Holding Back {Anthony Bridgerton}

The Reunion

All is fair in love and war, but some battles leave no victor, only a trail of broken hearts that makes us wonder if the price we pay is ever worth the fight. The ones we love have the power to inflict the greatest scars. For what thing is more fragile than the human heart? The bond between man and bride is private, sacred. But I must tell you, I have learned that a grave fraud is afoot. As if the Featheringtons did not have enough to be dealing with, Miss Marina Thompson is with child and she has been from the very first day she arrived in our fair city. Desperate times may call for desperate measures, but I would wager many will think her actions beyond the pale. Perhaps she thought it her only option, or perhaps she knows no shame. But I ask you, can the ends ever justify such wretched means?

~ LW

The latest from the anonymous blogger wreaked havoc throughout the organization but mostly in the Bridgerton and Featherington household, and those connected to them. After Eloise and Penelope were awoken by Anthony's shouts reverberating throughout the entire house, the second eldest Bridgerton daughter snuck Penelope out of the house. She hated feeling as though she had to, especially after their emotional reunion. Penelope didn't ever tell her why she was so upset but the youngest Featherington felt like she had no one else to turn to and missed her best friend dearly. So the two had an impromptu sleepover.

Across town, in Katherine Gibbs' flat, the young woman groaned in frustration after reading the blog post and Anthony's subsequent all-caps text requesting in quite the demanding way that she get to the Bridgerton home immediately. These past few months really made her regret coming back to London sometimes.

The shrill sound of her phone ringing startled her back awake from where she was dozing back off to sleep. Seeing that it was Simon, she groaned once more. Why was there so much drama that she needed to deal with? "I don't think I ever want to marry if I'm still going to be calling my best friend in the middle of my honeymoon." She said, slowly making her way out of bed. She was going to need coffee and lots of it if she were going to make it through this day.

"What did you tell Daphne about condoms?" He asked, not even bothering to acknowledge her quip.

"Good morning to you too. That is certainly not what I was expecting you to say."

"Kitty, please." He pleaded, sounding particularly stressed.

She sat up a little straighter while she raised her hands above her head to stretch out her back, her mood more serious at the tone in her friend's voice. "That you two should still use it for protection even though you claimed you couldn't have children." Then it dawned on her. "She found out. Did you finally tell her the truth? What's happened?"

"She damaged every last packet I had. Nothing happened between us, luckily, but she's upset, with the both of us, and is rather adamant about having a child now."

Kitty sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Oh, Simon."

"It seems I must break one vow in order to keep another."

"Please do not let that man take your happiness away any longer, especially since he is no longer here on this earth."

"Have you heard anything from your father?" He asked to move on from the subject and Kitty let him. She knew she wouldn't be able to say anything that would change his mind about it.

"He found out about Luca."

"What?"

"Luca contacted him. I honestly don't even know why now after nearly a decade but the woman we gave her to was his cousin. Luca only knows about how you helped, so my dad cut wages and took money in order to pay Luca child support."