Season's Feather

Chapter Forty-Four

Anthony walked into the White's Gentlemen's club where Simon sat. He had a brandy in their hands.

"Evening, Your Grace." Anthony greeted, "It's funny meeting you here."

Simon took a sip of the brandy in his glass and looked up with a stoic expression, "I am utterly comical."

Anthony nodded, "You've been avoiding me."

"Now you are being the jester."

"Well," Anthony replied, "If you're not avoiding my compay, you won't mind if I join you for a drink?"

Simon said nothing as the Viscount took a seat with him. Then when all of the frockling women came in, he called for the server to bring a large glass of brandy. If he was completely sober his temper would flare.

"You are not with Delilah tonight?" Simon asked.

Anthony shook his head, "No, she is apprehensive about some information she is waiting for from Daphne. Said it was about womanly affairs and mentioned a friend needed some help. I assume it has to do with dresses."

Simon nodded is head.

When Anthony received his drink, he took a sip and hummed, "A fine color. And the bubbles...just right. Don't get me wrong. I love a good brandy. But sometimes, nothing'll do but a beer."

Simon rolled his eyes. "Would you just get to the point?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Anthony took a drink out of his beer.

"Yes, you do."

"You're correct. I do." Anthony nodded, "Just like I know that you've obviously made a considerable error with my sister." Anthony remarked sitting in his chair, he leaned forward on his knees and gave Simon a curious look.

Simon retreated into his own chair, another sip taken, "How, may I ask, can you infer that I was the one to make the error?" He asked.

Anthony gave him a look and sat up, "Well, I know my sister quite well. And while she is an unusually capable woman, she is not capable of messing up this seriously."

"Do you ever get tired of pretending to be so perfect?" Simone frowned, "I bet Delilah gets a front row view of angry Anthony Bridgerton. It's just exhausting watching you."

Anthony chuckled. He took a sip of his own beer. "We may not be perfect, but at least we keep our promises."

"You know nothing of keeping commitments. I'm trying to be a man of my word." Simon argued, "I am trying to keep - I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"What do you mean by that?" Anthony aked.

"I mean that you leave a litany of broken promises behind everywhere you go. Your duty to protect Daphne from Nigel Berbrooke? What about your own reckless affairs, when you were seeing that opera singer you believe no one knows about?" Simon spat.

"Well it's a good thing I am no longer seeing her right. I have kept my commitments to Delilah." Anthony glared at his friend in front of him, "You judge me, yet you can't understand the responsibility of heading a family, because you've never had one."

"Delilah is my family, and Daphne is now my family. There is no changing that. Though it is unfortunate that I shall never quite reach the lofty ideal you have demonstrated." Simon replied.

Anthony shook his head, "What is most unfortunate is the fact that your father was so absent, he never gave you a proper example of how to lead a household."

"Well, you certainly make it look difficult." Simon mumbled under his breath.

"I beg your pardon?" Anthony asked.

"With your constant struggles. You cannot manage it, can you?"

"Hastings-"

"At least not alone you cannot, I have seen Delilah correcting simple mistakes. Your responsibility. You, fulfilling the promise that every firstborn son makes to his father before he dies." Simone continues. "Do you think he is looking down on you now, ashamed? Mortified at what you have done? I wonder, what would the former viscount say?"

Anthony lunged. First a punch, then a block. The two men rolled along the ground, others panicking around them. The two most sought out men of the ton fighting in the gentlemens club. The boys were finally separated. Anthony and Simon both breathing heavily. Anthony glared before turning and leaving.

His head was a mess by the time he walked out the door.