Brynlee woke the next morning rather early. She slipped from her room and went outside to the gardens. Perhaps she could have a thought to herself in such a tranquil area. She took her gloves off and trailed her finger along the petals. Instead of her usual high collar, she wore a lower collar that revealed her upper breasts. The color was a soft pink with red accents to it. Her hair was braided from when she slept.
It was nice to be alone. This allowed her to sit and muddle through her thoughts on the viscount. Just the thought of doing it felt daunting and she wanted to put it off, but it was hard to avoid. She swallowed painfully. There was a lump in her throat so large that she almost could not breathe. One thing she did know. She was starting to enjoy being around Anthony, even with the bickering. This entire trip was just a reminder of the feelings she had for him as a child. It was far too much for her to handle. Especially because she knew that he was courting her cousin.
Perhaps he could make Aspen happy.
All Brynlee did was release another long and weary sigh. How come her heart was aching like this?
"My goodness-" Anthony's voice suddenly filled her ears, "You sound serious."
Brynlee abruptly stood up from the stone bench and twisted around. Her legs knocked into the edge and caused her to stumble, "My lord-"
"I thought I might find you here."
Her eyes widened in surprise because he had sought her out. She could feel her heart beating in her chest and she opened and closed her hands.
"Actually, I saw you from my window." He admitted, "A young lady should not be alone."
"Right." Brynlee exhaled, somehow disappointed, "My lord, I believe there is something I need to say."
"I gathered."
Brynlee rolled her eyes, "I am being serious, my lord."
"It's Anthony."
"Anthony." She repeated back to him, "I just... I withdraw my objections to your suit of Aspen."
Anthony stared, oddly feeling hollow, "I see..."
"I think it is rather unfair of me to continue to object because you have proven that you would take care of her in the way that she would need." Brynlee told him as she breathed in deeply.
She was giving him what. Brynlee essentially gave him her blessing and he was just standing here. Feeling hollow. Aspen could be wed to him within the next week if he wished. So why was he fighting the desire to hold Brynlee close to him. There was a spark. A spark that he did not want. So he resisted his urge to kiss her until she was gasping for breath.
"I am relieved."
Brynlee gave him a weak smile, "I thought you might say that."
"Brynlee, I-" Anthony stopped. He felt his entire body go rigid as he stared at a small bee that landed on her collar. A shoot of pure terror shot through him, "Don't move."
"What?" Brynlee twisted her body as she searched for whatever frightened him, "What are you talking about? What is wrong?"
"Just don't move."
Brynlee gave him a perplexed look and finally saw the bee on her dress, "Oh. It's just a bee." She just smiled in relief, "Goodness, you had me frightened for a moment."
Anthony caught her hand before she could swat it, "I said don't move."
"Anthony-" She just laughed, "It's just a little bee."
He could barely hear her. His focus was on the bee. He had never been so paralyzed with fear. He had never been stung by a bee before. "Just be quiet... We're going to stand- slowly. Then we're going to walk away."
"Why are you reacting in such a way?" Brynlee demanded, "It's just a bee, if you would just stop-"
"Don't."
"Anthony." Brynlee said sternly, "It's not going to kill me-"
"It might."
"What?" She froze. Brynlee just stared at him. He looked like a man possessed. "Anthony, let go of my wrist right now."
She pulled but he did not release her.
"Anthony! Stop this right-"
Brynlee was finally able to pull her hand away from him and tumbled back into the bench. She cursed as she hit the stone. And then the bee stung her.
"Ow-" She winced a bit and glanced down at the sting on her chest. "Gosh, Anthony, look what happened now. If you had just listened to me everything would have been fine. Now even my gown has been torn. You-"
Anthony gripped her shoulders, his face so pale it was practically white. "Oh, my God-" His voice was barely above a whisper, his eyes then locked with her own, "Can you breathe?"
"Anthony, what- I'm fine." Brynlee pressed, "I am fine."
"You-" Anthony stared at the sting. Something in him just snapped and he leaped forward. One hand roughly grabbed her shoulder and the other slipped behind her waist to pull at the gown to reveal more of what he thought was a wound.
"A-" Brynlee gasped loudly, "Stop!"
But he said nothing as he pressed her down into the bench. He continued to hold her dress down. Despite her calling out his name multiple times, he did not hear her, or if he did, he simply ignored her. He was crazed, frantic, and completely heedless of her protestations. His eyes were focused on the red, swollen circle of flesh on her chest, and with trembling hands he plucked the stinger from her skin.
