Secrets & Scandals •Anthony Bridgerton•

The Duke and I Part III

RECAP:

"We need to talk." Anthony said, waking her from her distinct memory of what happened merely hours ago.

Ester noticed they were in the last room in the hallway on the far right, allowed him to open the door and walked in. She would try to not say anything stupid this time. Whatever it was Anthony wanted to talk about....

The Duke and I Part III

The door shutting behind Anthony had made an overwhelming sense of closure befall upon Ester. As if it was a symbol for the door shutting on her old life and being left to be open again for her new life. She was a Bridgerton now.

"What do you have to discuss with me? Did I do something wrong?" Ester timidly asked Anthony, who began to motion her to the chairs and sofa in the large, living room like room.

"No! Gosh no, you have in no way done anything wrong. In fact, I wanted to properly thank you and have an honest discussion with you." Ester immediately calmed her rampant thoughts but then in the back of her mind she felt the tickled whisper of her self conscious asking What if it's about the carriage incident?

When the two sat down Anthony pointed to a door behind Ester. It's white alabaster doorway was almost angelic compared to the light baby blue wallpaper of small birds on branches.

"Thank me? Whatever for?' Ester looked from the door once more to Anthony.

"For everything really. I never had the time or opportunity to thank you for saving not only Daphne but myself from ruin in the end. Despite my mothers.....opinions....I believe that you have done this family a service that hasn't been done since my father joined in war stocks."

Ester tried to understand how her marrying Anthony even managed to have saved the entire family but she supposed if she looked at it from his angle that maybe she was the family's saving grace.

"You do not need to thank me at all. In fact it is I who should thank you. You did save my financial situation and after the whole-Prince-thing I don't believe that would have been solved for many years. Besides, whatever was it that you said to my parents for them to agree to this union?"

There was a long pregnant pause in the room after Ester's question and eventually Anthony filled it.

"The door there, that I was pointing to. Those are to be your new rooms. Which I believe would also answer your question from...earlier. The doorway opposite are my own rooms. This is an adjoining sitting room. My father had it designed this way when my mother's parents lived here for a while."Ester blinked and felt her cheeks redden in embarrassment once more.

Anthony continued on; "I also feel like I should embarrass myself as you had done so, unintentionally, earlier and I would feel terrible if I didn't even the scales. To answer your question on intercourse."

"I'd like to wait!" Ester shouted.

Anthony blinked back and her, shocked that she would interrupt, which was out of character for his new wife.

"I'd prefer to wait. I'm not ready, we're not ready." Anthony smiled.

"That's precisely the point I was going to bring up. With that in mind, I also wanted you to know that I am not engaging in certain activities with others while we are married..."

"Why?" Anthony leaned backwards into the chair and extended his legs. Why was he not having fun while he could?

"I feel, even if this marriage was more out of convenience than emotions and tenderness of the heart; respect is vital in any marriage. Me being married to you and then sleeping around other women would not only leave a tarned name on myself but on you. As well as the Bridgerton name." Ester tried not to smile at the amount of kindness and respect Anthony was showing. After all, the two had only been civil for a few weeks, almost a month now.