"Dearest Readers,
All is fair in love and war, but some battles leave no victor, only a trail of broken hearts that makes us wonder if the price we pay is ever worth the fight. The ones we love have the power to inflict the greatest scars.
For what thing is more fragile...than the human heart?
The bond between man and bride is private, sacred. But I must tell you, I have learned that a grave fraud is afoot. As if the Featheringtons did not have enough to be dealing with, Miss Marina Thompson is with child...and she has been from the very first day she arrived in our fair city. Desperate times may call for desperate measures, but I would wager many will think her actions beyond the pale. Perhaps she thought it her only option, or perhaps she knows no shame. But I ask you, can the ends ever justify such wretched means?"
-Lady Whistledown's Society Papers
"What does it mean for Colin's reputation?" Charlie asked as he and Isa are reading alongside me.
"Technically it's worse for the Featheringtons because they knew the whole time and thought to try to trick Colin into marriage," I said with bitter in my tone, obviously bothered that Lady Featherington felt she had to go this far to save her family's reputation, when it has indeed failed her anyways.
"Can't imagine how Lady Bridgerton and Anthony must feel," Isa says as I get up from my seat to walk among the drawing room, "I know Colin possibly feels duped that the lady he was to marry has lied about something so life-changing."
I sighed as I continue listening to Isa and Charlie's conversation about the whole ordeal and silently pray that the damage hasn't been inflicted too badly that there's still time for the Featherington girls and Marina to have redemption, can't exactly blame them for this considering their minds still have much to learn and can easily be misguided on some occasions.
"Are you going to visit them sister?" Isa asked, pulling me out of my thoughts as I nodded yes.
"I will in two days time, just to give them time to process the news. As well as see if they need help with something or simply for the company," I responded as I throw the crumpled sheet into the fireplace, to never be read again. I love being caught up with the gossip as the next lady of the ton, but when it comes to my family, my dear friends' names and especially my courtship partner, I have no desire to keep or reread them and neither does my siblings.
-Two Days Time-
I get myself prepared to head out towards the estate when Josie appears in the doorway, with a solemn look on her face and a letter in her hand, which appears to be opened.
"What is it Josie?" I asked worried that she found out some news in regards to her family or something worse. Josie stayed silent and I unintentionally say in a serious but shaky tone, "Josephine, tell me what is in your hand."
"It's a letter, but not the kind you'd expect," Josie responds as she hands me the letter and I took it from her, "You might want to sit down before reading it."
I nod my head to say, "Okay, also, I'm sorry for calling your full name. Your silence was upping my fears." as Josie shook her head to reply, "No worry miss, I was just baffled by it. It was already opened." She left and shut the door behind her, leaving me alone to read what the parchment says. I didn't recognize the writing at first, until I looked at the details that was written in ink.
"Dear Y/N,
You and I may not have been made acquaintances upon my time in London, but I have something that needs be told or else it will forever remain secret. Anthony has been unfaithful to your courtship, as have I with my marriage. I last saw him the night Whistledown wrote about Colin's engagement and I have not seen him since. I made the decision to put an end to our affair, simply for my feelings and yours. We both have had seen different sides to Anthony, but I fear you aren't seeing him being true to you. He's talked about you and how he had to get home back to his Viscount duties as well as to you so that you don't suspect any wrongdoing or something out of the ordinary with his actions. It gives me great anguish to give you this information, but Anthony is still a capital R rake and I do not want to hearing about him breaking a beautiful soul like yours simply the cause he can't let anyone see fully behind that cold wall of his and that he simply needs to choose a woman that aligns with the duty of being a Viscountess. I hope someday you can forgive me for allowing him in to use me as a distraction of passion & lust."
-Siena Russo
How? How could he have done this?! To me, to us! He promised, he said he wouldn't go see her anymore, HE TOOK THE INITIATIVE HIMSELF TO TELL ME THAT AND HE BROKE IT. I should have- I should have never put faith or trust in him to show me his "feelings" that quick to try to trick me into becoming merely another one of his duties.
I try to resist the urge to crumble the paper by putting it on my desk before I look towards the stack of letters he has sent me over the years I was gone. Suddenly anger and frustration bubbles up in me yet again, causing me to knock them all off the desk and I try to take deep breaths, but they were proving to be incompetent at the moment, I need to scream and let all these pent up emotions out, now. I make haste out of my room and go into the back, passing Isa and Charlie on the couch, towards the garden where I hope I'd be far away so I couldn't be heard. After I determined my distance was safe, I just let it out, screaming out at the top of my lungs to the point I felt all the emotions inside of me ease out. I finally felt depleted of them after a few more minutes and collapsed to the ground, not caring if I were to get my dress dirty, to start sobbing from the heartache that I have been caused due to Anthony's ignorance and recklessness of his actions. I decided to not head back inside for awhile until I felt calm, which gave Isa enough time to head to my room to see it in such disarray with all the letters onto all sections of the floor and the letter still open on my desk, prompting her to read it and due to her protective nature towards me, she was not happy at all and she was certain to make Anthony pay Hell for what he just caused.
-Bridgerton Estate, Isa's POV-
As I make my way towards the Bridgerton Estate, rage boiling my blood, I think back to how Charlie and I should have said no to his question on courting our sister, then she wouldn't be in such pain right now. I arrive to the front entrance to see the butler greet me and I asked, "Is the family in?"
"Why yes, they're all in the drawing room, shall I announce your arrival?" He said as I shook my head and respond, "No thank you, I can do that myself."