"Anthony, you must stop-" She tried to raise her hands up and push him, but he suddenly cupped her breast. "What are you doing?"
"Expressing the venom."
"Venom?" Brynlee gaped as he pressed a handkerchief to her sting, "It's a bee sting."
"There must be something." Anthony pressed, "Something is killing you."
"No, Anthony, nothing is killing me. A bee sting cannot kill-"
"He'd been stung before." He suddenly said, interrupting her.
Something in his voice sent a shiver directly down her spine, "What? Who?"
"My father." He pressed more firmly against the raised hive, "My father and it killed him."
"A bee?"
"Yes, a bee-"
"Anthony, there-There is no way that a bee could have been the-"
"I assure you it was the cause." His eyes were hard, haunted. He pulled the handkerchief away, "It's still swollen... I don't think I got it all out."
Perhaps if she just played along with him, he would stop. He was obviously worried about her in some way. "I am sure I will be just fine."
He shook his head. "It's not good enough." His voice was hoarse, "I have to get it all out."
"Anthony, seriousl-" Brynlee released a gasp, "What are you doing?"
"I am going to suck the venom out. Just hold still-"
"No, Anthony, this is getting ridiculous." Brynlee shrieked loudly, she grabbed the back of his head and tugged at his hair. He grunted from the sudden pain that shot through him by her movement. But then she completely froze.
Her mother.
Lady Bridgerton.
Lady Sharma.
Lad Featherington.
All stood a few feet away from her and Anthony. And Brynlee knew there was absolutely no way the pair could explain this situation with them believing her.
"Anthony-" Brynlee gave him one violent shug, which caused him to fall back on his bum.
"Anthony?" Lady Bridgerton gasped, her voice quavering on her son's name.
That was when he finally noticed and twisted to look at her, "Mother?"
"What are you doing?"
"She was stung by a bee." He responded grimly.
Lady Bridgerton's eyes misted over with understanding, "I see-"
"Do you think I would believe such a thing?" Lady Featherington practically snapped.
Brynlee got up quickly and revealed the sting, "It's right here. I was stung."
"That could be anything." Lady Featherington pointed out, which made Brynlee's mouth form into a thing like because it could be anything. .
Anthony gave the woman a darkening glare, "Would you shut up?"
"Well, I never-"
"No, you always."
"Anthony." Lady Bridgerton pressed.
Rosemary looked horrified, "Brynlee, come here-" Almost instantly, Brynlee rushed to her mother's side.
Lady Featherington breathed out and put her hands on her hips, "What are we going to do?"
"We?" Brynlee repeated back faintly.
Anthony just glared at the Featherington woman, "I fail to see how you have any say in the matter."
"You have to marry."
"What?" Brynlee choked, "You must be mad."
"Portia-"
"Violet-" Lady Featherington interrupted, "This will make a tidy piece of gossip no matter how you describe it. The ton's most fervent bachelor, brought down by a bee. I must say, my lord, it is not how I imagined it."
"There is not going to be any gossip-" Anthony growled as he advanced toward, "-because no one is going to say a word. I will not see Miss Dormer's reputation besmirched in such a way."
"You think you can keep something like this quiet?" Lady Featherington demanded before she pointed toward the house, "Anyone could have seen from the house."
Lady Bridgerton furrowed her brows in worry as she looked between them, "She is right Anthony. You were in full view of the guest wing."
"Nothing happened." Brynlee tried again. She stared at all of them but they seemed reserved. So she looked to the man in question now as well, "Anthony?"
"We will marry next week." He stated. His voice was firm and clear, but otherwise devoid of emotion.
Lady Bridgerton seemed relieved but at the same time worried, "Oh, good... Lady Dormer and I will begin preparations immediately."
Brynlee could barely breathe now, "Anthony..." She grabbed his arms and pulled him away from the matrons, "Are you certain?"
"We will marry." He said simply, "There is nothing else to do."
"But you don't want to marry."
This only caused him to raise an eyebrow,"And do you want to marry me?"
Brynlee said absolutely nothing. There was absolutely nothing she could muster to say. "You-" She struggled, "You can't want this. You wanted to marry Aspen. What are we going to say to her?"
Anthony just crossed his arms over his chest, "I never made any promises to Aspen. And I imagine we'll simply tell her we fell in love."
All Brynle could muster was a low laugh, "She will never believe that."
