Dearest gentle reader,

With the conclusion of the first ball of the season, the marriage market has officially begun! And while Lady Danbury has been known to throw eventful balls in the past, I dare say that this ball shall go down in the history books.

First, it is of note that the Duke and Dutchess of Hastings made an appearance at the ball, and while they shared more dances than is proper and then retired early from the festivities, one must consider that the happy couple just received their first child, and while the arrival of Amelia Bennet is a joyous occasion, it must be noted that there is still a lack of an heir to the House of Hastings. Never fret, however, dear reader - one must remind oneself that the presence of the Duke’s cousin (and current heir to the Dukedom), Wyll Basset, is sure to remind them of their ultimate goal. This author prays that nothing shall happen to the Duke before they are able to complete this goal - the previous Duke of Hastings lived until ripe in his age, but the previous Dutchess died when she was but 25. Let us pray, dear reader, that the current Duke takes after his father.

Speaking of Lord Wyll Basset, this author noted that the current heir to the Duke of Hastings made several appearances on the dance floor, but his attentions were never focused on the same woman. However, he was seen chatting with Miss Edwina Sharma multiple times. Although the Queen has not officially labeled Miss Sharma as the diamond of the season (and how could she be, when Princess Shadowheart is also in attendance?), I feel that her popularity amongst the men speaks for itself. Miss Sharma was hardly seen outside of the dance floor, save to get a glass of lemonade, and whenever she left to grab refreshments, it seemed that Lord Basset was there. Could it be that the Basset family has set their sights on another diamond? If that is the case, there shall be plenty of competition from other potential suitors, of which Lord Basset is not the highest in rank.

Indeed, we are fortunate enough to have another Duke attending to our fair ton during this season - His Grace, Astarion Ancunin, Duke of Lennox, also attended the ball. As previously noted, His Grace has not been known to frequent the festivities around the marriage market, so his apparence at the ball seems to have sent a shiver down the collective spine of the mamas of the ton. Unfortunately for them, however, His Grace arrived partway through the ball, and then spent the rest of the evening in the corner of the room, talking with various Lords. Previously, this author surmised that perhaps his sudden appearance at events signaled that he was interested in finding a wife, but alas, I feel that my previous judgment may have been hastily drawn. Rather than finding a wife, it seems he is potentially more interested in aspects of the marriage market that ladies such as this author do not contemplate. However, if this author were to contemplate them, she would say that His Grace might benefit from spending his money on more elegate pursuits than gambling over the outcome of the marriage market. It is commonly known that many of the married men of the ton choose to partake in such activities when acting as chaperones, but it is relatively unheard of for an unmarried gentleman. After all, their appearance amongst the eligible gentlemen could cause a conflict in the marriage pool if they so choose.

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More scandalous than the Duke’s wagers on the marriage market, however, was the sudden disappearance of one Mr. Benedict Bridgerton and Miss Karlach Danbury. Miss Danbury was seen surrounding the dance floor, eagerly awaiting someone to dance with her for quite some time, and this author thought we might have another wallflower on our hands who could properly fit in with Miss Penelope Featherington. Then, Miss Danbury was asked to the floor by Mr. Bridgerton. This is, of course, a common occurrence in the marriage market - the Bridgertons are often known for dancing with the wallflowers, and in fact, Mr. Colin Bridgerton even took Miss Penelope Featherington out to the dance floor. What was surprising, however, was that, within a minute of beginning the waltz, was that Mr. Bridgerton and Miss Danbury seemed to have retired to an upper balcony to finish the dance. While they were slightly visible from the ballroom and therefore not the cause of a true scandal, this author could not help but notice that the two were on the balcony together for more than the two songs that is generally considered polite. Could it be that we will be seeing a joining of these two powerful houses in the near future, or is the action more akin to a blooming friendship amongst two oblivious compatriots?

In typical tradition, the Queen was in attendance for the first ball of the season, which always causes a delightful titter amongst the mamas that signals the urgency to make proper matches. After all, it is well known that the Queen spends much of her time watching the blooming romances and determining which ones are truly worthy of her attention. If they happen to be spectacular matches, the Queen has even been known to proceed over the marriage itself - however, this author must note that that is an occurrence that has not happened for several years. It is possible that such a thing shall be happening again soon, however, with the emergence of the Queen’s daughter to the marriage market. Princess Shadowheart was seen dancing with several men throughout the ton, although I must say that she had fewer suitors than Miss Sharma, which is not wholly surprising given her age. Were she a mere lady instead of a princess, her age would place her firmly into the spinster category, but it seems that there are still several men amongst the ton who remembered that, regardless of age, marrying Princess Shadowheart and producing an heir might cause them to quite quickly rise through the ranks. It is a well-known fact that King Charles is currently in ill health, and while the Queen did manage to sire an heir, and the Queen does have every variety of bastard grandchildren, her children have yet to secure the continuation of their line. As none of the men amongst her children seem fit to find themselves a wife (save for Prince William, whose wife appears to be barren), Princess Shadowheart may be her one chance for their lineage. With any luck, that means that the Queen will be in attendance at a vast majority of the balls this season, both to wish her daughter luck and to pressure the men of the ton into a proper proposal.

However, one must note with Pricess Shadowheart that, when she was not on the dance floor or amongst various ladies, she was seen mostly with Lord Gale Ledger, who was amongst her party when she arrived back to the ton. Meanwhile, Lord Ledger was not seen interacting with many others, save for the people who arrived at the snack table and, while perfectly cordial, he did not seem particularly interested in any of the women in the market this season. Perhaps it is because he and Princess Shadowheart have already formed an attachment?

Only one thing is for sure, dearest reader - there are a lot of differences in this season, and I dare say that it will be one to remember.

Yours truly,

Lady Whistledown