Archive of Our Own ^beta

Gregory awoke with a start, a cold sweat enveloped his bare chest.  The room was warm from an unusually hot summer leaving the air of the bedchamber heavy.  He lifted himself to a sitting position and wiped the remaining sleep out of his eyes.  The space next to him was empty and cool, the sheets tight and smooth, screaming with a lack of use.

Was his nightmare real?  Had she married another man?  Had he been a coward and never come to her aid to reveal the truth?  Gregory shook his head, the tension forcing the haze away.  He looked to the sheets again and paused before a chuckle escaped him.

Of course her side of the bed was made…  this was Lucy .  Only his Lucy would rise in the middle of the night and still tidy her surroundings.  Gregory looked toward the partially opened window, curtains closed but flitting about with the mild summer breeze.  There was no light but that of the half-moon, it was still night.  Why was she awake and out of bed at this hour?

Worry filled him and he quickly rose to his feet, his knees protesting at the sudden exertion.  Gregory pulled on his plain white nightshirt before making his way into the hall of the family wing of Aubrey Hall, quiet midnight filling the space.  He moved silently to find his wife, not disturbing the peaceful slumber of his brother’s family.

Newly married, Gregory and Lucy, were invited to stay at Aubrey Hall until they were able to establish their own household.  Though, they both knew the real reason was that Anthony and Kate wished to shield them from the scandal and gossip that had ensued amongst Britain's ever-curious and invasive beau monde.  Still, it had been nice to return to the tranquility of his family’s ancestral seat.  Only more special now as it was where he had met his wife.  It was where he had found with Lucy, a best friend.  More importantly, it was where he had learned the meaning of true love, the kind of love one could both flourish under and drown within in a single moment.  As Gregory lit a candle, he could only smile and shake his head at the tumultuous start of their forever.

The upstairs library was his first destination.  Maybe she had found herself restless and looked for a book.  A commonality for the both of them as the day drew near.  The space was empty, untouched, so he continued his search.  Traversing the main staircase into the small dining area, he expected to see her possibly snacking on fresh fruit, cheese, or biscuits that Cook had taken to leaving at ready for Lucy.  Gregory was sure this was at the request of the Viscountess, Kate was ever thoughtful and protective of her young sister-in-law.

The room was dark, the table of edible delights picked at but no Lucy was present.  Looking forward Gregory saw the dim light spilling through a cracked open door.  His hand pushed the hard surface forward, his heart swelling at the sight before him.

Lucy was sat in slumber at the small table, head slumped toward her chest.  One hand loosely resting on a half-filled cup of milk, the other cradled against her heavily rounding abdomen.  A lone candle sat burning, casting an ethereal glow across the unruly blonde tendrils tied behind her.  She looked like an angel in that moment and truly he thought she was nothing less.  Lucy was his angel… had saved his life… given him purpose.

“Lucy” Gregory whispered softly.  Kneeling at her side, he placed his hand above her own.  The pair of them came together to cradle their still-growing child.  When Lucy’s pregnancy had been revealed to them soon after their marriage, it did not take advanced math to realize the babe was likely a product of their first night of lovemaking.  When his mother, Violet Bridgerton, had realized as much she had blushed but quickly reflected that maybe Gregory and Lucy’s brood would rival her own one day with any luck.  Lucy had turned white at the notion.

“Lucy, my love… wake up.”  Gregory crooned in a sing-song voice when she did not rouse from his prior musings.

“Wha-what…”  Lucy spoke as she stirred from her previous state of sleep.  Her hand moved from the lightly steaming cup to rub across her face.  Lucy looked at him, face scrunching in confusion.  “Gregory… Why are you up?” She asked, a haze still present in her voice.

“I woke up and you were gone.”  Gregory replied softly.

“Another nightmare?”  Lucy asked, her brows drooping in worry as she grew more aware.  He shook his head in the affirmative.  “I’m sorry.”  She apologized, not for anything of her own design.  Simply because there was something that plagued him that she could not resolve.

“There is nothing to worry about after,” Gregory added, his fingers still cradled against her own, thumb stroking the soft skin of her palm.  “Come back to bed?”  He asked, rising to his feet.

