Spring of 1814, London.
Anthony was getting exhausted and despondent as he crossed the last of the eligible debutants on his list for his potential Viscountess. He found them lacking for one reason or another, but there was one factor that was painfully common in all of them.
"How can I put all my hopes and expectations on someone of Eloise's age? They are all barely out of their leading strings, mother, and so I have decided that I will not, in good conscience, choose any of these debutants for my future Viscountess."
He noticed as his family stared at him, some with amusement, some with boredom, while his mother gave him a sad smile. 'That's why I had been insisting on you for finding your bride for years, because believe it or not, these debutantes will become even younger next season as you get older. Maybe you should interview some more debutantes; I heard Lady Danbury is presenting some ladies in her ball."
But Anthon was in no mood for his mother's matchmaking. "It's decided, mother; if I cannot find my perfect Viscountess myself, then I will not have one at all."
With that, he left Bridgerton House mid-dinner and returned to his lodgings. That night, he worked until late hours but could not find himself capable of falling asleep. Feeling worried about his duty, his legacy, and everyone's expectations is suffocating him. He just wanted to give up this control, but he was bound to these responsibilities for life with no escape.
Feeling drained, he decided to go for a ride in the woods to calm his nerves. The dawn was approaching as he rode towards the woods, but it wasn't fast; it was more like he was trotting aimlessly, feeling lost in his own mind.
His eyes felt as heavy as his heart, and Anthony watched a few goslings nearby. Even though they were in pairs, he was pathetically lonely in his miserable life.
Suddenly, he heard a loud galloping sound, and Anthony was stunned because he saw a woman galloping like wind. Feeling quite awakened, he looked around for any source of danger as he shouted at her. "Miss, are you alright!?"
He started chasing that woman, and to his surprise, she picked up her speed. 'God! She is trying to race me.' He wondered in marvel as he felt his lips stretch upwards as he chased this mysterious woman.
Suddenly, he noticed a hedge up front. "Be careful there!" he warned, but to his shock, the mysterious woman sped up and made the clean jump to the next side.
Laughing and cheering for her, he slowed down as the woman lifted her hood and turned to glance in his direction. In that moment, Anthony's breath was taken away as his eyes fell on this goddess who appeared out of nowhere in his life.
Her long hair was bound in a braid, but a few curls escaped to cover her beautiful face, but it was her eyes that made his heart beat wilder because there was triumph in them as she scrunched her nose and galloped away, leaving him completely breathless.
Anthony would have let her go, but he needed to know whether she was real or a figment of his imagination. Taking short cuts, he was delighted to spot her ahead as he quickly caught up with her. "Enjoying your victory lap?"
"Baap Ray!" The woman gasped in shock in some foreign language but quickly composed herself. "Pardon me, My Lord; I did not want to cause any distress."
Anthony smiled because her voice, especially her accent, is as enchanted as this woman herself. "It's alright, I understand you were in no danger, but does your maid know you were riding astride?"
The woman chuckled as she informed him. "I have no maid."
Anthony felt a twinge of disappointment as he realised another outcome. "So you are married." He casually tried to ask, but this surprised her a little as she shook her head. "I'm not married either."
'Ah!" Anthony felt giddy inside as he tried to introduce himself, but before he could say anything, she started speaking. "Please do not concern yourself; I am heading towards Mayfair, and I do not think it is appropriate to answer these questions to strangers. I think it's best you go your way and I go my way, and we pretend this meeting never happened."
Only Anthony was not in the mood to leave, especially when he noticed where they were heading. "Well, do not fear on my account; if anyone finds out I lost a horse race to a woman, then that will certainly harm my reputation."
But apparently, this caught her attention. "You called that a race."
"Was it not?" He inquires, feeling completely baffled as she laughs as she says. "A race would be if we were racing side by side."
Anthony was feeling outraged, as he pointed out. 'That's because we never decided the starting point."
The woman gave him a look, and as much as she intrigued him, she also started to vex him. 'On the contrary, I will never shy away from admitting my mistake."
"Excuse me?"
"Mayfair is not there; it's another way around." He pointed in the correct direction and noticed a faint blush appearing on her beautiful skin. "So? How about a race? If I win, I can ask you anything, and if you win, you can ask anything you want."
