The trip to Mayfair has left them exhausted, and Sophia is still ranting about how spooky that place was. Kathani rolled her eyes as her friend changed into her pyjamas and ordered room service along with hot chocolate for herself. "I am telling you, Kathani, let's pack up and leave because this job feels nuts."
"Where is your sense of adventure?" Kathani teased as she changed into her track pants and crop top. Sophia huffed as she wrapped a blanket around herself. "My sense of adventure is fine, but please tell me your senses did not warn you in that weird Regency place. What if they kidnapped us!? Or worse, they made us join their weird cult and put us in those corsets and dresses to make us one of them." As Sophia shuddered, Kathani began to laugh. "Yeah, imagine they married you to one of those men who kept you locked in a room only to visit you when they wanted children."
"That's not funny, Kathani! Those men only use missionary positions with their wives. Can you imagine how boring that will be? That's it. I am calling Duke's secretary and telling him to find someone else for this lunatic job." She was about to grab her phone, but Kathani moved fast and snatched it away. "Come on, Soph, the first impression is not the last impression. How about we gave that place one more chance beside those people who were really hospitable?" When her friend looks still unconvinced, Kathani squeezes her hand and makes a makes a promise. "All right, if our next visit does not convince you, then we will leave for good."
It was then that their dinner arrived, and Kathani told Sophia to enjoy her meal as she headed outside for her evening walk. "Come back soon." She waved her friend and headed down towards a nearby park. It was a beautiful night to walk, and she saw a few couples strolling while a few walking their dogs.
Kathani was trying to capture a perfect shot of the moon peeking behind trees.
"Woof! Woof!"Kathani put her phone in her pocket and saw a most adorable corgi nearby, staring at her with fascination. "Hello there, who are you, little fellow?" She kneels down to rub his head, but the dog seems really friendly as he jumps into her arms and begins licking her face. She shrieked in delight and hugged her furry friend closer.
"I see you find each other." Kathani shivered and looked up, and sure enough, her sexy Viscount was walking towards her, dressed dashingly in a long coat, sweater, and pants. She blushed under his intense gaze as he reached out to rub the dog's head. "I must say, mate, you moved fast. Here, I only met her once, and you are already in her arms."
Kathani laughed as she smiled at him. "So this charming, handsome fellow belongs to you." Anthony gazes at her deeply as he replies. "More like I belong to him; you see, Newton was there for me in both worse and great times."
Kathani's heart jolted when she heard the dog's name. "Did you say Newton? I always dreamed of naming my dog that, but I never seemed to adopt one." Newton woofed at her and gave her a big smile, and Kathani recalled her childhood dreams of the same dog that was now in her arms. "It's uncanny how alike you are."
"Well, if you want, you can always visit him; we live just across from the park." Kathani stared at the huge mansion Anthony was pointing at as he stepped closer. "How about you come with us now? It will be nice to have company for dinner."
Kathani felt tempted as both Newton and Anthony stared at her with hopeful eyes. "I would." Suddenly her phone began to ring, and she read Sophia's text to hurry back. "Um, sorry, my friend needs me back in my room, but I would love to have dinner with you both some other time."
In her arms, Newton let out sad wine as Anthony's smile also dropped as his eyes sadden for a moment before he nodded his head. "I understand. Here, let's exchange numbers so you can text me whenever you are available for that dinner." They quickly exchange digits, and finally, it's time for Kate to leave. "I guess I should head back." She began to leave when he called her out. "Aren't you forgetting something?" She gave him a confused look. "Woof! Woof!"
With a gasp, Kathani realised she was still holding Newton in her arms as the dog stared cheerfully at them, making them burst into laughter. "I am so sorry; I didn't realise I was taking your dog with me."
"Maybe because it felt like he belonged to you." He suggested it softly, and Kathani felt warmth in her heart as they stared at each other. Newton nudged his snout against her cheek, and Kathani needed to leave before she was compelled to leave with them. "Here you go, and I promise we will see each other soon." Anthony gently took Newton from her arms as both of them stared at her wistfully. "We both will wait patiently for you."
And as Kathani waved them goodbye, she knew in her heart that she could not wait to see them again.
Penelope woke up to a noise, and as she stepped out of her room, she noticed Prudence heading downstairs before opening the front door and stepping outside. "Oh No!"
She asked her maid Rae to accompany her as they followed Prudence. She feared something like this would happen after Prudence earlier made that rude comment, but for that to happen so soon that she did not expect it.
"Miss Penelope, do you think Miss Prudence is heading towards the border?" Rae asked fearfully while making the crossing sign. "I fear Prudence is about to get punished, Rae; just do not scream, no matter what happens. I need you to not raise any alarm."
Both girls finally arrived at the border, and they saw a man standing in the dark on the other side of the border. 'Come here, Miss Featherington."
Penelope and her maid hid near a tree as they watched Prudence walk closer towards the man, and then suddenly they heard Prudence come out of her trance as she realised where she was. "You! Please, I am sorry! I did not mean to offend her."
"How dare you comment on her appearance? You people still did not learn your lesson, did you?"
