Chapter Text
“Are you sure Newton should be lying next to you?”
Kate raised an eyebrow. “He’s not doing any harm sleeping next to me.”
Anthony gave a small nod and Kate folded her arms with a barely supressed sigh. He had been standing at the foot of their bed for the past half an hour. His eyes roaming over the entire room to try and ensure nothing in here was going to delay the recovery of her broken leg. Kate gently stroked Newtons back and the dog placed its nose on her broken leg. Anthony stiffened.
“Kate he shouldn’t do that.”
“He’s not doing anything.” Kate sighed. “Newton is staying put and that’s final.”
“Okay.” Anthony nodded. “Do you need more pillows? Should I get another cushion for your leg?”
Kate bit her lip. At first, Anthony’s fussing had been sweet. It was nice to know that her husband genuinely cared about her well-being. Except it had been two weeks now and it was starting to grate on her. Every single thing was questioned. The maids helping her dress. Newton being in the bedroom. Every night he made sure there was a wall of pillows by her leg to avoid him knocking it in his sleep. And at the slightest sound of pain, he would insist on her taking laudanum. Kate knew Anthony was doing this because he loved her and wanted to help. She knew he was behaving in this way because he was a good person. But she was spending most of her time trying not to scream at him to leave her be.
It was getting harder and harder.
“Anthony.” Kate said sharply. “I am fine. I am perfectly comfortable. There really is no need for you to watch over me. Don’t you have other matters to attend to anyway?”
Anthony nodded. “Yes. But I can read letters and reports in an armchair. It doesn’t require a desk.”
“No but answering them does.”
He nodded and moved towards the other side of the bed. The bed dipped under him and Newton gave him a quick glance before resuming his position. Anthony stroked the dog before turning to Kate.
“I was thinking of maybe using your dressing table for the time being.”
Kate glanced over at the dressing table. There was certainly room for someone to sit and write a letter. But it was hardly what it was for.
“I was thinking of moving my desk here.” Anthony continued. “But it wouldn’t fit through the door. But your dressing table can easily serve to write a few letters.”
“Anthony.” Kate took his hand. “I appreciate your concern for my leg, and I appreciate that you don’t want me stuck here by myself. But I will be fine for a few hours. Nothing bad will happen if you use your own study.”
He shook his head. “It doesn’t feel right. Me carrying on with everything whilst you are confined here.”
“Well it’s not ideal for me either. But I will survive.”
Anthony kissed her hand. “I just don’t want to miss another moment. The start of our marriage I was distant. I didn’t want you to fall in love with me, so I deliberately stayed away. As much as I wish to undo my actions I can’t. But I can make up for lost time.”
“You don’t have to make up for anything.” Kate argued.
He reached forward and gently cupped her face. “I know you must think I am being overprotective. Maybe I am. But I swore a vow before God to look after you. I have no intention of breaking that."
“Anthony-”
“Please.” He urged. “Please just…let me be here so I can look after you.”
Kate bit her lip. In truth she’d wanted a few hours by herself. She wanted to finish her book but also had been desperate for some time alone given most of her days were taken up with constant visits from Edwina, Mary, and Anthony’s mother and sisters. Had this been any other time she would have told Anthony as such. But one look at his eyes and she knew she couldn’t. He wasn’t asking her because he was her husband and he felt it was his duty. He was asking her because the idea of leaving her alone was killing him. Kate wasn’t prepared to do that to him and so she nodded.
“Very well. You may use my dressing table if you wish. Although if you get ink stains on the wood then we shall have to revisit the topic.”
With a grin Anthony leant forward and kissed her.
“I love you.” He whispered against her lips. Kate kissed him back.
“I love you too.”
It didn’t matter if Anthony stuck by her side for a while. Truly. Although his constant fussing could get on her nerves, Kate reasoned it was better than having a husband who didn’t care if his wife was well or not. Besides, she figured that as more time passed, Anthony’s worries would ease, and his fussing would as well. Kate figured she could wait it out a bit longer.
She couldn’t.
As she had expected, Kate had finally snapped over Anthony’s insistence that she taken pain relief more often. During the first few days, Kate had accepted the laudanum due to constant pain in her leg. She’d hated every single drop due to it leaving her senses dull and foggy as a result. But it had been better than remaining in agony. Except her leg was no longer in constant pain. The only times it hurt now was when she accidently moved it or knocked it. And even then, the pain was minimal and quick. No medication required.
Except Anthony never agreed.
His refusal to leave her side meant any time something happened; he would be aware. At first, Kate had accepted the small doses of laudanum because she knew it would make her husband feel better. But soon she found herself refusing Anthony’s request that she take it. He wouldn’t push her, but she knew he wasn’t happy about it.
The final straw for them both just a couple of months after the carriage crash. After being finally told by a doctor that she didn’t have to spend every second in bed, Kate had been eager to be up and about. She could still only walk small distances, and even with a cane she needed assistance. Fortunately, her maid Daisy had been all too happy to help her, and they spent most mornings doing laps of the room to try and get Kate’s legs used to taking her strength again. It was on such a morning when the inevitable happened.
“I think I should try walking unaided.” Kate gently let go of Daisy’s arm. “I’m sure I can hobble across the room with just my cane.”
