My lady wishes

I sigh a little as I reach the Bridgerton house. I am nervous, of course I am nervous. Despite having spoken to Simon and having had some good advice from him, I am feeling rather stressed and I do not know what Benedict shall do or say. I have never been anxious before, but I am currently. Simon says that only shows how much I care, but it most certainly does not feel that way.

It begins to rain a little as I knock on the door and I am not pleased when I see Anthony. "Anthony... is Benedict around?"

"Why? You wish to continue to try and mess around with my brother and make me jealous?" He scowls, narrowing his eyes as he loiters against the door. "That is why you are so interested in him, correct?"

"No, it... it is not. Anthony I do not jest when I say that I am... I am... it is more than that." I watch him, the rain beginning a little heavier. "I am begging of you, Anthony, if you wish to owe me anything, shall you please... please... please just allow me to come in? Or allow him to come and see me? I am begging of you." I am not the sort of lady who begs nor cries nor does anything of the sort, I do not know who I have become but I know that I need to tell Benedict and I need to tell him now or else I might decide it against it. I have to say something and soon.

Anthony does not say a word. He only squints his eyes slightly and sucks his teeth, shaking his head a little. "No-"

"I am a lady and I am a... bloody important one at that! Now you have been rather rude to me since I arrived here and at the beginning, did I believe that to be your way of telling me that you liked me? Yes, I did. I realised quickly that you are just an abrasive and disgusting man. Your brother is not and I enjoy his company and I wish for you to allow me inside so I might speak with him." I scowl, and it becomes more and more clear to me with each word that I speak that he is not going to move and he is not going to allow me inside. "Viscount Anthony. Should you like to be punched by another Basset? I am aware yourself and my brother have had a couple of instances of fisticuffs, I am wondering if you should like one with myself as well."

"You are challenging me to a fight, my lady? Oh, you are quite droll-"

I screw my fist up and throw it against his face. I have never thrown a punch before but I am sure I have done quite a good job of it when he hisses and pulls his hands to press against his new wound. "I am quite droll, viscount? No! You are quite droll, and I am quite eager to come into the house and so I might appreciate it if you move out of my way. Right. Now."

Anthony just holds his face, but he does move from my way. I make sure that I push him out of the way, just for an extra kick in the teeth, and I march through the house. "Benedict! Bennie!"

"Oh, you have decided you have forgiven me for whatever it is I did that I... am still quite unclear as to what it is?" He is sat with his legs up on the sofa and a wide smile on his face so that I am sure that he is not angry with me.

I must take a deep breath in before I get in speaking so that I have all the energy I need to say what it is I wish to say. "I am well aware that, well, I only started to truly get to know you when I was doing so to make Anthony angry or jealous or whatever it is that Siena thought was to be a good idea. But whilst I have been spending so much time with you, I have realised that I am horribly in love with you. When you kissed me the other day I... I felt at home in a way I have never felt in my life before and I... I spoke with simon and he said that... oh, I should not be speaking of Simon right now, I am sorry, I do not need to speak of my brother! Oh I am getting flustered. I do not get flustered, I am not a lady who gets flustered but this is quite how I have been since I realised I must tell you that I... I believe myself to be... truly just... head over heels, endlessly and irrevocably in love with you. I... I am... I... do you feel the same?"

"The same? I feel all you feel except more. I have felt that since I first saw you, my lady, that is why you were so off with me yesterday? Because you have realised you love me, hm?" He grins at me widely, raising an eyebrow, a little smug. "A lady, interested in little old Bennie Bridgerton?"

"Oh, do not act so smug." I roll my eyes but smile. I am relieved. It has all come out and it is all okay. He stands, wrapping his arms around my waist and kisses my lips gently, deepening it as he plays with the hair on the back of my head. "So what now?"

"Whatever my lady wishes."

Author's note

So that brings us to the end of unexpected romance! I'm sorry if it seems a little rushed towards the end, I'm always so eager to get to the happy ending hehe!

All my love, as always,

Ruby x