Chapter Text
Kathani Sharma is no stranger to unpredictable events, she believes her life has accustomed her to such situations. Whether it was being thrust into the arms of a new step-mother, a half sister soon following or then caring for said sister while grieving her father.
Kate believes her life has trained her so that very few things manage to throw her off guard. However, with all her wit and obstination, she hasn’t a clue on how to navigate what she is currently met with.
Unable to settle in the foreign halls of the estate belonging to the Bridgerton family, Kate had left her chambers to get some air. As she stepped, she was acutely cautious of the storm outside, restless as the flashes of white pummeled the air outside. She remembers catching a glimpse of a library when Miss Eloise had stepped into a room earlier, was she overstepping by going inside? She was merely a guest. Would it be wise to wander around a family’s manor like this?
As another flash of lightning hit, too close to the windowsill for Kate’s liking, she no longer cared to dwell on formalities. Pushing the door open, her eyebrows furrowed slightly seeing a few candles lit.
Just as an apology rested on the tip of her tongue, she was met by the smile of Lord Bridgerton. At least, she was fairly certain that it was Lord Bridgerton. He looked a few years earlier than he did at the hunt earlier, and his facial hair had grown uncannily fast in the span of a few hours but Kate was certain that was the viscount. She just could not understand how?
And she could not understand why the viscount was looking at her so fondly, beckoning her over with a soft murmur of her name. When did they begin to address each other so informally? Was it because of the incident with the bee earlier in the week? This was the first time in years where Kate could remember having so many questions that seemed near impossible to answer in her lonesome?
“Lord Bridgerton?” she began, as much as her pride argued with her brain, she needed some sort of insight into whatever was going on. “Why do you… why did you call me Kate?”
She watched as Lord Bridgerton’s forehead creased lightly into a frown, except this was not the look of pique she had grown accustomed to seeing on him during the season. No this was entangled with warmth. The type she recalls seeing on her parents’ faces whenever they would tease each other, or the type that would cross her own face whenever she was exasperated with Edwina in a playful manner.
“Has my negligence in calling you darling warranted me being treated as a stranger?” Lord Bridgerton countered her question, his voice laced with mirth.
Darling? The viscount must have fallen quite ill.
“Are you quite well, My Lord?” Kate all but scoffed, appalled at everything that was happening. Every second that passed she was only overcome with more confusion, more questions that only seemed further away from being answered. “I do not know what has overcome you after our encounter with the bee, but it is most inappropriate for you to address me in such a manner. If Edwina hears-”
“I suspect Miss Edwina would not be able to hear me all the way from India, my love.” The viscount responded easily, closing his notebooks and circling his desk to step closer to Kate, “And I equally suspect she would not have any objections to how I address my beautiful wife.”
Any argument Kate wanted to bite back with quickly ceased in her throat at his words, curling up and making her almost choke on it. Edwina was in India? Wife? Yes, the viscount must be quite unwell.
His body pressed closer while his right hand rested on the curve of her hip, the left brushing her hair back in a touch of familiar and gentle Kate could not help but feel drawn to it, so naturally it almost felt biological. Logically, Kate knew this could not be right but it felt so much like it should be. But unlike the day where she found herself so close to the viscount, it did not have that rush of adrenaline that came from doing something so risky, no. This felt right, on every possible metric. It was not a rush of passion, it was a serene warmth, with no reason to end or danger of being interrupted.
“My Lord I.. am so terribly confused by these circumstances.” Her voice whispered out, tone much more soft than she was used to using with Lord Bridgerton over the last few weeks.
“Anthony,” he corrected her gently amidst a small smirk tugging at his lips, “I believe addressing me as such will help you gain a sense of comprehension of the situation. That or love. Or my wonderfully handsome husband, I believe you have said that a few times too.”
Despite herself, Kate could not stop the small huff of laughter escaping her lips. “And even if this is unnatural to me, I do believe you exaggerate on your last claim, My lord.”