"Then tell her the truth." He shrugged, "Tell her you were stung by a bee, and I was trying to aid you, and we were caught in a compromising position. Tell her whatever you want. She's your cousin."
Brynlee just sank down on the bench, "No one will ever believe you wanted to marry me. Everyone will think you were trapped."
Anthony shot a dirty look toward the mothers just staring at them, "Would you mind?"
Lady Dormer and Lady Bridgerton immediately nodded their heads in understanding. But Lady Featherington had to be pulled away by Lady Sharma.
With a long sigh, Anthony sat down beside her, "There is little we can do to prevent people from talking, especially with Portia Featherington as a witness. I do not trust that woman to keep her mouth shut any longer than it takes her to return to the house. So we might as well make the best of it. I have to get married this year-"
"Why?"
"Why what?"
Brynlee formed her question, "Why do you have to get married this year?"
"Because I decided I would, and that's a good enough reason for me. As for you, you have to get married eventually-"
She interrupted him, "I believe I made it clear that I never had plans to marry."
Anthony just tensed his muscles up as a feeling overwhelmed him. And soon he realized it was rage. "You plan to live your life as a spinster?"
She just nodded, "It seemed a definite possibility, yes."
Anthony held himself still for second. "This will work." He finally said with great authority, "You will see."
Brynlee only appeared doubtful, but she did nod in response to what he said. Granted, there was nothing else she could truly do.
Anthony suddenly stood, "Mother!" He called, leaving Brynlee on the bench as he strode over to her, "My fiancee and I desire a bit of privacy here in the garden."
"Of course."
Lady Featherington cut in, "Do you think that is wise?"
Anthony whispered in his mother ear, "If you do not remove her from my presence within the next ten seconds, I shall murder her on the spot."
Lady Bridgerton just laughed, "Of course."
Anthony turned back around and approached Brynlee, "I think that we ought to consider moving out of sight of the house."
Brynlee stumbled as he took her arm and began to walk off, "Is that wise?"
"You sound like Lady Featherington."
"Do not ever say that to me." Brynlee huffed in disgust, "But the question still stands."
"Yes, I do think it is very wise." He replied, pulling her into a gazebo. Its walls were partially open to the air, but it was surrounded by lilac bushes and afforded them considerable privacy.
"But-"
"Don't you ever just listen and not argue?"
Brynle placed her hands on her hips and raised her brows in the air, "Seriously? You brought me here to scold me about my inability to listen to your ridiculous orders?"
"No-" He drawled, "I brought you here to do this."
And then, before she had a chance to utter a word, before she could even breathe, his mouth swooped down and captured hers in a hungry, searing kiss.
Brynlee had been utterly caught by surprise and raised her hands in the air, unsure of where to place them or what to even do with them.
"You shouldn't do this to me-" He whispered against her mouth, "You shouldn't. Everything about you is absolutely wrong. And yet-"
Brynlee backed away from him but he held her firm against his frontside, "What-What are you doing? You dislike me."
"You are not wrong." Anthony croaked out, his voice ragged, "There is no corner of this Earth that either of us could travel to far away enough to free me from this torment. I am a gentleman. My father raised me to act with honor, but that honor is hanging by a thread that has grown more precarious with every moment I have spent in your presence. You are the bane of my existence. And the object of all my desires. Night and day, I dream of you. And what I..." He exhaled deeply as his nose brushed against her own, "Do you even know all the ways a lady can be seduced? The things I could teach you. The things I will teach you."
Brynlee's voice was soft and quiet, "I did not ask for this."
"Then you agree."
Anthony, with great reluctance, tore himself away from her, letting his hands rest at his sides. And the temptation was there. He made the mistake of looking at her face, and in that moment he would have sworn that Brynlee Dormer was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
"You shouldn't have kissed me."
"Why not?" He leaned back against one of the gazebo posts, with a rather satisfied look on his face, "We're betrothed."
"We're not." Brynlee admitted, "Not really."
He quirked a brow toward her.
"No agreements have been made." She explained, "No betrothal gifts or... or permissions granted for marriage. You understand my-my culture is different."
"Are you trying to get rid of me?"
"Of course not!" Brynlee huffed out, "I'm just-I am simply stating facts, my lord."
"My lord? Not Anthony?"
She shot him an irritated look, "You know what I mean."
"Of course." Anthony nodded his head and latched his hands behind his back, "Let us make one thing clear. I said I was going to marry you. I am a man of my word. Any further speculation on the subject would be highly insulting.