Insufferable

Chapter 7

"You and the Viscount looked rather cosy yesterday. Something you'd like to share sister?" Kate rolled her eyes and bit into her apple. Her brother had been nagging at her all morning about her dance with Anthony Bridgerton and it was driving her mad. "Oh please Julius, he's aggravating and self absorbed there's nothing there for me." Julius placed his cup on the table and turned to his sister. "So just like you then?" He knew he'd pushed the right button and smirked as Kate began to chase him through the house. "You annoying little man."

In the Bridgerton home Anthony was sat at his desk in his study with a whiskey in his hand.  His dance with Kate had put him on edge and made him feel something he'd never felt before. He despised the woman in all honesty, she was rude, childish and didn't behave like a proper lady should. Everything that he didn't wish for in a wife. However Julius was adamant they were meant to be and was putting more and more pressure on him to give Kate a chance. Swallowing the last of his drink he continued to read documents with a certain woman on his mind.

It was around lunch time when Kate decided to go for a horse ride. She had grown bored in her home and thought some fresh air and beautiful scenery would help her mood. She didn't bother asking the horsemen for assistance and simply stepped onto her horse and rode off. She managed to reach the forest before she started to grow tired and decided to rest for a little bit. The sun was beaming down and Kate was beginning to grow warm but she did not let that impact her mood. The grass brushed her ankles and arms and the texture caused goosebumps to appear on her skin. She laid down in the grass, her hair sprawled out to her side and only then did she realise how tired she really was.

She must've been there for hours because when she awoke from her slumber it was dark. Scrambling to her feet she reached for her horse only to find that it had disappeared. She took a deep breath in and mumbled incoherently to herself. "Come on Kate you should remember your way." Instead of trying to look for her horse she set foot through the forest hoping her geographical skills were as good as she remembered.

Julius had returned home from his day at the club only to find his sister was not home and when asking the maids and servants, she had been gone for almost 6 hours. He tried to contain himself and not cause a scene and instead headed straight for the Bridgertons hoping they would help him find his sister.

Ignoring the formalities and questions from the men at the door Julius went straight to the drawing room where he knew the family would be. "Men I need your help, Kates missing." Julius waited for an answer and decided now was the time to catch his breath after running all the way here. The Bridgertons stopped mid conversation and Violet rose to her feet in panic. "What? How did this happen,where did she go?" Julius walked into the room and looked at the panic stricken faces. "To the forest on horseback. She could be anywhere. We are wasting time come on." Anthony, Colin and Benedict rose to their feet and told Julius they were going to collect their horses and meet him out front.

"We'll find her Julius, she'll be alright."