For a split second, Kate assumed she had done something terribly wrong to offend the viscount. His gaze dropped slightly all the while a breathy groan cascading from his throat, of course Kate could only deduce his actions came from being utterly frustrated at her confusion.
“Darling, you must stop calling me that,” his voice was but a low rasp, lips inching closer to her own.
And Kate was achingly close to simply leaning in. The brush of the short hairs of his beard tickling against her skin egged her on. Clearly Lord Bridgerton would not mind, clearly she was not overstepping even if she could not think of why.
But again, before she could begin to dwell further upon her options, the crack of lightning struck again, perhaps hitting a poor unsuspecting tulip in the garden. Its sound punished Kate’s ears, a small gasp of fear escaping her.
Without any words exchanged, the viscount wrapped his arms around Kate, the action drawing her closer and allowing her to burrow her face into the warmth of his chest. She could feel his hand begin to run through her hair, ever so careful so as to not tug on the fine strands.
“Its quite deafening tonight, I can only hope it does not awaken Neddy.” He murmured absentmindedly while leading Kate to the desk, helping her sit upon it. His hands found solace on her waist, his touch equally firm and gentle, grounding her with it.
It felt routine, Kate observed. It seems as though the viscount was aware of her trepidation that coincided with storms and Kate was beyond finding the answer, there were simply too many questions.
“Anthony..” she started slowly, noting the upward curve of Lord Bridgerton’s lips when she finally addressed him as such, “I am still quite far from comprehending the situation but, if you will humour me, would you please.. explain what exactly we are to each other.”
It seemed as though the viscount- Anthony, was beginning to realise that the Kate in his arms could not possibly be the same he was holding in the halls just before she departed to put Neddy to sleep. Or the Kate he complained to about the state Benedict had left his ledgers in during their trip to India. Or even the Kate he went to India with. The Kate in front of him, in his arms, was the one who was set in making sure Anthony would never successfully court her sister. The one so maddeningly stubborn he could not help but fall in love with her.
Anthony smiled at her, almost bemused at the thought of witnessing this Kate in the flesh, even if how such circumstances came to be would ache his head if he tried to find reason within them. He would be lying if he said he did not often wonder how both a younger he and Kate would react to their marriage, the life they now lead together with love.
“Well, viscountess,” his voice was practically merry, “it goes without saying that we are married. Very happily so- not at all any hard work so do not let yourself think it is-”
“Your words lead me to believe there is some effort, Anthony.” Kate interrupts easily, an amused smile gracing her face.
“Well, no marriage is without it. Ours is simply less hard work than Colin’s.” His grin grew wider hearing her laughter, very rarely did he ever manage to hear her laugh back then, especially in response to his words. “We have a beautiful son together, little Neddy. He has your eyes and it is quite precious.”
Kate’s heart stuttered at that. A son? It was something she never believed possible for her, so focused on making sure her sister was taken care of that she never thought she would have time for herself to settle. And when she could perhaps find time, it would be far too late. She would have been a spinster and quite content with it, but forever dwelling on the possibility of having her own family.
“And is he.. happy?” Kate asked, perhaps it was a foolish question but she needed to be satisfied that she is a capable mother.
“Neddy? Well I should hope so, he is merely two. I cannot imagine he has many gripes other than getting hungry.” Anthony felt his wife’s head move as she laughed softly against him, her breath tickling his neck.
He couldn’t help but pull her closer, wrapping her tightly in her arms. During their many nights together, Kate had opened up to him about how she felt during this time and Anthony’s heart ached imagining the emotional turmoil that must have been plaguing her. So he holds her closer, hoping it would grant her any comfort.
“I mean it when I say we are happy. You do not need to worry, Kate.” He smiled, hoping she would believe him.
“I do not question that, My Lord. I merely wonder whether I will be so lucky as to have the same fate as the Kate you are used to seeing.” Her voice was a bittersweet wisp, set in believing that the universe could not bless her more than once but Anthony was determined in making her realise that Kathani deserved every happiness the universe could possibly offer.
“Well, I am confident we would fall in love given any possible circumstance.”
“I hope you are right, Lord Bridgerton.”