𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 • 𝐚.𝐛

003 | shock and delight

"Why don't you ask him where he got that mark from," Simon said, gesturing to the black eye that Berbrooke was sporting.

"I was careless with a cupboard door," he said defensively as Elizabeth walked over, having heard the whole thing.

She scoffed, moving to stand between Anthony and Simon, both boys confused as to where she had come from.

"Well he was careless with his honor. The undignified swine of a man tried something to your sister that I shan't dignify with words so she hit him, and deservedly so. If we weren't at a party I'd do the same," She spat out.

"You must sought that girl out, disgusting mouth on her, no wonder she has no suitors," Berbrooke stated, his face red. But he wasn't denying the accusation.

"She would have told me if it were true," Anthony said absentmindedly, almost in shock.

"Would she," Simon questioned.

Anthony thought over it for a second. It made sense as to why his sister was so against marrying Berbrooke and why she had been talking to Elizabeth yesterday, she was telling her about what had happened.

"You will never speak to my sister again Berbrooke, you are to be buried if you so much as look in her direction," "And if you dare go near Elizabeth-"

"The girl is not in your affection, she has no purpose to you, plus if she is with the likes of you then she must be loose, there was always a reason why I liked your sister more," Berbrooke said.

He leapt forward slightly, his face going red and Simon holding him back as to not get the boy to start a fight.

"You dare question her honour one more time you foul man and you will not be so lucky," Anthony said, his voice teething with rage.

"Anthony!" Elizabeth exclaimed, not expecting such a reaction out of someone who seemed to hate her so much.

"You even so touch my sister or Elizabeth and you'll wish you were never born," He said, pointing at the man, "Be grateful you will not take a punch from yet another Bridgeton,"

Berbrooke walked away, going into the room on the left. Anthony stormed off, making his way through the ballroom before managing to escape.

"What has happened," Daphne asked as she walked over, seeing the scene.

Simon and Elizabeth shared a look and Daphne knew exactly what had happened between the two of them and her brother.

"You told him," she stated almost breathlessly.

"I had to do something, I'm sorry Daphne," She said before leaving the room, rushing off to see Anthony.

She entered the gardens, pulling her light green dress up slightly as she searched for the boy amongst the area.

That's when she saw him sitting on one of the benches, staring up at the stars almost as if he was contemplating

"Thats why you were so angry at him at the party yesterday, you knew what kind of man he was," he questioned, not making eye contact with the girl.

She nodded, "I've had my own issues with Berbrooke," she joked. 

He froze, turning to her with his brows creased, "Has he ever tried something like that before to you as well?"

She was silent. Sitting there with her hands in her lap and her eyes trained at the floor. Because she knew if she looked up at Anthony then she would cry.

"Ada," he asked, his voice coming out almost like a plead.

"I was seventeen, I wasn't going to mention it. He tried something I dare not speak out loud," she explained, looking over at him.

He looked so guilty and she sighed, trying to hold in her tears.

"You'd just come back from the races, I was sitting in the park and he came over. I was reading and he tried to slide his hand up my dress, more than once," she explained, "You walked over and handed me a letter from Daphne and walked me home. In a strange way, you saved me,"

"I'm sorry," he said, placing his hand over her in a show of cimpassion.

When she looked at him, she wasn't looking into the eyes of the asshole brother of her best friend, she was looking into the eyes of someone she trusted.

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