Smile Lines

Title: Smile Lines
Author: ExcentrykeMuse
Fandom(s): Bridgerton / Harry Potter Series
Pairings: Anthony Bridgerton/Romilda Vane, Rosa Vane(OFC)/Roger Davies, Daphne Bridgerton/Duke of Hastings
Word Count: 2.5k
Rating: PG
Prompt: January 2025 Prompts
Warnings: Romilda Vane, Anthony Bridgerton’s List, Society
Prompt: For Dreamersloversandme: Anthony/Romilda Vane: This fic uses characters from Amortentia who were transplanted into Season 2 of Bridgerton

Smile Lines

Rosa was dancing.  Rosa always had a partner.  She had so many suitors.  It was honestly unfair.  Although it was her third season and a suitable offer of marriage had not come along, everyone loved Rosa.  She was popular.  She was friends with Daphne Bridgerton.  She had the perfect waist.  Prince Friedrich even called her “charming.”

With her perfect black corkscrew curls, doe like brown eyes, dainty chin, and perfect waist, Rosa was the ideal beauty.  Not even Daphne Bridgerton could be called lovelier even though the Duke of Hastings and Prince Friedrich were fighting over her. 

Even Mr. Roger Davies was on the cusp of proposing marriage to Rosa.  It was expected any day yet.  Although he did not have a title, he had an estate in Sussex and twelve thousand pounds a year.  It was the perfect match.  His grandfather, even, on his maternal side, was a Viscount.  It would only be better if he were a baronet.

Romilda, on the other hand, had freckles.  No matter how much she scrubbed her face with lemon water, they would not lighten.  Her hair was just as black as Rosa’s and just as curly, but they were wild, untamable curls, and it was so difficult to pin up.  It always ended up coming free and falling about her face.  It was an absolute nightmare.  Her eyes were large and brown, but they seemed too large in her face.  They made her look as if she had a permanent expression of surprised wonderment.  It was not at all attractive.

Her chin also jutted forward.  It was not a demure chin or remotely flattering. 

She supposed that her hips were wide enough for childbearing, but they gave her an awkward figure.  Her legs were also too short and stubbly.  Fortunately her shapely thighs were covered by her muslins, but when she walked, they were all too apparent.

Romilda’s figure was not graceful or sylphlike.  She was only thankful she did not live in France.  (In France, ladies dampened their dresses to show off their figures, and Romilda’s figure was not beautiful, but instead round and stubbly.  Common.  That’s what Rosa called her figure: common.  Romilda did everything she could to hide her figure.)

Her bust also was too large.  Romilda did everything she could to cover her decolletage with lace, but there was only so much lace a lady could wear.  She wore blushers even in the hot July weather, but she was afraid that the other young ladies could tell that she was far too well endowed, like a milkmaid or a washerwoman. 

Rosa once laughed at her and said she could be a wetnurse if she never married, and Romilda despaired.

Now Romilda was out for her first season and none of her dresses looked well on her.  The Vanes wore dark blues and crimsons, but Romilda feared such colors only accentuated her awkward figure where they made Rose look more stately and beautiful.

There was, however, one occasion when Romilda wore white, and that was her debut in front of Queen Charlotte.

Romilda was more than aware that Lady Whistledown would be watching.  The gossip sheet had been operating for a year and had declared Daphne Bridgerton the Diamond.  Romilda was under no illusions.  She would not be declared the diamond this year especially with her hair cascading around her neck despite the feather that was jutting at an angle out of her head.

Her aunt, Lady Clearwater, was her sponsor, but she was too busy gabbing with another society matron.

At least Romilda was the Clearwater Heiress.  That was something that Rosa did not have for all her prettiness and popularity.  She did not have the Clearwater fortune behind her.

Her eyes roamed the room and then, off in the corner, she noticed a blue coat.  A gentleman was in the room.  She turned her head slightly to the side and looked out of the side of her eye and tried to identify o the gentleman.  No, she did not know him.  He had not been one of Rosa’s many suitors.  He was now leaning in and talking to Lady Bridgerton who was standing with Eloise who looked anxious.  Was he a Bridgerton then?

Romilda did not know the Bridgerton men.

She knew Daphne Bridgerton, of course, now the Duchess of Hastings, because she was a friend of Rosa’s.  She knew Eloise because she had been in the company of Daphne but once, but the others—no.

The gentleman turned his head and caught Romilda’s eye.

Romilda, for all her insecurities, was not a wallflower.  She looked boldly back. 

