The Autumn Tournament is a week away and every student is excited about the event.
Anthony would have been excited too if his mind and heart had not been occupied with certain Sharma who lives in a village nearby.
It strange that after two brief meetings he misses her as much as he missed his family and home.
It been almost a week since he last saw her but she never left his mind. He sees her in his dreams and during day hours he daydream about her. He aches for Kathani Sharma and was trying hard to come up with any excuse to see her again.
One afternoon opportunity presented itself when Sharma requested him to cut their practice short.
"Why?" Anthony inquires. "What's so important that you have to stop our practice an hour earlier? You know the Autumn tournament is just in a few days?"
"I know mate and I promise tomorrow I will give you extra hour but I can't stay because my fiancé father's is sick. She is taking him to a nearby town where a local doctor lives and I have to go there to give her money before they depart and then escort my sister to shop before I leave for lumber yard."
Anthony did his best to keep excitement out of his face as he asked. "Will your sister be able to manage that shop all alone?"
"Oh, yes! Kathani is far more capable of handling things on her own and besides I work nearby and Gen and her father will return by evening."
"Great!" Anthony beamed enthusiastically and when Sharma stared at him he tried to appear normal. "I mean, do not worry about practice we will cover up tomorrow. You should go Sharma your family needs you."
"Thanks Mate." With that he watched as Sharma left and as Anthony walked towards his fencing class he quickly formed a plan.
Once he located Sword Master he approached him. "Sir, I was wondering to wear my tournament suit for today's practice to see if its fits perfectly and comfortable enough during fencing."
"Capital idea Bridgerton! Fife you and Bridgerton go and change into your new suits and then return. I want to see your Practice."
Fife grumbled because he was already wearing his old fencing suits and now he has to change again.
Anthony quickly changed into his suit and returned to choose his competitor. "I chose Bassett."
"Great choice Bridgerton, we will begin as soon Fife joins us and choose his competitor."
While they waited for Fife Anthony quickly whispered in his friend's ear. "Bassett, do me a favour?"
"What?" Simon whisper back. Anthony tried to keep giddiness out of his voice as he whispered. "Leave a large enough slash on my suit. A tare so big that Sword Master will instruct it to be taken to the tailor for mending."
Simon tried to keep his face straight. "You sly dog, you want an excuse to meet Ms Sharma."
Anthony grin at his friend. "So what if that's what I want? Are you going to help out your mate or not?"
Simon tried to not roll his eyes at Anthony's pleading look as he finally huffed. "Okay fine! But you will pay the mending cost not me!"
"Deal." Anthony discreetly slipped coins in Simon's hand.
Soon afterwards Fife returned and Anthony and him took places with there opponents.
The competition began as Sword Master observed them and corrected their posture. Soon Fife disarmed Cho and just when Anthony was about to disarm Simon he winked at Simon.
With flick of his sword Simon slashed his suit right in the middle leaving a huge gap open.
Anthony quickly disarmed his friend and then saw Sword Master approaching them. "Great game boys but Bassett there was no need to slash Bridgerton suits. That moves can get you disqualified."
"Sorry sir, I got a bit carried away. I will pay for mending of his suit." Simon acted remorseful as he handed Anthony the same coins he lent him earlier.
"Thank you Bassett. Sir, if you gave me permission can I take this suit straight away at Tailor Shop for mending?"
The Sword Master was already distracted by other students replied. "Yes, you can go and the rest of you start practicing again."
Anthony happily patted his friend's back. "Thanks mate! I owe you big time."
Simon laughs as his friend happily left the room with skip in his step.
The entire ride towards village Anthony felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness. 'I am going to see Kathani Sharma!' He thinks joyously one season and then the next nerves start creeping up. 'I am going to see Kathani Sharma? What am I going to say to her?'
By the time he reached at Tailor's shop his heart was beating wildly as he tried to calm himself down.
Upon entering he found the shop was quite empty but then in the corner he saw her. Today she was dressed in yellow. Her long hair shining as she sat nearby window. Stitching a dress.
