Chapter 2

Nearly three hours later, Eloise's first horse riding lesson was finally complete. She was still a beginner, but she was definitely starting to get the hang of it.

"I definitely got it down by the end of the lesson!" Eloise was saying excitedly to Kate and Anthony as the three of them left Aubrey Farm and headed down to the parking lot together. "Did you see, Anthony? I was able to attach the saddle and get up on the horse all by myself!"

"Yes, I did see Eloise," Anthony said in a patronizing voice one would use with a hyperactive child. Eloise smacked him on the arm, causing him and Kate to laugh.

"Well, I thought you did a great job, Eloise," Kate said sincerely to the younger girl. "Mrs. Danbury and I agree that you're definitely ready to start riding Lipton at your next lesson."

"Yay!" Eloise squealed, hooking her arm through Kate's. "Thank you, Kate! You're a really great teacher – you'll be here to teach me next week, right?"

"Yes, I will," Kate assured her with an amused smile. "Pretty soon, your seat on a horse will be as good as mine or your brother's."

"I seriously doubt that," Anthony teased. "Eloise might be as good as me someday, but I don't think I could begin to compare my own riding to yours Kate. Maybe both of us will be as good as her someday, El."

Eloise laughed as Kate blushed, smiling. Anthony had turned out to be quite charming as the two of them helped Eloise during her first riding lesson: he spent a majority of it watching from off to the side, making comments to Kate and praising his sister when she did something right. It was really rather sweet of him, especially after his and Kate's rather 'unconventional' first meeting earlier this morning.

Kate had felt pretty nervous being around Anthony after mistaking him as a trespasser, but his behavior toward her during Eloise's lesson was the complete opposite of what she had expected. He continuously complimented her on her teaching style, standing back as she helped Eloise into the saddle and insisting Eloise listen to Kate's expertise. He really wasn't the arrogant asshole she assumed he was when they had first met this morning – he was actually very kind and thoughtful, and he clearly cared about his sister a lot since he had stuck around for her horse riding lesson today. That was really quite sweet of him, and Kate couldn't help but see a guy like that as rather attractive.

Oh God, am I developing a crush on the guy who owns the horse farm I work at?

This could be a problem.

"Bye guys. I'll see you next week, Eloise," Kate waved over her shoulder as she walked over to the bicycle rack to grab her bike. A part of her was almost eager to get away from Anthony and her confused feelings toward him.

"Wait, you rode a bicycle here?" Anthony asked, stopping in his tracks as he watched her approach the bike rack.

"Yeah, I always ride my bike here," Kate said, putting on her bike helmet. "It's not too bad – my house is only about three miles away from here."

"We can give you a ride home, Kate," Eloise piped up. "Anthony has an SUV. We can store your bike in there."

Kate hesitated, feeling a bit reluctant. "I wouldn't want you to go out of your way for me…"

"It's no problem at all," Anthony insisted. "Our family actually just moved a few miles away from here too. What's your address?"

"34 Longbourn Lane," Kate said. "It's near the corner of Applewood and Main, if you know where that is."

"Seriously?" Anthony asked, his eyes wide in shock. "You live on Longbourn?"

"Yeah, why?"

"No way!" Eloise said, clapping her hands together excitedly. "We're your new neighbors!"

Kate stared at them in disbelief. "What?"

"Our family just moved to the area. Our house is 36 Longbourn Lane!" Eloise exclaimed. "You may have seen it… it's like a big black and white mansion with pillars all around it."

Kate actually knew that house well, and not just because it was next door to her own. Everyone in the neighborhood knew that massive black and white Colonial since it was the largest and most ostentatious house on the block, and it had been on the market for several years. "I do know that house, actually. I can't believe someone finally bought it."

"Yeah, I think the previous owners were happy to finally sell it," Anthony said. "So, will you let us take you home now that we've established our places of residence?"

Kate rolled her eyes, smirking. "I suppose so," she said, unhooking her bike from the rack. The three of them made their way over to Anthony's SUV. "I supposed I should say welcome to the neighborhood. How are you enjoying your new house?"

"Oh it's been great," Eloise said brightly. "It's really spacious, and it's perfect for our family too since there are nine of us."

"Really? Nine?" Kate asked in surprise as Anthony popped open his trunk and went to put her bike inside. "So how many siblings do you have, then?"

"There are eight of us," Anthony grinned at her. "That means more than just me and Eloise you have to deal with, unfortunately."

Kate laughed. "Well, if any of them need horse riding lessons, you know who to call."

The three of them finished loading Kate's bike inside the truck before getting in themselves and driving home. Aubrey Farm was in a rural area outside of Hertfordshire, but the subdivision they lived in was more residential with many large sprawling mansions on it. Kate and her family had a nicely-sized home, but it was nothing compared to some of these other houses in the neighborhood. Especially the Bridgerton's new place.

" …This is me," Kate said, pointing to the brick Georgian-style they were pulling up to. Anthony slowed the car to a stop near the front pathway. "Thanks for the ride."

"No problem," Anthony smiled at her, and Kate felt her heart flutter. "We'll see you soon, I suppose."

"Yeah," Kate said, glancing toward Eloise in the backseat. "Well, I'll definitely be seeing you, Eloise. Same time next week?"

"Absolutely," Eloise said brightly.

"Here, let me grab your bike for you," Anthony said quickly, putting the car in park and hopping out of the driver's seat, heading toward the trunk. Kate opened the passenger side door and followed him.

"You don't have to do that. I can grab it," Kate said quickly.

"Really, it's no problem," Anthony insisted, pulling the bike from the back of his car and setting it down on the ground.

"Kate?"

