Archive of Our Own

In the summer of 1804, a week into her family’s stay at their country estate, Violet Bridgerton received a letter from one of her older Ledger cousins Letitia that she would soon be traveling through Kent and would like to spend a couple days at Aubrey Hall with Violet and her eight children. Cousin Letitia had always been peculiar but well-loved within Violet’s extended family. Violet recalled first meeting her when Violet was a girl of no more than seven. They had seen each other a handful of times since, and each time, Violet found her more peculiar than their previous meeting. Even though odd, she had always liked Letitia for her lively personality, and she imagined no harm in her visiting for a couple days and the children might find her entertaining. Still grieving the loss of her husband the year before and sometimes struggling parenting so many children without him, Violet would be glad for the distraction that her cousin would bring to the house.

When Letitia arrived, Violet greeted her warmly and introduced her to the Bridgerton brood, most of whom had either never met this cousin or had been so young when last seeing her that they could not possibly remember her. Although older than Violet, Letitia had never married and had children of her own, but unlike many women regarded as spinsters, she had not become serious and embittered. On the contrary, she stood shorter than most women but with a lively step, and she had a perpetual gleam in her blue-green eyes and bounce in her dark-blonde hair that seemed to match her personality. Most notably, her demeanor communicated that of someone who treated life like a wonderful adventure and every person she encountered as a fellow traveler on that adventure.

On her first day at Aubrey Hall, little Gregory and baby Hyacinth happily received attention from cousin Letitia and her silly faces and rhyming songs. She entertained Eloise and Francesca with stories she had invented. Daphne, only twelve but already concerned with how to be a proper hostess, listened attentively when Letitia spoke and asked if the guest would like tea or anything else to be comfortable during her visit. The three eldest Bridgerton children, two of them grown men, chatted with their guest politely, as would be expected of gentlemen, but as she seemed content interacting with their mother and younger siblings, they were quite content to keep their conversations with her brief.

On the second day of Letitia’s visit, during tea time a maid scurried in and informed Violet that the nurse had been tending to Hyacinth when Gregory took a tumble from a bed. The mother rushed off to check on him, leaving Letitia with Daphne. Daphne looked frightened at the possibility that Gregory might be badly injured.

“Do not worry, child. Your little brother will be right as rain. No harm done.” Letitia smiled at her twelve-year-old cousin.

“You sound so certain, cousin. How can you know?” the often-inquisitive Daphne asked.

“I was born with a gift of vision, dear girl, the only one in the whole of the Ledger family, as far as I know. I could see immediately that Gregory is well.”

“So you can always see into the future? Do you know what will happen tomorrow and the next day or even next year?” Daphne asked eagerly, curious about her own future and what her cousin might foresee.

Letitia smiled with the patience of someone who understood herself quite well and felt quite at ease discussing her abilities even if other adults in polite society shied away from the topic. “No, it does not work like that. Some things I can see without effort. Other times I can read cards and tell a person’s fortune, but I do not know all that will happen.”

Daphne’s curiosity prompted her further, “Did you know that you would never marry?”

The cousin let out a little chuckle at the girl’s forthright question, “Yes, I knew that I would never marry. Even as I hoped I was wrong. I had suitors as a young lady. I may have even been in love once or twice, but none of the men proposed, and as the years went on, my standing changed from debutante to young lady to spinster, and I even though I did everything I thought I could do to be a suitable lady to catch a husband, I found that I had foreseen my own future accurately.

“And you could not change it,” Daphne observed with a frown.

“No, my young cousin. In life there will be heartaches and disappointments, and whether we know them in advance or not, we must do what we can to live our lives well.”

Daphne nodded, thinking of her own family’s heartbreak at the loss of her father. Would they have done anything differently if they had known that he would die and that his death would be unavoidable? Daphne thought of all the happy memories she had with him and together as a family, and she only wished for more time.

Letitia observed the girl’s pensive face. “If you would like, I could tell your fortune. Perhaps after dinner.”

“Could you? I am so very curious to know what you might see,” came the request as a smile stretched across Daphne’s face.

“Yes, I will have my cards this evening, once the younger children are in bed, and I will tell you what I see, although you must know that it will not be a complete future, only whatever impressions I see.”

Daphne’s brow furrowed a bit, trying to imagine what that might mean, and then she mused, “It is a pity that my brothers will not ask you. I think they would be curious to know as well.”

“Oh, they will ask me,” Letitia replied with a smile.

