Dearest Reader,

My apologies, for my "pen" has been silent the past thrrree weeks or so. I have been attending graduation festivities for my son and, thus, my attention had to be on my real life!

I am back to live in the Bridgerton world of my mind in order to continue my story of Anthony and Kate. This chapter is shorter than last as I wanted to get something out there to keep the story going for you all…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Entitlement

As Mr. Acharya made his way on foot to the patient he was originally going to see, he contemplated about the people he encountered at Dorset House. Lady Dorset resembled someone that he felt he had crossed paths with before but back in India. The man was not Lord Dorset but a Lord Bridgerton (as the man haughtily informed him). Mr. Acharya had no idea why the man was at the Dorset House when Lord Dorset was not in attendance. It was most inappropriate in society for a man to be in attendance of another man's wife and son without proper chaperones. I wonder if Dr. Jarvis knows the situation of that household and of Lord Bridgerton.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

After Mr. Acharya left, both Kate and Anthony were rooted where they stood. They did not look at one another as they were lost in their own thoughts.

Oh, Anthony! This incident must be causing him pain all over again! Although Anthony was not overcome as when she was stung by a bee, she knew that there must be turmoil in his mind.

Kate's son cannot die! I will surely lose her if that were to happen. While she may be present in body, her heart will be broken. It is a long path to recover from…if one recovers at all. Luckily, Mother had but it was a long road…

Kate spoke quietly, "My lord, are you alright?"

When Anthony didn't respond, Kate moved to his side and put a hand on his arm.

"My lord…Anthony…"

At the sound of his name, he turned his head and looked at her but still did not say anything. This worried Kate. So, she closed the space between them and asked him again.

"Anthony, are you alright? This experience is very similar to what you have endured in the past. It is very unsettling for me. It must be more so for you."

While he wanted to stay with her to provide her comfort and to make sure Alexander was going to be alright, he knew that he could not stay for much longer.

Anthony woodenly said, "I must take my leave, Lady Dorset. Please inform me should you need anything else for Alexander's recovery."

Now, Kate was worried because he reverted back to addressing her formally.

"My lord, you do not have to leave this instant. Come, let us collect ourselves in the sitting room. I can ring for some tea to calm our nerves."

When he did not say a word, she pulled his hands to guide him into the sitting room that was just down from the breakfast room. He did not resist. Once he was in, she released his hands and shut the door so that they could have privacy, if only for a moment. She turned back to him. He stood like a statue where she left him. So, she went around to face him. He was staring straight ahead, as if he was in a trance. She placed her hands on his shoulders and gave him a little shake.

"Anthony?" she asked, moving her face close to his and looking into his eyes.

Again, upon hearing his name, Anthony came back to reality and then saw her. Was there concern in her? He could not help but hope that the concern was for him. He moved in closer to discern if that was the case. Her scent of lilies and tangerine filled his senses and, as if not to lose the scent, he placed a hand on her waist and pulled her to him. Kate gasped and was not sure if he had wits about him yet.

"My lord…Anthony," she whispered.

"Kate," he said brokenly and then took possession of her lips.

While she was taken aback by this, her eyes fluttered closed and her lips released a sigh against his. It was eons when she last felt his kiss but it was a welcome relief…as if she could breathe again. Every fibre of her released any tension in her and she molded her body into him. Anthony moaned as he felt her yield. She raised her hands to dig her fingers into his hair. His hand that was on her waist now slid to the other side so that his arm was encircling her as the other arm followed. His lips continued to plunder hers until he left them and started to trail kisses along her jaw line. She felt so good in his arms, and he did not think of anything else but this moment. At this, Kate dropped her head back to allow access wherever his lips may go. The feel of him was so familiar as if he had been loving her since the day they met. He pulled her up against him with all his strength as he continued his kisses down her neck and onto her shoulders. Here, he inhaled against her skin deeply. Her scent caused him to emit a low growl and then, his hands grabbed her buttocks and squeezed them while pulling her against him. She definitely felt his need against her, and this brought her conscious back to clarity. It was the middle of the day, and while she felt she could stay in his arms forever, propriety dictated that their actions go no further. She placed her hands on his chest and endeavored to push against him.

"My lord, we cannot continue," she gasped into his ear.

He didn't seem to hear her, or he ignored her as he started to tug on the shoulders on her dress with his teeth. His arms held her tight against him as his head moved to pull the dress off her shoulders.

"My lord! Anthony!" she cried as she kept trying to push away from him and break free from his hold.

