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dreamwritesimagines · 2 years

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Enamored [42] - Uninvited

A.N: Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback my loves, you’re amazing!❤ I hope you’ll like this chapter as well, and please let me know what you think, thank you! ❤ And as always, thank you @theskytraveler for helping me with the chapter and the story❤

Summary: Some guests are not welcomed.

Warnings: Regency era society and social rules, mentions of sex, some gender specific language and terms, mentions of pregnancy, drinking.

Word Count: 5100

Series Masterlist

You had to admit, you’d had your fair share of nights where you drank too much.

Back at home, you and your friends liked going to parties a lot, and most of those parties and their aftermath came with a lot of options in drinks, including alcohol. Especially if it was a gathering that mostly consisted of your friends, you would more often than not find your mind all warm and fuzzy when you went to bed for a deep slumber.

Granted sometimes the next morning would be a bit unpleasant but this?

This was something else.

You were pulled back from the comfort of your sleep by a heavy throbbing in your head that seemed to get worse and worse by the second. You furrowed your brows and opened your eyes, but as soon as you did, the blinding light shot right into your skull, making you let out a groan and turn your head to bury it into the soft, fluffy pillow.

You heard Anthony’s chuckle from beside you, then felt his hand caressing over your hair.

“Good morning to you too.”

“Did I get trampled by a horse while sleeping?” you croaked out, still not pulling your face off the pillow, too tired to even lift a finger and he scoffed a laugh.

“You mixed about five different drinks.”

“But it was fun!” you protested and forced yourself to turn a little in bed, opening an eye while the half of your face still pressed against the pillow. Anthony kissed you on top of your head and pushed himself off the bed to stand up.

“Anthony you can’t leave me like this, I’m dying!”

“You’re not dying and I’m not leaving,” he said as he walked to the door. “I’ll just tell a maid to bring you the remedy.”

You let out a whine while he opened the door to talk to someone, then closed it again to approach you again. You pouted your lips.

“I don’t think there’s a remedy for this.”

“No?”

“No, because I am dying—”

“Don’t joke about that,” he cut you off and sat down on the edge of the bed. “And you’re not dying. You just drank too much.”

You grimaced. “I will never drink again.”

“You know, I’ve heard your brother say that multiple times and you’re both liars,” he stated and you rolled over, pressing your palms over your eyes.

“What happened last night, exactly?”

“Well you came home at around three in the morning, shouting,” he said. “And ate half of a whole strawberry cake, rambled about blindfolds and being tied up...”

You could feel the fire burning your face and you slipped further into the covers. “Stop.”

“Oh I won’t,” he said with a grin. “What else… you had a lot of opinions about what we should name our children; we’re not naming any of them François Guillaume Andrieux by the way—”

“It’s a strong name, Anthony!”

“Yeah we’re not going to do that, neither will Cece and Elias,” he said. “Then I carried you here, and you woke up and gave me a detailed explanation of how you’re planning on getting Cecily’s sister and Lord Holloway together—simulating a carriage accident just to get them together is a terrible idea by the way, don’t even consider that as an option.”

“Well—”

“Cecily doesn’t need the stress of thinking her sister has been in a carriage accident, Y/N.”

You heaved a sigh, still frowning because of the headache.

“I will just save that idea to use it in the future. For Eloise perhaps, when she falls in love.”

“Mm hm. Speaking of my siblings, I don’t know when Benedict will finally fall in love and get married just so that you can say I told you so.”

“It’s alright, I’ll take the matters into my own hands when I’m done with Abigail and Eloise,” you mumbled, entwining your fingers with his. “That is if I can leave the bed.”

He smiled down at you and pressed a kiss on your hand. “You’ll be fine darling—” he started but then turned his head when someone knocked on the door. He pulled away from you to open it, then took a glass from the person at the door and closed it behind him again.

You eyed the glass in his hand wearily as he placed it on the nightstand and tugged you by your wrist to pull you up into a sitting position, much to your whining. Even your head felt heavy and every single movement, as little as they may be, felt like someone was ringing a gong in your ears. He handed you the glass and you looked down at it, the sharp smell hitting your nose, making you grimace.

