| NOBELS | BRIDGERTON

13 | BEE STINGS & LOVE

     THE NEXT DAY, Ophelia had managed to sneak out to the gardens without anyone noticing. She wandered around the beautiful flowers and eventually came across Antony. She decided to go and speak to him. 

"My lord." She called out, catching his attention.

"Miss Hall." He turned to her. "Is Miss Edwina..."

He trailed off, Ophelia had heard the girl crying in her room the previous night with Kate consoling her. Everyone was so sure of a proposal but it never came.

"She is in her room. Not feeling her best this morning, it seems."

"I did not mean to disappoint her last night when I did not declare myself."

The two began to walk together. "And I'd like to thank you for not-"

Antony cut her off. "She shall not be disappointed much longer. Assure her, I still intend to propose. Last night was a lark, at best. My brothers were up to no good, and with everyone sitting there staring back at me, well...my feelings would not allow me to speak."

The two stopped walking and Ophelia stood in front of him. "Your feelings are too strong for you now?"

"Miss Hall-"

"No. No. All you are doing, my lord, is toying with the emotions of an impressionable young lady. This all seems familiar with the actions of Simon last season, does it not?"

He sighed at the memories. "Miss Edwina seems perfectly capable of forming her own impressions. Perhaps if you took notice-"

"Now you claim to know Edwina better than me? I may not have grown up with her but she is close enough to be viewed as my sister."

"I know she wishes to be happy."

"This is precisely what I wish for her. I can assure you, happiness is not your strength. Exasperation, perhaps. Fixation, most definitely. The only feeling you are, in fact, capable of engendering is that of discontent."

He suddenly seemed more focused on something else as he reached out to grab Ophelia's arm. "Do not move."

"Do not tell me what to do!"

"Stand still, damn it!"

He was panting as panic overcame him, Ophelia followed his gaze to see a small bee on the neckline of her dress. She gently waved her arm by it, causing it to fly.

Antony grabbed her hand. "No! Do not! Leave it!"

"It is only a bee." She shrugged but winced when the insect decided to sting her. "Ow."

His panic only increased when he saw the bee sting her, his hands clutched onto her arms more harshly as he watched for some sort of reaction.

"Are your hurt?"

"What?" Ophelia asked in confusion, she had been stung by bees many times before.

"Can you breathe?"

"It is only a sting, of course."

"Are you certain?"

Ophelia looked at him more closely, seeing how his panic had not gone when he saw that she was fine. "My lord?"

He stumbled over his words, his breathing becoming worse and unequal.

"Antony, I am unharmed." She spoke softly, taking his hand. "I am unharmed."

She placed it over the bee sting on her collarbone. She then placed his own hand over his own heart, trying to keep his in sync with hers so he would begin to calm down. Antony couldn't keep his eyes off her, he was so worried about the reaction she may have, one similar to what has ended his fathers life. 

"It was just a bee." She whispered. "It was a bee."

Antony felt her heartbeat, still looking into her eyes, he rested his forehead against hers. Both of them glanced at each others lips. Ophelia wished with all her might that she could kiss him, but she knew she couldn't. She just couldn't. But she was not alone with her feelings. Antony, even in his panicked state, wished he could kiss her. Even just for a moment.

The two were inches away when a horse let out a neigh and the two quickly pulled apart. Antony still looked panicked as he walked away from the girl, Ophelia looked around, making sure no one has seen them.

She ran, hiding behind a wall. A million thoughts ran through her head. But one stuck.

She did love Antony Bridgerton.