Not a coquette either, she did not smile.  She did turn her head slightly to accentuate her neck and to slightly turn her chin so it did not seem so unfortunate to him, and she saw the gentleman turn his head and his eyes alight with interest.

Nodding to her, his blue eyes shone for a moment before he turned to Lady Bridgerton a moment later and then retreated a second later.

Her eyes followed him out and Romilda noticed that he turned at the door and regarded her once more from the door before casting his eyes toward Lady Bridgerton once more before exiting.

Romilda cast her eyes back toward Lady Bridgerton who was speaking to her daughter in hushed whispers before she picked up her train and made her way toward Romilda.  She had noticed then.

Wishing that her cheekbones were higher rather than character forming, Romilda cast a look toward Aunt Clearwater who was still speaking to Lady Gwendolen. 

She took a fortifying breath and reminded herself to seem calm and confident.  She was a Vane after all.  Her mother was a Clearwater and titled.  Romilda was only an honorable, but Rosa was not even an honorable even though they were half-sisters, and she was popular.

If Queen Charlotte had declared a Diamond a year earlier, surely it could have been Rosa—but that was only speculation on Romilda’s part and fortunately Lady Whistledown hadn’t taken up such speculation.

Lady Bridgerton was now fast approaching.

Turning to her Aunt Minnie, Romilda reached out and tugged on her inner sleeve to gain her attention.  Lady Clearwater turned toward her with her bright blue eyes in question and Romilda inclined her head toward Lady Bridgerton who was now regarding the aunt and niece who looked nothing like each other.

Lady Clearwater nodded to Lady Gwendolen and turned to Lady Bridgerton.  “Viscountess!” she greeted with a smile.  “So wonderful to see you.  You are presenting Eloise, are you not?  Have you met my niece, the Honorable Romilda Vane?”

Romilda offered a friendly though tight lipped smile.  It would not do to smile with her teeth and appear too grasping.  She had to reserve her smiles with teeth.  She only had so many smiles in her.  There were smile lines, after all, that she would get around her eyes.  Smiles with teeth were for eligible men.  Only they were worth smile lines.  She refused to get lines around her eyes before she turned forty-five.

“Miss Vane,” Lady Bridgerton greeted with a full smile with teeth, smile lines evident around her eyes.  “You must be Rosa’s younger sister.  Yes,” she paused, taking her in.  “I see the family resemblance.”

Refusing to let her smile appear strained, Romilda fortunately was not forced to answer.

Aunt Minnie answered for her.  “Half-sister,” she responded.  “Her mother was Lady Zelda, Earl Clearwater’s late sister.”

Romilda could see the wheels behind Lady Bridgerton’s eyes turning.  “Lady Zelda, yes.  I remember her debuting a few years behind me.”  She took in Romilda again.  “Well, I see it is your turn now.”

“Yes, Viscountess,” she agreed. 

Lady Bridgerton turned her attention to Aunt Minnie.  “But I see you are sponsoring her, Lady Clearwater, and not Mrs. Vane.”  There was a lilt to her words, a slight question at the end.

“Indeed,” Aunt Minnie agreed.  “I absolutely insisted.  Romilda is Lord Clearwater’s heir as we have no children of our own.”

“Is she staying with you at Clearwater House?”  Lady Bridgerton looked at her politely.

Ah, so that was the point of the question.  She was fishing for information.

“Indeed,” Aunt Minnie informed her.  “Lord Clearwater offered the invitation for the season.  She will of course see Rosa and young Mr. Roland at society events and I would never stop any of them from visiting each other.”  She said this last bit while leaning in as if imparting a confidence, “but as I am sponsoring dear Romilda, I insisted that she stay with us so that I can properly chaperone her.  She is a Clearwater, after all.”

Lady Bridgerton was looking over Romilda in her white presentation gown, which was cinched at the waist and unfortunately showcased her rather shapely hips.  “I see you are already doing admirably.  Well.  We should do tea.  She and Eloise are coming out at the same time.  They should be friends.  We shall arrange it.”

“We shall,” Aunt Minnie agreed with a bright smile.  Aunt Minnie had reserved her smiles in her youth and did not have nearly as many smile lines as Lady Bridgerton, Romilda was pleased to see. 

Lady Bridgerton nodded and returned to Eloise who was impatiently waiting for her.

Aunt Minnie waited until she spoke.  “Well.  What was that about?”

Romilda paused.  “I do not wish to speculate.”

“You have an idea though.”

“I might,” she admitted.

