeymoon in foreign parts would be just the thing." Lady Featherington continues. "Mr. Bridgerton, you might even make the most of this fine weather we've been having if you choose to marry sooner rather than later."

"Colin is still very young." Anthony cuts in. "I believe a lengthier engagement would be prudent, excellent weather notwithstanding."

I laugh in my glass, as Louis, who was sitting next to Anthony, leaned back, so that his smile could not be seen.

"Mother, have I told you Miss Thompson is very accomplished at needlework?" Colin changes the topic. "She is quite brilliant. Puts my sisters to shame."

"I can assure you, that is not true." Miss Thompson tells us.

"You have not seen my sister Daphne's embroidery." Colin tells her. "In all honesty, it is like a battlefield."

"Prince Louis, have you had a chance to meet our second oldest daughter, Philippa?" Lady Featherington asks Louis.

"No, I do not believe I have." Louis answers, with a polite smile, as I stab my fork into my meal.

"She could not stop taking about His Majesty." Lady Featherington continues.

"Oh." Louis lets out, awkwardly, as he meets my eyes, and I just give him a unbothered look, like I was not even listening. "I'm sure she is lovely."

"How about she shows us all her talents at the piano forte, after our meal?" Lady Featherington suggests.

♪ Oh dear, what can the matter be? Oh dear, what can the matter be? ♪

♪ Oh dear, what can the matter be? Johnny's so long at the fair ♪

♪ He promised he'd buy me a bunch of blue ribbons ♪

♪ He promised to buy me a bunch of blue ribbons ♪

♪ Promised to buy me a bunch of blue ribbons ♪

♪ To tie up my bonny brown hair ♪

♪ And it's oh dear... ♪

massaging it. Prudence was singing, as Philippa played the piano.

I look at Louis, who was giving me look, as if to say, 'I told you so'. I give him a look that says, 'shut up', and he laughs, as I lean back into the sofa, hoping to escape the song. I sigh, and look at Louis, with pleading eyes, and he takes pity on me, as he stands up, making his way to Mama.

"Lady Bridgerton, would it be alright, if Diana and I went for a walk?" He asks Mama, as I look hopeful.

"Of course, Your Majesty." Mama replies, and I nearly burst from the joy. "But, I do believe, you shall need a chaperone." She turns to Anthony. "Anthony would-"

"It is alright, Mama." I cut in. "Benedict would like to chaperone us."

"I would?" He asks, and I give him a look. "I would."

"Come on, Brother." I tell him, as drag both of them out of the Featherington residence.

the matteerrrrrr beeeeeee!!!" Benedict sings loudly, completely off key,, as Louis and I both laugh, walking further away for the house.

"I do believe, that is quite enough, Brother." I tell him, as he swings his arm around my shoulder, with Louis on my other side. "Quite a show."

"Let him finish the song, Diana." Louis tells me, as I roll my eyes.

"Now, that is a man, who appreciates good humor." Benedict tells us, pointing at Louis, as they they both smile. "You need not be so uptight all the time, Diana."

"Let loose sometimes, will you?" Louis asks me.

"Oh, is that is?" I ask them, scoffing in disbelief. "I'm uptight, and you both have an unreal bound over humor?"

"It seems so." Louis tells me, and I let out a huff.

"As, His Majesty said." Benedict adds, as I roll my eyes.

"Please, no need for formalities." Louis tells him. "After all, we do have a bound."

"You hear that, Diana." Benedict tells me, turning to Louis, as he pushes me aside, and moves towards Louis. "Tell me, you're a Prince, a rather intelligent lad, good-looking, whatever did you see in my sister?"

I give both of them an offended look, as they laugh.

"I do suppose, I like a challenge." Louis replies.

"Oh, I'm a challenge, now, am I?" I ask him, and Benedict interjects.

"You surely can be quite difficult, Sister." He jokes.

"Oh, I see." I tell them. "You both are turning against me. I tell you, it is not fair."

"The world is not fair, dear Sister." Benedict replies.

"Uh-huh." I tell him. "Now, fly away."

He stops, and gives me a mock salute, making me roll my eyes.

"As my Sister commands." He says, turning, and walking away.

We both laugh, as Louis and I walk quietly for a few moments.

"So, where are we going?" I ask him, as he smiles at me.

"I have a little surprise." He tells me.