“What is this?”

“This is the best remedy for the morning after overdrinking.”

“It smells disgusting.”

“I know.”

“What’s in it?”

He raised his brows. “It’s better if you drink without knowing it.”

You frowned. “What’s in it, Anthony?”

“Raw eggs and garlic.”

Your jaw dropped and you made a face, pulling back.

“I’m not drinking that.”

“It’ll help,” he assured you. “I promise. I’m not doing this to torment you—”

“It sounds like you are!”

“I know it sounds disgusting, and it will taste disgusting but it’ll help.”

You let out a whine, pouting your lips as you looked down at the glass. “You’re certain of it?”

“I swear to you.”

You took a deep breath, then pinched the bridge of your nose and downed the drink, trying not to heave at the taste. You coughed as soon as you lowered the glass, a whine escaping from your lips while you wiped at your mouth, a grimace etched on your face. Anthony let out a laugh, pulling you to his lap easily and you buried your face to the crook of his neck, inhaling his pleasant scent almost like a remedy to the bitter taste at the back of your throat. He rubbed your back with one hand while the other one cradled the back of your head, making you smile.

“Promise to stop me if I ever try to drink this much again?” you croaked out and his chest vibrated with his quiet chuckle.

“I’ll try,” he said. “I mean, it’s not as if you’re the most defiant person I’ve ever met in my entire life and are known for not listening to anyone at all, hm?”

You couldn’t help but smile. “You love me though.”

He placed a kiss on top of your head, nuzzling into your hair.

“I do,” he said, making your smile widen. “More than you could ever know, darling.”

As he had promised, that disgusting drink had made you feel better for the rest of the day, and the next day it was as if nothing had happened. While you were still quite certain that you would never drink that much again, you were still looking forward to the next married ladies’ night in Lady Danbury’s house, which she had already invited you before you even left.

Perhaps by then, you would have gotten better at card games.

You wondered whether Anthony would teach you some tricks or at least explain the game better before attending the next game night, but you were pulled out of your thoughts when you heard footsteps approaching the room. Both of you were invited for dinner at your father’s house, and after getting into your dress you had excused Lucie, seeing that she had spent more than an hour helping you with your hair and picking the gown. You held two different earrings in your hand, holding them over your earlobes before your door opened to reveal Anthony, a smile warming your face instantly at just how handsome he looked.

“Hello mon amour.”

“Remind me again why we’re doing this?” he asked, leaning to the doorframe and you suppressed a laugh, turning back to the mirror on the vanity.

“A mere listener would think we’re going off to somewhere terrible.”

“It is going to be terrible.”

“It’s going to be fun!”

“We can just do something else instead,” he said almost too fast. “Anything you want.”

You shrugged your shoulders. “Oh that’s wonderful; I want to go to this dinner.”

“Alright but if we skip this dinner, I will buy you ten new gowns.”

“Bribery doesn’t work with me,” you pointed out. “And you will buy me ten new gowns anyway, with the rate you keep damaging my already existing gowns.”

“So we’re actually going to—”

“Have a dinner with Elias and Cece?” you finished his question for him, putting the earrings on the vanity table to grab a different pair and put them on. “Yes. Elias is your best friend, and you said it yourself that you will always be in Cece’s debt for helping you.”

“It’s not just going to be them though.”

“My cousins like you.”

“Your father doesn’t,” he pointed out. “Or your aunt.”

“They’re warming up to you.”

“You can say that at my funeral after I get poisoned at tonight’s dinner and leave you a widow.”

You gasped, turning around to look at him. “Anthony!”

He grinned at you and shrugged his shoulders. “What? Could happen.”

“Don’t even jest about your death!” you insisted and grabbed a bracelet from the small box on the vanity, then walked to him and held out your wrist. “It will be a completely normal dinner.”

“Am I allowed to touch the fine china though?”

You let out a giggle. “I’ll put in good word for you to my father, I promise.”

He smiled at you and clasped the bracelet, then placed a kiss over your wrist before pulling you closer to his body. Your eyes fluttered close as he kissed you, making you heave a content sigh, sparks of desire shooting through your body but you forced yourself to pull back, his lips chasing yours as you leaned back in his arms, a giddy laugh escaping from you.

