Bridgerton Collection, Volume 1 (Bridgertons #1-3)

by Julia Quinn

As he approached the nursery door, the laughter increased, with a few squeals thrown in for good measure. The sounds brought a smile to Benedict’s face, and he turned when he reached the open doorway, and then— He saw her. Her. Not Sophie. Her. And yet it was Sophie. She was blindfolded, smiling as she groped her hands toward the giggling children. He could see only the bottom half of her face, and that’s when he knew. There was only one other woman in the world for whom he’d seen only the bottom half of her face. The smile was the same. The gamine little point at the end of her chin was the same. It was all the same. She was the woman in silver, the woman from the masquerade ball. It suddenly made sense. Only twice in his life had he felt this inexplicable, almost mystical attraction to a woman. He’d thought it remarkable, to have found two, when in his heart he’d always believed there was only one perfect woman out there for him. His heart had been right. There was only one. He’d searched for her for months. He’d pined for her even longer. And here she’d been right under his nose.