Chapter Text
Four months later…
Anthony and Kate had made the decision to stay at Aubrey Hall until the remainder of the Bridgerton’s joined them at the end of the season. The remainder of the family however wanted to allow the newlyweds some more time alone and so chose to depart London slightly later than the rest of the ton, only arriving at Aubrey Hall two weeks ago.
Kate had to admit, while she had been trained since birth to run a household the reality was far different from what she imagined. She was still finding her feet in her new role as lady of the house and so really she hadn’t been paying too much attention to anything else than managing the house and taking care of the tenants to the best of her ability.
She had to admit she did think it odd the way Violet had looked at her two weeks ago when the rest of the Bridgerton’s arrived. She knew her body had undergone some changes since her and Anthony married, and her mama had told her it was normal for people in happy marriages to put on a little weight but the way Violet looked at her made her feel as if she was being judged for not looking after herself properly
Her and Anthony were reading themselves for bed, or rather Kate was sat at her vanity getting ready for bed while Anthony had already shrugged all his clothes off and got into bed.
She had to admit she had felt insecure since the Bridgerton’s arrived and it wasn’t until they had arrived that Kate started to notice small changes in herself. She got up from her vanity and took off her robe as she stood in front of the floor length mirror in her and Anthony’s room.
“What’s wrong?” Anthony asked as he sat up in bed
“I look different” Kate sighed as she retied the little pink ribbon holding her nightgown together at the front “It is your fault, if you did not make me so happy this would not be happening”
She shook it off as she walked towards the bed, perhaps it wasn’t all bad. Anthony seemed to particularly love the changes in her breasts recently, his eyes would always land on where they was now more cleavage on display and he was particularly attentive in bed, even if her breasts seemed to be more sensitive than usual. And just a few days ago one of the tenants commented on her hips, claiming they were ‘perfect for childbearing’ so Kate supposed that was a good thing seeing as they were trying to conceive a child. She just needed to get used to the changes she was undergoing, she was becoming a women.
“I think you look stunning” Anthony smiled as he took her hand as she sat on the edge of the bed
Kate gave him a half smile in response. She got in bed next to him, placing her head on his chest as she usually did while he placed sweet kissed to her head
They laid there in a content silence but unlike usual, Anthony was still yet to put out the candle beside his bedside
“Are you-“
He cut her off before she could speak “When was the last time you had your courses?”
“My courses? Anthony since when did you care about my-“ she cut herself off this time as realisation dawned on her
She couldn’t remember the last time she bled. Could she be-
“I cannot remember” she whispered as she sat up, mentally trying to count back. Her and Anthony married in June, she definitely had them then, the month after that she remembered having them and feeling awfully embarrassed, the month after that she cried when she realised her courses had come because it had meant their efforts to conceive a child had not worked. But she could not remember having them since.
Anthony swallowed, trying to approach this delicately “I do not mean to pick fault with your body, but I have noticed some changes myself, particularly just now as you tied your nightgown… your um… you have a slight bump on your stomach”
Kate threw the covers off and walked back to the mirror, untying her nightgown to look at her stomach and that’s when she saw what he meant. There was a bump, it was small and sat just at the bottom of her stomach but Kate was slowly piecing it together.
She hadn’t had her courses in two months at least, her body was changing, her hips widening to accommodate a baby, her breasts getting bigger to eventually fill with milk, a bump forming on her stomach. She was with child.
She suddenly broke out into tears, her hands coming to her mouth in sheer shock as she continued to cry.
“I’m sorry” Anthony sprinted from the bed to hold her “I did not mean to make you upset, I’m so sorry Kate I did not mean to make you self conscious”
Kate shook her head as she pulled away from him, tears still running down her cheeks “I’m pregnant… you did nothing wrong other than point out everything I was missing darling… I think we’re having a baby”
“I’ll call for the doctor in the morning to confirm everything, I’ll tell the family you were feeling unwell” Anthony grinned as he wiped away a stray tear on her cheek “But I believe we’re right in our suspicions”
Kate looked down at herself, now unable to not see the physical changes “As do I, I have no idea how I could have missed it”
The next day the doctor confirmed that Anthony and Kate were indeed having a baby, estimating that Kate was around two months along and their baby would be due in May. He did however comment that Kate looked slightly pale and suggested that she perhaps spend some time in bed resting and drinking plenty of fluids to prevent her from fainting, which was apparently common with pregnant women in the early months.
At the mere mention of Kate looking the slightest bit unwell Anthony was straight into his overprotective self, ordering the servants to bring her whatever she wanted and not to tell a soul about the baby until he and Kate had told the rest of the family
“I shall tell everyone you are to rest and not to disturb you” Anthony murmured as he pressed a kiss to Kates temple before he stood from the bed where he had previously been sitting
“I feel fine Anthony, slightly tired but I am fine” Kate tried to assure him even though she knew herself it would be useless
“The doctor said you need a day of rest, the servants will be up with the fruit you wanted and plenty of water and once I have warned everyone not to disturb you I shall be back” Anthony replied, and as predicted he didn’t listen to a word Kate said
Kate hummed a reply as she pushed herself further down the bed, not that she would ever admit it to Anthony but she was extremely tired so perhaps some rest would be good for her after how much work she had been doing as of late
And with a final kiss to her forehead Anthony left, what he was going to tell the rest of the family already planned in his head before he even entered the drawing room
What he didn’t anticipate however, was how invested his mother and Daphne would be from the moment they caught sight of him. Despite his efforts to be discrete, his mother had seen the doctor enter early that morning and was now extremely concerned
“Anthony is Kate alright dearest?” Violet asked “What did the doctor say?”
