When the men he had been talking to decided to head into the smoking room, Anthony Bridgerton decided to move back into the ballroom. After all, his future bride wouldn't be with the men so he supposed that meant he would need to subject himself to the hungry Mamas once again. As he approached the doorway, a woman stepped out and he stopped to stare.
It was her.
A grin spread across his face as she turned and he knew the moment she had spotted him.
"You." He said softly, stepping closer.
"Pardon me, my Lord." She said, dipping a slight curtsy. "I did not mean to intrude, I was simply seeking fresh air."
"Or course." He replied, giving her a bow in return. "I was wondering if I might see you again. I never got your name."
"Unfortunately, my Lord, I am not in the habit of giving my name to strange men on horseback." She replied primly, but Anthony could see a hint of mirth in her eyes and it made him press forward slightly.
"Ah, but we are not on horseback now, so surely you could provide it?"
The woman shook her head, pulling back slightly but not the least bit cowed.
"Luckily for you, there is a ballroom right through this doorway. Perhaps you could find someone kind enough to make an introduction inside."
"You're refusing me your name?" he asked, surprised. "But you clearly know who I am."
"I am a lady, my Lord." She told him, moving around him so his back was now to the door. "And I know your reputation. Perhaps it is better if you do not know my name."
Anthony, for the first time that he could remember, was disappointed that the woman in front of him knew his reputation. Strangely, this unnamed woman's opinion mattered.
"I assure you, I am a gentleman." He told her softly, taking another step forward. "And I would never think you anything less than a lady. If you wish to not tell me your name, I will have to do as you suggest and find someone to introduce us. Do you have a suggestion?"
She seemed to study him for a moment, making up her mind as to what she wanted to tell him.
"Lady Danbury is sponsoring my family this Season." She told him quietly. "If you wish to brave the dragon, you are welcome to know my name."
With that, she brushed past him to return to the ballroom. As she passed, he caught the scent of lilies on the air. He spun on his heel and watched her walk away before taking a deep breath and following her.
Inside, Anthony kept to the edges of the ballroom, almost instantly losing her in the crowd. Well, she had said she was with Lady Danbury, so he supposed he would have to face the "dragon". He started to make his way around, looking for the formidable matron. He was stopped over and over again by ladies of the debutante and matron variety and could feel his temper becoming shorter and shorter when he finally spied Lady Danbury talking with an older woman in purple. He excused himself one last time and made a beeline for them. If he blew right past several young ladies, well his mother would just have to forgive him. He came to a stop right in front of the ladies and gave them a bow.
"Lord Bridgerton." Danbury said, smirking. "How nice of you to accompany your mother and sister tonight. I trust you will be your…charming self again this season?"
"I learned my lesson with my sister and your godson, Lady Danbury." He replied with a smirk. "Eloise is quite capable of choosing her own husband."
"And how are the Duke and Duchess?" she asked.
"Disgustingly happy, my Lady. They are currently at Clyvedon, enraptured with your great-godson."
"As they should be. But where are my manners? Lord Bridgerton, may I present Lady Mary Sharma?"
Anthony bowed and murmured a greeting.
"Now, I know you didn't come over here to simply speak to me, Lord Bridgerton." Danbury told him. "So, tell me, which of the girls has caught your eye?"
Anthony gave her his most charming smile.
"I have no idea what you mean, my Lady. Why would I want do anything other than subject my self to your dazzling wit?"
"That smile is not as charming as you or Lady Whistledown thinks." She shot back. "Speak quickly, boy, before I tell your Mama that you have set your sights on a young lady and we can see how fast she can put together a wedding."
"Edwina!" Lady Mary called, interrupting the sparing nobility. "Come here and let me introduce you, darling."
Anthony quickly turned, hoping to see the girl from the woods, but spied a younger, delicate girl approaching on the arm of Lord Lumley. The two men nodded to each other.
"Lumley."
"Bridgerton."
"Edwina," Lady Mary said gently, "may I introduce Lord Bridgerton? My Lord, my daughter, Miss Edwina Sharma."
