I'm Not That Girl // A. Bridgerton

Off to the Races II

Anthony sighed softly as he leaned back in chair, papers covering the surface of his desk and as the candles burned half of their original height he turned to stare out the window. Alina and his siblings had already left for the evening at Lady Danbury's which left the home silent as his younger siblings had already gone to bed and his mother had put Edmund to sleep as well. He had been toying with a thought that had been bouncing around in his head and as it passed once again he forced himself out of the chair and through the soft glowing halls and continued to walk across the square until he finally halted at the ornate door that he had come to know so well. After a swift knock on the door and only a few second wait, Anthony was being led to Javier's study. "Haven't you already done enough damage, Bridgerton?" Javier mumbled as he sat behind his own desk with a half empty glass of liquor. Anthony assumed that just mere moments ago the two men would have looked like mirroring images of each other and the mental image caused his lips to twitch in amusement.

"Well, with all things considered I thought a truce needed to be had. Although I am surprised to see you here and not at Lady Danbury's." Javier raised a brow and his eagle-like gaze followed Anthony as he moved to sit in his usual chair.

"And why would I choose to expose myself to the woman's cutting words and opinions? I am not a glutton for punishment unlike you." The two men chuckled at the recall of the numerous times that Anthony had purposefully irritated Alina or teased her to get a reaction only to receive a swift sarcastic comment in return or a pillow to the face as her weapon of choice.

"I don't blame you for not knowing, but there is a soiree tonight at the Danbury manor and I can only assume the older Miss Sharma made sure not to invite you because of the small miscalculation today."

"Miscalculation? You mean your meddlesome plan that ruined my courting of her younger sister?" Javier scoffed and threw the rest of the alcoholic liquid down his throat.

"Precisely. A miscalculation. I was only trying to help you, Javi."

"Why?"

"Why what?" Javier leaned forward and stared Anthony directly in the eyes as he responded.

"Why do you want to help me? This entire time you have been giving me advice and helping me in courting Miss Edwina Sharma. What do you have to gain from this? Do you truly miss the bachelor life so much that you wish to live vicariously through me?" Anthony was quiet as he thought of a way to answer. He had been asking himself this exact question since the beginning, however every time he tried to find the answer an image of Alina would fill his head. Finally he sighed and turned to look out of the window behind Javier.

"Because I love my wife, and she loves you. I would do anything and everything I could to make her happy and if helping you find a wife will make her happy I'll help in any way I can." Anything stood and fixed his sleeves as he moved closer. "Lady Danbury is hosting a soiree and seeing as Miss Sharma disapproves of you, I think your best bet is to show up anyway and wow them with some poetry."

"Poetry?"

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Alina stood behind the small couch where Edwina Sharma and a few other young ladies were sitting while the rest of the party were crowded around to listen to the latest of the show and tell. A rather interesting attempt at the flute. She had lost count of young men who had chosen such odd talents to showcase as after the flute player a man with cymbals tried to wake up half of London with how loud he banged them together. Beside her Eloise jumped, startled by the sudden noise, causing Alina to giggle beside her. Next was a man who seemed to enjoy playing with fire and she had to admit that he was the most impressive as he handed Edwina a flower from the flames. However amusement seemed to have come in a new form as another young man seemed to be trying to do a dance but was just hopping on one leg, Causing Alina to laugh, despite her best efforts. "At least it is the men who are making fools of themselves this time." The young woman, who Alina now recognized as the older Sharma sister, said softly from beside her. Only loud enough for Alina and a very unamused Eloise to her. Eloise turned surprised to the older sister.