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He meant to go directly to his room. He meant to wait there until everyone had gone to bed and only then would he venture out again. It was childish, he realized, to be a grown man sneaking around in his own home and in such a large one at that. But with there now being two people in it who Benedict wished to avoid at present, he felt like he had no other choice.
And yet, for all his intentions of not getting caught lingering in any of the hallways at Bridgerton House, he found himself doing precisely that. He had been so close to his room. Mere steps, actually, from his planned refuge for the night, when a curious noise coming from an open doorway down the hall gave him pause. And, endlessly curious man that he was, Benedict could not resist investigating.
As he walked toward the unfamiliar sound, he grew more confident that it was, in fact, the sound of someone singing, but strangely less so at making out the actual words. It was only when he peered into the nursery that he realized why.
Nearly two years had passed since he had last seen her, but the Viscountess Bridgerton was still as beautiful as ever. And he could honestly say that he had missed her. He recalled being endlessly delighted by Kate's sharpness and wit (most especially when they were directed at his currently not-so-dear older brother.) But there was only softness and warmth about her now, sitting in a rocking chair with her son, singing what he could only assume was a lullaby in her native tongue.
Staying as close as he could to the shadows of the hallway, Benedict continued spying on the pair, the conflicted emotions that kept him away the previous afternoon returning all at once. This time, however, with one more added to the mix.
Shame.
After all, how could one look at such a sweet scene and feel any bitterness? How could one actually resent an innocent baby? And all for the simple act of existing and bringing unbridled joy to their family? It did not matter his sense of purposelessness in life or the obstacles that seemed to be constantly plaguing him these days. He should have been able to set all that aside to be happy for his family.
Perhaps he was more childish than he thought.
And yet still, Benedict could not bring himself to do it now, could not bring himself to simply knock on that door and reunite with his sister and finally meet that long-awaited nephew of his. So once again, he found himself loitering on the threshold instead, getting lost in his own head.
Lost in thoughts on family. Thoughts on love, sacrifice, his general inadequacies…
And also increasingly lost in vivid imaginings of one day encountering Sophie like this in a nursery of their own.
The fantasy took root in his head before he could even try to stop it. Sophie rocking their child to sleep, singing lullabies, murmuring bedtime stories of a daring maid nursing an aimless nobleman to health and life, forever stealing his heart in the process. Benedict had never wanted anything more in his life. It was almost painful how much he longed for it.
But he would be lying if he said he was not also terrified of it as well.
I could not live with myself if I looked into Edmund’s eyes knowing I had brought him into this world under those conditions… Could you?
He had been so confident when he told Anthony that he had already thought of that. And he had thought of it, to be fair, and believed himself fully prepared for such a reality. It would not be easy, he knew. In fact, he knew that it would be the most difficult thing he would ever have to do. But Benedict was determined. He would give any children he might have with Sophie all he had: his love, his loyalty, his protection, his very soul if they asked him for it. He would do everything in his power to make it so that they never think twice about the unfair world they lived in.
Besides, those unions that were deemed so successful to the Ton nearly always resulted in cold, miserably distant households. How many of his friends at school grew up with parents who had not spoken to each other in years? How many of his peers lived entirely separate lives from the wives and children? How many men did he encounter at the club each night who tried drinking their regrets away for having chosen duty over love?
Why would his brother wish for such a fate for him? Why couldn’t Anthony just be happy for him? Why could he not realize that the life he was offering to Sophie was better than what most ladies in the Ton ended up with?
And why, if Anthony was so wrong about everything, was Benedict’s conviction so shaken?
He had tried to dismiss the previous night’s encounter from his mind. He worked on some sketches, wrote a few letters, continued preparations for his move to My Cottage. He even asked Hatch if there were any tenant matters that needed his attention. There were not, of course, because the viscount was back. He was not needed for that anymore.
Indeed, despite his attempts to, Benedict could not escape his brother’s presence. Now he had not actually seen the man since their argument, but the harshness of his words, his hard stare afterwards, his final plea to him to do the right thing, all of it lingered in his mind. It was strange. His mother had more or less been saying the same things to him for weeks, but somehow it was different coming from Anthony.
Perhaps it was because he was his closest brother. Or perhaps it was because he was the one with the power to cut him off from the family and the will to actually do it. Or perhaps the reason was something Benedict was too afraid to acknowledge.
Anthony was the most capable man Benedict knew. Everything his older brother set his mind to, he achieved.