"A pleasure, Miss Sharma." Anthony greeted her, trying to not let his eyes wander. "The ton has not exaggerated your beauty."
"Thank you, my Lord." Edwina said demurely. "You are too kind."
"Are you enjoying your first ball?" he asked, desperately trying to keep himself from demanding the location of her sister, or at least her blasted name!
"I am, my Lord." She replied brightly. "Everyone has been so kind."
"I understand you are in search for a bride this season, my Lord?" Danbury interjected with a wicked grin making Anthony wince slightly.
"My mother desires I wed." he replied vaguely. "My plans are less fixed."
"Well, then you shall dance with Miss Edwina." She replied jauntily. "So perhaps your plans might become more…fixed."
Anthony made himself smile at Lady Danbury before turning back to Edwina.
"Miss Edwina, would you honor me with a dance?"
"Of course, my Lord."
He took her hand and promised himself that he would learn the other Miss Sharma's name before the end of the night.
~.~
Kate was not running away from Lord Bridgerton. She was not.
Okay, maybe she was.
How dare he be so charming? She thought desperately. How dare he have such a pleasing smile?
This was not the plan. None of them were supposed to smile at her.
Kate moved around the edge of the dance floor and watched as Lord Bridgerton reentered the ballroom. She had to smile as she watched him grow more and more visibly frustrated by the mamas and daughters as they stopped him in an effort to get them to dance with them. She actually giggled as he blatantly ignored some of them as he, to her surprise, made his way to Lady Danbury with determination. She stood against the pillar as he spoke to Lady Danbury and was introduced to Mary. The dancers passed in between them and she was distracted by the sight of Edwina smiling at her dance partner.
Everything would be alright. She would make sure Edwina was happy. That was all that mattered. Not some rake of a lord with a nice smile.
A very nice smile.
Kate nearly growled at her traitorous thoughts as the music came to an end. She started to move towards her family when she watched Edwina arrive at Lord Bridgerton's side. Something he said made her smile brightly and Kate felt her heart sink. When he took her hand to lead her to the dance floor, Kate had resigned herself to it. Of course he was interested in Edwina. Of course his smiles weren't meant for her.
She watched as something he said made her sister laugh and she took a deep breath.
He was unsuitable, of course. A rake would never be good enough for her dear sister. No, Lord Bridgerton would never do for someone as sweet and kind as Edwina.
He might have done for me, though.
Kate did growl that time, if quietly.
She saw Mary searching for her and knew she couldn't hide for much longer. She started towards her step-mother, making sure to keep her sister in sight at all times. Edwina looked so happy on the dance floor that Kate almost envied her for a moment before it passed and all she felt was anxious at the daunting task in front of her. Edwina needed to wed and wed well. Which is why she need to get her away from the Viscount.
She was almost to Mary when the music ended and Lord Bridgerton began to lead Edwina back to Mary. She briefly considered turning back, but Mary spotted her and Kate was forced to smile and make her way over.
"Kate, come here, I want to introduce you."
Anthony turned and his face broke into a grin as the girl from the woods appeared.
"Lord Bridgerton, allow me to introduce my daughter, Kate." Lady Mary said, noting the grin. "Kate, this Lord Anthony Bridgerton."
"My Lord." Kate said demurely as she dipped a curtsy.
"Miss Sharma." Anthony replied, bowing quickly before taking a step forward, surprising Kate. "Are you engaged for your next dance?"
Kate pulled back in surprise.
"Uh…no, my Lord." She stuttered.
"Then perhaps you would allow me?"
Kate meant to say no, she really did, but somehow she found herself taking his hand and allowing him to pull her on to the floor.
"I must warn you, my Lord," she said as they took their positions, "I am not a particularly good dancer."
"That's alright." He told her warmly. "I helped teach all my sisters to dance. I assure you I am quite adept at being stepped on."
Kate found herself smiling despite herself.
"I rather think you will regret this dance, my Lord, no matter how many times you have been trod on before. But I do understand your pain. I taught my sister to dance as well."
