| NOBELS | BRIDGERTON

9 | HEROES & MEMORIES

THE PAIR MOVED over to the lake, speaking fondly of the time where Anthony and Ophelia fell into the lake due to Anthony's jealousy. What they hadn't noticed was how the wind was growing stronger and that the balloon just behind them was beginning to move towards them. Phillip turned in time to hear Colin call for help.

"Help me! Now!"

The man pulled Kate out of the path of the balloon and raced to Colin's aid, alongside many other men to prevent the balloon from heading straight into the lake. Kate watched from the side line as Phillip used all his strength to pull the ropes of the balloon. Something snapped inside of her as she watched the man, even through his shirt and coat, she could practically see his muscles as the group of men managed to stop the balloon from hitting Penelope Featherington and Lord Debling.

They let go of the ropes as the inventor stepped into his creation and took to the skies. Kate quickly made her way to Phillip's side, grabbing his arm. "What a hero."

"I wouldn't have noticed if Colin had not called for help." He spoke, shrugging the whole situation off as if it was nothing. "I am just pleased we did not get in that thing."

"As am I." Kate nodded, watching the inventor raise higher and higher into the air. "But perhaps now people can see that your brute strength does more than break the noses of lords."

He chuckled softly, looking away from the balloon and towards Kate. "I can't say I'm too excited for the ball tonight if it is to be full of inventions such as this one."

"We do not have to attend, you know? I am a spinster and you are a man, we do not have to follow all of society's rules."

The look on Kate's face, a cheeky and mischievous one, almost made Phillips heart melt. She reminded him so much of Annie and from a melted heart turned broken. Every time he saw Kate in any other way than a friend, Annie seemed to snap her way into his mind.

Was it that his late wife seemed to disagree with such a match? Kate is so similar to Annie, it is near perfect for the pair to wed. But it was almost he was guilty about having the thought of marrying another woman so soon after her death. However, he thought about the other men and women in the ton who would marry weeks after their partners had died.

Phillip loved Annie, she was his first love and he knew it would be hard to get over her. But it was time he married and sired an heir, Thomas was already in society and it wouldn't be too long until George joined them. Kate noticed the distance look on his face and tugged on his arm, leading them back to the carriage.

That night the pair didn't prepare for the ball, instead they found themselves sharing rather embarrassing stories about their younger sisters as they sat once again in the kitchen on Hall House. Kate had just shared a story about Edwina learning to swim for the first time, and how she had a near meltdown after her foot touched some seaweed.

"Oh, it was simply hilarious. Although you cannot tell Edwina I shared any of this."

Phillip chuckled and ran a finger over his lips. "They are sealed as long as you do not say anything to Ophelia."

Kate nodded and calmed down from her laughter. "Speaking of your sister, when is she to return from her second honeymoon?"

"I'm not quite sure, but knowing the pair of them, it would not surprise me that when they return that they come back with a child."

Kate smiled wildly and laughed at his words. "You truly believe they would be gone that long?"

"They'll likely come back once all the Bridgerton children are married off, they'd rather leave that up to Violet, the match maker of the family."

"Who do you think is the match maker in your family?" Kate asked, sipping her drink.

Phillip thought for a moment. "Well, since only Ophelia is married and due to little input from us, I imagine it will be a case of we are all our own match makers. Ophelia managed for marry Anthony without any help."

"And did you decide on your wife without any input from your family?"

There was a few beats of silence before Phillip nodded. "I did, I saw her at a ball and just...knew."

"I wish I had had that happen." Kate said softly. "But I suppose there are other ways for love to develop between people, I mean, it seemed like Ophelia loathed Anthony for a while before the two married."

Phillip's melancholy aura suddenly switched as he remembered something that had happened nearly two years ago. "I once offered him as a suitor, she said he had a silver spoon up his arse."

Kate let out a laugh and Phillip chuckled along with her. George listened just outside of the kitchen and smiled to himself. He hoped this was a sign that there would soon be a new Lady Hall.

This author believes that all of man's greatest inventions are nothing than a distraction from what is most natural to us. Our instincts. The innate animal impulse that is inside even the most sophisticated of us. For when all is said and done...our nature will always win out. It seems Lord Debling's instinct has led this man of nature to the most surprising pick of the season in Miss Penelope Featherington. Sufficed to say, this author is captivated. For in the battle between man and nature, it is quite clear that the battle is, in fact, between man...and himself.