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Benedict knew he was a lucky man. He had a family who loved him and who supported him. He had 7 siblings who, despite their ability to drive him crazy, all supported him, loved him unconditionally… because they had to…
But he knew he was lucky, he’d won some sort of grand life prize the day he met his wife… sure it took them 2 years to find each other.., to get married and 3 years to get to where they are now…
But with her encouragement, her love and her devotion he was now… walking around with her on his arm… around his very own exhibit…
His own art exhibit. And people were liking what they were looking at. People complimented the work, they’d asked to meet the artist and Granville had introduced Benedict to them.
It has been most extraordinary. Sophie could barely take her eyes off her husband. She was so proud of him. So proud of his work and his accomplishments.
So proud of him that even after about two hours of talking and playing nice with the women of the ton who admired Benedict’s work and how they’d always thought he was special and this, that and the other, she’d managed not to hit anyone.
Sophie played the dutiful hostess and wife to perfection, despite the fact she could tell every woman in there was sneering at her or making unkind remarks behind her back.
Sophie was sure she’d seen Kate shouting at a woman who’d made some sort of snide remark about Sophie being some sort of country wench… the woman and her husband somehow disappeared shortly after that comment.
Sophie wasn’t going to let anything ruin her husband's night of triumph.
“Can we get some air my darling?” Sophie asked her husband, Benedict, who was so accustomed to country life and not being around so many people nodded and the two wandered off down the hall.
Their wing didn’t have a quiet terrace but they had access to a few different rooms as an artist. They made their way through some of them art, quietly taking in the splendours and sheer magnitude of the work around them.
“It’s so beautiful around here” Sophie said as they walked through the moonlit halls, there was something almost magical in the air.
“It’s beautiful no matter where I am… as long as I have you on my arm” Benedict said, stopping and twirling his wife into his arms, a smile emblazoned on her cheeks with a light glow of scarlet creeping over them.
Sophie smiled as she placed her hands on her husband’s chest, her green eyes blazing with love and adoration for this man as they found his chocolate ones, still meltingly in love, as they always were when he gazed at Sophie.
Being careful not to knock over the bust of a figure, Benedict twirled Sophie again and she giggled “oh Benedict tonight has been so perfect” she grinned as he danced with her to no music, in the moonlight in the middle of the old exhibit for Alexander the Great.
“It has been my dear because you made it so” he said as he leaned down and kissed her, a feather light touch to start with, a smile creeping in both of their faces as they broke apart, a grin at one another making sure they were alone before the kiss gave way to something else, a smile still etched on their faces as it deepened.
Sophie remembered the first time she felt Benedict smile against her lips… and his comment. She giggled against his lips he pulled back smiling “why are you giggling at me” he asked amused
“Do you remember our first time…?” She asked
Benedict nodded he wasn’t likely to ever forget that afternoon it was both the most amazing and most torturous time of his life.
“Do you remember what you said to me when I asked when you smiling” she asked, her eyes still glowing and glittering as she looked at him
“You make me smile… when you don’t make me want to scream… you make me smile” he grinned at her pulling her closer to him against, a wicked smile now appearing on his features
Sophie beamed at him “indeed it was…” she smiled happily as he leaned in and kissed her again.
“It is still true” Benedict said “though… now…” he smirked into her lips, Leading her to a rather sturdy looking desk at the end of the room “I’d much rather make you scream” his hands snaking down her body to the bottom on her skirts gently pulling them up.
And before Sophie could utter another word in reply… Benedict’s lips were in hers in a passionate kiss that robbed her of breath, and Benedict and Sophie got lost in each other in the middle of the Alexander the Great exhibition…
And Sophie had to admit to herself… it really was Great…