He cleared his throat once finally gaining her attention.
She looked up and then gasped in surprise. "Anthony! I mean Lord Bridgerton."
She quickly stood up and curtsied and he hated how formal she was but delight that her first reaction made her say his name.
"Good day Ms. Sharma." He smilingly greeted her with a light bow of his head.
She put her work down and walked towards him and Anthony's breath hitched as he take in how her eyes sparkle with joy at the sight of him. "So Lord Bridgerton? How can I help you today?"
He wordlessly shows her his fencing suits and found how adorably she gasp as she stared at him with concerned eyes. "Were you attack My Lord?"
He shake his head with an assuring smile. "No, just friendly match get out of hand."
She rolled her eyes as she muttered. "Boys." But he clearly hear her annoyance.
She examined the damage and then told him. "This will take one hour to mend My Lord. You can leave it here and I will send it tonight."
"Or I can stay here and wait while you mend my suit." He offers in a playful tone and when her eyes widened he quickly explains. "I mean, if you don't mind. It's just I have nothing to do and I can wait and take the suite with me."
He watched as Ms Sharma bit her lips as she stared at him with her dark alluring eyes. "Surly you don't want to waste your time waiting here? I mean A young Lord like you can find some special things to do here in the Village."
He knew what she was referring to and he felt he needed to clear that thought to this special girl. "I know what young Lord like myself do here in their spare time but I would rather spend my time knowing this special girl if she allows me to stay while she mends my suit."
She blushed and then gestured at a chair. "Take a seat My Lord I will try to mend your suit faster."
"Oh, no! Take your time." He assured her as he took the seat.
He could see she was trying to hide her smile. "Can I offer you tea my Lord? I am afraid it's not your traditional tea but since I was alone I made chai tea we drink in India."
"I would love to try Ms. Sharma." Anthony watched as she disappeared in another room and a few minutes later appeared with tray.
He watched with fascination as she added spice into tea and poured milk. "Here you go My Lord, would you like some biscuits."
"Yes, thank you." Their fingers touched and both jolted as if they felt the spark between them.
For a while he watched as they enjoyed the tea while she worked on his suite.
After his tea was finished he couldn't help but praise her. "This tea is delicious! Not at like British tea."
She seems to be in agreement as she says. "Indian chai is best! I cannot believe how you people survive on that thing you called tea!"
He barked laughed as he saw her scrunching her nose. "Sorry for spoiling your taste and thank you for introducing me with such delicious chai. I think I should invest in these spice in it and then I will be a lot richer."
"Oh! Please do! I couldn't find these spices anywhere and the trader who sold me these says that they are expensive and found in London." She pouted sadly and Anthony knew he had to definitely get some for her now.
They talked more as she mended his suit. "Do you miss India?" He asked.
"Very much! I missed Mary and my sister Edwina. I missed my friends in Palace and little turtles of lakeside."
Anthony smiled as he told her. "I understand, I missed home too. We live in Kent. Aubrey Hall is really beautiful with a lake and beautiful gardens where my siblings and I play Pall Mall."
"What's Pall Mall?" She ask in curious voice.
"Its a game like croquet. My uncle and Father saw the game when they visited Paris and then taught us how to play, Although I should warned you, we Bridgerton are ruthless and competitive when it comes to games."
Kathani laughed brightly. "I understand! Karan and I used to get into massive fights and then my Appa had to intervene..." Her smile suddenly fell as tears gathered in her eyes.
"Ms. Sharma?" He asked in a concerned voice.
He watched as she wiped her tears away. "Sorry, it is just memories of our lost love ones bring tears in our eyes."
Anthony's heart clenched as he took his handkerchief out then leaned closer and gently wiped her tears away. "I understand, I have lost my father too and the pain of losing them is always here but we should remember them and live our lives to make them proud and be happy that we got the chance to know them."
In that moment as they both stared at each other, they were bonded by their pain of loss.
"You are right! I am sure your father and mine would want us to remember them but also to be happy in our lives. It's just sometimes it feels lonely without them in our lives."