After dinner, when Violet was seeing the youngest four children off to bed, Daphne, who often stayed up an hour or so longer than her younger siblings, quickly made her way to Letitia in the parlor which glowed with rays of sunset filtering in through the west-facing windows.

The girl sweetly implored her cousin, “Will you read my fortune now, please, cousin?”

“Yes, Daphne, come sit with me at this table,” and the woman took out a deck of cards that looked old and well-used, judging from their dog-eared appearance.

Daphne did not recognize the cards; they were certainly not the playing cards that she had seen before. Some had faces on them and others had other symbols but Daphne could not begin to guess what the strange images might mean.

“First, Daphne, you must know that the cards guide me, but then if I see something beyond what the cards show me, I will tell you that as well.” Daphne looked serious but nodded. The cousin then explained, “Next, you must consider a question about your future but more than simply about your future, it ought to be a question about how you approach your future.” She could see the confusion on the girl’s face. “For example, if you wished to know about travel, you might ask, ‘How might I best prepare for my travels?’”

Daphne was not certain she understood the instructions but would try to think of a question. For Daphne, marriage and motherhood would be her primary concerns, and she needed to think of a question that could inform her about those topics dearest to her heart.

“Um,” Daphne hesitated for a moment, feeling anxious about what she might learn, but, determined to learn what she might, she continued, “what do I need to know about the man who will become my husband and the father of my children?”

“Straight to the point, you are. I like that,” Letitia asserted with an approving look in her eyes. Then she shuffled the cards. Daphne felt butterflies in her stomach as she awaited what the cards would reveal and what Letitia’s vision might add of her future. Daphne did not understand the method Letitia used of flipping cards and examining them; sometimes Letitia nodded silently, and other times she smiled, but once she looked quite concerned, and Daphne feared what that card might reveal.

Letitia looked straight into Daphne’s eyes. “This was a good question for you to ask, my dear girl.” She grasped both of Daphne’s hands across the table, “I see many years of joy with a devoted husband and the happiness of motherhood for you, but the beginning will not be easy.”

Daphne nodded quickly and prepared herself for what would follow.

“This man will be everything you want, but you will not see it in him at first.”

“Can you foresee what he will think of me?” Daphne asked with trepidation.

“He will think you are nothing he wants, but you will become everything he needs and everything he wants,” Letitia asserted without further explanation.

Daphne could not help but think how strange that sounded to her. How could she become happy with a man who did not think he wanted her?

Seeing the quizzical look on the girl's face, Letitia added another detail, “The two of you will take on roles and act together.”

Daphne found such a notion difficult to believe. “I do not think Mama and Anthony would approve of my joining the theater,” she informed her cousin.

“I cannot see it with full clarity, Daphne, but from what I can see, while there will not be a theater or stage, you will indeed act with this man, and this acting will lead you both to your marriage.”

“Cousin Letitia, that sounds complicated and confusing. Is that what you mean by the beginning not being easy?”

“No, there is something else I cannot discern just yet. Something about this man is hidden from me now and perhaps from you in the future when you meet,” and Letitia looked vexed, but then her sunny attitude returned, “but I think it quite likely that I will know by the next time I visit.”

Daphne smiled in reply and assured her cousin, "I will remember your words always and will have so much to consider."

Letitia looked at her young cousin with the kindness of a family member who had seen much more of life than the girl. “You probably will not remember my words in every moment, but when you do remember, and if you remain patient and compassionate, that happy future I saw will be yours.”

Daphne thanked her cousin and scurried off, eager to open her journal and write down what Letitia had told her.

Once Daphne had departed, Colin, who had been watching from a distance, approached Letitia and asked what kind of cards his cousin had. Just as she had predicted to Daphne, the first brother had inquired about the cards, and soon Colin was seated across from Letitia who gave the same instructions to Colin as to his sister. This interaction caught the attention of both of the older brothers who then drew closer to watch.

“Come over, gentlemen. We have no secrets here, unless your brother wishes them to be,” Letitia smiled at them and they could see the kindness in her expression. Her card reading and fortune telling might be frowned upon by many, but she only wished to use her gifts to help those she met so that knowledge of their futures could aid them as they sought happiness and faced challenges.

Colin, wanting to show a bit of bravado to his older brothers, declared, “I do not mind if my brothers observe. I am sure I have nothing to hide.”

Letitia gave Colin a little wink and then prompted him to ask his question, which he phrased as, “I wish to see the known world. What opportunities will I gain from my travels?”

