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Anthony truly shouldn’t have been surprised. Chara took after her mother in almost every way. From her dark, cascading curls to her large brown eyes full of mischief, it was clear that Anthony’s wish to have a daughter that was a miniature version of his wife had come true.
But when little Chara came up to him that morning while they were breaking their fast asking, nay demanding, that he teach her how to ride a horse, he nearly choked on his tea.
“My sweet, you are too little,” Anthony said, still coughing. “I promise, me and your amma will teach you how to ride a horse when you are bigger.”
“But papa, Neddy and Miles already know how to ride! Grandma Violet tells me all the time how big I’m getting. Please, I promise I’m ready.” Chara’s small hands were pulling on his arm, her eyes looking up towards him through her long eyelashes.
Anthony looks up at his wife, who is looking down at their daughter between them with a soft smile on her face. When Kate’s eyes met his, he couldn’t help but smile, too. Even after all these years of marriage, Kate has power over him with just a look and he was in no rush to make her relinquish that power.
“Jaanu, your papa simply wants to keep you safe.” Kate kissed the top of Chara’s head. “Ned and Miles had to wait a long time too before they could start riding.”
“But you can keep me safe while I’m riding a horse. You and papa always promise to keep me safe no matter what!” Chara declared.
“Chara…” Anthony sighed.
“Please, please, please papa, I want this so much,” Chara said, pouting her lips. “I will be good.”
Anthony took one more look at Kate. She smiled once again and gently nodded her head. Anthony pulled Chara onto his lap — he gave her a kiss on her round cheek as she wrapped her arms around him.
“Alright, Chara, I will teach you how to ride today,” Anthony looked directly at her, his eyes stern, her eyes hopeful, “If you promise to listen to everything I say, I do not want my little girl getting hurt.”
Chara nodded her head frantically, “Oh yes, I promise! I promise papa!” Her arms wrapped even more tightly around her father as she burrowed her face into his cravat. “Thank you, thank you! You’re the best papa in the world.”
Anthony said nothing, but simply hugged his daughter back.
With every one of Anthony’s children, there were moments where he wished they would stay small forever. While he also loved seeing them grow up — seeing how their personalities develop and which of Kate and his traits they get — he knows these moments are fleeting.
His oldest, Edmund, is now at Eton, growing into a handsome and kind man. Milan, the second oldest, will soon follow Edmund to Eton and everyday he grows taller and taller; someday he will probably be the tallest Bridgerton. Both of his sons are growing into distinguished men, and he couldn’t be prouder.
And Chara. His little Chara is not so little anymore.
Today she wore a bright teal dress, similar to ones her mother wears but with a shorter hemline. Her hair was braided with a matching bow at the end. Her father’s hand held hers as they walked towards the stables.
Anthony’s mind could not stop drifting to the future; to when Chara no longer wants to hold his hand. Someday, Chara’s mother will introduce her to society, with her hands covered by long silk gloves and her dress now touching the ground.
That day is not here yet, Anthony reminds himself.
It was just the two of them, seeing as Kate declined to join, as she decided to rest because of a headache. It had taken a while for Kate to convince her husband to leave her behind, as claimed he needed to be there to take care of her. Recently, she’s been needing to take more and more bed rest, worrying her dear husband.
Kate simply kissed him, before putting her finger on his mouth so he could not argue back, “Anthony, I promise I am well. It is only a headache. Go take Chara out to the stables. You know how excited she is over you finally teaching her how to ride.”
By the time they reached the stables, Chara was bouncing up and down almost non-stop, pulling on his hand to make her father go faster.
“Which horse am I going to ride papa?” Chara asked. “Oh, can I please ride Rakesh please? He is such a beautiful horse.”
Anthony cringed, thinking about Chara riding Rakesh. With a coat as dark as night and the largest of their herd, Rakesh was proudly Kate’s horse. Kate was the only one Rakesh would allow to ride him. With Kate, he was graceful yet powerful. Anthony couldn’t be too mad over Rakesh, only liking Kate — he himself knows the power she can have over both humans and animals — though that doesn’t mean he’s forgiven the horse for kicking him in the shin.
“No, my sweet. You will learn how to ride on Iris, the same horse your brothers learned on.” Anthony smiled gently, remembering the first time Ned and Miles rode Iris; both of them laughing and smiling bigger than he had ever seen before.
Anthony led Chara to the horse with a golden mane and a brown coat. As picked up his daughter, Iris bent down her head, her eyes now level with Chara.
“Iris is a gentle mare,” Anthony said while reaching out to pet the top of Iris’ white nose. “She seems to like Bridgerton children the best. I’m sure she is just as excited as you are for you to ride her for the first time.”