He recalled the half-crazed look in his eyes after he had given his speech at their fathers funeral, the way the then tragically young viscount muttered almost to himself as the two brothers stood before the freshly dug grave, vowing that the family would not fall apart. And then Benedict spent the next decade watching the man nearly lose himself making sure they didn’t.
He set out to be an excellent landlord and Benedict spent the last year and half hearing from countless people all the ways that he was.
And though he did stumble quite a bit in the pursuit, when he set out to fulfill his duty to find a bride, Anthony came out with his perfect match. A formidable viscountess they all loved and adored, who was now rocking his heir to sleep, a picture of perfect domestic bliss.
For all their siblings’ endless grumblings and mockery for it, their eldest brother demanded perfection because he was actually capable of achieving it. Anthony always seemed to get his way and not just because he was absurdly competitive or accused others of cheating. But because he never refused to fight, never gave up until he achieved what he set out to do.
And if the most capable, dependable, determined man he knew, a man who spoke in nothing but unvarnished truths, thought that Benedict’s situation was a hopeless one, then perhaps it meant that-
“For how long are you going to stand in that doorway, Benedict Bridgerton?”
Nearly jumping out of skin upon hearing his name, the man instinctively moved further into the shadows of the hallway. He needed a few moments to catch his breath before finally working up the courage to reveal himself, offering his sister a sheepish smile when he did. Unmoved from her perch, Kate offered him a raised brow in turn.
“How did you know it was me?” Benedict could not help wondering.
“I saw your carriage arrive earlier. And the other people who live in this house are not exactly ones to quibble about barging into rooms.”
Well if that was not the most accurate description of their family.
“You look well, sister,” he then remarked. “So… how does it feel being back? Lots more people to see here than your ship cabin. Too many, I reckon. ”
Kate smiled.
“There are definitely more people here, but I am so glad to be with everyone again.” A pause. “We expected you yesterday.”
Though she spoke with hardly any inflection, Benedict heard her disappointment all the same. He had hurt her. Seemed to be a common thing he had been doing to the women in his life these days.
“I am sorry,” he stammered, rubbing at the back of his neck. “I had… I had some business-”
Fortunately he was saved from further bumbling by a rather impatient and rather adorable noise coming from the other party in the room. A party who evidently was not pleased to go so long ignored.
“Oh, you are quite right, darling. An introduction is definitely in order.”
Benedict could not help standing a little straighter while Kate adjusted the baby on her lap to face him properly.
“Darling, this is your Uncle Benedict, your appa’s closest brother. He is a great lover of the arts and, though he would be the last to admit it, is quite the artist himself. He is a fair player at pall mall, terrible at billiards, and hopeless at cards. But there is no one better for a laugh. And, perhaps most importantly about your uncle, you must promise amma that you will never, never, accept a cup of tea from him.”
Unable to resist a cheeky wink to Kate first, Benedict finally allowed himself a proper look at his nephew. And his first impression of the fellow was that he was definitely his father’s son. The color of his hair, the shape of his face, the way he seemed to be seriously assessing him, those were all Anthony.
“Brother,” Kate continued. “I’d like you to meet my son: Edmund… Benedict Bridgerton, named for the two most important men in his father’s life.”
Benedict’s eyes shot to Kate again.
“Oh!”
He blinked a few times.
“Oh.”
His brows furrowed, a pained look coming over him.
“Oh,” he groaned.
Suddenly feeling rather unsteady, Benedict flopped into the nearest chair and buried his face in his hands.
“You really are having a rough go of it, aren’t you?” an amused voice reached his ears. He could only groan some more in response.
“Why don’t you tell us all about it?”
He lifted his head just enough to peek an eye at her suspiciously.
“Have you not already heard all about it from Anthony?”
“I think it sensible to hear from all parties before forming an opinion…” she stated diplomatically. “Besides, Neddy and I are very good listeners.”
He straightened up again and studied the pair, who stared back at him with twin sets of large, brown, unfairly doleful-looking eyes. He felt a brief moment of pity for his brother, for he very much doubted Anthony would ever be able to deny them anything.
Benedict certainly could not.
He was quite hesitant when he started out, but the more he spoke, the easier it became. It was freeing, in a way. He had not been able to speak so openly on the subject, mostly because he had been too self-conscious to expose his worries or confusion to anyone. Far too many people were already against him, after all.
But somehow he did not feel that judgement with Kate.
She did not say much, only interrupting to ask a clarifying question every now and then, but mostly she just let him talk. Now there were some things he did not go into detail on (the intimate moments he shared with Sophie and the extent of his overwhelming desire for her did not seem wise to reveal) but before he knew it, Benedict ended up divulging most everything that passed between them since the night they met.
