"Hold me close so I can finally... breathe"
Marriage wasn't something Carina Bridgerton looked forward to. And true love was not something she dreamed of. She had declared it very clearly to her family that no marriage shall ever be expected from he...
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Arriving home without another word shared between them, the sibling parted ways to their respective rooms in silence. The younger siblings already asleep in their beds while Benedict, Colin, Daphne, and their mama are yet to arrive, and hopefully would not for a long while.
Having a bath and changing into her nightgown, Carina wondered into the kitchen for some milk and then went upto the library to read. She loved to read, it made her happy and sad and she could live any life she could want through her books. She could escape to another reality, where there are no responsibilities for her, no restrictions, she can be free, she can fly. And she can learn new things, and Carina loves learning new things.
Carina sat down on her favourite armchair and read, so lost in the book, she lost track of time. Carrying a lamp in one hand and holding her shawl around her shoulder with the other, Carina made her way down the stairs towards Anthony's study. Observing all the lamps of the hallway out, she figures her family must have already arrived and must be fast asleep at the moment.
Silently opening the door to Anthony's study that used to be their fathers, she experienced deja vu, about when she used to sneak in here as a child due to lack of sleep and her papa would read her a story, or take her to the kitchen for a snack. Anthony is so immersed in his account ledgers, he does not even hear Carina enter the room and only looks up when she walks to his table and settles her lamp on it, "You are here, sister. Why were you carrying a lamp, what time is it?", he says.
Anthony checks father's old watch and doesn't even let her answer his question, "Nevermind, it is late sister. Why are you not in bed yet?" "I was reading in the library and lost track of time." she shrugs. "Anthony, you must listen. You must not interfere within Daphne and her suitors-" "You were a perfectly reasonable sister until Daphne came of age. These little schemes you concocted to leave Daphne unprotected will never work." he says sharply.
"Anthony, please, i do not wish to fight with you. This is what she needs to-" "No, sister. I am done listening to you. I wish to fight with you. You shall go back to your room-" "Anthony!" "-retire for the night. And then-" "Brother, please-" "-you shall wake up tomorrow, forget all about your little scheme, and never pull such plays on me again!" "Anthony, no, just-"
"Go back to your room Carina! This is my order as the head of the house and Lord Bridgerton! Leave!" thundered his loud voice, both of them now screaming, seemingly forgetting about the sleeping family members.
"No! Anthony, if you wish to be obeyed as Lord Bridgerton, you must act like it. They way you are behaving is nothing beyond childish stubbornness and arrogance. You listen to me, and you listen to me now!" shouts Carina, her words like a slap to Anthony's face.
"You must let Daphne make her own choices this season. Only then can she be happy. You do not understand us women's place in the society brother, this is all we know. This is all we were raised for. If Daphne does not marry, she would never be happy, all she has ever wanted was a love match. A loving husband and a big family." Carina desperately tries to explain. "I am not against her marrying sister. But you both are my sisters, you both deserve the best. As Lord of the house, the responsibility to make a match with only the best for you both has fallen upon me." he says.