"Not when you have a friend, a friend who understands you and who is always there to share your pain."
At his words her gaze softened as she smiled. "Are you going to be that friend to me."
"Only if you want Ms. Sharma." He replied earnestly.
To Anthony it seemed she was thinking hard about the consequences of agreeing to this friendship but then to his surprise she held out her hand. "My friends called me Kathani and not Ms. Sharma."
Smiling in relief, he took her hand and gave it a friendly shake. "Then you should call me Anthony." She does not need to know that his friends call him Bridgerton. Beside something tells Anthony's that Kathani is going to be his special friend.
"Anthony." She beamed and a rush of happiness ran through his body.
"Kathani." He tested out her name with reverence and the way her eyes lit up proves that hearing her name from his lips affected her the same way hearing his name from her lips affected him.
They both smiled at each other and in that small tailor shop not only his suit was mend but a new friendship was formed between them and if Anthony stayed on right path then soon he will won Kathani Sharma's heart.
Kathani was living best of both worlds ever since a friendship formed between Anthony and her.
The things she can't share with him as Karan are now said in her own words. She notice that Anthony is not that different.
The only difference she find was when he is with her as Karan 's friend he is playful, teasing, easily swear in her presence (like most guys do) and quite hard handed.
Sometimes she did her best to not flinch when he playfully patted her shoulders or punched her arms with little force, like he sometimes does with Bassett and Dorset.
While when he is with her as Kathani's friend he is quite gentle, well- mannered and sometimes little flirtatious but never to make her uncomfortable.
He makes her laugh with the way he keeps destroying his clothes for an excuse to visit her at tailor shop.
She avoided Gen and her father's amused stares as they sat in corner conversing while she fix the damage he do to his clothes.
She loves hearing his stories about Aubrey Hall and his family. Something he don't talk much with other guys. They even talk about the one they lost and he shared with her about how much he missed his father while she shared with him the loss she felt after her Amma and Appa were gone.
"If it wasn't for my Aunt and Uncle then I wouldn't have come here. " He told her a few days later when he came to visit the shop this time to mend tear in his coat's stitches. "I own them a lot for looking after my mother and family."
"I understand." She told him sympathetically. "It was hard to leave Mary and Edwina behind but My Father's family and Maharaja's family assured their safety and well being. I am glad that there we have someone to look after us and here I have Genevieve and her father."
"And me." Anthony reminded her and she felt warmth inside her as she agreed. "Yes, I am glad to have you in my life."
"Me too." He said and she had to contain her smile at the sight of his red cheeks.
Once she mended the damage it was time to go and Anthony seemed to be struggling with something.
"Anthony? Is there something you have to say?"
"Will you be attending Autumn tournaments?"
"Yes, um I will be attending there with Gen to cheer for my brother."
Anthony nods his head and she has this feeling he is still struggling with something. "Anthony."
"Can I see you alone before my each competition? You know for good luck." He asked this question nervously in one breath.
Kathani looked nervously at him but before she could answer him Gen replied to him on her behalf. "Do not worry my Lord! I will make sure she sees you before the start of your every competition."
She wanted to yell at Gen but Anthony looked so delighted that she couldn't disappoint him.
"Thank you and I will eagerly look forward to seeing you at tournaments."
He bid them goodbye with a smile on his face.
Kathani waited until he was gone to drag her friend into a room so she could yell at her privately. "Have you gone mad! You do know that Anthony and I as in Karan share two teams in this tournament!"
Genevieve looked unbothered as she explained. "Yes and while I will take Karan away for Private good bye, Kathani can appear and meet her Anthony."
"But!" She began to protest.
"No! No buts! You are going to see him before his competition and wish him good luck and that's final."
When she felt doubtful Genevieve assured her. "Do not fret Kathani. Trust me, everything will work out. You just concentrate on this tournament and Lord Bridgerton and leave everything else to me."
The way she assured her Kathani couldn't help but feel excited for the upcoming tournament.