I Shall Not Marry for Love...or Shall I?

(8) The Birch and The Bees

Elizabeth made sure to be quiet as to not wake her family and once she was settled her eyed had shut but her mind was alive, Elizabeth was dreaming and when she awoke before her family, she was in need of some fresh air and some privacy.

"I'm going to breakfast." Elizabeth stated, while her family was still dressing. "Alright dear, will be down in a half hour." said Lady Denver. Elizabeth left their room and made her way down to the breakfast room. Elizabeth wore a pale scarlet day dress, it didn't make a statement and Elizabeth didn't mind.

Elizabeth wasn't very hungry so she took only a piece of buttered toast. She ate it quickly and then left the breakfast room and walking out the doors and into the garden. She wanted to be alone and she couldn't do that in the garden as their were a number of guests already outside. Elizabeth could only think of one place that the other guest wouldn't know off and with that she had walked along the side of the garden and up past the house making her way to the trees all she wished to do was sit and think her mind had been flustered. 'Anthony was there, Anthony knows.' She kept repeating. Elizabeth entered the trees and had followed her path from the game, she wanted to find the stone bench. She had found the hedge and was turning to walk behind it when she saw them. 

"Elizabeth?"

Anthony didn't find sleep he just laid awake till the sun rose at 5:30, he dressed quickly and walked to the kitchen, grabbed an apple and made his way outside. The air was brisk and the morning dew was clinging to the grass. Anthony had to speak with Elizabeth but being as it was just himself and the help who were awake he choose to go sit and think in the privacy of trees till the time was decent. He choose to wait in the forest on the bench his father would frequently visit, when Anthony asked what he was doing, he always said he was thinking but he never said what about.

Anthony's heart broke for Elizabeth that night, he didn't know it at the time but after the parted ways all he felt was guilt and anger, not at Elizabeth but at everyone who wasn't their to comfort her, and he couldn't stop think about how many nights Elizabeth sat traumatized with fear, shaking and crying, alone.

Anthony had lost track of time and sat thinking for nearly 3 hours. He sat and thought till he was interrupted by the very person he was thinking about. "Elizabeth?" Anthony asked not sure if she was really there or not. "Sorry, I didn't think anyone would be here." Elizabeth said turning to walk away. Elizabeth had hid her fear from so many people everyone thought she had grown out of it, when she really suffered in silence. Now that Anthony has seen her in one of her states of terror she didn't know if she could look him in the eye.

Anthony came to his sense and stood up grabbing her wrists. "No wait I was meaning to ask you..." Anthony waited to finish, he had turned her to face him. "Are you alright, from last night?" "Yes, I am always fine the next morning." Elizabeth replied "Does it happen every storm?" Anthony asked his voice filled with concern. Elizabeth had never heard him talk so considerately before and she never thought it would ever be directed towards her. "Yes, I have been afraid of storms for along as I can remember." said Elizabeth as her and Anthony sat down on the bench. "Does your mother know?" asked Anthony. "She thinks I have grown out of it, you were the first me through a storm since I was around 12 years of age." Elizabeth replied. Anthony took her hands in his and asked. "You suffered alone all these years?" All Elizabeth could do was look into Anthonys large brown eyes. "Ouch." Elizabeth's hand ripped out of Anthonys and was know rubbing a spot on her collarbone. "What is it?" Anthony said confused. "Oh it's nothing, just a bee sting." Elizabeth replied, Anthony's face went white he pulled her hand off the red mark to examine it. "We have to get the venom out." Anthony said frantically squeezing the mark. "What, bee stings don't have venom, Anthony stop it's not like I'm going to die." Elizabeth exclaimed as she tried to free herself but Anthony held her still. "He died." replied Anthony. "What?" "My father died of a bee sting." Anthony explained. "But you can't die from a bee sting." Elizabeth exclaimed. "Well he did and I'm not going to let you do the same." Anthony said as he looked into Elizabeths eye's and then back to the sting. "I'm going to suck the venom out." explained Anthony. "Wha-" Elizabeth tried to stop Anthony but before she know it he had his mouth over the sting holding Elizabeth still.

"Lady Bridgerton, am I correct that the remember tree is still living." Lady Denver asked while walking with Lady Bridgerton and Lady Downing, they had all grown up together being friends Lady Bridgerton the intelligent and kind, Lady Denver had a fiery spirit yet was as elegant as a swan and Lady Downing hadn't changed much she still could not stand to keep a secret, at least not for very long.

It was a beautiful friendship and the group were inseparable but once Lady Bridgerton got married the others soon did as well and they saw less and less of each other, The Remember tree, is a tree the three carved their names into right before Lady Denver was to marry her first husband, it was in the patch of trees to the right of Aubrey Hall near a stone bench. The group hadn't seen each other for sometime and figured that today would be a good day for some old memories.

Elizabeth was no match for Anthony she didn't have the strength to push him away, with all her attention on breaking free of his embrace, she didn't hear the approaching voices till it was to late and she looked up to see a horrified Lady Bridgerton, Lady Downing and her mother. "Anthony, Stop it." Elizabeth pushed Anthony with all her might to which he drew back, and followed Elizabeths gaze, his heart sank he had just married himself and Miss Elizabeth to each other. "Anthony, what are you doing?" Lady Bridgerton asked with a look of disbelief. "A bee." Lady Bridgerton knew of Anthonys fear of bees and when she looked to see a red mark on Elizabeths collarbone she knew exactly what had happened but she knew what must be done especially with Lady Downing present. "Why was your mouth on her breast?" Lady Downing inferred. "His mouth was never on my breast." Elizabeth exclaimed while pointing to her collarbone. "It was close enough, and why were you two out here unchaperoned?" "We were just talking." Elizabeth pleaded. "Anthony you know what must be done and you do as well Elizabeth." Lady Bridgerton spoke calmly. "Yes." Anthony said while turning his eyes to the ground. "It was a bee sting, nothing else." Elizabeth was distraught. "Elizabeth, there is nothing we can do." Lady Denver said.

"May I have a word with Elizabeth?" Anthony asked then adds. "Alone." "Yes." Lady Bridgerton said while turning on her heels and walking away with Lady Downing and Lady Denver. "Elizabeth, I will be good to you." "I know, but you wanted to marry Katherine and now you will be stuck with me." Elizabeth stated "Elizabeth I never really wanted to marry Katherine, and you will make an amazing wife even if I am stuck with you." "Bu-" Elizabeth was about to protest when Anthony kissed her, he brought is body in close the length of their bodies pressing together. When Anthony pulled away Elizabeth asked "Why did you do that?" "Because it was the only way I could think of to get you to stop talking." Anthony didn't know how much he wanted Elizabeth till he kissed her, he wanted her now. Anthony brought them selves together for another kiss in which Anthony had travelled his hand down elizabeths back and held her tight to him, he brought is mouth down to Elizabeths neck and continued kissing. Elizabeth let out small moans of pleasure as he continued. Anthony wanted Elizabeth so bad he could have taken her right then and there but he pulled himself away from her, her lips were parted and her breath was heavy, and said "We shouldn't be doing this here." Elizabeth only responded with "I know."