“Anthony!”

“They can wait.”

“They cannot!” you said. “This is our first dinner with them as a married couple so we mustn’t be late, as irresistible as you look right now.”

A smirk appeared on his face before he pecked you on the lips, and you wiggled out of his embrace.

“We are to behave,” you insisted. “The whole night.”

Anthony tilted his head.

“A mere listener would think you didn’t wake me up in the middle of the night last night to—”

“No!” you flailed your hands in a stop motion, making him chuckle while a fire burned your face. “We have no time for chit chat I’m afraid, we must go now.”

“Darling, we—”

“Now I said!” you insisted, already making your way to the door and stepped out to the hallway, trying to ignore the burning on your cheeks. Anthony easily caught up with you as you walked down the stairs, and Lucie rushed to grab your coat from one of the maids by the front door.

“Thank you,” you said as you got into your coat and stepped outside. Anthony threw an arm over your shoulders, pulling you to him and you buried your face to his chest, entwining your fingers with his.

“You’re doing this on purpose,” you grumbled and he let out a laugh, then pressed a kiss on top of your head.

“Yeah I am.”

You smacked at his arm playfully and pulled back to narrow your eyes at him, and he held out his hand for you, still grinning.

“Shall we?”

“Wait, what do you mean you ordered a rocking cot for the baby already?”

“He’s going to need it Elias!”

“She!” Elias insisted and Anthony chuckled beside you, exchanging glances with Cecily who looked very much comfortable, enjoying her food as she looked between you. Aunt Lavinia shook her head slightly while your father leaned back in his chair, sipping his port. It was the middle of the dinner, and after a small period of glaring and veiled snarks between your father and Anthony, you had all started enjoying the food and conversation.

“Wait,” Kenneth said, motioning between you two. “How are you two so sure about that when even Cece says she doesn’t know?”

“I just have a feeling.”

“I have a feeling too and it will be a girl,” Elias pointed at you and you shrugged your shoulders and sipped your port.

“We’ll see about that.”

“Oh I hope it’s a girl as well!” Iona added. “We can dress her up with ribbons and such, she’d be adorable.”

“Thank you cousin.”

“It’ll be a boy, you’ll see. I even have a list of names if you two would like to see it.”

“Nah, you should probably save that list for yourself for the near future,” Kenneth said, nodding at you and Anthony, and the port Anthony was drinking seemed to have gone down the wrong tube because he coughed, then cleared his throat.

“Right, thanks Ken.”

“Of course Anthony, anytime.” Kenneth said, smiling innocently. “We’re family now. And when you two have your own family—”

“We’re not even talking about the possibility of it,” Elias waved his hands in the air, making Cecily tilt her head.

“Why not?”

“Because I still do not like this….this union,” he motioned at you and Anthony and you pulled your brows together.

“What? On my wedding day you said you approved—”

“I cannot even begin to explain how much I do not approve.”

You and Anthony exchanged glances and turned to him, wearing similar grins.

“Well, you told me to dance with him—”

“Had I known it would result in this,” he said, pointing at you and him. “I would’ve kept you locked in your room that night.”

“She does have a point though Elias,” Anthony said. “You’re the architect of this union when you think about it.”

Your father made a face and nodded.

“Yes you are Elias,” he said and Aunt Lavinia raised her brows.

“Wait, how come?”

“Elias told Anthony to dance with me on my first ball here.”

“I also told Anthony specifically not to court her,” Elias added in a haste and your father rolled his eyes.

“Jesus.”

“I told her too!”

“And you thought that would work?” Kenneth asked and scoffed. “Great plan there, dear cousin.”

“I don’t know why everyone thinks it’s my fault—”

“Your fault?”

“No I’m thanking you here.” You and Anthony said at the same time and Elias groaned, slipping a little in his seat.

“That makes it even worse! I told you not to even talk to her during that ball—”

“We talked before that ball Elias,” you reminded him, “In the drawing room.”

“Which when you think about it, was also because of you,” Anthony taunted him. “I was here to see you, and then…”

“Then you two talked for the first time, aww!” Iona pressed a hand over her chest and Anthony shot Elias a teasing smile.

