Last Chance: A Bridgerton Tale about Anthony (AU NON-COMPLIANT)

Chapter 8: A Promise

Hello,

Not entirely sure how long this story is going to be as I am struggling to find topics for them to fight over but we'll see.. I am taking historical liberties once more, last time btw I 'conveniently' forgot Mara wearing a bra but not in this  chapter. Furthermore, I would like to thank ALL OF YOU for your lovely comments and the love in general.

p.s. Still hate writing smut and I am amazed by how well other writers can describe things as I can only say 'he put his hands there'. Once again things happen in this chapter that might not be suitable for a younger audience so please don't read if you are younger.. I probably need to edit this chapter later but not now as it is nearing one in the fricking morning. Sorry for stupid errors/grammar shitty mistakes as I am sadly, very sadly, not British.

p.s2. I have bought the second Bridgerton book for inspiration and because I am genuinely interested in getting to grasp Anthony's personality more.

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It was after one when he returned and was met with silence. He walked through the house to find her, searched in his room first, hoping to find her there but she wasn't, neither in hers. He went downstairs where he encountered Charleston who wanted to share something with him.

"Lord Bridgerton, the lady has asked me to tell you she is meeting her friend Emma for lunch", Charleston said with a drawling voice..

Oh okay. That was perfectly fine, she is meeting her friend for lunch.. Don't make a fuss about its Anthony, she is not going to ignore you again, not after yesterday.. Right? He sighed, walked to his study, and started working on gathering some financial papers he needed for his meeting with the bookkeeper but with every minute or so he looked at the clock and hope she would prove him wrong.

"How have you been?" Emma asked with a slightly worried expression in her eyes. Emma was a little older than Mara and one of the first friends she had made when they had just moved to London. Emma's father worked as a manager at Kensington Trade and Co and one day Emma had come with her mother for a visit, on the same day that Mara was in the area. Shortly afterwards, Emma and her mother had invited them over for tea and the two women had been good friends ever since.

With her long blonde locks, slender stature and ice-blue eyes, Emma was a sight to behold and admired by many, especially men but alas for them, her heart belonged to James Hawksbury, captain at sea, and had been married to him for four years. They had one son together, a two year little blue-eyed boy named, Andrew which she adored and was occupied with for he was a handful, yet she still enjoyed making time to see her pals.

Despite her striking beauty Emma was down to earth without one ounce of haughtiness in her veins and friendly to anyone she met. To Mara she had been a lovely confidante but also someone who kept her .. informed so to speak for it was Emma who had told her about the disposition of Anthony regarding a certain opera singer.

Mara asked Emma how she got hold of the information, but her friend had winked and said she wouldn't 'reveal her sources'. This statement for a moment made Mara wonder if her confidante could be.. Lady Whistledown herself but Emma had laughed at the suggestion.

The truth as to how Emma knew about Anthony and Sienna was a lot more innocent than Mara could imagine. Because her husband was away at sea for most of the year Emma grew bored sitting at home and therefore went out frequently, to openings of galleries, museums, plays but also.. to.. operas. During these visits among in the 'upper circles' Emma kept her eyes and ears open, to pick up on the newest juicy gossip, merely for fun really, for her personal entertainment as she kept the information to herself. It wasn't like she spread the rumours or. . wrote a leaflet about the trials and tribulations of London's society.