When we were young // Anthony Bridgerton

Chapter 17

After the hunt, the Bridgertons and Whitmore's returned to Aubrey Hall to get ready for dinner. Dinner, as expected, was full of delicious foods. But today, the star of the night was the stag meat, which Belle wasn't really into. Dinner that day was also based on Anthony, all proud, bragging about having hunted the bait for dinner. In the first few minutes it was tolerable, specially because Belle deep down was actually proud because he was aiming better and better. But no one is strong enough to put up with Anthony talking for 2 hours straight about the blessed stag. Belle, who already had a headache, asked permission to retire to her room to rest.
Once she got there, she took a warm herb and rose bath prepared by Daisy, that somehow managed to reduce her pain. Daisy definitely is in the list of people Belle loves most in this world. Then she changed, combed her hair, and sat on the floor by the fireplace to let it dry a little before going to bed. Daisy had even retired to sleep when Belle heard someone knocking on her door. She then got up and headed towards the entrance of her room. Then she opened the door, revealing the figure of Anthony Bridgerton carrying a tray.

- Hi, um...I just came here to bring you some tea and the dessert that you missed. Today the chef made your second favorite; White chocolate tart with berries. And the tea is a chamomile tea, I asked them to make it for you because I heard that it's good for headaches.

That gesture made the brunette's heart flutter. It was impressive how Anthony Bridgerton always managed to surprise her, and (almost) every time in a good sense. He was so kind, so considerate in a way that left her simply speechless. Every single time.

- Wow. Thanks Anthony, it was really nice of you to bring this here to me.

- You're welcome. Um..do you mind if I get in? To chat a bit?

- Oh, of course - Belle agreed, moving aside to give him space to enter through the white wooden door - Get in.

Anthony nodded, entered the room and sat in one of the light blue velvet armchairs that made up the room she slept in whenever she stayed at the Bridgertons' countryhouse.

- Your hair looks nice.

- My hair? - Viscount Whitmore's sister asked confused and well, surprised - Well, thanks.

For Belle, her hair normally had two phases.
The "normal phase", when her hair was completely dry, and the so called "rat nest's phase", whenever her hair was drying. And in that moment her hair was definitely in the rat's nest phase.

- So, what do you want to chat about? - the Brunette girl asked curiously, while she took a generous piece of pie to his mouth and mentally thanked the heavens that the Bridgertons Chef was born.

Anthony then decided to blurt everything out:
- Well, I was worried about you. About us. Since I brought you to "somewhere only we know" things have been strange between the two of us and it seemed like you were trying to avoid me.

- What? No, it's not what you're thinking.

- So, what is it?

- I've just been worried about my debut, that's it.

- That may be true, but I know it's not just that. Come on, you know you can tell me everything - He said, gently taking the hand of his mother's goddaughter, who was sitting in the armchair next to him.

Belle trying her best to pretend that this gesture didn't just made her heart skip a beat, answered:
- I know. Is just that I have been feeling something strange, and I talked to Benedict and he has been feeling the same way.

That statement made the poor boy's heart instantly freeze. What on earth would Benedict and Belle be feeling? In a short space of time, millions of theories ran through Anthony Bridgerton's head. They couldn't be in love, right? Despite knowing that his' younger brother always had a soft spot for Belle, he never imagined that he would have romantic feelings for her. Much less that this feeling was reciprocal. Just the thought of Belle with someone else, even if it was his' brother, made his' heart ache.
By then, Anthony's forehead was glistening with sweat, his body was shaking, as he summoned the courage to ask his question.
- And...what feeling would that be?