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The Viscount Lord Anthony Bridgerton was turning 30 and everyone who loved him was organizing a big party to celebrate him at no other then Aubrey Hall , the house where he was born and got married to the love of his life .
He loved that house , it was full of memories , good and bad , from his childhood to his father's death , to the first pall mall with Kate , to his mistake with the proposal to Edwina and then finally to the wedding he really wanted .
This was his family's home and it was so nice to finally be able to live it again and fill it with so many memories , now happier and with a new generation joining it and adding their own layer of story to the building .
For the first time in many years he agreed to a proper , stylish celebration of his birthday but he should have known better than blindly go in with three strong , capable , determinated women in charge of the preparations .
He should have known that it would have been like leaving the two of his little siblings unsupervised with a box full of materials for pranks : pure and assured chaos .
So , since he didn't do a better choice , or at least a safer one that included him having some kind of decisional control or at least a veto , here he was .
Less than two weeks were left to his birthday and he was really swamped , Violet had already invited half of the ton and not all just because there weren't enough bedrooms for everyone or she would have done it .
Daphne has moved back there for the time being to help , bringing with her half of the staff of Clyvedon and all her closet and only welcome guest his adorable nephew Augie who already run around and away from the noises just like his biggest Uncle , also giving him an excuse to do the same by simple following him .
And then of course last by not least his wife Kate organizing the little details and doing everything in her power to craft him some moments alone and of peace during the weekend of celebrations , the gift he would have asked for and that she knew he wanted without needing to ask aloud .
Weirdly for no one his brothers showed up to lend a hand only when it was time to choose the menu , at the word food all their so unmovable appointments were cancelled , so typical .
But Benedict did help Daphe to decide the pattern of the decorations of the dinner room and they picked up together the furniture , it has been nice to see them this close and spend time together , it hasn't happened this often after her sister's wedding . It was something inevitable but he did love it anyway .
That's why he was enjoying so much the lunch that day , all of them finally sincronized and sit at the same table , from Mama and Kate , passing to him and Daph and then all their siblings down to Gregory and up again to the start of the alphabet with Augie and Beatrice and his beloved son Edmund who was making a mess out of his own food like all babies .
All that chatting , all that bickering , all that love . Anthony felt a rush of happiness and feeling very lucky this was the family fate choice for him .
" Brother , are you smiling ? " Daphne noticed while putting down her fork . " He is , please everyone stop whatever you're doing . We must rush someone to inform Lady Whisteldown of this event ! I mean I witnessed it and i don't believe it but her pen is so good I will once I'll have it seen it printed from her " she shameless teased him .
" Hush you , there's nothing to let everyone know . And even if it were it's not unusual for me to smile . " Anthony remarks .
" Ah , that's funny . Maybe it's true when you're around Kate but inexplicably we don't rise the same reaction in you . " Colin comments . " I wonder why " he reply with a murmur loud enough to still be heard .
" If you want to know I was feeling grateful for you all but you made me regret it really fast . " Anthony continued . " Wow a real declaration of love , that's better than any book I've read this year . " Eloise said .
" I'm sure it doesn't includes me , I am adorable . " Is Hyacinth comment . " If there's someone who is our brother's favorite it's me . " Gregory makes everyone know . " Children please stop " Violet reprimand them .
" If his level of overprotectivess is proportional to his love then I am definitely he's favorite " Daphne joins the challenge for the title of favorite sibling .
" He went to me to ask for love advices , this recognition gives me without a doubt the win " Benedict states " and I'm also the second , I know him from longer than all of you . "
" I am Anthony and Kate's cupido , none of you can compete with that , is Colin's argument . " So brother who it is your favorite ? " Hyacinth asks demanding an answer in name of all the Bridgertons .
Baby Edmund choses this moment to babble and in his way join the family discussion . " I guess he just bested all of you " Kate says making everyone laugh and resume to eat and get back to the conversation left unfinished .
Anthony gives his wife a silent thank you , he really was lucky for every family member he has and she definitely earned the number one placement .