“All right,” she agreed.  “If it progresses, I will ask for an explanation.  I know your half-sister,” she emphasized ‘half’ quite strongly; Aunt Minnie did not approve of Rosa and she certainly did not approve of Romilda’s older stepbrother Roland, “is close with the Duchess of Hastings.  I shall not say any more on the subject.”

She gave Romilda a look and turned back toward Lady Gwendolen.

There was, however, nothing to tell until two days later.  Romilda was not presented to Queen Charlotte as the latest gossip sheet from Lady Whistledown was delivered during Eloise Bridgerton’s presentation and the rest of the ceremony was rescheduled.

When it did occur, Romilda was pushed and prodded back into her dress and her feathers put back in her curls, which were wrangled into pins.

When her name was called, she did her best to process in in a stately manner, approach her majesty, and then curtsey.  She waited ten seconds which she counted in her head, and then withdrew.  Nothing of interest happened.  The Queen did not even declare a Diamond.  Nothing until she returned home and was changing into a deep red day dress and was told that she had a visitor.

It was well past calling hours.

She also had feathers sticking out of her hair.

“Emily,” she demanded as her maid shoved her into the seat in front of her vanity and sank her hands into her wild hair.  “Who is it?”

“I am afraid I was not told.  The butler just told me you have a guest.”

“At three in the afternoon on the day of my presentation?” Romilda asked, bewildered.

“So it would seem.”  The first feather was plucked out of her hair and then the second was wrenched out.  Next Emily unclasped the pearls from around her neck and placed them back in her box.  They had been on loan from Aunt Millie.

Romilda arched her neck and looked at her chin from several different angles.

“It is not as horrible as you think it is,” Emily soothed her.

“It juts out,” she complained.

“Your husband will be able to clasp it with his fingers and angle your face the way he will like it,” Emily told her.  “Believe me, men like that.”

Romilda looked at her reflection and caught Emily’s bright eyes in surprise.  “How do you know that?”

Emily stilled and paused.  “Maybe I have a sweetheart?” she asked carefully.

Considering this, Romilda nodded and then quickly got up out of her chair and rushed to the door. 

Then, remembering decorum, she opened the door calmly and walked out onto the landing.  When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she waited outside the drawing room and tried to listen in, but only heard murmurings.  Tucking a wayward curl behind her ear, she took a deep breath and opened the door.

She was met with the sight of her aunt and the Bridgerton gentleman holding a bouquet of camellia, the color a bright fuchsia.

Without any need to pretense, she smiled widely and accepted the small bouquet.  “Perfect loveliness and unpretending excellence,” she quoted, looking up into his blue eyes.

“My thoughts exactly, Miss Vane,” he answered.

She glanced over at her aunt who was looking between them happily. 

“I believe you have the advantage over me.  I believe you are one of the Bridgerton brothers, but I am uncertain as to which one.”

“Oh, forgive me,” Aunt Minnie interrupted.  “Romilda, dear, this is Viscount Bridgerton.”

Romilda arched her neck so that her chin did not appear so terrible.  “Viscount,” she greeted.  “What a wonderful present.”

He stood to the side so that she could walk further into the room and take a seat on the settee.  Viscount Bridgerton took the seat beside her, Aunt Minnie sitting across from them.

“I was hoping you would know flower language.”  He was observing her closely and she was hoping he was not finding fault with her.

“Of course I know flower language,” she answered.  “I am quite fluent.”

“Then if I should bring yellow carnations next time?” he inquired.

She scrunched up her nose, though she was certain she looked quite ugly.  “I should certainly hope not!  I would also think you would send them instead of bring them to translate your rejection.”

His eyes gleamed happily.  “What should I send my sister Francesca?”

“I am afraid I do not know anything about Miss Francesca.”

“She is staying with our aunt in Bath.  She is quite accomplished in the pianoforte.  She is next eldest after Eloise.”

Romilda did not even need to think.  “A cherry blossom, I should think, for her education.”

“Do you speak any other languages, Miss Vane?”

The door opened and a footman came in with tea.

“Romilda has a most liberal education,” Aunt Minnie answered for her.  “She speaks French and Italian, and she can read both Latin and Greek.”

“And do you play any instruments?” he inquired.

Romilda laughed as she accepted a dish of tea from her aunt.  “Do you have a list of accomplishments you wish for your future bride to have?”

He paused and accepted his own dish of tea.  “And if I did?”

She looked at him and then glanced at her aunt.  “I would say you are better prepared than most gentlemen that enter the marriage mart.  What else is on this list?”  And with that she took a sip of her tea and waited for him to answer.

The End.