“Ah, a very apt question. Let us see what the cards and my vision can tell us.”

Shuffle, cut, and flip, and then Letitia said, “You will travel far and wide, and your travels will make you a man of the world and of experience. You will know of languages, flavors, landscapes, vistas, and peoples. Your greatest opportunity will be in your communication of what you learned.”

“Do you mean letters sent back to my family? Opportunities will originate from what I write to them?” he suggested.

“Perhaps,” she replied, “or perhaps not letters but something else, but you will be a good observer, an Englishman abroad who can help others understand distant lands and unfamiliar people. You have a good heart and will use it.”

He could not fully understand what she meant but smiled nonetheless.

“Another great opportunity will only await you back in England, in London, I think, once your travels are complete. You will not expect it, but you will find it and rejoice in it.”

That all sounded splendid to Colin and he thanked his cousin and then smiled a confident grin at his brothers. “What do you say, you two? Afraid of what you might learn?”

“No, I am not afraid, but I think some things ought to remain a mystery and are best experienced in the moment, without influence of the past or predictions,” Benedict stated, looking quite serious.

“If you will excuse me, I need to tend to some work in my study,” Anthony stated and departed after a quick bow.

“I am actually feeling a bit tired,” Colin claimed, with a wink at Letitia. “I think I will head to bed. Good night, cousin. Good night, Benedict,” with a nod to each.

This left Benedict and Letitia alone in the room. He pressed his lips together and exhaled, uncertain of what to say.

“Do not worry, Benedict,” his cousin offered with reassurance. “I am not insulted by your comments, but if you have some curiosity, I can tell you what I see so that when you encounter moments you might be in a proper state of mind for them.”

“I suppose there would be no harm in it,” he agreed, and then he asked, “Can you promise me that you will reveal what we discuss to no one?”

“Yes, I promise you that,” she told him, with her hand then pointing to the chair for him to sit. He sat down, just as his younger sister and then his younger brother had, and he thought of what to ask.

“How might I move beyond my frustrations of being the second son with my identity defined in relation to my elder brother?”
“I can see how this has been a heavy weight on you, dear Benedict. Let us see what we might learn,” and she repeated her sequence of shuffling the deck, cutting the cards and revealing images.

“You will never be free of that definition in the eyes of many others. Some will only ever see you as the second, the spare, without regard for your own merits and accomplishments,” and she saw his shoulders droop a bit. “But you will move beyond this frustration. It will take time, but you will find recognition, well-deserved praise and recognition, that is, and you will be more than content. You will be truly happy.”

“Can you see how it will happen?” he wondered to her.

“I see it as a combination of your brother accepting his role.” Benedict looked a bit startled at her comment, but she chided him, “You and I both know that he has not fully accepted his title and responsibilities. It is too new for him, and the responsibility overwhelms him. Rightfully so. But he will, in some years, accept his role, and for you, that will mean that he no longer hopes to cast it off and will claim it confidently. His acceptance of himself as a good and able successor to your father will have the added effect of freeing you to be who you will be, for yourself, for your family here, and for your own family.”

Benedict would have been unable to put into words how heartened he felt by her words. He would have years to calm his frustrations, but if what she foresaw came to pass, then he had a future as his own man, not merely the viscount’s brother.

“You mentioned my own family. Can you see more regarding my wife?” Benedict asked hopefully; he was now letting himself give in to his curiosity and hopes for the future.

“You will have two loves but only one, a lady in glittering silver but in the lowest station.” Letitia paused and gave a little shrug, “I know that sounds nonsensical, but it is what I see, and while nonsensical now, it looks to be a happy future, of that I am certain.”

Buoyed by the hopeful predictions of his future, Benedict thanked her but left the room wondering about her cryptic phrases. How on earth could anyone have two loves in one woman? She must have misinterpreted something in her vision, he thought.

Anthony heard footsteps walk past his study, certain that by the gait they belonged to Benedict, and then when none of his younger siblings would be around, he returned to the parlor and saw cousin Letitia working a needlework design with a smile on her face.

“Have a seat, Viscount Bridgerton,” she directed him.

