In the Gardens ~ Bridgerton

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"Can you stop Anthony please." Josephine gasped in a breath after following Anthony around the lake. They were in view of everyone, but far enough away that if they screamed no one would be able to understand their words. "Talk to me." She pleaded.

"I must face that scum Berbrooke before he opens his little mouth and ruins my family's honour." Anthony exclaimed finally. "It is what is right."

"It is not what is right! It is illegal Anthony please!" Josephine argued knowing how stubborn the man could be.
"What if you get arrested? Or you kill him! How will you live with someone's blood on your hands? How could your mother live?" Josephine felt herself grow more angry.

"What if you die?! Your family can't take that Anthony, I can't take that." Josephine exclaimed trying to get Anthony to see how absurd the idea was.

"You can't take that? YOU CANT TAKE THAT?" Anthony yelled making Josephine flinch. "I thought you were dead Josephine."

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Flashback

It was a summer evening at the Hastings House. The late Duke was holding a ball for all the upper class, including the Oxford boys society. The society of which both his son and Anthony Bridgerton were members.

"Well Basset this is rather interesting is it not?" Anthony taunted as Simon tried his best to avoid his father all night.

"It is rather entertaining, though I do not blame you brother." Josephine interrupted behind the two boys as she greeted them.

"Josephine! Where have you been? We agreed to meet here did we not?" Simon asked rolling his eyes at his late sister.

"I was with William if you must know. Accompanied of course." Josephine responded thinking of the man she had just left in the gardens.

"I see you haven't taken my advice sister, he is a rake and a foul man." Simon rejected, having heard many awful things about his sisters latest suitor.

"Not to mention a hopeless polo player." Anthony interjected trying to lighten the mood.

"You will not speak so low of someone you do not know Simon, shame on you." Josephine huffed turning from the pair of boys. But as she turned Anthony pulled her back.

"A dance Miss Basset please." Anthony winked as he led her to the dance floor, while Simon went to get a drink.

The pair danced together freely with the music, laughing as they tried not to step on each others toes.

"William and I are going to run away." Josephine stated rather suddenly.

"You what?" Anthony stopped dancing in surprise.

"Simon will never approve so we must take our leave." Josephine responded funding it difficult to meet the eldest Bridgertons eyes. Since the twins met Anthony Bridgerton Josephine had developed a little crush on the man. Ok a rather large one.

But he was her brothers best friend, out of bounds and she knew he felt nothing for her. "It is foolish but I think he may be my last chance at love." She gulped.

"You can't leave your brother like that Josie what will he think? That you are dead?" Anthony exclaimed concerned. "Promise me you will tell him."

"If I tell him he will lock me in a room and never let me out! I can't image that." Josephine argued.

"But you can not seriously think that running of with some rake is a good idea?" Anthony argued back.

"There is nothing for me here Ant. Not anymore." Josephine saw a flash of hurt cross the mans face.

Anthony's mind was racing a hundred miles an hour. He had to make her stay, so he said the only thing he could think of. "I love you."

"Excuse me?" Josephine did a double take, unsure that she had heard him right.

"I love you Josephine. Do not leave with him." Anthony pleaded out. He had intended to say anything to make her stay but as he repeated those words he realised he really meant them.

"You... you love me? You must be mistaken." Josephine felt her eyes prick with tears.

"I loved you the minute we met and I am not sure how I will go on without you here." Anthony exclaimed grabbing Josephine's hands in his. "Stay for Simon, Josephine! Stay for me."

Josephine was overwhelmed with emotions, fighting the urge to kiss the man in front of all the ball guests. How ashamed her father would be. " I will stay...I will stay." Josephine smiled giddy with the thought of Anthony loving her.

"I must go and tell William, I fear he may not be very understanding." Josephine exclaimed as she turned to rush away.

Anthony grabbed her waist pulling her into him. "Meet me in the gardens after." He said kissing her hand gently as she blushed running off.

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Present

"But I am not am I! I am not dead and you cannot hold that over my head for the rest of our lives Anthony!" Josephine was getting even more agitated with the man.

"You never came back. You never met me in the gardens. You told me you would come back." Anthony grew quite choking on his words.

"I had a change of heart, you must understand that. I couldn't let William leave without me." Josephine herself began to feel emotional.

"No. He made you go. He had something on you Josephine do not lie to me now." Anthony felt tears prick in his eyes trying to hold them in.  "You know your brother and I searched for hours. In the garden around town, knocking on all the doors, but you were gone. I watched Simon cry for days!"

Josephine felt herself overwhelmed with guilt. "My father had saw us in the drawing room. I was saying goodbye, explaining that I was to stay with you and Simon." Josephine began to cry. "We were alone, offered a moment of privacy for him, and The duke walked in." The tears were streaming down her face warming her face more than the sun that was beating down.

"Needless to say he yelled, and screamed telling me how foolish and selfish I was. How ashamed he felt, and how the only way I could redeem such a terrible betrayal was to be wed." Josephine finally brought herself to meet Anthony's eyes. "So we did, in a little chapel with my father present the papers and everything were signed that very night."

"I still do not know how father did it so fast, with a party to host and everything. But he did, he was probably eager to get rid of me." Anthony stayed silent as he watched Josephine sob. "I wanted nothing more that to scream. To run back to Simon, to run to you. But I couldn't and so I was trapped with William."

Josephine went quiet filling the now silence with her sobs. "Where is he know?" Anthony questioned tentatively.

"Dead." Josephine bluntly responded and Anthony did not push the subject any further. "You cannot duel Berbrooke, Anthony I cannot take another heartbreak." Josephine whispered.

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Ok so I hope that all made sense! There will be more explaining about the events but that was just a little peek into their history.

I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you thought :)