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Aubrey Hall was gorgeous in the spring. It was magnificent in every season, but spring brought with it its own special kind of magic.
A new beginning, that’s what spring symbolised. Rebirth, restart.
After a brief stay in town, for Francesca’s presentation in court and the beginning of the season, Anthony and Kate had returned to Aubrey Hall. The family was due to join them in two days’ time, in preparation for the Bridgerton house party.
But for now, it was just them. Not the Viscount and Viscountess Bridgerton.
No, at Aubrey Hall they were simply Anthony and Kate.
When he was a kid, Anthony had always envisioned himself living at Aubrey Hall when he was older. It had always been where he felt more at home. The countryside allowed freedoms that one couldn’t have in the city.
Aubrey Hall had always been where he wanted to raise his family. So, his children could have a childhood similar to his. Simpler, with less protocol than the city required. With maybe a tree house, games of Pall Mall, hikes around the estate.
When one has a perfect, idyllic childhood, it’s normal to want one’s own kids to have the same experience.
But then the unthinkable happened.
Edmund’s death had tainted all the memories of Aubrey Hall. None of the Bridgertons could stand to spend much time in the house. The pain was too great. The family relocated to London, with only Anthony coming back regularly for estate business.
Even then, he tried to stay for as little time as possible.
His plans changed. His dreams were tucked away. He couldn’t envision ever having Aubrey Hall as his main residence. Not anymore.
Had he not married Kate, he might not have ever thought of Aubrey Hall as home again.
But he had married Kate. Even after all the stupid, dumb mistakes he had made during the season. Even after all the hurt he had caused her.
She had forgiven him. She had agreed to be his wife. She loved him.
He had never imagined that to be possible.
He had never thought he would be this happy.
Aubrey Hall was home again. Or it would be, they hadn’t been able to spend much time there yet. After the honeymoon, they had stopped over for a week before heading to London with the whole family for Frannie’s debut.
This was the first time they had the house to themselves. A quiet retreat, before the house party, the remainder of the season made their lives hectic.
The calm before the storm.
Anthony closed the ledger. Done, at least for some time. He would need to go over everything again before they departed for London.
There were times he loathed his work now, times like this when he had much rather spend time with his wife, but most be cooped up in his study, dealing with affairs of the estate.
Kate sometimes kept him company. Today was not one of those days.
He hadn’t even seen her that morning. In a rare exception to what was their normal routine, Kate had awoken and left their room before he had even stirred.
He was used to awaking first and watching her sleep.
She must have gone out riding, he mused. Or at least for a walk in the gardens, even though riding was a more likely option. He knew how his wife loved her morning rides.
He loved it when he was able to join her. It was their moment, away from the world. Just them.
Well, since he was done with his work, he could always go to the stables and if her horse wasn’t there, saddle his and try to catch up with her.
That seemed like a good plan.
Just as he was rising from his chair, he started to hear something. Softly at first but the sound was rising in volume.
Singing. Accompanied by a piano it seemed.
He walked out of the study towards the music room. He knew Kate sometimes liked to play, knew how it reminded her of a simpler time in her life.
For Kate, the piano reminded her of her childhood. How she used to play and sing duets with Edwina while their father was still alive. He knew that it had been Kate who had continued to teach Edwina how to play and sing after they had stopped being able to afford a music master.
He approached the music room now, slowly so as to not disturb her. He loved watching her play, watching her face, deep in concentration.
Only when Kate played the final notes did he enter the room.
“I hadn’t heard this one before. Did you get any new music sheets while we were in town?”
Kate looked up from the piano, slightly startled. She had meant to find Anthony after she had found a special item she had been looking for.
She hadn’t expected for him to find her first.
“No. Amma used to play this.” Kate smiled. “Or so Appa told me when I began learning the piano. He gave me all her old music sheets. I brought some with me on the journey. Others, my favourites, I have committed to memory.”
She could see Anthony’s eyes go over the piano, noticing the small music sheet there.
“You don’t know this one from memory.”
“No” Kate got up from behind the piano. “You see, I never had much chance to play this one in recent years.”
Anthony’s brows arched, eyes inquiring.
“It’s a lullaby. I thought I would get in some practice now, so I will know it by heart when I need it in some months’ time.”
“Why would you need a lullaby in some months’ time…” Anthony stopped himself, his face lighting up in expectation. “Kate are you… are we?”
Kate nodded
“I am with child.”
Anthony lunged forward and hugged her tightly, spinning her around.
“I am going to be a father? We are having a baby?”
Kate could only nod, laughing with happiness.
“How long have you known?”
“I suspected it for a while. My courses were late. And I had a doctor confirm it when we were in London.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to raise your hopes in case it was nothing. And when I knew for certain, I wanted to surprise you. I had it all planned out! I was telling you today and then you showed up and ruined my surprise!”
Anthony could tell that while Kate was slightly disappointed, her happiness was too great for a ruined surprise to affect it.
“Have I ruined it? I am sorry darling, I didn’t mean to. I just missed you when I woke up this morning. I was about to head to the stables when I heard the music and I wanted to come and find you as swiftly as I could.”
“Well, the surprise is actually why I got up so early. I needed to find something.”
Kate stepped around him to the small table on the corner of the music room where…
It couldn’t be. Was that…?
“Is that my father’s sling?”
“Yes. I was going to give it to you when I told you. I had Humboldt search everywhere for it. I thought you might want it. To take our baby on hikes. Like your father used to take you.”
“I do. I had no idea we still had it. I thought it must have gotten lost.”
“It was tucked away quite neatly in a cupboard. Maybe whoever put it away thought it would still be needed.”
“Maybe.” But Anthony wasn’t really listening anymore.
His mind had wondered to the future he now knew he could expect. A tiny baby, with Kate’s shock of dark curls, tucked into the sling as they explored the grounds of Aubrey Hall
Teaching him or her to ride and swim and hunt. He knew that any daughter of Kate would want to learn how to shoot. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
His future now looked as he had dreamed it would when he was a kid.
The road to get here had just been more tortuous than he had expected. But he could safely say that it had been worth it.
He had Kate. And soon they would have a baby.
A new beginning for the both of them, after all they had been through.
He leaned down to kiss Kate again, with a whispered
“Thank you.”