Linger in love

(8) The Viscount Bridgerton

The Viscount Anthony Bridgerton, eldest son of Viscount Edmund and Viscountess Violet Bridgerton, has decided that this would be the season he intends to find himself a wife.

Daphne and Simon, the Duke and Duchess of Hasting, may joke on the subject. But it is no laughing matter for Anthony. He requires a lady like no other. One that he could see running the Bridgerton household on his absence. Showing herself of sound and mind and with his sibling that would, indeed, be a necessity.

Anthony had already compiled a list of young ladies on his return. Luckily with the Lady Whistledown society paper, he found making such a list even easier.

As the most sought out woman in society, Lady Whistledown had a great eye for forward thinking. She had the ability to access and sometimes rebuke the young ladies of the season.

Surely she will find out soon enough about my desires for the upcoming debutante's.

Perhaps, waiting for the Diamond of the season to be announced would make his life a bit easier. A challenge is all well and good but sometimes the easier path may be deemed the right course. He had to be tough on his choices, he seemed the best possible outcome, he couldn't not any old ninny running a household.

He muddled over the list. Awaiting a chance to meet with the ladies. To acknowledged the suitability to the tasks.

The first two ladies, he found irritating to say the least. Miss Patridge who was from a large family, found herself unsure of how many children she would like. She mumbled when she was nervous. He could not even hide his uninterested demeanour.

Lady Abigail, known for her respectable lineage had no inkling of how to discipline any future children. A woman should be tough, as well as all other attributes. His future children would need well rounded traits in his or her parents. Discipline would stop them running a muck and teach respect and self gratitude. How young ladies did knot know this is unbearable.

They seem to believe that their looks more accomplishing than their characters. Which was very much flawed. He needed a lady who knew what she wanted, didn't just answer with what response she thought I needed to hear.

He had just left the home of Miss Goring and found himself in need of some peace.

A simple question "Do you read?"

How her answer was the question "Books?" like no, I need you to read a map of London you half wit. He was very forthright in wanting her name crossed off the list more than once. God, she was annoying. She played the harp well, but a harp and a pretty face is not important when it comes to running a house. Be In charge of the brood.

He spent himself at a brother and was to big in his interviews the next day. But it was tedious to say the least. Were ladies not taught to talk or dance, for goodness sake.

Miss Hallewell, knows many languages but not Greek which I find disconcerting. Miss Eator cannot dance without treading on my boots.

Miss Clifton, Benedict had to remind me how horrid her dancing is which I had to keep in mind after she told me of all her other talents. She did not mention dancing, no surprise there. After that, everything was a blur. Even the nights I attended a brothel, held no comfort.

He preferably wanted a lady who knew her own mind and was smart. Looks were not entirely important if the lady was worth while in other attributes.

So he galloped along on his house Titus, to get a much needed escape.

He let the call air cover him. Breathing it in, in hope to remove the stress the young Miss Goring had been most of the cause of.

Finding a decent lady, should not be so difficult. How the other men will laugh at my current disposition. I will be the talk of the town. Deemed the man who upset half the ladies in Mayfair. God, I wish this was not put in me.  But I have to make the right choice for my family.

He noticed in the distance a hooded figure on horseback unable to slow down.

He chased the figure, as the horse jumped.

The face turned and the hood dropped.

Oh my god, it is a lady. A very very attractive lady. He nodded. She was brilliant and he hadn't yet spoken to her. But his interest was immediately peaked.

Her dark curls flowed down her back, her soft features but dark eyes made him think she may be of Indian descent. What a rare beauty to behold.

She galloped away, but that wasn't going to stop Anthony from getting much needed information from her. Like her name for a start. He was surprised and shocked to hear her distrusting tone.

She was travelling incognito, that much was true. He wanted, no needed to know her name.

As she galloped away from her once more, he found himself with a bundle of emotions. Surprise. She was fierce like a fox, good god she was attractive. Her hair, calling for him slide his fingers through her curls.

Good god. Who was she. She was as tempting in beauty as she was a valour. The kind of woman that would drag you from a battlefield kicking and screaming.

Lady Danbury's first ball of the season was The Conservatory Ball. She arrived to greet guests with Miss Sharm and Miss Edwina Sharma with their mother Mary Sheffield Sharm.

Kate glanced over the room mentally making a list of all the gentlemen she wished her sister Edwina to be approached by.

Kate wished Edwina to marry well and be established. Kate's relationship with her sister ran parallel to the relationship Anthony holds to his family. Putting themselves in the role of protector. Protector of their sister's virtue, to make a perfect match.