Only Hope | Anthony Bridgeton

Flustered

Dearest reader, this author finds herself compelled to share the most curious of news. It seems our diamonds require closer inspection. As such, an even rarer jewel of only the most remarkable brilliance, fire, and luster has been unearthed. Her name, unknown to most, yet soon known to all, is Miss Marina Thompson. This author is left to wonder whether Her Majesty might reconsider the high praise she once afforded Miss Bridgerton and Miss Bentley. For we all must know what the queen despises more than anything... Being wrong. And the drawing rooms of both the Bentley and Bridgerton households currently seem to be emptier than the muddled head of her dearest King George. It follows that Lady Featherington is to receive what she has always desired, the season's true Incomparable living under her own roof. She must be overjoyed.

Abigail snorted, rather unladylike, at the last couple of sentences. The last thing Lady Featherington would want is for anyone but her daughters to be getting all the attention.
She held the latest copy of Whistledown in her hand as she strolled behind her brothers in the park, who were running wildly ahead of her with their new kite. She pondered its contents while watching them attempt to catch some wind. 

She had been unaware that her drawing room had been empty, for she had been out with her brothers all day and simply instructed the maids to take a message and whatever delivery they may bring, asking them to call on her later. 

She had intended to be there herself to receive them, but her brothers reminded her of her promise of a kite-flying, peanut-eating and candy floss-getting day. Of course, a promise was a promise; and truth be told, she would much rather be out here with them than inside her stuffy drawing room with suitors only interested in her to be a walking incubator. 

She should be more interested, more eager for suitors. After all, that was her job. It was what she must do to take care of her family. She wished to be more like Daphne, who genuinely wanted these things. Someone to love, a family of her own, etc. but all Abigail viewed of marriage at this particular moment was it as a necessity. Not something she wanted to do, but something she had to do. 

Speaking of Daphne, she did feel for her. Knowing how much she wanted this, the empty drawing room, much more the report of it, had to be upsetting for her. Suddenly remembering she was to have dinner with them tonight, she worried of the time. 

"Excuse me sir, could I trouble you for the time?" She stopped a passerby. He opened his pocket watch and told her it was half past three. 

Cursing to herself quietly in French, she thanked him and began to jog to catch up to her brothers. They had the kite really flying now. 

"Abby look!" Calvin said as Benjamin steered it. 

"Very impressive, well done both of you!" She praised. "I'm afraid we have to bring it down now though, because I have to get home and prepare for dinner with the Bridgertons." 

"But we haven't even had candy floss yet and you promised!" Benjamin wined as Calvin followed up. 

"And we were very good yesterday Abby!" 

Kneeling down to make eye contact with Calvin while Ben pulled down the kite, she said, "You were both very charming yesterday I'm so proud of you." She stood and looked at Benjamin. "And yes, you're quite right, I did promise candy- floss. So then we must make haste and get some on our way home." She reached for both of their hands and they obliged. She began to skip which made them giggle as they joined in rhythm. 

"Ah there are the Bridgertons now actually." She said coming to a halt as she spotted Daphne and Anthony riding very nearby. 

"Woah horses!" Calvin said and broke loose from her grasp to run off in the direction of said Bridgertons. 

"Calvin!" She said and began to run after him with Ben still in her other hand. 

"Woah!" She heard Anthony say as Calvin approached them and he halted his horse. 

"Hey, Calvin! Don't run away like that, ever again." She said sternly, grabbing both of his shoulders to look him directly in the eye. 

"Sorry Abby, but look at the horses!" He pointed rather vigorously at the siblings on horseback. 

Standing to her full height she looked at Daphne and Anthony. 

"I'm terribly sorry but he has a sort of thing for horses, may he pet one of them?" She asked with an apologetic tone. 

"But of course!" Anthony said. "Go ahead and pet mine, his name is Guardian." 

Calvin walked up to the animal with wide eyes and began to pet his neck. Smiling even wider, he put both of his small hands on to further show the horse love. 

"Hey not fair! I want to pet the horses too!" Benjamin said and Abby rolled her eyes. 

"Well that's no problem you can come and pet mine, her name is Pearl." Daphne said from beside her brother on her own, cream colored horse. 

Ben smiled and ran around the back of the horses to pet Daphne's. 

"You just made their day, thank you." Abigail said with sincerity. 

Daphne was about to reply when her brother beat her to the punch. 

"It's no trouble, really." He said with a wide smile on his face as he looked between Abby and her brother. 

Daphne raised an eyebrow, as her brother was unusually accommodating. He loved children of course, but she had never seen him so happy to talk to anyone other than his family before. She looked between him and Abby and suddenly dawned a knowing smile. 

"Right, well we best be off, and so should you be too if we're to see you for dinner this evening." Daphne said. 

At this, Antony's eyebrows shot up and he looked at his sister. 

"Right of course," Abigail responded, not noticing anything and grabbing Calvin's hand. "Ben, come along. See you tonight." 

She and her two siblings walked away to find their sweets and head home. 

Daphne and her brother continued trotting their horses. 

Anthony quickly said to his sister, "You didn't tell me she was coming for dinner." 

"Didn't I?" Daphne questioned with a smirk, then clicked her tongue to hasten her horse along. 

Anthony looked at his sister in annoyance. Truth be told, he didn't know why he was annoyed he wasn't informed of this. He should be, if anything, apathetic. Nevertheless here he was, flustered about her coming over. He shook off these feelings, he wouldn't dwell on them or question them. Certainly, with the proper time, they'd slacken off and go away. But that was not to happen. Little did he know the feelings would only grow with each encounter involving the beautiful Bentley woman.