“None of this would’ve been possible without you.”

Elias shot him a glare. “Stop.”

“It was meant to be if you ask me,” Cecily said and Kenneth raised his glass slightly.

“Hear hear…”

Your father let out a groan, making Aunt Lavinia pat at his arm as if trying to console him.

“I’m blaming you for all this,” he told Elias and Cecily sipped her water.

“To be honest with you, I doubt Elias could’ve done anything to stop it,” she said. “I mean I’ve seen what Y/N was like around Anthony even before they were courting.”

You gasped. “Cece!”

“What?”

Anthony let out a chuckle and turned to you. “Oh is that right?”

You let out a whine, burying your face into his arm and he reached out to rub at your back with his other hand while the table descended into chaos.

“Cece come on!”

“What? Romance runs in your family my love.”

“With the exception of me.”

“Ken, come on now.”

“We all know that’s a lie Ken.”

“What? I don’t even believe in romance or love.”

“You will seriously look me in the eye and tell me—”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about Cece, I’m not a romantic person.”

“It does run in the family, I knew I wanted to marry your father the moment I saw him.”

“See?”

“And Percy here knew he wanted to marry her the moment he saw Cassie—”

“Lav!”

“I still have that letter Percy.”

“You know, Iona has been suspiciously silent about this whole discussion.”

“Elias!”

“What? I’m merely sharing an observation.”

“I believe in love and that’s all I’m going to say about that.”

“Wait a second, does that mean—”

“Are you alright there darling?” Anthony murmured and you pulled your burning face from his arm to look up at him. The fond light in his eyes made you smile and you heaved a dramatic sigh.

“You’re never going to let that go, are you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Anthony said. “On a completely irrelevant note, I will ask Cecily every single detail about what you were like around me.”

Your jaw dropped. “She will not tell you the details!” you said and Anthony chuckled, his hand cupping your cheek, his thumb caressing over your cheekbone.

“Don’t worry, you can ask Benedict about what I was like when I was so much as in the same room with you.”

“What were you like when—” you started but was cut off when there was a shuffle and some yelling by the hall, making all of you turn to the door and you pulled back as soon as you saw who had just walked into the dining room.

It was the man who had called you by your mother’s name the other day by the jeweler, the one that had left before you could ask him his name. He fixed his sleeves, looking around the room.

“Oh my, I hope I’m not interrupting.”

You frowned and turned to look at your father, your frown deepening as soon as you did. Both your father and Aunt Lavinia looked almost frozen in their spots, Aunt Lavinia’s eyes wide in surprise while your father’s jaw clenched as his glare sharpened.

“My apologies my lord, I tried to stop him,” the steward said and Elias tilted his head.

“Do we know you?” he asked and the man let out a chuckle.

“Oh I’m offended Elias,” he said. “I used to carry you on my shoulders around this very house, it was your favorite thing to do.”

Aunt Lavinia stole a look at your father.

“…Percy, don’t do anything you’ll regret.”

The man’s gaze fell on you and his smug smirk faltered for a moment, a look that you could only describe as anger crossing his face before he smiled again.

“Y/N. Hello again.”

“Hey!” Anthony snapped, his voice stern. “I didn’t catch your name.”

“Oh my apologies,” he said. “I was very excited to see all of you together, so I forgot my manners it seems. Frederick Jennings.”

Your head shot up, and out of the corner of your eye you could see Cecily furrowing her brows while Elias pulled back slightly in his seat, staring at him.

Frederick Jennings.

The man who had carefully plotted your mother’s demise just because he had been allegedly in love with her since they were young, your father’s former best friend who had made sure he believed him over your mother—

The reason of their divorce.

The man who had lied about your parentage to your own father and led your mother to go through that scandal only to flee to France.

“Earl of Woodhall,” he added. “And an old family friend.”

Cecily reached to touch Elias’s hand and she shook her head slightly, wrapping her fingers around his wrist while he glared daggers at him.

“It brings back the memories though Percy!” he said, “You haven’t changed anything have you?”

