The Duchess | Anthony Bridgerton

Chapter 14

As I walked deeper and deeper into the woods I finally found one it was there I can not see it but I can hear it kneeling down behind a tree to help me steady my shot. I heard Anthony yell "Esmeralda!" I rolled my eyes before turning towards him "Shh get down" I whispered to him and he kneeled down next to me "Are you quite serious? You cannot just go off like that with your gun your maid is having a terrible time"

"Would you be quiet?"

"It is rather like you, leaving everyone behind"

"No one wishes to hear what you think you know about me"

"I do not need to think I know from the moment I saw you riding alone in that park, it was obvious that rules are meaningless to you even when we were younger the rules seem not to apply to you"

"Oh, you and your rules"

"Perhaps if you had not been out once again the other morning, we might not have been put in such a difficult situation"

"Exactly which difficult situation are you referring to, Anonthy?" I said lowering my gun and giving him my full attention "You...The other morning"

"When I was stung?"

"After which you put my hand to your bosom"

"To show you I was unharmed you were overcome" I said smirking at him "Indeed I was not" "You then who then looked at me"

"You looked at me!"

"Not the way you did"

"And how exactly did I look?" he said with that look the same look the look that makes my heart race even tho I do not wish for it so I could hear him breathing and exhaling deepening I can see he was trying to catch his breath. Am I doing that as well? I questioned myself as we heard rustles I looked towards it. "There is something there" I whispered holding my gun towards the sound of the rustling "It'll signify little if you mean to hold your gun in that way"

"I know how to hold a gun"

"Evidently not a British one you have to"

"I require no instruction"

"Here. Just hold it... like this" he said placing his hands over mine and angling them in a certain way he didn't move his hands as he caressed my fingers I could feel his breath on my neck and I couldn't help this stupid heart racing as fast as it did. Looking out the corner of my eye I could see him get closer to me and stare at me the way he did in the garden that morning ... the way he used to look at me when we were younger. As I turned my head slightly Jack's voice rang through and we both jumped back out of our little world "This way, boys I saw movement over here" Jumping up we stepped a few feet away from each other and I saw Ben "There the two of you are. Well, you better rejoin us before the rain ends our pursuits." Ben said and Anthony was basically running away or should I say speed walking away from me "Well?" Kate said walking next to me now "well what?"

"Did you and Lord Birdgerton make nice?"

"No" I said before Mr. Featherington walked up to us "Lady Blackwood might I steal you for a moment" he said and I looked over at Kate nodding as she walked up with the rest of the people.

"I haven't gotten the chance to talk with you you seem always busy and when I get up the nerve to you disappear like a ghost"

"Oh I'm quite sorry if I would've known you were looking for me I would've made myself known"

"Everywhere I look there's always suitors or their mama's trying to get you to fall for their sons...have you no Interest and anyone" I heard him saying looking up ahead my eyes glanced at Anthony who was already looking at us. "I haven't met the right one I must say but there are a lot of well nice men here"