After the butler let me in, I make haste towards the drawing room to give Anthony a piece of my mind. I felt very mature in the moment than my actual age allows me to be, but I care deeply for my sister, and Anthony is not getting away with what he has inflicted onto her. Stupid capital R rake, Y/N told me to never say it out loud, but she never told me I couldn't think it. I enter to see everyone including Simon, except Anthony, doing their own thing and I stood there in silence until Hyacinth & Gregory made my appearance known.
"Oh Isa, hello dear, is Y/N and Charlie coming behind you?" Lady Bridgerton asked as I shook my head to say with a composed tone, "Just me today, my sister and brother have got their own thing going on right now."
"Oh, that's a shame, when you arrive back home, tell them we've missed their company," Benedict replies as I nod my head and mutter, "No thanks to your brother."
"What? I didn't do anything," Colin said as I shook my head and respond, "Nothing you did Colin." as I hear footsteps behind me, reminding me why I was here and why I was fuming from the ears.
"Oh hello Isa, what brings you here?" Anthony asked as I turn around to face him, with disappointment and anger evident in my face.
"I don't know, maybe it has to do with the fact you broke a promise to my sister," I said as he looks at me confused like I don't know what I'm talking about, "You know? The one where you took initiative that you were to never take a step foot into the brothels as well as to never see Siena Russo again?"
I could see fear flicker in his eyes before he composed himself back and responds, "And I have kept my word about that, I have not done any of those things since I started courting her." as he walks past me to set his books down on one of the tables.
"Oh cut the Devil blazes Anthony, you broke it and you know it," I seethed out of my gritted teeth causing him and the rest of the Bridgertons to look at me in shock of me swearing, "I apologize for swearing in your house Lady Bridgerton, but it seems that my sister as well as the rest of my family found out your eldest has been unfaithful and is still a rake."
"Whatever do you mean Isa?" Daphne asks as I sighed, trying to calm down before I say something worse, and said, "Siena wrote to Y/N, told her everything, said you've still been unfaithful and also when the last time she saw you, and how she ended the affair due to her feelings and my sister's. She wrote that you said things I couldn't even believe have uttered out of your mouth to her." as I pointed a finger at him, while he stood still like a statue, silent.
"Anthony, tell me it's not true," Lady Bridgerton says as she is shocked at what I told everyone, "She also mentioned how you didn't want Y/N to suspect any wrongdoing on your part and said you told her you had to get back to your duties as Viscount, piecing that you saw my sister as one of them." Before I turned to walk out of the room and the estate, I left with some parting words, "You really hurt her, she put faith in you to never been that vile and cruel to do something like that, especially since she's a dear friend to you and everyone in this room. You broke something inside of her that meant a lot to me and to Charlie, we trusted you and thought you finally allowed us to see past this stone cold wall Y/N claims you have built and have been showing this amazing side of you that Charlie & I felt was perfect for our sister. Now we know that was all some big lie to try to trick her into doing something she was unaware she was getting herself into, so I leave you with these words. Stay away from me, Charlie, and my sister, because after this day has passed, your courtship is officially over with Y/N and you are to never speak to us or her ever again. Also, take this stupid letter, I don't want it near my sister anymore." as I threw the letter on top of his books and I turn to the rest of the family and said, "Just know it only applies to Anthony. You're welcome to continue your friendship with our family and you all are still dear to our hearts." With that, I left and was almost close to home before I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Colin and Benedict heading towards me and I respond, "I refuse to here a word he says, what's done is done and I see no need to try to mend the broken pieces."
"I was just going to ask if I could come with you, seems like Y/N and I could comfort each other in our heartaches," Colin says as Benedict say, "I just want to comfort a friend in need." I nod my head and respond, "Seems like it." as I then start to let the tears fall and sob silently.
"Hey, hey, everything will be okay," Colin says as he pulls me into his embrace and shush me.
"Its just- As you saw in there, I care deeply about my sister and how she feels going on about her days. This- this whole ordeal is heartbreaking and Charlie & I really thought he has changed for better enough to show the love he assumedly had for Y/N. He must've meant love in a different way in that letter she told me about," I respond as Benedict looked at me confused and asked, "What letter?"
"Anthony sent Y/N a letter the day after your father's service and he ended it with & I quote, "I love you, in ways you can't even fathom the words."," I respond as I pull away after calming down. Colin and Benedict looked at each other, staying silent about what I just told them.
"What? Spill it, why are you silent?" I asked worriedly if that wasn't what was actually said to my sister.
"Isa, Anthony didn't actually write that line, I should know, I was with him when he wrote it," Benedict said as I looked at him in shock and whispered, "So he lied about that phrase? The whole time he's been lying about that being in the letter?!" Benedict nods as I scoffed and rub my hand over my face.
If and when Anthony Bridgerton decides to be a true gentleman to my sister, he better not come knocking on our door with just an insincere apology on the tip of his tongue, he need to do more than that because actions speak louder than words. If he does, then we will see about forgiving him, actually I should feel relieved this all happened before Y/N were to be shackled to him for life in an unhappy marriage, but I can help but hurt for my sister. She lost so much when Mama and Papa died, and she really thought she found her happily ever after for it to end up crumbling down upon on her like a pile of stones full of betrayal & embarrassment, and it also left her feeling deceived by her emotions, how they didn't warn her before it was too late to spare her from the heartache it caused.
I sighed and said, "Come on, we have someone who needs us more than ever." as Colin, Benedict, and I head to where Y/N and Charlie were, near the hyacinths, the lilacs, and peonies along with the other flowers Y/N has planted, in the garden she deemed, "Garden of Memories" for the flowers have been placed in the soil in honor of those we have lost dear to our hearts, that allows us to be able to visit when we want to.