Your ears were ringing so loudly that you could barely hear him, the fury slowly poisoning your system as your fingertips started burning, your heart pounding in your head. Anthony straightened his back, his complete focus on you while you kept your gaze on Frederick who seemed like he was having a lot of fun.

“Percy, don’t…” Aunt Lavinia said and your father raised his brows, his face a picture of calmness.

“I’m not doing anything Lavinia,” he told her without so much as a glance at her. “Frederick. Get out of my house and go back to whatever corner of hell you crawled out of.”

Frederick heaved a sigh while you slowly dragged your fingertips over the smooth tablecloth, Elias stealing a look at Cece before clenching his teeth, as if she was the only thing that was making him sit there in his seat which—

She probably was.

“Come on Percy, don’t be like that,” he taunted him before turning to the table. “Elias, congratulations on the baby! Have you picked a name yet?”

Cece tightened her grip around Elias’s wrist as if reminding him she was there while Elias remained silent, and everyone at the table knew it signaled his complete fury.

You on the other hand?

You felt like you were swallowing coals. Your whole body felt like it was on fire and your breathing got faster as you tried to keep your anger at bay, but it was no use.

You knew it was no use, and judging by how on edge Anthony looked, so did he.

Kenneth scoffed and ran a hand through his hair, then stood up from his seat.

“Alright, I have no idea who you are and I couldn’t care less,” he said, “Get out before I make you.”

“Who are you?”

“Family. And you’re clearly not welcomed, so I’d gladly drag you outside if you persist on staying here.”

Frederick raised his brows,

“Very well,” he said, then slowly turned to you with a smile and let out a breath. “God, you look so much like your mother, Y/N.”

That right there.

That was what burned down the last ounce of control you had, setting the fire inside you free. Your vision almost turned red and you jumped on your feet, grabbing the knife on the table but Anthony was much faster than you. Before you even got to leap at Frederick over the table, Anthony had already grabbed you from behind, pulling you back, grasping your wrist to keep your hand that was holding the knife tight away from your own body.

“Y/N, no!”

“And you got her temper as well, I see,” Frederick commented and an inhuman growl escaped from your lips while you tried to get out of Anthony’s grasp. “That’s quite interesting.”

You didn’t even completely know what the curse word meant, but you had heard both Elias and Anthony use it on different occasions so you didn’t even think twice before it spilled from your lips, your accent getting stronger with every word.

“I’ll carve your fucking heart!”

It seemed to shock everyone in the room but Anthony was the first one to recover and he twisted your wrist so that you would drop the knife back to the table, his iron like grip not even budging around your waist.

“Alright, that’s enough—”

“Anthony get her out,” you heard your father say and the last thing you saw before Anthony dragged you out of the second entrance of the dining room was Kenneth making his way to Frederick. You could still feel the anger pulsing through you and you thrashed against his grip while he all but carried to the backyard, ignoring the string of demands in French that you were firing at him echoing over the walls. It was only when you both got to the backyard into the cool air that he let you go, making you snatch your arm back from his grasp.

You gritted your teeth, glaring daggers at him, still breathing hard.

“How dare you?” your voice didn’t even resemble your own anymore, laced with so much anger. Anthony frowned, letting out a tense laugh.

“How dare I?”

“You do not drag me out of rooms.”

“I had to do it when you pulled a knife on him—have you gone insane?”

“I’m going back there,” you said and took a step towards the house but he gripped you by the arm to push you back gently, his voice almost too calm unlike yours.

“No you’re not.”

Your eyes narrowed into slits like a cat’s and you tilted your head. “I beg your pardon?”

“You heard me. You’re not going back there,” his tone held no room for any sort of discussion and he nodded at the marble bench behind you. “Sit down.”

A hysterical laughter spilled from your mouth and you dragged your tongue over your bottom lip. “Shall I curtsy as well?”

“Y/N.”

“Who on earth do you think you are?”

“Do you know what happens if you kill someone?” he asked you. “Hm? Do you know the punishment for it in this country? The house is full of staff, do you think they would stay quiet about it if you stabbed someone? You would be imprisoned at best, hanged at worst!”

It felt like you were swallowing fire. “What, so he gets to walk away?”