Chara tentatively reached out her arm to mimic her father’s motions. They continue to brush her nose, Chara’s brushes getting more confident each time. She giggled as Iris snorted.
“She is a silly horse,” Chara said, smiling. “I like her very much already.”
“Very good, Chara,” Anthony laughed. “Now, let us put a saddle on Iris and teach you how to ride.”
It took over an hour to convince Chara to be done riding for the day. From the moment she first got on, it became clear that she had inherited her parents’ talent for horse riding. Despite her still being a little girl, there was an elegance to her, so like her amma.
Chara was still beaming with joy as she ran through the house to the drawing room where her Grandma Violet was visiting. Anthony greeted his mother, but it was clear that Charlotte had already grabbed Violet’s attention as she prattled on about her day.
Anthony watched for a moment of his daughter’s storytelling, but headed upstairs to his and Kate’s bedroom. He imagined soon that Chara would follow him — regaling her mother with the same story of her day — but for now; he took this moment alone to check on his wife.
As he opened the door to their bedroom, he found Kate laying on their bed on top of the covers with a book in her hands. She smiled at him as he closed the door behind him.
“How are you feeling, my love?” Anthony said as he took off his shoes.
“Much better, especially now that you are here. How is Chara?” Kate said as rearranged the pillows on the bed, eventually patting on blankets signaling him to join her.
“I believe we have a future equestrian on our hands,” Anthony laughs as he joins Kate on their bed, her arms wrapping around him as he rests his head on her chest. Moments like these are some of their favorites, where they are simply enjoying each other’s company, feeling the other’s skin on theirs. Anthony slid his hand up and down Kate’s arm. “It’s unfortunate you couldn’t have joined us. I’m afraid she will soon like the horses more than us.”
Kate laughed, “There will be plenty of moments for me to join Chara as she rides. I’m sure in no time she will be even better than me. She will win every race indeed.”
“God, don’t make me think about that,” Anthony murmured. “A trot was the fastest I allowed her to go. It’s enough that she convinced us to let her on a horse. I don’t want to think of her getting hurt from riding too fast.”
Kate put her hand under her husband’s chin, tilting it up towards her. She pressed a gentle kiss onto his face, the lines on his face dissipating. “Anthony, I know you worry about Chara. You do about all our children. It’s one of the many reasons why I love you. But inevitably, they will all grow up. We can’t keep them sheltered from the world, otherwise they’ll never get to experience the beauties of it.”
Anthony sighed. He knew Kate was right, she usually was on most matters. Still, he could not remove the vision of his children when they were newborns, so small, needing their parents for everything. “Indeed, I just can’t help but miss when we were their entire worlds. Soon Ned, Miles, and even Chara will not need us anymore.” Anthony felt his eyes get warm, a tear falling soon after.
“Oh Anthony, just because they grow up does not mean they won’t need us anymore,” Kate hugged him even closer against her. “With Chara, especially, we have plenty of time with her still being little. She didn’t just get on a horse today. She needed you to help her. There are plenty of things we still need to teach all our children. Edmund and Milan will get their education from Eton, but we are the ones to teach them how to love, to be kind. That family comes before all.”
“I do love seeing them grow up. Sometimes wish that just one more time I could experience this. I don’t wish for you to think I don’t love our family of five because I do. I just can not help but wish that I could see our children so small again, see them experience the world for the first time all over again.”
“Well, if it is another baby that you want, then you are lucky, as you will be getting another one soon,” Kate said, with a cheeky grin on her face.
Anthony froze before his wide eyes shot up towards her. “Kate, what are you talking about?”
“Are you truly surprised, my husband? I have suspected for weeks now, questioning why I have felt ill and needed more bed rest.” Kate grabbed Anthony’s hand, placing it on her stomach. “I’m pregnant, Anthony.”
Anthony’s heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t that he and Kate ever intentionally stopped having children. They certainly were still intimate with each other. But after Chara, Kate never seemed to get pregnant again.
Kate continued, “I am surprised myself, but the doctor confirmed it.” Kate paused. “You are happy, right? I assumed that you would want this since—”
“Kathani, stop,” Anthony interrupted. “I couldn’t be happier, I just-” His eyes started watering again, “I just can’t believe my dream is coming true. We’re having another baby.”
“We are, we are Anthony.” Kate was now full of tears as well as she put her hands on the sides of his face, pressing her lips to his. “I love you so much.”
“And I love you,” Anthony said, kissing her again. “I will love this child just as much as I have loved you and our children.”