Suddenly, he released her and, luckily, they were close by the sofa that she fell onto it. They were both breathing hard as they stared at each other. Kate sat up and quickly righted her dress all the while staring at Anthony, unsure what his next move might be. Anthony watched her movements and wondered what had come over him; although he was not disappointed with his actions altogether.

"My apologies, Kate," Anthony said as he held out his hand to help her stand. His heart was racing and he knew that he should have left as soon as the doctor left but, with the events of the morning, something in him did not let him leave. He shook his head to clear his confusion.

Kate warily looked at him while she took his hand and stood. She felt for him, however. She remembered his reaction when she was stung by a bee at Ashbury Hall and then, when they were in the library during the storm, he told her that his father had died of a bee sting leaving Anthony to secure the lives of the Bridgerton family. Kate did not know what it would do to Anthony if he knew that Alexander was his son and that his son almost succumbed to the same fate. All the more reason for Alexander to remain as Alexander Dorset. She loved Anthony and did not want him to go through all the pain and anxiety should these events be more frequent.

"My lord, have you gathered yourself now?" Kate asked gently.

Anthony smiled sheepishly at her, "I thought you were to call me 'Anthony'?"

She tilted her head with a look of worry, "If it gives you comfort, I shall, for now." He nodded and took one of her hands.

"Kate, I apologize again. I do not know what came over me," he said, agonizingly in her opinion. "I am well now, I assure you. Again, I will take my leave so that you can tend to Alexander when he awakes. Thank you for accommodating my imposition and allowing me to break fast with you and your son. I hope that the incidents of today will not prevent the reestablishment of our friendship between us."

"Our friendship, my lord?" she asked, unsure that they had had a friendship before.

"Were we not?"

"I cannot say we were. We quarreled too much to be friends."

His smile lessened and his lips set grim as her words painfully struck his heart.

He released her hand then and said, "Well, your leaving did not allow whatever we had to develop into anything more. Nonetheless, you are here now and I would like to establish, then, a friendship with you and Alexander. He will be the Baron Dorset and you will need to know what will be expected of him. I can assist."

Kate looked at him and shook her head. If she was to remain the widow of Lord Thomas Dorset and establish Alexander as the next baron, she could not entertain Anthony in any kind of attachment without destroying those plans. She knew that every time she was with him, her defenses would crumble with just a look, a touch…a whispered word. This morning is proof of that!

"I thank you for your offer, my lord. However, I feel that it would be best to navigate those waters myself. I can always call on Lady Danbury to assist me if need be."

"Kate, truth be told, it is my mother that raised the issue of the House of Lords and your participation in place of Alexander until he is of age. As you very well know, women are not allowed to speak in Parliament on any matter, even though the Dorset name holds a position and rank. I can speak on behalf of the Dorset name with your guidance and my own."

"Why, when you have many responsibilities for your own family name?"

Why indeed? Because he loved her but he did not want to scare her away with an admission just now.

"You will need a man's help in this regard, Kate, and I have come to believe this also."

Kate knew this to be true herself. While she did not agree with it, this was the way of the world. She had to concede.

"Very well, my lord. I will accept your assistance."

She is in agreement! Steady… "If we are to work together, you must call me 'Anthony'."

"You know very well that I cannot whilst in company."

Anthony then took her hand once again, bowed towards it while looking up at her and said, "I shall endeavour, then, to ensure that we are not amongst company very often, my lady." He placed a kiss on her fingers.

Kate huffed and opened her mouth to give a retort but he quickly straightened up, turned on his heel and walked to the door. He opened it, turned back to her with a wink, and walked out, leaving her to gape after him.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Dr. Jarvis returned from his visit in Kent late into the afternoon. He was to attend one birth but ended up attending to two in the same village. He saw Mr. Acharya at his desk writing in a file.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Acharya. How was the day here?"

Mr. Acharya looked up and quickly closed the file he was writing in.

"Oh, sir! I did not hear you come in! I apologize. I was busily writing my notes in the files of the patients I visited on your behalf today." Mr. Acharya stood up to acknowledge Dr. Jarvis with a nod of his head.

"Yes, I see that," Dr. Jarvis stated as he noticed a few files strewn about on Mr. Acharya's desk. "Anything of concern?"

"Oh, no. Just the usual complaints of aches and pains. However, I did have to stop at Dorset House. I was just leaving the office to call on Mrs. Langdon for her appointment when a footman from Dorset House came running up to me and asked for you. You had just left for Kent. I informed him of your absence and that I was your assistant. He said that the Dorset boy, I assumed the baron's son, required immediate medical attention."

"Oh? Is the Baron Dorset finally in residence?" Dr. Jarvis asked.