Kate looked over and noticed her stepmom Mary walk out of the front door, gazing at them all curiously. Mary was a very well put-together woman, with her hair always pulled up into a bun and her wardrobe consisting almost entirely of pressed blouses, heels, and pencil skirts. She had raised Kate and Edwina by herself ever since Kate was just five years old, and while Mary loved Kate as much as she loved her own daughter, it was clear she didn't share Kate's affinity for horses and the outdoors.

"Er, Kate, weren't you working at the farm today? And who are these people?" Mary approached them, her high heels clicking on the stone pathway as she walked. She gazed at the two strangers standing with her daughter.

"Mary, this is Anthony and Eloise Bridgerton," Kate introduced, gesturing to them. "Their family owns Aubrey Farm, and I was giving Eloise a horse riding lesson this morning."

"And I offered to give Kate a ride home once they were done," Anthony piped up. "We're actually your new neighbors."

"Yeah, our mum bought 36 Longbourn Lane," Eloise explained.

"Oh, that's right!" Mary said, smiling in comprehension. "I was just speaking to your mother earlier today, actually. She invited us all over for dinner tomorrow night."

"Did she really?" Kate asked, her heart jumping to her throat. She was going to see Anthony again tomorrow?

Will I be ready?

"Sounds like fun," Anthony said, looking over at Kate with a smile. Kate blinked before smiling back.

"Mum, what's going on?"

At that moment, Edwina appeared at the door, gazing at everyone gathered together with a frown of curiosity on her face. Edwina, just having turned 18, was the very picture of beauty, femininity, and grace – she took after Mary in a lot of ways, with her large brown eyes, cute button nose, and pretty smile. Her dark hair hung in waves over her shoulders, and her light and petite stature made her the envy of every other girl in her high school.

Edwina was going to be starting her senior year next semester. She was (unsurprisingly) one of the most popular girls in school, and was already on track to being the next prom queen. That was because Edwina was more than just a pretty face: she was genuinely kind and sweet to everybody she met, and she didn't have a mean or vindictive bone in her body. Everybody seemed to gravitate toward Edwina – especially boys.

Kate knew she could have been bitter and resentful about her sister constantly upstaging her in beauty and grace, but Kate sincerely loved Edwina. The two of them had a solid sisterly relationship, even though Kate had never been as pretty or popular as Edwina back when she was still in school. Kate knew that she wasn't ugly per se, but it was difficult to feel especially pretty when people often compared her to her sister.

And it didn't help that a cute guy Kate was starting to like happened to be standing right beside her.

Edwina now approached the group, smiling at everyone in a friendly way. She was looking especially pretty today in a baby blue flowered knee-length summer dress with white sandals. She waved at them. "Hello."

"Edwina, this is Anthony and Eloise Bridgerton," Mary introduced as Edwina went to stand beside her. "They're two of our new neighbors."

"It's nice to meet you," Edwina smiled, moving forward to shake Eloise's hand before shaking Anthony's. Kate didn't miss the way Edwina's eyes seemed to light up and her eyelashes fluttered as she took in Anthony.

Kate swallowed, looking away.

"Nice to meet you too," Anthony said politely at Edwina before letting go of her hand. "Eloise and I were at Aubrey Farm this morning and so we gave Kate and her bicycle a ride back here."

"Oh," Edwina said, giggling slightly as she smiled at Anthony. "That was really nice of you."

"It was," Kate agreed, looking back over at Anthony and smiling. "Thanks again."

"You're very welcome," Anthony smiled back, and Kate felt her heart do a little somersault.

"Anthony, we should get home. Mum told me we needed to get back before noon," Eloise said, checking her watch. "Fran has a piano recital."

"Right," Anthony said, turning to smile at the Sharmas. "It was lovely meeting all of you. We'll see you at dinner tomorrow?"

"Definitely," Mary confirmed, and everyone waved goodbye as Anthony and Eloise got back into the SUV and drove away.

Once they were out of sight, Edwina suddenly squealed and launched herself at Kate, hugging her tightly around the shoulders. Kate stumbled back slightly, laughing in surprise at her sister's sudden attack.

"Oh my God, Kate!" Edwina said excitedly, bouncing up and down on her toes, still clutching onto her sister. "Did you SEE him?! Oh my God, I cannot believe the cutest boy I have ever seen in my life is living right next door to us!"

Kate forced a small giggle. "Yeah, it's really something."

"And you rode home with him in his car! God, you are so lucky," Edwina sighed, laying her head on Kate's shoulder and looking wistful. "This is one of the best days of my life."

"Alright, you two. You can go ahead and be 'boy crazy' once we get Kate's bike out of the street and we're all inside," Mary said in amusement, gesturing toward Kate's bike. "Come on, then."

Edwina finally extricated herself from her sister, and Kate began to wheel her bike toward the garage.

"D'you want to help me pick out an outfit for tomorrow Kate?" Edwina asked excitedly, trailing after her sister. "I want to wear something cute and formal, but not too flashy – something that would make Anthony notice me."

"Edwina, you know that I don't really have a good eye for that sort of stuff," Kate said honestly, parking her bike to the side of the garage.

"Oh, but I want you to help me!" Edwina insisted, grasping Kate's hand and tugging on it. "I can help you pick out an outfit too, if you'd like. Pretty please?"

Kate smiled and rolled her eyes. It was hard to resist Edwina when she was giving her doe eyes. "Oh alright. But let me take a shower first, I've been working with horses all morning."

"Yay!" Edwina squealed, spinning around and hurrying inside the house. Kate chuckled before following her.


A/N: Hm, what's going to happen at dinner do you think? Let me know your thoughts!

If you enjoyed this chapter, please like and comment!