Kate was right. She was a good listener. As was his nephew, at least for the few minutes he indulged his uncle’s story before drifting off to sleep in his mother’s arms. Benedict’s heart clenched a little each time he looked over at them, softness for his namesake growing by the second.
“I used to believe that love was the simplest thing in the world,” he was saying. “That the greatest difficulty was just finding it.“ A wry smile then began to pull at his lips. “And I used to think that anyone who made it complicated was just a fool… Now, I fear, the only fool around is me.”
“And why do you think that?”
He looked at her incredulously.
“Have you not heard anything I just said? I fell in love with a maid! I fell in love with the one person it is impossible for me to be with.”
“Oh, is there some sort of physical barrier keeping you apart?”
“What?”
“Is there an invisible force that pulls each of you away the moment you step into the same room?”
Benedict frowned. It was the exact opposite in his experience.
“You know it is not that.”
“Oh, forgive me then. I was not aware that there is an English law forbidding the match. I am not originally from this country, you see.”
He glared at her blithe smile, for the first time commiserating with his older brother’s once constant frustration with this woman.
“Sister,” he nearly growled, “You know perfectly well that society would never accept us. I have to consider our family’s reputation, our sister’s future prospects. It is the ridiculous and antiquated customs of this world that prevent Sophie and I from being together fully.”
“Ah, so it is possible for you to be together? Just not fully?”
“Were you always this annoying or have you just been spending too much time with Anthony?”
Kate chose to ignore that.
“I am simply trying to understand you. You say it is impossible for you two to be together and yet somehow you can plan a life together at your cottage.”
“My Cottage,” Benedict grumbled petulantly.
“That is what I said,” Kate dismissed with a wave of her hand before continuing her point. “So it seems to me that it is not so impossible for you to be together.”
Benedict huffed.
“This is arguing semantics and you know it. We could be together, yes, but not really. I could never marry her. Our relationship would have to be hidden, no matter what.”
There was a beat of silence before Kate spoke again.
“I am surprised at you, Benedict. I thought of all our siblings to fall in love, you would have been the least likely to be so obtuse about it.”
She then rose to settle Edmund in his cot. Benedict could only watch her, unsure if it was shock, offense, or hurt that made him so speechless. He took the next few moments to choose his next words, waiting until she sat down again to say them.
“There are many things in this world that I do not know or understand, but the one thing I do know, the one thing I will never doubt is my love for Sophie. I may not be the cleverest Bridgerton, but at least give me enough credit to know my own heart.”
“Oh, I do not doubt that you know your own heart! Nor do I doubt that your feelings for Sophie are genuine. But you have also expressed your confusion as to why others, namely Anthony and even Sophie herself, did not seem so convinced of your commitment and I find it surprising that you do not see why.”
“I heard you were quite impassioned when you spoke to Anthony about it,” Kate went on gently when her brother only continued sulking in his chair. “And I can only imagine the speech you must have given Sophie when you declared your feelings. It must have been very romantic.”
Though he wished to remain stonefaced, Benedict could not help the blush that rose on his cheeks.
“But I once learned from another man who deserves more credit than he gets, that words can be beautiful and sweet but ultimately hollow unless accompanied by action… and that action usually does not involve making the woman one loves a secret mistress.”
Benedict snapped his head toward her, frustration mounting once more.
“Anthony had a-” he began, but cut himself off. He was upset, but did not want to stoop that low. Kate narrowed her eyes at him regardless.
“The woman Anthony found fleeting pleasure in, he made his mistress. The woman he could not imagine his life without, the woman he chose to honor with his very being, he made his wife.”
Benedict’s eyes widened.
“You know about…?”
“Of course, I do. And I resent the fact that you esteem your brother so little as to believe he would even try to hide something like that from me…. Then again, I suppose I should not be surprised. It seems your instincts in a difficult situation involve hiding things.”
“I- There is- It is not-”
He took a few calming breaths and met her now harsh stare as bravely as he could.
“There is no other way for us to be together!”
“You mean, there is no other way for you two to be together while you yourself get to enjoy the same comfortable life you do now.”
“What?” he practically yelped. “That is not-!”
“No? Why else would ‘bind yourself to her in every way that matters’ except the one that does? Why else would you suddenly be so scrupulous about following the norms of this society? Is it not so that you can maintain a place in it? What was your plan then? Travel back and forth and leave her behind when it suited you?”