“She needs rest, it was just me worrying that she was coming down with something” he replied, hoping that would be the end of that
It in fact was not the end of that, it was the very beginning
“Was she sick?” Violet followed up
“She did look awfully tired yesterday when we arrived” Daphne stated, her and Simon has only arrived yesterday from Clyvedon and now his sister had joined forces with his mother to interrogate him
“She has a lot on her plate Daph, the doctor said a day of rest will do her good” Anthony responded as he sat as far as he possibly could from his mother and sister, grabbing the newspaper next to him and pretending to read
“Has she eaten at all today?” Daphne followed up and Anthony looked over his newspaper at Simon, scowling at him even though he was holding his son as he tried to telepathically communicate to get him to silence his wife
“She asked for a bowl of fruit just as I was leaving if you must know, is there anything else you desire to know Daphne?” Anthony said
There was a beat of silence and Anthony took that as his sister was satisfied, little did he know that she and his mother were currently sharing a glance
“You know Anthony, when I was pregnant with you all I ate was fruit” Violet hummed
Anthony almost dropped the newspaper, his eyes flew to his mother “What?”
“Darling I knew from the moment I saw her, have you not realised she has eaten nothing but strawberries and mangos for weeks” Violet raised an eyebrow at her son
“Mango reminds her of home, the maharaja had boxes of them sent just a few weeks ago” Anthony replied, trying to convince his mother that she was simply far too desperate for a grandchild that she was deluding herself even though his efforts seemed wasted by the satisfied smile she currently possessed
Violet got up form her seat and made her way across the room to Anthony, kissing his forehead just as she did when he was a child as she said “When you and Kate are ready to tell us, just know I am very excited to have another grandchild”
When Anthony filled Kate in an hour later when he returned to their chambers she was not best pleased to say the least that she hadn’t seen Violet and Daphne’s reactions, however after Anthony had promised to bring her some more mango while they stayed in bed for the remainder of the day together she had forgiven him for his inability to lie. Apparently a pregnant Kate was easier to please than she was before she became with child, Anthony had a feeling these were going to be the easiest seven months of his life.
Three months later…
“Anthony!”
Anthony jumped up from his seat where he had previously been enjoying a brandy with his brothers at the sound of his pregnant wife running down the hall
Before Anthony could get to the door, Kate burst in, clutching her bump for dear life
“Are you alright? What happened?” Anthony desperately asked “Is it the baby?”
“The baby’s kicking” Kate said softly as she brought his hand to rest on the swell of her stomach
And Anthony finally felt as if he could breath again. Is this what fatherhood was all about? A constant worry, feeling as if he could not breathe at the mere thought of something happening to his child? Was this now how he would spend his days?
But all of that worry quickly faded into the back of his mind as he felt his child softly kicking against his hand. He and Kate walked over to the armchair in the corner while his brothers left the room to give the couple some privacy
Kate settled herself onto Anthony’s lap as they continued to feel their child moving, lightly kicking against their hands while they remained in a content silence
“I’ve decided I want to have the baby in London” Kate said after a while, both of their hands still intertwined over her bump while their child still continued to kick
“I thought you wanted the peace the country brought while you were in your confinement?” Anthony questioned, this is what she had told him after all. Of course he would support whatever decision she made but he just wondered why Kate had the sudden change of heart
She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder “London has the best doctors, not to mention all of our family because the baby is due in the middle of the social season… I just feel as if it is the best place to be, surrounded by family and the best doctors to look after us, and then once the baby is a few months old we can travel back here for some much needed peace, as a family”
As a family
His family. He could hardly believe it, just a few months away form meeting his child he was filled with a mixture of nerves and excitement at the prospect of finally becoming a family. In his mind he imagined a little girl, with long dark curly hair and a quick wit like her mother, perhaps they would also have a little boy, with his eyes and seriousness. The thought alone of getting to do all the things his father had done with him with his own children made him feel almost giddy.
“If that is what you wish” he replied “Whatever will make you feel most comfortable, and however you wish to bring our child into the world I shall support”
Four months later…
Kate went into labour on the 26th of May 1815 and after 16 excruciating hours their child was born the following day, a girl.
Kate and Anthony kept to their promise to the Queen and named their daughter Charlotte Katherine Bridgerton and even though Kate was still in an immense amount of pain from just giving birth, her and Anthony were completely mesmerised by their perfect little girl.
“She’s gorgeous” Anthony gushed
“She is perfect” Kate agreed, chewing on her lip for a moment before she looked up to Anthony “I will give you a son one day, once I am healed we can begin-“
That was enough of that. Anthony quickly raised a hand to silence her in the most Viscount Bridgerton like gesture he had ever used in her presence “I do not need a son, yes the ton expect every man who possesses a title to have an heir but you and I have paid no mind to what the ton think for as long as we have been together, we have a perfect daughter who will be loved unconditionally by us, and if we have a son one day as will he. I would never treat my children differently based on their gender and you do not need to feel as if you must give me a son, we are long past trying to fulfil expectations”
Kate gave a watery smile as she nodded “You truly are the best husband you know”
“And you the best wife” he returned “You and Charlotte are my world, and I love both my girls always and forever”
“Always and forever” Kate repeated his words as she stared down at their baby. Every day since her and Anthony married she found herself thanking the heavens for not accepting the Duke's proposal, for finally choosing herself and for of course Anthony. He had brought her nothing but joy from the moment they met and now they had all the time in the world to enjoy the perfect family they were building.