Anthony looked at her curiously as the dance began and she pulled away to follow the steps. This was a bad idea. He knew it was a bad idea. This wasn't the plan.
They came back together and he took her hand, marveling at how warm it was in his. This was not the plan at all, but somehow he didn't care at that moment. He pulled her closer and smelled that scent again, lilies and soap.
"Are you enjoying the season?" he asked, desperate to hear her voice again. "It's your first, correct?"
"Yes." Kate confirmed, desperate to distract herself from the feel of him against her hand. "Mary wanted us to have the full experience of a season out, but the trip from India is long and expensive, so it was decided to wait until Edwina was out."
"And how are you finding London?"
Kate thought for a moment as they separated again.
"Small." She replied as they came back together. "Different."
"I imagine India is quite different." Anthony agreed. "I've heard it's beautiful."
"It is." Kate replied with a small smile as they circled each other. "Not that England isn't beautiful as well. I know Mary has missed it dearly."
"You call her Mary?" he asked, surprised.
"Lady Mary is my stepmother." Kate replied, bristling slightly. "My mother died when I was quite small."
"I'm sorry." Anthony said softly. "I know how hard it is to lose a parent."
"Thank you, my Lord." Kate replied, just as softly. "I could not have asked for a better mother than Mary, though. She loved me as if I were her own. I owe her so much."
Anthony let them fall into silence as they continued to dance. She fascinated him and he knew that was dangerous, but he hadn't been able to shake her from his mind since that morning in the woods and now she was here. How could he walk away now?
Kate felt like she couldn't breathe. He was supposed to be a rake! He wasn't supposed to be kind and talk about teaching his sisters to dance. He wasn't supposed to be warm when his hand touched her hand. He wasn't supposed to make her feel like this.
The dance began to come to a close and they came back together one last time.
"See?" he said with a charming smile that made her swallow instinctually. "You didn't even maim me a little bit."
"I could still try, my Lord." She sniped at him, but her smile took the sting out of her words. "Just hold still for a moment."
"Now, now," He said, taking her arm and leading her off the dance floor, "is that anyway to treat the man who let you win the race the other morning?"
"Let me win?!" she hissed. "I won my victory lap fair and square, my Lord. It is not my fault your horsemanship isn't quite up to scratch."
"There is nothing deficient about my horsemanship." He hissed back, glaring at her as she glared right back.
"I did not call your horsemanship deficient, my Lord." She shot back, her eyes sparkling. "You used that word all on your own."
She looked away from him and realized he wasn't leading her back to Lady Mary and Lady Danbury, but to the opposite side of the room.
"Where are you taking me, my Lord?" she demanded, starting to pull away, but he held tight as they approached a taller man who still, somehow, was identifiable as a Bridgerton.
"Benedict," Anthony called, making his brother stop in his tracks and spin back with a smile plastered on his face.
"Brother! What can I do for you?"
"I would like to introduce you to Miss Kate Sharma. Miss Sharma, my brother Benedict."
Kate curtsied to the second Bridgerton brother who bowed in return. As they straightened, she watched in fascination as the two brother held a silent conversation of Benedict staring at Anthony in shock and the Viscount glaring at his younger brother.
"It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Bridgerton," she said slowly, starting to pull away from Lord Bridgerton, "but I must be returning to my sister."
Anthony's glare actually intensified and Benedict sighed.
"Are you engaged for the next set?" he asked Kate suddenly.
"I am not." She replied, her eyes narrowing as she looked between the brothers.
"Perfect!" Benedict held out his hand. "Would you do me the honor?"
Kate sighed, but took his hand as Anthony finally released her arm.
"I must go check on my mother and sister." He told her, his eyes meeting hers warmly. "I trust we'll see each other again soon, though."
He bowed and she dipped into a curtsy. When she rose again, his eyes met hers and lingered for a moment before he spun on his heel, disappearing into the crowd.
"Miss Sharma?"
Kate shook herself before smiling at Benedict and allowing him to lead her onto the dance floor. It was only as the musicians began again she realized Lord Bridgerton had not asked one question about her sister.
This is not the plan.