“Anthony threatened to cut me off! He said we could never be a part of the fam-”
“Of course he did! Because you had made it clear to him and just now to me that you have no intention to really make her a part of yours.”
She let out a deep sigh at the stricken look on his face.
“You know your brother. You know, he only sees things his way. And the way he sees it is that a man may care deeply for a mistress. He may promise her his devotion, his loyalty, even a lifetime of comfort and security. But the one thing that will always be denied her, the one thing that would always be denied her children, is his name. And in this world, whether it is fair or not, a man's name is the only real protection for a woman, regardless if she is of high or low birth. To him, if a man is not willing to give a woman that, then he cannot care enough about her. She will never be a part of his family. And you know that for Anthony, family is everything.”
Benedict’s mind raced, eyes darting back and forth.
“He would never allow us to marry. And if we do, he’ll cast me out.”
“Do you truly believe that? Do you honestly believe if he knew that you meant to stand by this woman for all eternity that he would not do everything in his power to help you? That none of us would? Do you truly believe that we would just never see you again?”
“I already told him-”
“What you told him is that you cannot walk away from her. Not that you planned to do right by her… I suppose we should at least be glad she is not with child.”
When he stared at her for a beat too long, Kate started rubbing her forehead in exasperation.
“Oh God. Benedict!”
“It is not for certain!” he insisted.
“But there is a possibility?”
His reluctance to speak was apparently answer enough as Kate suddenly looked as if she were ready to strike him. But the withering look she sent his way instead was lethal enough.
“A maid's virtue is just as worthy of protection as any lady's in the Ton,” she intoned, her voice the coldest he had ever heard it.
“I know that!”
“Men have been called out for far less.”
“I am aware-”
“Did you feel safe taking such liberties with her because you thought she had no one looking out for her interests?”
“No! That's not-!”
“You must have thought it so convenient. No protective fathers, emotional mothers, or meddlesome brothers to have to win over before taking what you wanted. You get to wet your wick and not even have to walk down the aisle to do it.”
“Kate!”
“Now I recognize that your sex and station in life have privileged you to be blind to the harsher realities of this world. Of course, you will never understand what it is to be a penniless woman trying to look out for herself. Of course, you will never understand that sometimes her reputation is all she has. Of course, you will never understand how vulnerable that feels.”
“I do- I do understand-”
“No, you do not. Because if you did, you would not have behaved so carelessly.”
“I have been...” Benedict tried protesting again, albeit more weakly this time.
“Really? I know you know there are precautions a man can take to prevent his seed from taking root, and apparently you did not take them. Were you trying to trap her?"
“No! How could you-?”
“Because most of your actions toward this woman come across as irresponsible and careless.”
“I have done nothing but care for her. All I want to do is care for her. All my thoughts, all my plans, all of it is for her.”
“And yet none of those plans involve actually doing the honorable thing and marrying her.”
Benedict began rubbing his palms on his thighs, trying to rid them of his sweat.
“It is not that simple.”
“Actually, I think it is. And stop trying to say that it is because of the rest of the family. I know that’s not the reason why."
“But it is! It is the ‘harsh reality’ you think I am so ignorant of.”
“What it is, is an excuse.”
“No it’s not!”
“It is an excuse to be selfish and cruel.”
“I- you do not-”
“You get everything you want while bearing none of the consequences.”
“It is for her benefit that it has to be this way!”
“Of course, it is. So please enlighten me then how it benefits a woman to be a mistress instead of a wife.”
“Because I do not know if I could be a good husband!” he finally exclaimed. “I do not want Sophie to feel trapped with me in case I end up disappointing her.”
His eyes widened, as if just realizing the truth of what he had said. He stared at Kate and given the victorious look on her face, the question was not if she knew it before him, but for how long she did.
“Ah… there it is.”
Benedict could only slump back in his chair and stare at the ceiling for several moments as he tried to make sense of what he just discovered.
“I have only had the best examples of husbands to look up to,” he later mused aloud. “He has been gone for over a decade and Mother still thinks of Father every day, even now as she begins to accept the attention of another man. And Anthony… Well, he was always the best at everything… I fear that I will not measure up to the standards they have set.”
“Did you know that Anthony planned to end his engagement to Edwina long before that disastrous wedding took place?”
Benedict turned to her, confused by the shift in topic, but mostly embarrassed that he was completely unaware of this monumental fact about his brother.
“No, I didn’t,” he admitted.
“Mmm, it was mere days into the engagement. Do you know why he didn’t?”
Of course not.