Still standing and now pacing with a stiff walk and chest raised, “Cousin,” the Oxford student began stiffly, “I am not prone to the flights of fancy that my younger siblings may be. I will solicit a reading from you, if you would be so kind, but only for academic purposes, in order to see if what you predict will come to pass.” He wanted to pass off his concerns as matters of science and seriousness, not indulging in a childish or fantastical activity, but it hid the truth that he had such anxiety and fear about the future. In spite of his comments and in spite of his façade, Anthony felt desperate to know the future and most of all to be proved wrong from his certainty that he would die young as his father had. When he looked ahead, he imagined a thirty-eighth birthday but no more beyond. If his cousin could tell him that that appeared to be a certainty, then at least he would know how many years he had yet to provide for his family and secure their futures. At the same time, he wondered if there would be a chance at a brighter future, whether he might actually see his thirty-ninth birthday and even a fifth decade or beyond; he rarely allowed such thoughts into his consciousness.

Finally, he sat. “So I must begin with a question.” His cousin nodded at him and waited while he considered how to put his thoughts into words. “Very well. What will I need to know to secure my family’s future?” and again she repeated the sequence: shuffle, cut, flip.

“Ah, we may find this a complex answer as you will have two families,” she looked him in the eye, knowing he would not be expecting that answer. She could immediately see his eyes dart around as he pondered this revelation.

“For the Bridgertons you know now I see that you must make peace with your inherited role as viscount and head of family.” He could have predicted she would say that but not what she said next. “To do that, you must grant yourself grace. You will struggle. You will make errors. Your choices will not always be pleasing to others. But you must not be unkind to yourself. Grant yourself the grace to make those mistakes and errors as long as you are guided by love and purpose for those eight who need you, and at times, that will also mean you must acknowledge your mistakes to them, however difficult that may be.” Some of these words stemmed more from Letitia’s compassion for the young man than from any vision or foresight.

Anthony did not respond aloud, only sitting quietly while considering her words, but then he asked, “And a second family? Do you truly foresee that for me?”

“Indeed, I do. I can see that you will hesitate and attempt to protect your heart, but you will find love and passion with a woman who will be your equal. Your role as viscount will become infinitely easier once she is in your heart.”

Anthony looked down and shook his head, trying to grapple with what he heard.

“And you will have a wonderful family with her,” and she patted his hand. “With that assurance given, young man, I will retire for the night. I need to be traveling on in the morning. I will see you again though.”

Anthony remained in the parlor, drinking a glass of brandy and trying to imagine the future that she told him would be possible, although it would mean defeating all his fears.

_______________________________________

Cousin Letitia did not return to Aubrey Hall until late in the summer of 1812. When she arrived, Lady Bridgerton and her five youngest children greeted her.

“My eldest three sons are away on a hunting trip and will be sorry to have missed your visit, cousin,” Violet graciously offered.

“But you probably already knew they were away,” Daphne whispered to Letitia who replied with a knowing grin.

Once Letitia had freshened up from her travels, Daphne sought her out, glad to see her again but also hoping to discuss Daphne’s future. After several minutes chatting about the health and status of various Ledger relations and other polite conversation, Daphne could wait no longer to ask, “Do you still see the same fate for me you did when I was twelve? I don’t think I have yet done any acting, and I definitely have not met my true love through two spring social seasons.” With a sigh, she shared, “The only proposals I have received have been unacceptable in Anthony’s eyes as well as mine.”

The cousin smiled while shaking her head. She did not take out her cards this time, relying only on her visions of the future. “Be patient, young lady. I can see more clearly than before and my vision confirms what I previously saw. You will become an actress yet, this next spring, in fact, and you will find love with one who is not seeking it.” She attempted to urge caution and patience in her young cousin, telling her, “He will have a wall that you must get beyond, but once he loves you truly, he will love you fully, body, mind, and soul, and you will have a long happy life together.”

“And children? Will we have children?” Daphne asked hopefully.

“Most definitely. I see four children … no,” and Letitia touched her forehead in concentration while Daphne felt a wave of worry that Letitia might mean that she would have no children at all. “Five, that last one took me by surprise,” the older cousin said with a laugh.

Daphne quirked her brow wondering what that might mean, but she smiled at the news of finding love, happiness in the next spring’s season, and then five children with her husband. In her excitement, Daphne forgot the elements of the prediction about her future husband having something hidden about him and a wall that Daphne must get beyond. She only thought of the promise of love, marriage, and motherhood.

Unbeknownst to Daphne but not Letitia, nine-year-old Hyacinth had been listening in on the conversation between the two of them, and she rushed to tell Eloise and Francesca what she had heard. The three girls felt the pull of curiosity for what Letitia might see for each of them. As a steady rain fell outside, they found their cousin in a sitting room having tea, and although she may have been reading a book, she placed a bookmark in it before they entered the room.