Daisy bit her lip. “Are you sure my lady? His Lordship wouldn’t be happy with me if anything were to happen.”
“His Lordship isn’t happy that I’m out of bed full stop.” Kate sighed. “Besides, the sooner I can walk properly again, the sooner I can get out of this house. It’s just a few steps.”
She gave Daisy an encouraging smile and took a step forward. Her leg still ached, and she imagined a child could have taken a bigger stride, but it was better than nothing. Her cane wobbled slightly with the weight, but Kate forced herself to shuffle forward.
“See Daisy? I’m perfectly fine.”
Kate wasn’t fully sure what happened next. She had assumed Newton was on the bed. Clearly she had been wrong because she put her cane down on fur instead of wood. There was a small yip as her dog darted free. The seconds seemed liked minutes as the end of her cane hung in mid-air. With nothing supporting her, Kate felt her injured leg crumple under the sudden weight. Her body hit the floor with a cry and the cane rolled a few feet away.
“My lady!”
Kate blinked back tears as Daisy knelt by her side.
“I’m fine. I’m fine.”
Her leg disagreed. It screamed at her as she tried to get to her feet. Daisy took her hand.
“On three my lady. One. Two-”
“What on earth’s happened. I heard a thud and….KATE!”
Kate saw Anthony standing in the doorway for only a few seconds. He stared at her in horror before rushing forward and kneeling beside her. Kate opened her mouth to explain, but Anthony had already picked her up in his arms and was carrying her over to the bed. He gently lay her down and Kate realised tears were falling down her face. Anthony glanced at her.
“What happened?”
“It’s nothing.” Her leg really hurt. “I was trying to walk with just a cane, and I must have caught Newton by accident. He ran off and I fell. That’s all.”
“That’s all?” He echoed. “That’s all! Kate you have a broken leg! What if you’ve made it worse.”
“I’m sure I’ve not.” Kate gripped the blankets tightly in her fists to try and focus on anything but the aching pain in her leg. Anthony rounded on Daisy.
“It’s your job to take care of her!”
“Anthony don’t take it out on her.” Kate pleaded. “It was just an accident.”
He shook his head. “I trusted Lady Bridgertons care to you and now look at her!”
“Anthony stop!” Kate snapped. “None of this is Daisy’s fault and if you continue to shout at her in this unfair manner then you can leave this room right now!”
Silence settled for a few moment and Kate could see Anthony’s body shaking slightly as the anger left him.
“I’m sorry Daisy. Of course, this was not your fault. I was concerned for Lady Bridgerton but that does not excuse my behaviour just now. Please accept my apology.”
Daisy gave a wide-eyed nod and Kate smiled at her.
“Could you leave us please Daisy?”
With a curtsey, Daisy made for the door, but at the last second Anthony called her name.
“Daisy? Could you bring some laudanum up to us?”
The door shut behind Daisy just as Kate shook her head.
“No.”
“Yes.” Anthony sat beside her on the bed. “Kate you are in pain.”
“Anthony I will not take another drop of that vile stuff.”
“Because you sitting here in tears is a better alternative? It isn’t for me.”
“Anthony please!” Kate pleaded. “If you love me you won’t make me take any more of that stuff.”
She instantly knew she’d said something wrong when Anthony’s body stiffened. He fixed her with a cold gaze.
“It’s because I love you that I want you to take it.” He said. “Because I cannot stand seeing you in even the slightest pain and if I can do something to take that away then by God I will do it."
“I know.” Kate nodded. “I wasn’t trying to imply-”
“I know you think I’ve been overbearing.” He cut her off. “I know you think I’m fussing too much. But I made a vow to take care of you. Not just when we said our marriage vows. But I made a vow to myself. I swore to protect you and care for you. I swore to always look after you. If I could take all this pain away by snapping my fingers then I would do so. However, I cannot. What I can do is ensure you are comfortable and free from any pain. And that is what I will do. If that bothers you then so be it. I do not care. What I care about is ensuring you are well.”
Tears had sprung to his eyes whilst talking and Kate felt her heart break slightly at the sight. She reached out and took Anthony’s hand with a smile.
“I’m sorry. You were getting a bit….overprotective, and it was something I was struggling to deal with. But I never once considered how you were feeling with all of this and I am sorry. I have never once doubted that your motives were good ones, and I have certainly never doubted that you were acting out of love.”
Anthony kissed her hand. “I know I have been excessive in my fussing. I have no idea what a husband is supposed to do when his wife has a broken leg.”
“You mean it was never a staple of your education growing up?”
Anthony grinned at her. “Oddly enough it wasn’t. But I have no real idea what makes a good husband. I know what other men do. How they leave their wives to the care of servants if they fall ill. But my father never left my mother’s side if she was ever unwell and so I thought if I followed his example then I would be doing things right. Maybe I went too far in my concerns though and if I have then I am sorry."
Kate shook her head. “I would rather that, than a husband who doesn’t care about my welfare at all. ”
Anthony leant forward and pushed her hair back from her face. “That will never be me. I love you and I plan to dedicate my life to ensuring your good health and happiness.”
He softly kissed her forehead. “I mean it Kate. I will always look after you. For as long as I live.”
“I know you will.” Kate smiled. “And you know I will do the same for you.”