“Because I asked him to. In fact, I asked him to move up the wedding. And even after that all fell apart, Anthony had to propose to me twice before I accepted… Because I, too, did not feel like I measured up.”
For the second time that evening, Benedict was left reeling. Kate had exuded nothing but confidence since the moment she came into their lives.
“And though it is not my place to divulge my husband’s secrets, let us just say that fear of inadequacies was an obstacle we both had to overcome. And it was not easy, I can assure you, and there are still some days when those old fears rear their heads. But could you imagine if we let them get the best of us? I would not be here, in this beautiful home, my husband working in his office to provide for us, our child sleeping peacefully in his crib. Nor would I be part of this large, questionably sane at times, but absolutely wonderful family I have always longed to be a part of. A family of people who, though quite different, are more alike than they know.”
Benedict shook his head at her implication.
“Yes, you are more like Anthony than you think,” Kate insisted. “You are both fiercely loyal. You both love with every fiber of your being. And far too often, you think far too little of yourselves.”
The two lapsed into silence then while Benedict pondered everything.
“What should I do?” he finally asked.
“With Sophie? For tonight, nothing. Your actions toward her thus far have done someone a disservice: Either Sophie for making promises to her you are not confident in keeping, or yourself, for not giving yourself enough credit to believe you can follow them through. It is up to you to decide which one it is. As for me, I think it is the latter… and you know I am always right.”
Benedict let out a laugh. A genuine one, but he sobered quickly when she spoke again.
“I am also still upset with you for the liberties you had taken with Sophie. Though your mother may have hired her, it is Anthony and I who are charged with the safety and wellbeing of everyone who lives in this household. I refuse to let this home be like other houses where the staff face the threat of seduction by members of the family.”
Benedict nodded solemnly.
“I will make this right.”
“I knew you would.”
Sensing that he was being dismissed, Benedict got up to leave.
“And one more thing,” he heard Kate say as she stood as well. Benedict was only slightly wary when he turned toward her again.
“I also wanted to thank you, Benedict. Thank you for looking after the estate while we were away and for taking care of the family... Thank you for allowing me to be selfish and have Anthony to myself for this long.”
Benedict scratched his ear nervously, the most uncomfortable he was all evening.
“Oh, it was no trouble,” he tried to deflect.
“I know that is a lie. So thank you for doing it anyway.”
He looked at her then and not for the first time was grateful that this woman was a part of their family.
“Truly, I did not mind. I mean-” he rushed to continue at her disbelieving look, “I might have been somewhat uninspired in my approach, but if you and Anthony elect to go on a fourth honeymoon, I would do it again.”
“Oh I do not think that will be necessary. We have had quite enough of travel for now. Especially Anthony. As you might imagine, he does not take to being idle very well. Did you know he somehow took over the management of several of our neighbor’s farms while we were in India?”
Benedict snorted, but was not entirely surprised.
“He traveled all that way just to do the same work he does here?”
“Apparently it pained him to see any plot of land used inefficiently.”
“And let me guess, every single one of those farms are absolutely flourishing now”
Kate smiled proudly.
“They all begged him to stay. I was only a little offended that these men who knew me for far longer could care less if I did. But of course, it was time for us to return home.”
“Well, I am glad you are back. That… all of you are back.”
And he truly meant it. His eyes suddenly grew misty when she placed her hand affectionately on his cheek. Wishing her goodnight, Benedict sent one last fond look to his nephew before ducking away.
The young viscountess, in the meanwhile, turned back toward the bassinet. It was a favorite pastime of hers, gazing at her son’s tiny chest as it rose and fell with each of his precious little breaths. As was often the case, she lost track of time watching him sleep when she felt someone's eyes on her once more.
Unlike earlier when she had to use context clues to guess that it was Benedict, Kate knew this one just by his presence alone. Her skin prickled in a way it always did whenever he was near, a warm feeling starting in her chest before seeping into her very soul. Soon she felt his arms wrap around her as he buried his nose in her neck, breathing her in.
“Thank you,” Anthony whispered to her.
Kate let out a happy sigh, bringing her hand behind her to caress the back of his head.
“So… you spoke to Benedict?”
“Mmm… You were right.”
“Aren’t I always?”
“In my defense, a man only truly loves his wife. Not a mistress.”
“That is not what most men in this world think. My word, Anthony Bridgerton, you've become quite the romantic!”
Turning, Kate draped her arms around her husband’s shoulders while his arms settled around her waist.
“He plans to marry her?”
“He does,” Anthony confirmed, his voice impassive. Too impassive.
