Real love, harsh commitment

Chapter 17

Anthony sighs as he faces Daphne. Her facial expression changing into that of confusion. "You told him?" Daphne barley speaks as she looks to Delilah, "I had to say something." She said as she pulled back from Daphne.

 "All will be well, though, I assure you." Anthony interrupts bringing his hand around Delilah's waist again. Daphne scoffs.

"Despite what you and my brother may think, I am quite capable of speaking for myself. You had no right 'Lilah. Even if you were in the right that night." She looks directly in Delilah's eyes. Delilah looked up at Daphne with hurt ones. She had only been trying to help, why had it all gone so wrong?

"I was only trying to help." Her voice comes out weak, but Daphne's gaze stays firm, "Well, you did not."

"All you did was underestimate Nigel's entitlement," She looks away from Delilah facing Anthony, "Not to mention, people are watching. You cannot assure me of anything." She gives one last look towards Delilah, her own eyes appearing glossy. "A crush of an evening, Delilah."

Daphne turns and walks away. Delilah watches with tears in her eyes, until she spots Berbrooke slowly mangling through the crowd in Daphne's direction.

"Don't worry love, she's just upset. She'll come around." Anthony said, bringing a hand to wipe stray tears off her face. But she was no longer sad, she needed to get to Daphne. "Yes, yes, I know. I just need some air. I'll be back darling."

 She trudged through the crowd to the same door Daphne and Berbrooke had escaped through. "Delilah!" A new voice came about behind her. She turned to Simon who had a worried expression. "Berbrooke followed her, I know. Come, we must make haste." She led Simon through the door.

She was worried. Berbrooke wasn't alone with her the first time she had run off. But now she was, and it scared her. She couldn't defend Daphne even if she was mad at her. And that hurt her more than a silly argument between them.

As they approached Simon took the lead standing slightly in front of Delilah.

"Are you following me, Berbrooke?" Daphne's voice came, they were close. "I thought this matter was settled." Simon ran around approaching Berbrooke and Daphne. Delilah slowly made her behind Simon. If something happened she needed to be able to get to Daphne quickly.

"It was settled until Miss. Silvester had to go and spoil it." Berbrooke said as he turned to face Simon. Simon only kept his gaze hardened as he spoke, "I implore you to speak with the viscount again."

Berbrooke chuckled and looked between Daphne and Simon, he still hadn't realized that Delilah was there. "Last night was a mistake, I admit. A temporary lack of judgment. You understand that, do you not?" He asked Daphne

Simon stepped forward a little more, "There is not and never will be any kind of understanding between the two of us." Daphne said firmly. Delilah vaguely appeared behind Simon and caught Daphne's eye. She gave her a look of plead, but it was enough to know that she was happy to see her and had forgiven her already.

"Go home Berbrooke." Simon growled. "But you do not need her." Berbrooke replied, turning back to Simon. Delilah ducked back behind him once again.

"You are a duke. You already have the money, the connections, and the standing. I need her. Why can't you let me have this one?" He asked. Delilah was never more angry with men then in that moment. Nigel Berbrooke was not a man, he was a filthy rat who thought because of money and a title that he could have anyone he so chose. It infuriated her.

"I think it really ought to be up to Miss Bridgerton." Simon spoke calmly. But that only made Berbrooke more angry. "When I am buying a horse, I do not negotiate with the horse."

This was when Delilah stepped out from around Simon walking forward just a bit. It did catch Nigel by surprise. But it quickly became smug and refocused. "Should you continue to follow her-" But Berbrooke interrupted her. His eyes still trained on Simon.

"Why, then, have you not asked for her hand if you are so fond of her, and she is so smitten with you?" Nigel asked. "Why have you not already proposed? Unless you already had her." Delilah knew what he was instating. And she knew it was wrong, she had known Simon and Daphne to long for it to be true.

"If you have, you must tell me. For I had already known she was loose and damaged, not intact, I would have-" But Delilah cut him off this time. "Stop talking." She said in a low voice. Even Simon was a bit intimidated by the fury that was coming off of Delilah's person.

"I shall not have you question the lady's unimpeachable honor again." Delilah said firmly.

By now even Berbrooke was starting to feel intimidated. Delilah's eyes were no longer shining the silver they usually did when she was happy. They were a dark dull gray, pointing directly at Nigel, and even though she looked beautiful and was shining under the moon, she appeared deadly in that moment.

"Yes." Nigel stuttered. But Delilah kept her stance, "Yes, very well. This is all I hoped to hear. You do not deserve to breathe the same air as her. Now go home." She was firm in her statement. But she supposed Nigel didn't know when to stop.

"And you do? Because you're a lady?" He asked. "I've heard story of your father Miss. Silvester." Delilah didn't know what he was talking about. Her father had been the kindest man alive.

"So kind and lovely, but so protective she would never be able to marry without the pressure that if she did not, she would be wed to another." Delilah's eyes flared but the memory of her finding the letter passed through in her eyes.

"I created your life before you had the chance of living it. I established your marriage and arranged it for you blindly. And when you make your debut, if you do not marry after your first season, then by the end of your second season you will have been wed."

Her fathers letter..

"Anthony I don't want to marry him, I don't - I don't want to be stuck with someone like that..". He dropped the letter and scooped her up into his arms.

She looked up at Berbrooke with an unreadable expression. But she did nothing. She couldn't do anything, she was frozen.