A/N: Here's a new Bridgerton story I came up with! It'll be multiple chapters, and I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to update with the next chapter, but I hope you enjoy anyway :)

Stung by Love

The day was beautiful and warm, and Aubrey Hall had such fine grounds within the heart of the English countryside that Kate couldn't resist going for a ride this morning. The stables here were very clean and well-kept, and she knew enough about equestrianism to notice that all the horses kept here were of the highest breed.

As Kate trotted through the woods on her brown Arabian, her mind could not help but linger on her sister. Edwina had sequestered herself up in their shared bedroom, refusing to come downstairs for breakfast while insisting that she had developed a headache overnight. Nobody believed her, but Kate and Mary decided not to say anything and left her to her privacy.

The expression of disappointment and heartbreak on Edwina's face after Lord Bridgerton failed to propose was obvious to everyone at that dinner table last night. Kate couldn't help but scowl to herself – nobody, especially no man, had any right to make her sister upset. The fact that Lord Bridgerton had been so insistent upon courting her sister and then he fumbled through an excuse to avoid proposing to her was exactly the reason why that man should never have gotten involved in her family.

But still… Kate couldn't help but think that there was some good to be found from this whole situation. Lord Bridgerton would surely not propose to her sister now, and Edwina could move on and dedicate her time to finding a man more suitable for her. The thought gave Kate some level of comfort, at least.

Kate's horse now trotted out of the woods onto a gravel path, and up ahead she could see the beautiful Aubrey Hall gardens in front of the grand estate. A footman appeared from off to the side, clearly there to take her steed back to the stables, and Kate came to a stop before hopping off, giving her horse a thankful pat on the side as she did. She noticed someone out of the corner of her eye, and looked over.

Lord Bridgerton was taking a solitary stroll through the gardens. He had most likely seen Kate nearby, but studiously ignored her as he walked over to the nearby flower bushes, gazing down at them with his hands clasped behind his back. He stood tall, looking every inch the regal viscount; Kate sighed as she took off her riding gloves, resigned to the fact that she was going to go speak to him about Edwina.

Hopefully for the last time.

She began to walk toward him. "My lord."

His head snapped over to her. "Miss Sharma," he said quickly, but then hesitated, clearly unsure of how to ask what he wanted to ask. "Is your sister…?"

Kate felt herself bristle slightly. "She is in her room," she said rather stiffly. "Not feeling her best this morning, it seems."

Regret flashed across the viscount's face as he looked away, but Kate found that she didn't feel much sympathy for him at the moment. "I did not mean to disappoint her last night," he addressed what they had both been thinking, and his voice was sincere as he looked back up at Kate. "When I did not declare myself."

Kate had now reached Lord Bridgerton's side, and he turned to walk in step beside her. He kept his hands clasped behind his back, and his face carefully averted from hers as he stared down at the ground.

Kate finally spoke up: "And I would like to thank you for not–"

"She shall not be disappointed for long," Lord Bridgerton went on doggedly, still not meeting Kate's eyes as he brought his gaze forward. "You must assure her that 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. And, well… "

He hesitated again, and Kate stared at him, frowning. The frustrated agitation on his face was an expression she had seen him only once before, during pall mall yesterday.

"...My feelings would not allow me to speak," he concluded, looking over at her.

That last statement made Kate instantly tense, for she knew that that was a bald-faced lie. He continued to hold her gaze, and her cold expression didn't waver as she turned to face him. "So your feelings are too strong for you now?" she asked dubiously, her tone clearly conveying how ridiculous she found that explanation.

Lord Bridgerton sighed in exasperation, closing his eyes. "Miss Sharma…"

"No," Kate said firmly. "No. All you are doing, my lord, is toying with the emotions of an impressionable young lady."

"Miss Edwina seems perfectly capable of forming her own impressions," Lord Bridgerton stated tersely. "Perhaps of you took notice of that, you wouldn't –"

" …So now you claim to know my sister better than me?" Kate overrode him angrily, and he grimaced at her, clearly upset.

"I know that she wishes to be happy," he said tersely.

Kate exhaled slightly through her nose, glaring at him. "This is precisely what I wish for her," she said, her voice clipped. "But I can assure you, happiness is not your strength. Exasperation, perhaps. Vexation, most definitely." Her voice rose in volume as her anger grew, and it only seemed to be spurred on by Lord Bridgerton's humorless smile and narrow-eyed gaze that he leveled at her. "The only emotion you are capable of engendering, my lord, is that of discontent…!"