“Y/N I don’t know what it is you’re finding it so hard to understand here, I don’t want you to end up—”

“He ruined my mother’s life!” your voice rose, your accent slipping. “What do I care what you want?”

He let out a breath of frustration, as if trying his hardest to remain calm before he want a hand over his face.

“Fine, don’t care then. Doesn’t change the outcome, you’re not going back there.”

You opened your mouth to retort but then both of you turned your heads when you heard someone clear their throat. Elias looked between you and Cecily offered you a small smile.

“Uh, he just left,” she said. “Figured you would want to know.”

You rubbed at your eyes and turned to Elias. “Are you alright?”

“Not really. You?”

You scoffed a bitter chuckle and sat down on the marble bench. “No.”

Elias lingered there and opened his mouth, then stole a look at Anthony and Cecily before turning to you. “Where did you learn that word?”

You shot him a glance. “That’s what you’re worried about right now?”

“I should know if your husband is a bad influence on you.”

Anthony raised his brows. “Elias…”

“Both you and Anthony use it Elias,” you said and looked at Cecily. “Cece?”

“I’m alright, so is the baby,” she assured you in a haste. “It’s just…”

“What?”

“His name sounds familiar,” she said. “It sounded familiar when Elias first told me, and it sounds familiar now, I just cannot put my finger on it.”

You pressed your palms over your eyes and Cecily squeezed at your arm as if trying to console you before you lowered your hands again.

“How’s father?”

“You know how he is. He is calm and collected as always,” He tilted his head at Anthony. “Very fast reflexes by the way. How did you know?”

Anthony shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m the oldest of eight,” he muttered. “You learn along the way.”

Your hands were still shaking from anger and you bit inside your cheek, fury still bubbling inside you, making it hard to even think. You closed your eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, then opened them again.

“I’m going home.”

Anthony looked between you and Elias. “Now?”

“Yeah, I can’t stay here right now.”

“But…”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, alright?” you asked, already making your way through the yard to the stone road where your carriage was, with Anthony following you suit. You got in the carriage as Anthony told the coachman to take you home, then got inside as well.

The whole road –as short as it was- was completely quiet. You were still so on the edge that you could almost feel the adrenaline making its way through your system, along with the headache pulsing in your head.

You got out of the carriage the minute it stopped and made your way straight into the house, and Anthony heaved a sigh as you both reached upstairs, running a hand through his hair. You knew you were supposed to calm down, but you had no idea what to do with this anger still poisoning your insides, and it was getting way too hard to control it.

You walked into your shared bedroom and he leaned on the doorframe, crossing his arms. You could almost feel his burning gaze on you as you pulled off your earrings to toss them on the vanity, then unclasped your bracelet.

“Are you going to be silent for the whole night then?”

“I have nothing to say to you,” you said, blinking back the tears of frustration as you threw your bracelet on the vanity as well. The weight of the whole night was slowly starting to crash down on you, and even though somewhere in your mind you could understand why he had dragged you out, it still—

You still couldn’t see past that anger muddying up your thoughts.

“Really? Nothing at all?”

You turned around to look at him better. “I will not apologize.”

“Well that makes two of us.”

You scoffed a bitter laugh and licked your lips, then took a step closer to him, your eyes locked in his.

You weren’t supposed to. You knew you weren’t supposed to, but somehow, the anger seemed to have taken control of your body, and especially your words. If you could calm down, if you could actually think straight, you would have insisted to talk about what had happened, but—

Not at that point.

Not when your mother’s anger was running through your veins.

And you knew it was the worst thing during or after a fight. Some small, logical part of you knew that, the inability to have a good communication had been the main problem that had ruined everything in your parents’ love story but somehow the fury seemed to have hushed everything else in your mind.

Maybe you really did have your mother’s temper.

“It’s not your place to give me orders,” you heard yourself say, your voice nearly a hiss. “Nor will it ever be. Keep that in mind the next time you have the audacity to assume otherwise.”

With that, you walked away from him and entered your own bedroom, slamming the door shut behind you.

Chapter 43

#anthony bridgerton x reader #anthony bridgerton #bridgerton #bridgerton x reader #regency fic

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