Bridgerton - A Girl To Remember

Chapter Sixteen

Benedict's point of view

I am slowly passing by the paintings with my brother on my left, I am invested in the art but cannot seem to focus because Anthony does not shut his mouth,

"she should get herself a husband, honestly, where is she even?" he is talking about Olivia again,

"She is most likely admiring the paintings, as should you"

"admiring paintings? The room is filled with gentlemen, she is supposed to be looking at them"

"could you please stop talking, brother?"

"not until I know she is not getting herself into a scandal, we should have never welcomed her in the family" I run out of patience and I stop my brother from walking,

"I dare you to say that again... she is the diamond of the season already, she is doing everything for you.."

"well that is not enough.."

"fine, I will find her for you, so you can see it for yourself, brother" I sigh and turn my back on him, scanning through the crowd, trying to find my cousin. Anthony must stop blaming her, it was not her choice to come here and despite the fact both her parents died, I have not seen a tear coming from here eye once. She put up a fake smile, changed her entire lifestyle and set her own needs aside just to please the people around her, if Anthony could just see that...

I gently move myself through the crowd, but Anthony was right, she is nowhere to be seen. I ask Eloise who I thought she was walking with, but she does not know either. I walk from room to room but there is no Olivia. I end up in a room with just 8 others, she is not one of them, but one man gives off something suspicious. He stands in front of the door as if he is guarding it and although I do not expect Olivia to have something to do with this I desire to find out what happens behind the door,

"sir, do you work here?" I ask politely but the look I get in return is not as pleasing,

"yes" that is an obvious lie,

"I would like to enter this room, could you please step aside?" I ask while getting myself closer to the door, I can hear some voices,

"unfortunately, you are not allowed to enter" he lies again,

"and why may that be?" I focus on the voices and how rather funny I found this at first, how faster my smile drops once I hear a man talk,

"I knew she would be an easy target" I can hear someone else laugh and a terrible feeling creeps over me. As the man guarding the door hesitates to explain I firmly push him aside and barge into the room, only to find three men and one young woman, scared for her life,

"let go of her, NOW" the man pushing her against the wall turns around and instantly let's go once he sees who I am. As he releases her I see her face, Olivia is shaking and her eyes are big, she does not move and my breath stocks for a second,

"get out of this room or I'll make you.." my voice sounds even more threatening than I envisioned, and the men leave without saying a single word. I watch them leave and when I turn back, Olivia is still clamped against the wall,

"are you hurt?" I rush over but I do not dare touch her, I have never seen her this fragile. She slowly shakes her head,

"no, he did not hurt me"

"did he... did he do anything else besides.." I do not need to finish my question, she understands what I am talking about,

"almost, but no. If you had not come here I-.." he voice trembles and she is at the verge of breaking down when Anthony storms in,

"what happened here?!" he looks at us but does not wait for an answer, "I just spoke to sir Weverton, and he was NOT pleased by you!" I see him looking at Olivia and my eyebrow raises,

"you set this up?!" anger is racing through my body,

"I told him to introduce himself and she simply blew him off! And what are those tears for?!"

"introduce himself?! Brother he attempted to dishonour her!" my voice is loud, so loud my mother, Colin, Penelope and Eloise can hear,

"he did what?.." Colin cannot believe what he heard and Eloise is already on her way to Olivia. Anthony realises his mistake and he now has a different target,

"that bastard.." he marches out of the room, on his way to make Weverton feel the fault he just made. Eloise is hugging Olivia who is still startled and mama does not doubt for one second,

"we are heading home, this instant.."

Protecting Olivia from any further harm or looks from visitors we form a shield around her as she walks. Eloise is by her side and when my sister does an imitation of Anthony hitting Weverton right in his face, a small smile appears back on her face. The ride back home is silent and when we arrive Olivia gets to bed right away, no one forces her to participate in dinner and we all take our turn to look out for her.

Anthony returns late and apologises to me for his behaviour,

"brother, I have taken care of Weverton, he now has a black eye and hopefully does not return in society. Nevertheless, I must apologise for my words and stubbornness, I was wrong, and I admit so. I should have protected her, and I failed, I am grateful you were there for her instead. I am sorry"

"it is her you should apologise to brother, not me" I pat him on the shoulder,

"I believe you are right, I should. Thank you, Benedict, her future would have been ruined without you, I do not know what I would be doing without you"

"maybe, you should consider stop trying to protect her from everything, instead, she should learn how to protect herself. I hope you know she has never had someone to look up to, you must be a proper role model brother, she may become a copy of you.."

"I assure you, brother, the only person she is looking up to after today, is you.."