"Really?" I ask him, and he nods. "What is it?"

"Let's just say, you are going to be really surprised." He simply replies.

breath out, as I look up, turning around. I have a huge grin on my face, as I turn to look at Louis. "I can not believe you actually did this."

"The first thing you ever told me you wanted to do, was to sit under these lights, and lay here." He tells me. "I wanted to make it true."

"This is truly, the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me." I reply, as I look at the light, my smile widening.

"You deserve this and more." He tells me, and I look at him again.

I step towards him, and he nears me, holding my hand.

"Diana, from the moment I met you, and you spilled that drink on me, I knew I had I had to know you." He starts saying. "And after I got to know you, I knew I would fall in love for you, and I did. You made me fall, even though I had no intention of finding someone. I saw you, and I knew my mind was changed, that I knew I wouldn't be able to not talk to you."

"To be completely honest." I tell him. "I never thought, I would find someone that I could fall in love with this season. I honestly thought, that I would learn to love my husband, after our marriage. I thought, that was just the way things worked, but you made me rethink that. You made me believe, that even in between these balls and formalities, you could fall in love with one's real self, and not someone's façade."

"You have become someone, who I need everyday." He tells me. "I can not imagine not taking to you. I can not imagine not hearing your laugh." I look up at his eyes, which were looking back at me. "You must know, my greatest regret is not telling you who I was. But I was afraid. I was afraid to find out that you only liked me because of some title, and not because of who I was. And, now, now I know, Diana. I know how little these titles mean to you. I know how you are kind, and companionate, and selfless, and gentle. And, I hope you understand, and that you forgive me, because, that is the thing I need most right now. I need your trust, Diana."

I give him a soft smile, as we move closer.

"I do." I tell him, my voice soft. "I trust you, more than anyone, Louis. If forgiveness is what you need from me, you must you, you already have it. And, as for my trust, you had it the minute I met you. You do not need to apologize for your fears ever again. I understand, and even if I didn't I would forgive you, because I do not know how to not."

"I love you, Diana Bridgerton." He breaths out, stroking my cheek, as I lean into his touch. "Right now, right here, I love you. I love how you curl your lips while reading a romance novel, and how you bite your lip to stop yourself from bursting out laughing at some ball so people won't notice you. I love how you bite your lip when you are in a library, searching for a book you like. I love how you blush every time I tell you how beautiful you look."

Our foreheads touch, as my lips curl, smiles one both our faces.

"I love you, Prince Louis Frederick." I reply, and he laughs. "I have loved you, and will love you. I do not know much right now, but that much I know."

And just like that, he leaned in as both of our eyes flutter close. It seemed, I was incapable of feeling anything, touching anything, or even thinking about anything else, other then him, as our lips connect softly. My heart skips a beat, as his arms wrap around my waist, pulling me even closer, and my arms circle around his neck. I feel the skin of his neck with my fingers, as they slowly move upwards, towards his hair. With his one hand, he reaches up, and holds my neck, as our lips move in a delicate sync.

We slowly break apart, and I was sure I would have fell, if it were not for the fact, that he was holding me up.

I sigh contently, as we both have soft smiles on our faces.

"Marry me." He whispers, so low, I was not even sure I had heard him correctly.

"What?" I ask, softly.

"Marry me, Diana Bridgerton." He repeats, a little louder, as he grins down at me. "Will you marry me?"

I laugh, as my lips curl again, and my smile widens.

"Yes." I tell him. "Yes, I will marry you."

He grins, as he picks me up and spins me around, and I break out into giggles. He puts me down, as we both keep on smiling like idiots.

"I just want to lay here with you all night." He tells me, stroking my hair.

"And, what will we do all night?" I ask him, as I hold his hand, which was on my cheek.

"Count the stars." He tells me.

"Counting the stars is pointless." I reply.

"Yes." He agrees. "So is counting freckles, but I know you have 24."

FINALLY!!! THE PROPOSAL!!

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE WRITTEN A REALLY DETAILED KISSING SCENE. HOW WAS IT?

AND A THANK YOU TO FOR HELPING ME WITH THE CHAPTER! ALSO TO !!

DID YOU LIKE THE WHOLE CONFESSING THE LOVE?

ALSO, IF YOU WATCH TEEN WOLF, GO CHECK OUT MY STILES STILINSKI FANFIC, I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT ONE!!!