“Good afternoon, girls,” came Letitia’s spritely greeting.

“Good afternoon, cousin,” Eloise replied, leading the way for her two younger sisters. “We have heard that you have a talent for telling fortunes, and we, that is each of us, wondered if you might be so kind as to tell us what you see.”

“Gladly, girls, but one at a time. I must only focus on one future at a time, no matter how intertwined they may be,” Letitia explained.

“You ought to go first,” Francesca whispered to Eloise, and she took Hyacinth’s hand and Francesca directed her young sister to sit nearby, close enough to hear if the voices spoke up, but far enough to not impose on Eloise if she preferred some privacy during the fortune telling.

Addressing all three girls so that she would only need to explain the process one time, Letitia told them of the possibilities and the limits of her fortune-telling gifts, and she instructed them each to think of a question.

Eloise focused on her greatest wish, “How can I become a famous writer?”

“Miss Eloise, I do see writing in your future. However, I do not see fame. Writing will, however, be instrumental in your happiness. Through your writings, you will find an unexpected purpose, unforeseen by you and even by me for now.”

Eloise breathed in as she considered her cousin’s words, and then listened attentively as Letitia carried on with her predictions and analysis, saying, “Even as I am telling you this now, you may think you will be able to prepare for the unexpected in your future, but you will not. Whatever it is that awaits you, you will not see it. In spite of the surprise, it will be a happy future. You will think you are settling for a suitable arrangement, but your expectations will be surpassed by your reality.”

“I do like the sound of that,” Eloise held her chin up and nodded approvingly.

“One more impression,” Letitia noted, “I see the constellation of Castor and Pollux, the Gemini, but I cannot say what the meaning will be for you. I can think of some possibilities – an important event at a particular time of year when that constellation is most prominent in our skies, perhaps. Time will tell. It always does,” Letitia added with an impish wrinkle of her nose.

Eloise stood and walked away from the table with a sense of satisfaction that writing would play a prominent role in her future, and perhaps Letitia had not seen the outcomes clearly, and she might become widely read and recognized as a writer. That would be her path to independence and not being bound to the expectations of society.

Next it would be Francesca’s turn and she could not entirely hide her hesitation, standing but then waiting to be beckoned by her cousin.

“Miss Francesca, I will not impose. If you do not wish to know what I see, that is fine. I would not be insulted,” Letitia spoke kindly to her.

“I do wish to know, cousin, but I am afraid of what I might learn,” Francesca replied softly. “What will I do if what you see is not favorable?”

Letitia could see the fear in the girl’s eyes. “You can use what I see to prepare for possible futures. We have all had loss and sadness in our lives, and we will all have those yet in the future, my dear. I can talk through what I see with you and do not neglect that you will have the support of your family whatever you face ahead. Your mother will most especially be your champion.”

Francesca sat but then asked, “If you see something very frightening, I would like you to not reveal it to me,” and her cousin acknowledged that. “My question will be: why do I feel anxious about my future?”

The elder cousin breathed in and performed her routine of shuffle, cut, and flip, and then she told her young cousin, “Francesca, I think you may have something of the sight yourself. I think that while you do not see the future clearly, you sense the future. You know that you will have difficulties ahead. I cannot take the sadness you see away, my dear girl, but what you must know is that you will never be alone. You are always loved, and you will rely most of all on women in your life to carry you through your greatest hardships.”

Tears brimmed in Francesca’s eyes after hearing that the ominous feeling she had had for so long seemed to be confirmed by Letitia’s future sight. “Tell me more,” she asked, accepting that sadness would be ahead but realizing that some information may help.

Staring at the cards and then closing her eyes and sitting quietly for a minute, Letitia then told her, “I see a land of fog and flowers, of fields and moors, and see two great loves, sharing so much including you.”

Francesca glanced downward, “Two loves at the same time? That does not sound proper.”

“No, my child, not at the same time. You will see. It will all make sense, however sad it will be at times,” Letitia reached and touched Francesca’s cheek, “You will be so loved.”

Francesca smiled at her cousin then and walked away ready to accept her fate. For years she never forgot her cousin’s words; although she wanted to believe in happiness, she felt the burden of sadness in the prediction and carried that with her until she met John many years later. Her happiness in their love erased all the sadness she had felt. She knew in her heart that her cousin must be wrong. She could not possibly love another man as she felt her love for John.