At some point in her tirade, Lord Bridgerton's eyes had slid down to her decolletage, and his grimace melted into a look of shock. Kate ignored his obvious shift, assuming he was just trying to distract her, but was alarmed when he suddenly lurched forward and grabbed her arm.

"Do not move," he said, his quiet voice steady.

Kate's anger flared. How dare he put his hands on her! "Do not tell me what to do!" she yelped, trying to pull her arm free.

"Stand still, dammit!" he snapped, the panic in his voice clear as he gripped her arm tighter.

His breath was coming in short bursts as he continued to stare at a point on her chest, the genuine fear in his eyes clearer than ever. Kate finally began to realize something was truly scaring him.

She looked at him for a moment before glancing down at what he was staring at, and she realized a little bee had flown up and perched on the lapel of her blue spencer.

Kate frowned slightly, glancing back up at the viscount, who seemed to have gone white as he continued to stare down at the offending insect.

This was what frightened him so terribly? Perhaps there was a reason behind it, but Kate didn't have the time or patience to find out. She lifted her hand to swat away the bee.

Lord Bridgerton's eyes widened with panic as the insect began to fly around her neck. "N-no! Do not –!"

"It is only a bee," Kate insisted impatiently, but the next moment it landed right on her collarbone and stung her. "OW!"

God, that hurt! Kate hated getting stung, and she squeezed her eyes shut as the pricking pain radiated from the point on her collarbone. She couldn't help but spitefully blame the viscount for this, knowing his irrational fear of bees was what brought about this annoyance she would undoubtedly feel for the rest of the day. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, and she barely registered Lord Bridgerton's hand still clutching her arm in a death grip.

"Are you hurt?"

His voice sounded panicked, and Kate opened her eyes to look at him. "What?"

"Can you breathe?" he asked desperately.

Kate blinked, her expression clearing as she stared at him in surprise. The terror on his face was almost alarming. "It is only a sting. Of course–"

"Are you certain?" he insisted, staring into her eyes. He looked as if he were about to break down, and Kate began to feel a bit scared for him.

"My lord," she said quietly, concern overriding the anger she had been feeling previously.

"No, no. Do not…" he muttered, shaking his head. His breath began to come in shorter bursts.

"My lord?" Kate asked, her eyes wide with alarm. Was he about to pass out?

"N-no, do not –" the viscount couldn't seem to breathe, and he continued to take short uneven breaths as panic overtook him. Kate slowly shook her head, staring up at him in what she hoped was a soothing expression.

"I am unharmed," Kate insisted calmly, looking him directly in the eye. She had dealt with frightened horses and injured stallions before, and Kate felt that trying to calm down a man having a panic attack was similar in principle. "I am unharmed…"

Lord Bridgerton nodded, though he was still taking shallow breaths. It seemed to be involuntary, so Kate took his hand and placed his palm over her heart, helping him feel the steady even thumping in her chest. She took a deep breath, demonstrating he should do the same, before bringing his other hand up and placed it over his own thumping heart, once again taking a deep even breath.

In through the nose… out through the mouth…

"It was just a bee," she whispered comfortingly, and Lord Bridgerton nodded.

They continued to breathe deeply together, and Kate could tell he was finally beginning to calm. His face was very close to hers, and she could feel his shuddering breath upon her skin. It was a moment before she realized that this physical proximity was the closest she had ever been to Lord Bridgerton. In fact, it was the closest she had ever been to any man.

Involuntarily, her heart began to race.

She knew she was supposed to be the one calming down Lord Bridgerton, but she was finding it hard to concentrate. Lord Bridgerton, too, seemed to be realizing his proximity, since his eyes that had been staring down at his hand on her chest had moved up to meet her gaze. He made no attempt to move, and for some reason, neither did Kate.

His eyes darted down to her lips, and Kate instinctively tilted her face closer to his.

What am I doing?

She swallowed, closing her eyes as she tried to gather her thoughts. Lord Bridgerton's face was still very close to hers, and his staggered breathing seemed to no longer stem from panic, but rather from something else. Something more visceral.

Kate could feel it too. Her heart continued to race, as did his – their hands were still held against each other's chests, palms pressed against warm clothes. Hot breath against each other's lips.

