[2] The Queen Mother of Württemberg | A. Bridgerton

Chapter 2

Each passing moment weighed heavily on Anthony's chest, making it arduous to draw a steady breath. The labyrinth of his mind echoed with countless worst-case scenarios, each one a relentless specter haunting his thoughts.

He couldn't shake the worry for Katharina, the enchanting princess he had encountered during her visit to London. Anton, the young prince with whom he had formed an indelible bond, occupied a corner of his mind. Thoughts of Amalia, the cherubic princess who never failed to elicit smiles and tighten her grip around his fingers, tugged at his heartstrings. And then there was Charlotte – the woman who held not only his heart but also his deepest fears and anxieties.

The uncertainty surrounding the well-being of Charlotte and her children kindled an inferno of frustration within Anthony. The inability to ascertain their safety fueled a raging tempest of emotions, each wave crashing against the walls of his stoic facade.

"Anthony?" The Dowager Viscountess called for her son. "Anthony."

"Nobody knows of Charlotte's well-being," he responded, not taking his eyes off the newspaper on his desk. "Not even if she is alive, captured...or worse."

"I'm sure Charlotte is fine," she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Newspapers might exaggerate, or—"

"What if they're not?" He questioned, and sighed heavily. "I'm scared for Anton and Amalia. They don't deserve to lose both parents at such a young age."

"I read the newspapers. It says they are safe with their brothers in Württemberg," Violet squeezed his shoulder in reassurance. "They are just babies and of royal blood. No one would dare to hurt them."

"Wilhelm, Katharina and Paul have already lost their birth mother... They don't deserve to lose the one who raised them too," behind the frustration, Anthony could feel the tears that wanted to form his eyes. "Anton and Amalia have already lost their father... God forbid they lose their mother."

"Charlotte wouldn't have wanted you to—"

"Do not speak of her like she's gone, Mother," he stated. "She's not."

Anthony Bridgerton's stomach churned with anxiety at the mere possibility of harm befalling Charlotte. The mere notion of her absence brought tears to his eyes as he envisioned the heartache that Anton and Amalia must be enduring, deprived of their mother's comforting presence and tender goodnight kisses. The thought of the void left in their lives by Charlotte's absence, particularly in the midst of turmoil and conflict, weighed heavily on him.

Even Willem and Paul, though grown, were not immune to the tumult of emotions swirling within him. He couldn't help but wonder about their well-being, knowing the hardships they had endured since childhood—losing their birth mother at a tender age, followed by the recent passing of their father. Now, faced with the harrowing reality of Charlotte's disappearance amidst the chaos of war, his concern for their welfare deepened. The fragility of their familial bonds, stretched thin by tragedy and uncertainty, haunted him as he grappled with the enormity of their shared loss.

"Ah! Here you are, Anthony," Benedict opened the door of the study and walked in. "Brother, I'm off to White's. Would you like to join me?"

"Yes! Yes, Benedict. Your brother needs to clear his head," Violet smiled at her son. "Perhaps a drink might be just what he needs."

"A drink? It's not even midday, Mother," Benedict chuckled.

"Oh, and you think I don't know what men drink in White's, Benedict?" She scoffed. "I doubt you go there for a cup of tea."

Benedict couldn't help but chuckle at his mother's witty remark, but as he glanced at his brother, Anthony, he sensed the weight of worry bearing down on him. It was evident that Anthony's thoughts were consumed by concern for Charlotte and her family, a burden he shouldn't have to bear alone, yet one that weighed heavily on him nonetheless.