Aspire - Kanthony's continuation story

Chapter 12 - An Unexpected Guest

"Good heavens, I have seen them quarrel over countless things, but not yet over a romance novel..." Colin muttered to Kate, who looked equally amused.

"It is not to spoil, when everyone knows that those books always have a happy ending. Or, apparently everyone except you, knows, which signifies that you know as little about literature as you do about art." Benedict teased and waved his paintbrush towards Anthony like a weapon. Anthony jolted up from his chair and was just about to blurt out some terrible insult at his younger brother, when the butler suddenly appeared at the door to the drawing room, looking both terribly tired, troubled and embarrassed at the same time.

"I am so sorry to trouble you at this ungodly hour, my lord... My lady." He uttered, making a little bow both to Anthony and Kate. "But there..." He stopped to clear his throat. "There seems to be a Miss Rosso calling at the door." The butler announced hesitatingly. Colin and Benedict immediately turned their gazes towards Anthony, looking at him with both surprise, shock and even something slowly turning into exasperation. Anthony and Kate had not told them anything about the triad drama around the prince, thinking that the fewer people knew about it, the better.

"What the hell...?" Anthony wheezed out, before turning towards his brothers. "Do not look at me like that, I did not invite the damned woman here...!"

"Ahem... It is not you she is calling for, my lord. It is for Lady Bridgerton." The butler specified. Now Colin and Benedict looked even more confused, but Kate sprung up quickly from her seat and left for the door before anyone could stop or question her.

"Thank you, Mr Wilson. I will meet her in the entry hall. Could you please arrange for some tea for us in the library?" Kate smiled politely to the butler as she passed him by the door.

"Of course, my lady. At once." Mr Wilson nodded and left towards the kitchen as swiftly as possible for a respectable English butler. Kate heard her own hurried footsteps echo in the big, empty hall as she walked towards the exterior doors. She found Siena in close proximity to them, since the butler had apparently not let her in any further than barely over the threshold. Siena stood there with her mouth open, gaping at the flamboyance of the enormous hall, but when she saw Kate coming she turned to stare at her with pure horror in her eyes. In a rush of blind panic she threw herself into Kate arms, not paying a single thought on how inappropriately she was behaving. She was shaking like she had just crossed the Antarctica to get here and clung to Kate's body like it was the only warmth she could receive.

"Siena...! What in the world has happened...?" Kate gasped, but instinctively closed her arms around the distraught woman.

"I'm... I'm so sorry, I know I should not have come here, but... I... I was walking home from some fancy lady's musical soirée where I sang tonight, not far from here and... I saw him... And... And then I was on Grosvenor Square and I... I knew you lived here..." Siena stuttered, casting terrified glances around her when she spoke, before finally pushing herself away from Kate.

"You saw who? Who did you see, Siena?" Kate enquired in a grave tone and grabbed her by the upper arms, like she was trying to shake some sense into her.

"That... That man... One of... One of Prince Friedrich's men... He... He had been waiting for me outside, and he... Oh god, he -'' Siena burst into hopeless tears. "I'm sure he was going to kill me, I clearly saw a pistol in his hand...! He was just waiting for some dark enough alley...!"

"Dear lord..." Kate exhaled and wrapped her arms again around Siena, who sobbed loudly against Kate's chest. "Are you sure that it was the prince's man and that he was following you...?" She asked Siena with a trembling voice, while squeezing her tighter in her arms.