Kate knew that he wanted to kiss her.

It was obvious – even someone as inexperienced as Kate knew when a man felt desire for a woman. The heat between them seemed to intensify as their eyes met once again, their breath in sync.

The pull between them was undeniable. Kate didn't know what that meant, and she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Lord Bridgerton's hand against her chest moved out of her grip, and Kate's heart rate seemed to skyrocket as she felt his fingers slide up toward the side of her neck before cupping her head, his thumb brushing against her cheek.

"Kate," he whispered her name, and Kate couldn't seem to pull her gaze from his.

They were close enough now that the tips of their noses were brushing against each other, and Lord Bridgerton leaned forward, his lips only a hair's breadth from hers. He was about to kiss her, and Kate couldn't bring herself to stop him…

"Anthony!"

Kate and the viscount immediately pushed away from one another, as if shocked by an electrical current. Kate's already pounding heartbeat skyrocketed to a frenetic pace when she whirled around and saw the three people standing before them that made her stomach instantly sink: Lady Bridgerton, Lady Danbury, and her mother, all of them clearly having been out for a morning stroll.

The matrons were gazing at the two of them as if they could not believe their eyes. "Anthony… wh-what on earth were you doing to Miss Sharma?" Lady Bridgerton asked her son, looking horrified by the scene she had just witnessed.

"Kate," Lady Mary stepped forward, gazing at her eldest daughter with wide, deeply concerned eyes. "What is happening here?"

Anthony and Kate immediately began to speak over one another:

"It is not what you think –!"

"Truly, this is not what it looks like!"

"I assure you, there was nothing scandalous that happened here –"

"We can explain…"

"Then explain!" Lady Danbury interrupted imperiously, glaring at them, and they both automatically went quiet. She pointed her cane at Kate. "You. Tell us what happened."

"I was stung by a bee," Kate explained immediately, and she pointed to her collarbone where the red welt was visible. "Lord Bridgerton was worried I had been hurt, and he…" she hesitated, glancing over at the viscount, unsure how to explain his behavior.

"I panicked," Lord Bridgerton explained helpfully to the matrons, and they turned to look at him. He had his hands clasped behind his back again, clearly trying to hide is discomposure. "I… have a rather irrational fear of bees, I'm afraid, and I was frightened that Miss Sharma would react badly to the sting."

Lady Bridgerton's eyes seemed to soften upon her son saying that. "I see," she said quietly, a note of compassion in her voice.

"Well, I do not see," Lady Mary exclaimed, clearly angry on behalf of her daughter. She gazed between Lord Bridgerton and his mother. "I do not see how a silly little bee sting could result in my daughter and Lord Bridgerton standing together in what was clearly a lovers' embrace!"

"Mama," Kate said imploringly to her mother.

"Kate, come here at once," Mary said firmly, sounding angrier than Kate had heard her in a very long time. She immediately walked over to Mary's side, her nerves frayed.

"Lady Mary, it was never my intention to dishonor your daughter," Lord Bridgerton said to Mary sincerely. "If what happened just now gave the appearance of anything untoward, I assure you it was unintentional…"

"'Untoward' is an understatement, my lord," Mary insisted. "You were practically kissing her! In broad daylight, in the garden with servants walking all about, in full view of the house where anybody could have seen you!"

"We are rather far away from the house, I would think," Lady Danbury said auspiciously, squinting back toward Aubrey Hall. "But you are correct, Lady Mary, that there are many servants and gardeners walking about the grounds this morning. Any of them could talk."

"What are you suggesting, Lady Danbury?" Kate asked, feeling her heart sink.

Nobody answered for several moments, which caused Kate's panic to build in an instant. "No," she said quickly. "No, this is ridiculous! You cannot be suggesting…!"

"We are not suggesting anything, my dear," Lady Bridgerton said placatingly.

"Well, I insist on suggesting something," Mary insisted. "I cannot merely ignore seeing my unmarried daughter in such a scandalous position!"

"Mama, we told you. It was nothing…!"

"You are right, my lady," the viscount interrupted, and the others looked at him. He appeared resolved about something as he looked directly at her. "It is my fault this has happened, and I intend to make it right. You have my word as a gentleman – I will marry Miss Sharma before the season is out."

TO BE CONTINUED