Dr. Peter Jarvis came from a family of doctors. His father and his grandfather were doctors before him. They tended to the ailments of the Ton, of every generation in their days. Thomas Dorset was in Oxford before Peter by a few years. Thomas received his physician degree as Peter was entering medical school. It wasn't until the deaths of Lord and Lady Dorset that Peter became aware of Thomas Dorset inheriting the title of baron and the fact that Thomas was not in England at the time. Since he was assumed to still be alive, the title was held for his return.

"I did not see the Baron Dorset but Lady Dorset was in residence.," Mr. Acharya explained.

"What was the issue with the boy?"

"When I arrived, the boy was in his room, lying down already, but his breathing was laboured. A woman was kneeling beside the bed. I assumed she was Lady Dorset. A gentleman, who turned out to be Lord Bridgerton, said that the boy had been stung by a bee."

"Really? Lord Bridgerton was there?" Dr. Jarvis asked in surprise. Mr. Acharya nodded.

"So, is the boy alright?"

Mr. Acharya nodded again and continued his tale.

"Lady Dorset had ordered some poultice to be made up and applied it where the boy had been stung. After a couple of minutes, the properties of the poultice seemed to help the boy's body reverse the affects of the sting. His breathing became more steady. The area, where she applied the poultice, had lessened in redness and the welt, that had formed from the sting, had subsided."

"Interesting. I wonder how she came to know that the poultice would help. Had the mother experienced a bee sting herself with the same reaction?" Dr. Jarvis wondered. Mr. Acharya shook his head.

"She said that she has experienced a bee sting before but did not have any reaction to it at all. She was just stung. So, she did not understand why her son was reacting as such."

"Well, her son may not have had inherited the allergy to a bee sting from her but from his father," Dr. Jarvis informed.

"I guess she may not have learned that from her husband," Mr. Acharya said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she was a nurse to her husband who was a doctor in India when they lived there. She said that she learned about the practice of medicine while working alongside her husband."

"Ah, I see. Lord Thomas Dorset is indeed a doctor. I was entering Oxford when he was completing his science degree. I shall have to stop by Dorset House and make my acquaintance with him and Lady Dorset while I check up on their son tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Acharya for covering for me."

Dr. Jarvis was about to turn to enter his office but stopped and asked Mr. Acharya, "Did Lord Dorset make an appearance while you were tending to the boy?"

"No, sir."

"Hmmm…Did you conclude as to why Lord Bridgerton was in attendance?"

"No, sir. I had mistakenly took him to be Lord Dorset and addressed him as such. He corrected me, of course."

Dr. Jarvis chuckled, "Of course, Lord Anthony Bridgerton would have you know that he is Viscount Bridgerton. I came up in the levels with his youngest brother, Gregory, and Lord Anthony Bridgerton was already the viscount."

"Lord Bridgerton must have been so young to assume the title? He cannot be more than thirty years of age from what I could discern?" Mr. Acharya stated questioningly.

"Yes, he inherited the title at the age of eight and ten when the eighth viscount died."

"Oh! How did the viscount die?"

Dr. Jarvis' demeanor became serious when he said, "He died from a bee sting."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

One evening, later in the week, Mr. Acharya stepped into the Spaniard's Inn public house. A man sitting at a corner table waved at him. Mr. Acharya walked over to the man and sat down. The man spoke in low tones.

"Jagat! Good to see you again, man! I hope you are doing well under Dr. Jarvis' tutelage."

"I am, sir. He will be most helpful in me practicing medicine again in whatever capacity that may be," Mr. Acharya acknowledge.

"That is good for you," the man said as a waitress approached and set two pints of beer in front of them. The man passed Mr. Acharya one of the glasses.

"Drink up. Then we shall get into the details of the note you sent me about the Dorset household." The man picked up his glass and held it in the air, waiting for Mr. Acharya to raise his. When he did, the man tapped Mr. Acharya's pint with his, quite forcefully.

"In due time, Jagat, I shall be sitting in the sitting rooms of the Ton as Lord Dorset and you as my valet," the man said and started to chug his drink.

Mr. Acharya was uneasy about this declaration. He did not want to be anyone's valet. He wanted to practice medicine but, since he was Dr. Jarvis' assistant, the pittance he was getting paid would not amount to living in anything like Dorset House. He must tread carefully until he decided what to do with his life in this new land with his current circumstance. Mr. Acharya took a sip of his ale and winced before setting it back down again. The drink was putrid to his tastes.

"But what of Lady Dorset and the boy?" Mr. Acharya asked.

"What of them? They will have no claim on anything whatsoever! I am the rightful heir to the Dorset estate. The Ton shall believe it."