Ace of Spades//Anthony Bridgerton

❧seven

Anthony and I cannot find Daphne anywhere inside. We both head outside towards the garden. I pray for her sake that she is not there. Especially not with a man.

When we find her Daphne is not alone. The Duke and her are kissing. The Duke's hands are all over Daphne's body.

"Bastard!" Anthony pushes the Duke off of Daphne and punches him in the face.

"Anthony!" Daphne shouts.

I rush to Daphne. "Daph."

Anthony punches the Duke twice more. "You will marry her."

"What?" Daphne questions.

"Immediately. We can only hope no one saw you take such liberties, and my sister is saved further mortification. You will marry her!" Anthony insists.

"Brother!" Daphne scolds.

The Duke has steadied himself on his feet once more. "I cannot marry her."

Anthony gets in the Duke's face. "You have defiled her innocence, and now you refuse her hand? I knew you were a rake, Hastings, never thought a villain."

"I cannot marry her," the Duke repeats.

"Then you leave me no choice. I must demand satisfaction," Anthony states.

"A duel?" I question.

"Anthony, you cannot..." Daphne starts.

"He dishonors you, sister. He dishonors you and me and the very Bridgerton name. I have misjudged you, indeed. You have duped us both, but I shall not see my sister pay for my own misdeeds. We will settle this as gentlemen," Anthony says.

"I understand. I shall see you at dawn," the Duke assures.

"I do not understand. You would rather die than marry me?" Daphne questions.

"I am truly sorry," the Duke tells her.

"We need to go, Daph, before anyone should see us." Anthony turns towards me. "You as well Selina."

Anthony and I take Daphne back into the party. She seems as if she is in a haze. Anthony talks to his mother as I stand with Daphne.

"I shall come round in the morning, alright?" I tell her. Daphne does not even react.

Anthony leads Daphne away as I head to find my own siblings.

I sit in my room listening to Georgie talk.

"I had such a marvelous night," Georgie tells me.

I force a smile. "I am glad."

"My dance card was full," Georgie tells me.

"Did any of those suitors seem promising?" I ask.

Georgie shrugs. "They were nice to look at, but some of them were just horrendous."

I shake my head. "I would hope you pick a suitor who has some intelligence, not just a pretty face."

Georgie smiles. "Do you know what Eloise has been doing with her spare time?"

I shake my head. "No."

"She is obsessed with finding Lady Whistledown. She even has a list of suspects," Georgie tells me.

"She always was a smart girl," I state.

"She thinks it is someone who is invited to every party. Someone who can hear things unnoticed. Someone free and unencumbered by society. She is a single woman of means. A widow," Georgie tells me. I nod my head. "So are you Lady Whistledown?"