The woman bit her lip before tightening her hold on her reins as she turned around her horse. "Get in position, my Lord, and this time better decide on the finishing line."
"Race you to the edge of the woods?" With that, they both galloped away. Anthony had never felt this kind of rush in years, but suddenly he felt energised as he raced this enchanting creature, who was galloping like wind.
A silvery skin on her thighs caught his attention, making him fumble as she raced ahead and soon reached the finishing line with joyful laughter.
Anthony was out of breath as he stopped beside her. 'You won, my lady."
"I am surprised that you seem surprised, my Lord." She teased him playfully before waving at him. "Good day, my lord. I will collect my boon next time."
Before he could stop her, she galloped away as he shouted after her in a desperate voice. "You never tell me your name."
"Not right now; I have a victory lap to enjoy." She shouted back with laughter, and that made Anthony laugh too, which was truly surprising.
That day, when he returned, his family was stunned to see him in a joyful mood as he announced his decision. "Mother, please give me a list of all mature and unmarried ladies from this season because I think I will find my perfect Viscountess in them." And by perfect he meant the mysterious woman who will become his Viscountess.
Agatha Danbury always prided herself on having good judgement and being a being a good judge of character. So when her dearest old friend introduced her to her two daughters, she quickly developed a great liking for the eldest daughter. Not that the youngest has any fault; on the contrary, she was perfect and beautiful, worthy enough to be Queen's Diamond, and Agatha was sure Ms. Edwina would certainly achieve that under her and her sister's guidance.
Yet it was Kate Sharma who left an impression in Agatha's heart. The girl may be older, at six- twenty years old, but she is a tall, confident woman, much like Agatha. So it was surprising when she casually informed her of her stance on marriage. "I am not here for myself; I am here for my sister to find her perfect match, and then I will return to India to become a governess."
What surprised her more was how Mary and Ms. Edwina became uncomfortably quiet but did not object to the decision of Miss Kate Sharma, and Agatha was no fool to realise who was the true head of the Sharma family in that moment.
Still, that night, she felt restless as she tried to figure out the reason behind this decision. She called it fate, but she got her answer soon in the form of a letter addressed to her.
"Tell me the truth, Miss Sharma!" She inquired a few minutes later as she confronted the girl. "I will not let you use my good name and my connection with Queen for your schemes with your grandparents."
"They are not my grandparents, but there is something you need to know." Kate confesses tearfully as she tells everything to her, especially the horrid condition those wretched people placed on this young woman's shoulder.
Agatha Danbury suddenly saw a younger version of herself in this child. "You are truly remarkable for enduring so much in silence, but Kate, you do not need to accept these conditions? There are many lords that can marry you both without dowry; I am sure I can find you both perfect matches."
Agatha watched as Kate stubbornly shook her head. "I am not of noble birth; Edwina is. Even if you find us perfect matches, those Sheffield's will never stand for me staying here; they will create problems for my mama and my sister, and I will never forgive myself if they get ashamed because of me. So it's better if I fulfil their demands and leave as soon as Edwina finds her perfect match."
Agatha felt sorry for this girl. "You had to sacrifice your entire life for them, and you will continue to do so, but it pains me that you are denying yourself some happiness."
Kate gave a sad smile as she assured Lady Danbury. "I will be like you, free to run my own household, unanswered to anyone; I will be content."
"Oh child! You can never live the life I lived; I became a wife; I experienced love; and you are giving up both! You have not even had any experience of the joy a woman can feel in a lover's arms; once you become a governess, you will be taking care of someone else's children, never finding time for yourself, and by the time you reach my age, you will be left with regrets."
"There is nothing much to be done about that; marriage is out of the question for me, so I have to find joy in my family." She says dejectedly.
Agatha sighed because, as stubborn as Kate Sharma is, she is more stubborn than her. This season, she will make sure both of these women end up in alter, but while Miss Edwina will go the traditional way, Miss Sharma has to find her match in a non-traditional way.
Giving a sly smile Agatha Danbury turned to plant this brilliantly insane idea inside Miss Sharma's head. "My dear child, if you are resolute with your decision, then why don't you heed my advice and use this opportunity to experience some special kind of happiness in your life?"
Kate frowned in confusion as she asked. "I do not understand Lady Danbury."
Lady Danbury smiled as she leaned in to say something that shocked her existence. "If not husband, how about you find yourself a lover?"