“Did your solicitor discover anything about Sophie?”
“He did... It turns out that she is the natural daughter of the late Lord Penwood, whose house she has been forced into servitude for the last several years.”
Kate let out a gasp.
“How cruel!”
“And it gets worse. According to the late earl’s solicitor, he had reason to believe she was left a dowry, which given the circumstances the poor girl had fallen into, must have been withheld from her. No doubt stolen by the dead man’s widow.”
“Which is likely spent and long gone,” she surmised grimly.
“That is impossible to know, but this can be a good thing.”
Kate raised a brow, for once not immediately following her husband’s logic.
“This can give us some leverage to negotiate with the dowager countess,” he clarified. “Embezzlement is a serious charge. I daresay the lady will not consider a prison cell to be suitable lodgings.”
“You think that is enough to get Lady Penwood to accept Sophie as a daughter?”
“Perhaps. Or perhaps enough to get her to comply were we to come up with a different story. It is not an uncommon thing for a ward of ... mysterious background to be sponsored by a wealthy family and make a match in the Ton. From what I have heard from Eloise and Hyacinth, the young miss is quite educated, her manners refined. And of course, we have no need for her dowry.”
“And who is this wealthy family to sponsor her?”
“Luckily I know a well traveled Duke and Duchess who could very easily come across such a lady on their voyages…. Trust me, Daphne would love nothing more than to be part of the scheme.”
Kate could not help laughing out loud.
“And since when were you so crafty, my lord?” she wondered.
“Likely since spending all that time with those gossips your sister has for neighbors in India. The stories they had to tell just about the village alone would put Lady Whistledown out of business in a week. Let us just say, they have made me creative.”
Kate shook her head in amusement before her face grew uneasy.
“I do not know how I feel about this all being built on deceit, even if well-intentioned. The truth always comes out in the end, does it not?”
Anthony considered this for a moment.
“If Miss Baek decides she does not feel comfortable changing her identity, then she and Benedict would have no choice but to remove themselves from society. But the gain of the family they will create together will far outweigh any sacrifices they will have to make, I am sure. And besides, it’s not like we’ll never see them. Just not as often and certainly not in town... I just wanted…”
He averted his eyes from hers.
“I just wanted to spare him as much difficulty as I can. I just wanted the best for him.”
“I know,” Kate acknowledged, her love for this man somehow growing even more as she nudged his chin up again. “I know you do. It is what you have always done. But you cannot protect him from everything and I think you know it is high time you trust him to know what is best for himself.”
With only a little grumbling, Anthony eventually nodded. Kate rewarded him with a sweet kiss. They stood with their foreheads leaning together for a few more moments before Anthony turned his attention to the crib behind her.
“And how was our little prince today?” he asked, stepping closer to their slumbering child. Kate was about to answer when Anthony suddenly startled as he peered down into the bassinet, immediately striking fear into the young mother’s heart.
“What is it?” she demanded, frantically scanning Edmund up and down in alarm.
“He grew!”
“What?”
“He grew at least a quarter of an inch since I saw him last!
Kate just barely resisted smacking him for scaring her so much.
“Anthony, you saw him just this morning! How could he-?”
Looking down again, she saw that Neddy did look like he took up just slightly more space in the cot than he did the night before. But, of course, she was not about to admit that.
“It is simply his hair being a little more unruly.”
“No, I am telling you, he grew taller! Oh God, I am missing everything.”
Fighting a smile, she pressed a kiss to his shoulder.
“My love, you are not missing anything. You are an excellent father, just as you have been an excellent brother. And I suppose you have been a rather good husband as well.” And when he did not rise to her teasing, she knew his distress was genuine.
“How about this? Tomorrow after your meeting with Nelson, Neddy and I will come spend the rest of the morning with you in your office.”
He twisted his head toward her, the hopeful look on his face too adorable to bear.
“I would hate to put you off.”
“Oh, nonsense. Our son is growing and every quarter of an inch needs to be accounted for.”
Anthony sighed at her overly serious look.
“Yes, yes… I know I’m being ridiculous.”
Kate giggled before lifting his arm so she could slide under it, holding his hand over her stomach.
“Let us just hope the next one is not a girl. I fear you might become quite unbearable.”
“Kate!” Anthony all but whimpered, his hand tightening over the barely perceptible bump where their other child was growing.
“But do not worry. I have a feeling we’ll soon have a pair of brothers on our hands. They will fight and bicker and protect each other fiercely. It is the way of Bridgerton brothers… and you know, I am always right.
“That you are, darling. That you are.”