"No, I am sorry!" She cried and tried to leave, but he reached out and grabbed Prudence by her throat, pulling her towards the other side of the border. At the exact moment she crossed the barrier, Prudence began to scream in unexplainable agony as her body began to age. Penelope was going to move to help her sister, but her maid stopped her. "No, Miss Penelope, you mustn't intervene."
Penelope looked back as her sister's face shrank filed with wrinkles and her hair turned extremely grey. As she screamed in agony, he leaned forward, and Penelope noticed the monstrous face of Anthony Bridgerton as his fangs pierced Prudence's neck. "Ahh!" Prudence screamed as he fed on her until she went still.
Both Penelope and her maid were using their hands to cover their mouths as Anthony finished punishing Prudence, and then he threw her lifeless body back inside Mayfair. He was just about to leave when he stared at the dark night with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. "Warn others, Miss Penelope; if anyone of you tries to hurt my Kathani, then I will rain hellfire in their lives."
By the time Penelope and her maid came out of their hiding place, Anthony Bridgerton was long gone, leaving only his victim's body behind."
On Kathani's insistence, Sophia stayed behind in their hotel room as she headed towards Mayfair again. She first decided to visit a boutique to buy dresses of 18th-century fashion so she did not look odd, but as she was about to head in the direction of the boutique, a girl fell on her feet. "Please forgive me! I beg you to forgive me!"
The girl lifted her face, and Kathani realised she was the same girl from yesterday who commented on her short dress. "It's prudence, right? Please get up; there is no need to apologise." She tried to say it gently, but the girl cried harder as she clutched her legs. "No! Please say you forgive me! Otherwise, I will be punished worse!"
"Punished?" Kathani began in confusion, but suddenly the girl's family arrived and picked her up. "Stop it, Prudence! Please, I apologise for being half of my daughter; please do not be angry with us." Portia Featherington pleads as Prudence's other sister holds their terrified sister. Kathani, on the other hand, was feeling quite uncomfortable as they kept apologising, while Prudence looked completely terrified of her and cried shakenly. "Please take her home, and trust me, I am not angry with any of you."
To their surprise, they all gratefully bowed to her, as her youngest daughter seemed to want to say more, but then she left with her family. Kathani was now thinking maybe Sophia was right about this place.
She then decided to take a few important shots and be done with the day. So she hired a carriage and drove towards Lakeside. She clicked pictures of people and houses. As soon as she arrived at the lakeside, Kathani was taken away by its beauty.
She took pictures of couples rowing on the lake while a few families were having picnics, yet for some reason they all looked weary and bored. She was offered many times to join them, but Kathani politely refused them.
She noticed a bridge and decided to take pictures from up there. It was old but still perfect as she arrived in the middle of the bridge and stared at the view. She was about to take a picture of this beautiful sight when two old, ugly women dressed in rags appeared in front of her. "Ayeo! Rama! Kathani gasped in fright as she stared at these two women, who began to hobble towards her. "Kate! You came back!" "Oh Kate! We are so sorry! Please forgive us!"
Kathani flinched away as she started to step back. "You are mistaken; I am Kathani, not Kate."
"Yes! You are Kathani, and we force you to become Kate! Please forgive us! Please tell him to end this!"
It was then that Kathani realised Penelope was warning as one old woman grabbed her hand. "Please forgive me!" Kathani yanked her hand away and started moving away, but both beggars were following her. "Kate stop! Where are you going? You cannot leave us!"
"Leave me alone!" She ran at full speed, putting as much distance between her and them, when she collided with two men. 'Please help me! Those beggars won't leave me alone.!" Kathani cried desperately as both men led her towards their carriage.
Only when carriage began to move did Kathani realise how those two women made her feel strange and not in a good way. "Thank you for saving me; I swear Mayfair is not making a good impression so far."
The man with a charming smile chuckles at her as he offers. "Then let us rectify your opinion of us, Miss."
"Iyer, Miss Kathani Iyer." Both men smiled at her in kindness, and they somehow seemed familiar. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Iyer."
They soon arrived at a beautiful house, and as Kathani walked towards it, she felt a sense of safety in this house. She was following both men when suddenly she stopped as she noticed a huge portrait of someone. "Is that?"
"That's our eldest brother, Viscount Anthony Bridgerton." Kathani turned around in surprise and found both men, along with three girls, a boy, and an older-looking woman staring at her. "If he is your brother, that means you are."
"His family, Miss Iyer, I am Benedict Bridgerton, this is Colin, then our sisters Eloise and Francesca, and the youngest two are Gregory and Hyacinth, and our mother is Violet Bridgerton."
Kathani felt overwhelmed because she never imagined meeting Anthony's family like this. His mother gently placed her hand on her arms as she spoke in a gentle voice. "Come, dearest, please have tea with us." And since they were the Anthony family, Kathani was feeling intrigued by them, she says. "It will be my pleasure."
As Kathani stepped inside the Bridgerton sitting room in another part of London, Anthony Bridgerton punched his wall as he realised he could lose Kathani if she continued visiting Mayfair. "No, I will not let them take Kathani from me again. I will protect her from them at all cost just like I always have."
With that, he left to bring his Kathani to where she belongs.