Chapter Text
Bridgerton House
15th April 1815
Kathani Sharma, Viscountess Bridgerton, walked into her husband’s study and announced, “I’m finishing my letters here.” In her hands were several invitations that required replies. The sunny spring day poured in through open curtains.
Anthony Bridgerton looked up from his books and nodded, “If you like. Is the sitting room too warm?”
“Too loud,” Kate said and huffed a sigh. A chorus of voices echoed down the hallway, and Anthony chuckled, clearing a spot. Within a few minutes, they were each absorbed in their tasks, the scratch of the pen's nib alternating with the soft rustle of pages turning. As she finished one page, setting it aside to dry, Anthony bumped her arm with his in a silent 'I'm glad you're here' gesture.
A different noise came down the hall, not the laughter or siblings teasing each other, but Violet Bridgerton’s voice raised in anger, “Colin Bridgerton!”
Kate glanced at her husband, and he shook his head, not bothering to look up from his work. “Ignore it. It’s always a game with Colin. He likes to see how much innuendo he can get away with in front of the girls before Mother works it out or Benedict starts laughing. The girls don't know what he's talking about, so he has his fun aggravating Mother.”
“The girls do not understand? Your mother hasn’t given them an idea of how things…work?” Astonished, Kate paused, her pen held over the ink.
“No. They’re young ladies, and that’s Mother’s….” Anthony waved a hand slightly, happy to leave that in his mother’s hands.
Colin came strolling by, hands in his pockets and smirking at his success. Leaning against the doorway, the third-born Bridgerton gave Kate a smug grin, "It's almost too easy to get her going."
Anthony sighed and continued counting, “Mother’s going to kill you one of these days.”
“Ah, first, she must show she knows what I am talking about.” Colin turned to Kate, inviting her to share in the joke. “Mother is quite…reserved when it comes to such things.”
Kate carefully wrote the salutations at the top of a new letter, her penmanship neat but slow. Responding to invitations was the first responsibility Violet Bridgerton happily passed down to the latest Viscountess. “It doesn’t seem fair to use the girls’ ignorance as a joke, brother.”
“Fair does not apply with the Bridgertons.”
Four days later, Kate took what was now her customary place at Anthony’s left. His right side became problematic when he wrote with his right hand and her left, leading to the constant bumping of elbows. The noise down the hall was at its normal levels, but like her husband, Kate found it comforting background noise at this distance.
This time, Kate wasn’t surprised when Violet’s angry “Colin!” burst out. On the other hand, Anthony's head lifted when a chorus of disgusted female voices joined in. Kate merely smiled and continued addressing invitations to her first ball hosted as Lady Bridgerton.
Colin hurried into the study, looking behind him as if expecting a hurled fan or biscuit, “That was….”
Kate looked up with an overly sweet smile, “Enlightening?” She saw Benedict stumble past, his head thrown back in laughter and clapping his hands together like this was the best thing he’d seen in ages.
Anthony put down his pen and leaned back in his chair, an appreciative grin crossing his face, “What did you do, Kate?”
“Only what any good daughter-in-law should do. I spoke with Violet the other day and asked her if she thought, with two girls out this season, would she like me to talk to them as a sister about what to expect if they marry. She was very grateful.” Seeing Colin’s astonishment, Kate reminded him, “Fair does not apply to Bridgertons, remember?”