Work Text:
Benedict loved this time of year, he loved the late setting sun and the colours that adorned the sky as the sun set around their cottage. Growing up he remembered having midsummer picnics with his family.
It was their first full summer here since their wedding last year and they’d already been blessed with their Charlie. And Benedict wanted to revive a bridgerton family tradition here in Wiltshire.
Their little Charlie who had scared them half to death when he was born was now fighting fit and had the entire household under his tiny thumb.
None more so than Sophie.
Their anniversary has been a few days ago and Benedict had been blown away by her surprise, recreating the moment they met right there in their garden but today, on Midsummer’s eve he wanted to surprise her.
Sophie was his pixie, his wood nymph, his fairy and since they’d come to My Cottage she’d thrived.
The air was cleaner, they were free to be just themselves here, no expectations, no pressures of society, they could be a family.
He’s taken his son from the nurse and placed him in the carrier than Kate and Anthony had given them for Christmas. Charlie’s bright hazel eyes, the perfect blend of his mother and father gleaming brightly at him, as he put his preparations together.
A picnic blanket, a picnic and his art supplies. Now he just needed to find his wife.
Sophie had taken over the accounts at My Cottage, she was much better at numbers than he was and it made her feel useful. He refused to let her do anything else so this was the compromise.
He knocked on her little study door and heard her melodious tones through the oak of the door “come in”
Benedict push the door open and was greeted by a wide smile and an excited squeal was omitted from Charlie at the sight of his mama.
“There’s my two favourite boys” she beamed happily
“I thought you were painting today my love? “ she asked as she got up from her seat and approached the two and kissed her husband and then her son.
“I am going to… but me and Charlie are taking mama out for the afternoon for a midsummer picnic” he grinned.
“Are you now?” She teased
“Charlie wants to anyway. Papa is just tagging along” he grinned with a lopsided smirk.
“Well if it’s Charlie… I think I can be free” she took Charlie from Benedict and strapped her son to her chest and they set off for the lake.
Once down Benedict set everything up and the couple settled down on the blanket.
It was an afternoon Benedict wouldn’t forget, he sketched his wife lying in the midsummer sun, their son sleeping peacefully on her chest as she sung to them both.
Her head in Benedict's lap as he sketched, his free hand stroking her hair.
“This is lovely” Sophie said softly as her eyes rested closed, breathing in the stillness of the air.
“We used to do this with my mother and father when we were younger… I thought it would be nice you know… for our family…” Benedict smiled as he shaded a part of his picture.
“It’s perfect for our family” Sophie said, her voice full of adoration.
She opened her eyes and looked at the drawing “I think that might be the one…”
“The one?” He asked confused
“For the gallery… for the exhibition” she said with a smile. “You’ve captured the essence of the lake, the wilderness and the beauty perfectly”
“I do have the best muses here to help” he grinned “but I guess we shall see what they say at the exhibition”
Needless to say… the landscape painting simply titled “A Midsummer dream” was the first Benedict Bridgerton original to end up in the National Gallery.