his sapphire • anthony bridgerton

twenty- two • through the eyes...

•••

Arriving at the party with his sister, he looked to her in amusement. "Quite dressed. I'm assuming you're expecting the prince to propose?"

"Who knows what is to happen, Anthony. We will address it as it comes." Violet sighed. That's one thing that always hurt Anthony. His mother's blatant favoritism towards her. Daphne could do no wrong, but all he seemed to produce was mistakes.

•••

He sat in the ballroom, standing by Colin, who made small talk with Penelope Featherington. His younger brothers childhood friend, and easily the most present person in his life.

Anthony managed to avoid the dance floor all night. He hated dancing, and without Nola here, he saw no point. Only to lead his mother.

Half way through the party, he noticed Daphne's absence, and the prince addressed the Queen quite distraught. Anthony knew Daphne must have run off somewhere, and he knew he needed to find her. Something surely must have gone wrong.

Taking a final glance across the crowded hall, and coming up empty, he ran out to the backyard. On the balcony, he found Daphne's necklace- granted to her from Prince Friedrich. Panic erupted through him, thinking of the worst, as he began his crusades through the garden.

What he saw, he truly was not braced for.

He couldn't contain his anger as he marched forward, "Bastard!" He yelled, grabbing the Duke, his dearest friend, and punching him square in the face.

Daphne let out a shriek, not expecting anyone else's presence. He glared straight to his sister, and upon hearing the Duke rustling in the grass, he held back the want to assault him again. "You will marry her!" Anthony exclaimed, grasping onto to Daphne's arm.

"What?" Daphne breathed, her eyes widening at her eldest brother.

"Immediately." He stated, "we can only hope no one saw you take such liberties, and my sister is saved further mortification." He truly had the best intentions. Simon had defiled his younger sister. "You will marry her!" He repeated, pointing at the Duke.

His blood boiled just looking at Simon, and hearing him say how he could not marry Daphne turned him ice cold. The pain on Daphne's face killed him. He could've protected her from Simon. He knew how he was. "You have defiled her innocence and now you refuse her hand?" He spat, "I knew you were a rake, Hastings, never thought a villain."

Anthony continued to spit flames through him, tired of his simple, "I cannot marry her," without a stupid reason why.

"Then you leave me no choice. I must demand satisfaction." Of course, Nola crossed his mind. She always did... but this was Daphne.

"A duel? Anthony, you cannot-"

"He dishonors you, sister." Anthony reasoned, "he dishonors you and me and the very Bridgerton name." He thought of how his father would have reacted. "I have misjudged you, indeed. You have duped us both," It pained him to say. "But I shall not see my sister pay for my own misdeeds. We will settle this as gentlemen..."

"I understand..." Simon responded.

"What of Nola?" Daphne panicked, grabbing Anthony's jacket, "you cannot do this to her!"