“I need to finish my drink,” Lucy replied, gesturing toward the cooling glass.  “It was too hot… I fell asleep.”  She explained and picked up the cup.  Lucy’s lips curled to blow lightly against the liquid before taking a small sip.  A contented sigh released from within her as she drank.  “That’s better…  Go to bed, I will join you shortly.” 

“I would rather stay.”  Gregory replied, moving a chair to sit closely behind her.  She leaned forward knowingly and Gregory’s hands came to rest on her lower back, kneading softly at the tension that was ever present as of late.  A moan of relief escaped Lucy at the motion.

“God… that is wonderful,”  Lucy spoke in praise.  “Keep going… a little lower if you will.”  She encouraged.

“So scandalous Lady Lucinda.”  Gregory joked as his fingers continued to massage at the flesh of her back.

“Hmmm…”  Was Lucy’s only response and he could almost hear the smile at his teasing remark.  Greg continued for the next few minutes, easing the tension from her strained muscles.  Still, he sensed that she had come down for more than a refreshment.

“Was thirst the only reason you awoke?”  Gregory asked into the quiet of the night. 

“Thinking…  thinking of names for him.”  Lucy added, her voice soft and languorous from his actions.  He imagined it was what a cat would sound like if it were inclined to speak after stretching.

“He?  I thought we agreed that he would be a she ?”  Greg remarked.  It was a game they had started to play, all of the occupants of Aubrey Hall, on guessing the sex of the baby.  Even Anthony had chimed in with his prediction.

“We have but I should still like to be prepared.”  Lucy responded with certainty.

Of course, Lucy would need to be prepared.  He was silly to have thought otherwise.

“Ideas?”  Gregory asked before quickly adding.  “Not… Richard.”  Though the two men had warmed considerably to one another, he still found himself unable to forgive the man for not having an eye to the distress his sister suffered at her arranged marriage to Haselby.  Even worse, the man had been aware of Haselby’s preferences and still did not even warn her beforehand.  The protection of Lucy had been the man’s duty and he had failed, much too tied up in his own lust for Lucy’s friend, Hermione.  No, Gregory wasn’t sure he could ever forgive the man.

“Gregory… He’s my brother, and he is young.”  Lucy said with a sigh, continuing.  “It is not the same as it is with you and Anthony.”

No, Richard Abernathy could not be considered half the man that was his brother.  Still, Gregory had heard the exhaustion in his wife’s voice.  There was no point in further distressing her with this topic, it had been argued to no end.

“Well… we have decided on Kate for a girl, but if you are to name a baby after your sibling, surely I am allowed the same…”  Gregory replied and mischief laced his tone as it trailed.

“No!” Lucy shouted before realizing the hour and bringing her voice to a whisper.  “We are not having eight children.”  She turned to the extent possible in her condition, to face him.

“We would need to have ten of these,”  Lucy waved at her large belly.  “... to get through the lot of them.”  She finished with a huff before adding.  “Besides… Hyacinth hates me.”

“She does not hate you,”  Gregory replied, but he knew his sister.  “Ok… maybe this will go toward convincing her of how wonderful you are.”

“We’re not naming our first child after Hyacinth, we’ve agreed upon Kate,”  Lucy responded smartly.  “Do you truly think your sister will hate me for as long as it takes to reach your preferred count of offspring?”  She asked in jest.  Her face quickly went white and Gregory realized that she had come to the understanding that it was possible for Hyacinth to hold a grudge for that long.

“I will speak with her again.”  Gregory added softly, before bringing his finger to stroke her cheek.  He leaned forward to place a soft kiss against her worried brow.

The room turned silent once more.  Lucy returned to slowly polish off her now cooled glass of milk and Gregory continued to softly massage her strained back.  

“Are you ready to return to bed?”  Gregory asked, his hand scratching at the back of her scalp before he rose to his feet and offered his hand.  Lucy nodded and they walked together toward the door.

“I will massage your feet and ankles when we get upstairs.”  Gregory offered, pulling her to his side.

Lucy smiled up at him and moved to place a light kiss against his cheek.

“You are still not getting ten.” She said with a joyous laugh.