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

Chapter 13: Distance

WRITER'S NOTE

I wish I could lie that I was busy and that is why I have not uploaded but that is a big fat lie. Instead, I have started on the BEN FIC (please check that out if you are interested). It is called "BALANCE" and is about dear old Benny falling in love with a poor seamstress) AND 2 chapters of my other fic, "A SEA BETWEEN" (HP AU story with another Mara).

Once again, I am taking (historical) liberties although I did Google what colour eyes Lily James has, which I am basing a character on and what the distance is between Cornwall and London. Mind you I have not been to the UK in plus 20 years although I am thinking of going in October for my birthday. I do not know if Cornwall has promenades, I am sure they do, and I am sure it is lovely over there.

There are three POV's in this chapter, the way I write is often 'scene like', envisioning the story as it would be filmed (God how I wish). This is a shorter chapter than usual. I have been noticing that I am writing 5000k per chapter and end up feeling exhausted, having to rewrite the errors (which I will do again on a later time).

Hope you like this, many greetings to you from me and I hope you guys are safe and happy wherever you are.

PS1: I detest writing smut.

PS2: I am basing William Kensingon on Donald Sutherland; yes I am stealing that from Pride and Prejudice, no I do not care because I love that man!

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William Kensington was brooding and in a poor mood for weeks and it was getting worse by the day. When the Viscount suggested he marry his daughter he had, without asking her, called out "yes" at that moment, just spontaneously but somewhere in him knew it would be a good match. His daughter would become Viscountess, the Bridgertons were a beloved and well-known family so no doubt being affiliated with them would not benefit his and his business.

Besides, Anthony seemed to him to be a sensible man, someone who was used to taking on responsibilities and not shy about doing so. He had thought that his daughter would be in good hands with him.... and that seemed to be the case even though the two had barely been married within seven days of meeting each other.... William had appeared sceptical at first, but his wife had assured him that this was a good match between the Viscount and their daughter.

"A man never notices these things of course but a woman does... and I can assure you that Mr. Bridgerton is smitten with our daughter" she had happily gestated. "If you say so, dear" he had replied but somewhere... somewhere he was still a little hesitant.

William did notice one thing very astutely; that his son-in-law often seemed to be restless, as if he couldn't shut up and had some tic of frequently looking at his pocket watch. William noticed a man who possessed a world of time and money but didn't behave that way and it puzzled the patriarch, but he kept his concerns to himself. He did not speak to his daughter or wife about this.

When William heard about the incident, that his son-in-law had gone to visit his former mistress something in him had felt justified in believing that he had been right This feeling was short-lived, however, when he saw how heartbroken his daughter was, and suddenly he had cursed the day they had come to London, and Lord Bridgerton as well in the process.

The last thing they needed at this point was a scandal, it had taken him a lot of time and effort to get out of financial trouble (his business partner had cheated him and gotten away with all his money). London should have been a new start for them, a rebuild of their reputation and he had succeeded. William had managed to make new contacts and start a new business again, this time without a partner because he wasn't making that mistake again. The marriage of his daughter had been a nice stroke of luck and finally things looked rosy for the Kensington's again or so that seemed.