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Of everything that had happened in the last few weeks, he found he only had one real regret. The quick marriage would mean that Sophie wouldn’t get the courting that she truly deserved.
He wouldn’t begin to understand the ins and outs of courting having never done it himself to a woman, never having the desire but Sophie deserved anything and everything he could give to her.
He had walked her back to his mothers, a little before 7am having both risen early after their second exertions of the evening, after Sophie’s 3am declarations and his reassurances of his love for her. It truly did not matter that she was his mystery woman. His heart was full and his heart was happy. His heart knew the truth, Sophie was the woman of his dreams and his future.
After Sophie had scurried up to her room, which was now a guest room not a servants, after apologising to Violet about stopping out, the agreed to say she’d taken a bath, which was the truth, and that she had fallen asleep whilst waiting for a new gown to be brought over… omitting the truth in between.
Violet smiled, hugged her future daughter in law and sent her off to change as they would be heading straight out shopping after breakfast.
Benedict had taken her hand, kissed it and promised to be waiting for her on his return.
As soon as Sophie had disappeared Violet had slapped him around the back of his head. “You must think I was born yesterday she fell asleep really Benedict”
He couldn’t help the smirk on his face but he had the decency to blush “good job we are getting married on Monday then isn’t it”
“You know if I wasn’t so happy for you and for Sophie I’d slap you again” Violet said “but that girl has gone through enough I think and I’ve seen the way you look at each other…you have gotten a true love match and I am very happy for you” she said giving her son a smile and kiss to his cheek before turning serious
“Sophie will be staying here until your wedding… and will be chaperoned. Do I make myself clear Benedict?” Violet said with a look that he himself knew was fruitless to ignore and he nodded
“She will go to Bridgerton House tomorrow morning, spend the night with Anthony and Kate and you can all travel to Kent… with the story you met in the country, plus a country wedding, we should be able to avoid too much slander of Sophie’s name” Violet said.
Benedict nodded “thank you mother.”
Violet smiled “I’m just pleased to see you smiling you have been so melancholy these last two years”
“Thank you I finally have my lady in silver…” he smiled “what time do you expect you and Sophie to return?” He asked, as his brain stared to formulate a plan.
“Around 3? Why?” Violet asked suspiciously
“I wish to surprise Sophie” he grinned.
~*~
Breakfast passed between just the three of them, as his younger siblings were not so early rises, he would normally not rise this early but as Sophie, still on maids hours, had been curled up tightly into him that as she moved she’d woken him and after he had finished he had kissed Sophie softly on her cheek and departed.
First stop was home, he sent several notes, one to the Crabtree’s to explain about his upcoming nuptials, the second to his solicitors to explain and make arrangements and then another to the florists.
He remembered what Daphne had gotten when she was being courted and there were always flowers in the house but the note was to ask for them to arrive after 3.
He then jumped into his carriage and headed to his brothers to tell him the news.
Anthony had been thrilled, Kate even more so, finally she would have him out of her hair after every party, moping about his lady in silver.
Kate was so excited that she rushed off to dress and left Anthony and Benedict with the two boys and went to the modistes to “assist”
Anthony tormented Benedict like he had expected, Edmund was thrilled, he Has spent some time with Sophie when they had visited and he’d declared she told the BEST stories and he was excited,
Anthony sent notes to the family to say they were expected for a family dinner at Number 5 tonight, the only one who would be missing would be Gregory but Anthony sent an express to Eton so their brother could be there for the wedding at Aubrey Hall.
Benedict left a little before Kate arrived back, promising Edmund that he would see him soon and he would let him see his new Aunt as soon as he got there and he had to stay with his papa and have a bath beforehand.
Rather than heading home Benedict went straight to his mothers it was 5 minutes to 3 so he wandered into number 5 and nodded at Whickham “Miss Beckett and Lady Bridgerton are in the drawing room Mr Bridgerton, your sisters and The Other Mr Bridgerton are at the Featheringtons” he said simply.
Benedict nodded his head and made his way into the family drawing room. Violet smiled and Sophie, though she looked exhausted, beamed at him, looking radiant in the afternoon sun.
Duty first he went to kiss his mother’s cheek in greeting and then Sophie’s “how are you my love?” He asked with a smirk as he pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
Sophie didn’t miss the glint in his eye and was about to reply when there was a knock on the door and Wickhan came in “excuse me Lady Bridgerton, we have a number of deliveries just arrived”
Benedict grinned at his timing, Violet’s eyebrows raised her expression confused “I’m not expecting anything”
“They’re for Miss Beckett, My lady” he said, his hand stretched out with a card.
Sophie looked confused and perplexed “me?” She asked, shaking a little as she stood taking the card from him.
The door opened and four ginormous displays of Lilies came in and one of roses shortly behind. Sophie gasped at them, tears brimming her eyes as she opened the card,
The modest Rose puts forth a thorn,
The humble sheep a threat’ning horn:
While the Lily white shall in love delight,
Nor a thorn nor a threat stain her beauty bright.
My beautiful wife to be, more beautiful than all the lilies in London. I will love you until the sun no longer rises in the east and sets in the west. I will you until the stars no longer shine in the night sky.
I am yours
Always
B
Sophie felt the tears run down her face as she ran to Benedict who was still standing and wrapped her arms around him tightly. To hell with propriety “oh Benedict they’re so beautiful thank you!” She said “I love you!” She said forgetting his mother was watching, but she was miles away, remembering the time she got her first tulips from Edmund.
Benedict seeing the distant look on his mother’s eyes leaned down and stole a kiss from his future wife “you deserve the world, you deserve to be courted, to be shown how much I love you and I Shall spend the rest of my life courting you and making you feel loved” he said softly
“You already do” she smiled as they rested their heads together bound by the magic of the moment as their hearts beat as one until a cry of
“Grandmama!!! SOPI!!” And then hurried feet running though and a cry of “NED get back here!!”
Benedict laughed as he untangled himself as a small boy threw himself into the skirts of his new Aunt and sobbed happily as she scooped him up.
Benedict getting a flash of his future and a happiness and contentment washed over him.
Life was finally perfect. He had everything he needed and it was right there holding his nephew