Bridgerton - His One True Love

Chapter Twelve - Choices To Be Made

"I... I had no idea, you must believe I never wanted to hurt you like that my love. That night I was about to make my departure from the house when... " she began

Flashback to five years prior:

After managing to pack a small bag with her most needed belongings Jen made her decent down the stairs now that she believed her brother to be occupied in the study. She knew he would be angry that she was leaving to marry in secret without even warning him, but that he would forgive her once he knew she was happy.

Taking one last look at the door to his study she turned to head out the door to meet her beloved Anthony, but to her horror when she turned she walked straight into the chest of her father. A man she detested more than anyone else in the world.

"Where, pray tell, do you think you are going at this hour of the night my child" he questioned, confused as to why she had a bag packed, he did not know his children had plans to travel, let alone at this time of night.

"I... I... umm- "

"Do not tell me you have developed your eldest brother's stammer child. I do not need yet another reason to loath you" he said in complete distain, growing impatient with each passing second.

Jen, frozen with fear, did not know what to tell the man stood before her. Normally she could think quickly on her feet, but she was at a loss for words at this very moment in time.

"I am growing tired Jenifer. Answer me!" he shouted causing the girl to jump out of her skin. She was used to her father's temper, but it had been so long since he had shouted at her, she forgot how loud and frightening it could be.

"Jenifer, I am to give you one last chance to explain what you are doing before I go find your brother and beat him for an answer" he stated calmly causing fear to overtake her. She knew the severity of what would occur if he got near Simon, she knew now that she only had one choice and that was to tell the truth. Even if it meant she would never see her beloved Anthony once more.

"No! Please do not hurt him" she pleaded

"At last, she speaks and she has lost the stammer! Now tell me, where are you going at this late hour" he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Promise me you will not harm Simon, for he knows nothing of what I have planned. Promise he will be unharmed and I shall tell you everything" she bargained, praying her brother could get out of this unscathed for he had nothing to do with what Jen and Anthony had planned, if anything he would have tried to stop them.

"Very well Jenifer, but you best begin explaining now for I am growing impatient" he huffed.

"As you wish Your Grace, let us take this to the drawing room" he followed her lead and headed for the drawing room. Happy he agreed not to hurt Simon, she nodded her head and with that began to explain the events that were going to transpire that very eve had she not been caught.

"Your Grace, I was in the process of leaving before you caught me, for I have fallen in love and we planned to marry in secret... I have not even told Simon, I planned on telling him upon my return for I did not know how to do so beforehand. We knew he would be displeased and would never allow the matrimony, so we chose to run away and fae the consequences after" she said while looking at the floor, fearing to see the look of rage and disappointment she knew would be present on her father's face.

"You were to marry in secret? Who exactly would want to marry you? All you are worth is nothing! It is my job to marry you off to a wealthy man so that we secure a better title, but you disrespect this family by going to marry some nobody in secret. You dare disrespect this family name! all you are and have ever been is a disgrace. You will not marry whoever this man is, I shall have a better suitor for you to marry and it will be arranged by the end of the month!" he announced with authority, which broke Jenifer's heart. She knew he would not be pleased and would not allow her to marry Anthony, but she never imagined he would marry her off to someone she did not know especially within a month's time.