“Me, me, me!” begged Hyacinth, quickly filling the seat that Francesca had vacated.

“Settle down, my young cousin. I will not be able to see anything at all if your energy is too wild,” Letitia cautioned.

Those words calmed the excited Hyacinth enough for them to proceed, and she asked, “I would like to know if fantastic adventures await me and if I will have great victories!”

Letitia performed her sequence of shuffle, cut, and flip and as she looked at the cards, she felt uncertain, telling her, “You are still so young that I am finding it more difficult to see your future than the others, but I do see some elements I can share with you.”

“Oh, goody,” clapped Hyacinth, bubbling with readiness to hear her fate.

“You will seek treasure, and you may find it, but you will already possess greater treasures.” Letitia smiled to herself having spent time with the girl over her visit and understanding her unbridled spirit before telling her, “You will need to be quiet and stealthy as a cat at times.” Nearby her two sisters smirked at that last part. “I also see words … language … something with language will be the key to finding your true love.”

Hyacinth quite liked what Letitia had told her with visions of treasure, proving others wrong, and finding true love. It all sounded exciting and romantic to her, exactly what she hoped for her own future. She thanked her cousin and then flitted from the room. Several minutes later, Hyacinth returned, tugging Gregory’s hand to join them and have his fate foretold.

Gregory addressed his spinster cousin, “Cousin Letitia, Hyacinth has told me what you can do, and I would like to hear for myself.”

“Have a seat, master Gregory,” Letitia instructed, already trying to get a read on him. “And what will your question for the cards be?”

“Well,” he said with some consideration, “I am so much younger than my brothers. Sometimes I feel forgotten. How can I set myself apart from them?”

And for the eighth time, Letitia shuffled, cut the deck, and flipped cards for a Bridgerton sibling, and then surveyed the display in front of her. “Hmm… you certainly have a knack for complicating matters. You will, in your own way, make a path for yourself and be known by your own name, not merely as someone’s brother.”

Gregory smiled a satisfied smile, but she paused him, “Take care, Gregory. I also see rejection, struggle, even violence, brotherly love, and a great love and much responsibility. Once you are certain what you want in life, it will not present itself to you easily. Keep your wits about you, and all will be well. Lose some of your wits and it may yet work out but with much consternation.” His face turned serious and he acknowledged her words, but as soon as he left the room, she chuckled to herself, sure that Gregory would not be able to keep himself out of trouble. He would manage to stay alive but most definitely not out of trouble.

Cousin Letitia would depart the next day and Violet made certain to spend time to chat with none of her children around, just to have time to spend together, cousin to cousin. After the mother of eight took a sip of tea, she remarked to her cousin, “Neither of my eldest sons is married yet and their sister will have her third season, and I must confess that I am beginning to worry about whether any of them will marry. I would so much like to see them each happily married, and I would not mind having grandchildren to dote upon.”

Her cousin smiled at her, “Patience, Violet. Those two eldest sons and their sister will marry; all of your children will.”

Violet sat up taller, “Oh, dear cousin, I had forgotten for a moment that you entertain thoughts of fortunes.”

“Yes, I know others in our Ledger family would not want me to discuss it, but I can see sometimes. I confess that I saw the loss of your dear Edmund long before it came to pass,” and she patted Violet’s hand and then held it in hers. “I saw no benefit in telling you beforehand. You could not loved him any better than you did when he was alive, and your loss would have been no less profound if you had known in advance.”

Violet took a deep breath, breathing out the sorrow that she felt every time she thought of his death, and nodded, “I imagine you are correct,” and then she turned her attention to the future, asking with a combination of hope and anxiety, “Do you see happy marriages for my children?”

“Yes, every one of them will find great love. Each spouse will be a fine addition to your family. Your children will each have struggles, but they will have long, happy marriages.”

“That is so wonderful to hear. You put me so at ease, Letitia,” and she did not want to ask too much, but she asked the next question nearest to her heart, “And grandchildren?”

“You will have almost more than you can count, my dear. Once the first arrives, one more will join your family most years, and sometimes even two in one year, and each of your children will welcome at least two, as I see it.” Violet’s face filled with joy hearing that her prodigious brood would be so prodigious themselves, and she dabbed away tears, relieved and grateful to hear of her family’s future.

Violet's cousin smiled at her and told her words that would fill Lady Bridgerton's heart, “And all of them, your sons and daughters, their wives and husbands, and all those children will fill your days with such love and joy, Violet, just as you fill theirs.”