💗 Author's note and extra! 💗
Hi guys! I hit 100k a little while ago which is AMAZING!
So, I don't really have anyone to celebrate with because my family would only mock me if they knew I was writing fanfiction, and I really can't be bothered with that so... so I wanted you guys to celebrate with me!
I've just written an extra scene that fits in with the arrival at Aubrey hall, it's nothing special but just a sweet little Benedict chapter to say thank you so much.
All my love,
Ruby x
(Ps I saw this tweet and it's about a new song but it was too perfect for me to not include 😂 we stan Luke Newton x)
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I do not think either of us realised how far Aubrey actually was from London. It was not far enough for us to bring refreshments, or as far as the journey to Gretna green had been. And if we could survive hours in a carriage with Pen, who could not keep her eyes off Colin, and Colin, who merely sat oblivious to any kind of affection, I was sure that we could survive this shorter journey together.
With his gentle arms wrapped around my shoulder, I melt into his body, the most comfortable I can ever remember having been. Everything feels so perfect at this moment, everything is wondeful and I would not wish for anything at all to change. Apart from perhaps the constant nauseous feeling that is overcoming me and is not helped by the swaying carriage. "Benedict?"
"Yes, my darling wife?" His lips are soft as they touch the top of my head, the tips of his fingers running small circles around on my shoulder to comfort me. "Is everything quite alright? You are looking particularly queasy... is it too much time spent alone with me that is making you sick, my love?"
"I believe it to be actual sickness. May we stop the carriage? I am sure... I am sure..." I squeeze my eyes shut, I can say no more, I must concentrate on not being sick all over my husband and his carriage. He does not need me to say anymore, of course, merely banging his strong fist on the carriage door so it grinds to a halt instantly and we are stopped so that I may quickly clamber out and throw up what I had for breakfast this morning.
"Oh, my poor Peaches." He is not squeamish, and I am thankful for that. He crouches down beside me, his fingers running gently along the back of my neck until he catches hold of my hair, holding it in a loose grip. His other hand holds my own, his fingers intertwining with mine, his thumb moving slowly left and right to ensure that I know he is there. "I do hope that a child shall be worth all of this hassle. My goodness, what shall we do if we have a baby and it ends up like Anthony!"
"We shall not... not ever... I shall never allow my children to grow such sideburns." After I am quite sure I am done, he takes the initiative to dab at the corners of my mouth with a handkerchief, holding onto me tightly as I slump back into him. "Anthony was only so awful since he had to become the head of the family. I do not plan on allowing you to go anywhere."
"And I plan on being around forever, Peaches. You needn't worry about any of that. All we need worry about is getting you back into that carriage, my dear, my darling, so that we may get home." Benedict leans to kiss my lips, quickly changing his mind once he recalls why we are out the carriage, and so puckers his lips onto my head once again, careful as he assists me in rising to my feet and helping me back into the carriage.
After only one more needed stop, we reach Aubrey hall. I could not have pictured a more beautiful and appropriate place for myself and Benedict to live. The house is wonderful, of course, but it is not the house that grabs my attention. It is the landscape that surrounds it, the greens and the yellows of the nature, the flowers and the willow tree that hangs straight outside the door. I can see why it is that he enjoys it here so much in his summers as a child, it suits him perfectly. "Oh... Benedict... it is so lovely!"
"It is indeed. That is why I grow only more and more shocked that Anthony is allowing us to reside at our country seat... I am quite sure we shall receive a letter very quickly detailing that he no longer wishes for us to stay here. So... better make the most of it, darling!" I squeal slightly as he sweeps me from my feet, so that he is carrying me in his arms. I am not heavy and I am sure that the baby shall not be making too much difference just yet, and so he carries me into the hall with ease, kicking the door with his foot so that it swings open. "Oh, Peaches, you are certainly going to love it here."
"Oh, I am? Well, I shall like the full tour!" I hold my arms around his neck and kiss his cheek gently, taking in the entrance way with a smile.
He begins to attempt to place me back on the floor but I grip onto his shoulders in a way that tells him I am not considering going anywhere. "Oh, you wish to test how strong I am, is that what this is? Well, I may not train and I may not box but... well, there is no but. I am an artist, I do not have any upper body strength but I shall try my best for you... and onto the dining room!"
The dining room is just lovely. There are not many more words for it. It is so pleasant to look at, and with every room he carries me to and from, I am sure that they cannot become more beautiful and yet every time I find myself to be wrong. It is so wonderful and I cannot believe that I am to live here with the most wonderful man in the world. I express this to him as he finally finishes the grand tour of the house and places me gently down onto one of the settees, taking a crossed leg seat on the floor in front of me so that he may hold my hand and stroke gently down my fingers, one by one. "You are... I am the luckiest lady in the entire world to have been blessed with a husband like yourself, Benedict."
He likes to hear this, I can tell he does in the way that his smile grows, revealing those perfectly wonky teeth as he does. I am sure for a moment that his cheeks flush a little red. "I do not think I have told you enough how utterly in love with you I am, my dear. If you knew how absolutely infatuated I was with you then you would know that it has absolutley nothing to do with luck, darling. You deserve the world, and I intend on giving you the world."
I giggle a little as he plants a small kiss on each of my knuckles before he pushes his hands into his knees to help himself stand. "And where do you think you are going, Mr Bridgerton? Your pregnant wife requires that you stay right here."
"Oh, and I suppose my pregnant wife does not wish for the ever so lovely surprise I have planned for this evening?" Benedict raises an eyebrow as he holds a supportive hand towards me, and so I take it, tilting my head to the side, quizzical. "Do not ask where we shall go for I shall not say a word, my dear! Not a word, you must be patient and you must wait."
"Patience has never been my virtue but then it has never been yours either... who is it who could not wait until after our marriage to ruin me, hm?" I raise a soft eyebrow as I look at him and he only laughs.
"If you saw yourself as I see you then you would have also been unable to wait. Now... it is not much but... well. There is not much I can do until we are granted some help, Anthony is still currently withholding on that, you see." He waves his arm to show me that he has set out a blanket with few scattered pillows, two easels and a palette for paint. There is also a bottle of champagne, two glasses and what appears to be my favourite sweet treats. "Well? What do you think? I thought we shall sit out in this beautiful night and we shall do what we do best... we shall paint!"
"Now, when did you have chance to do all of this?" I look at him, smiling a little as I lower myself onto the blanket. My knees can be a little awkward now that I am carrying that much extra weight. "Or have these been sat out here for months on end, waiting for our arrival?"
"My lady, I could have had these set out from the first day that I met you, for I always knew I should make you my bride." He sits close beside me, not hesitating to take a spare blanket and throw it over my shoulders as to protect me from the slight breeze. "You must help me, for you know I am rather no good at landscapes and you are in fact the expert in them. The queen, no, the goddess of landscape painting!"
"You need no longer flatter me, I am already yours!" I roll my eyes slightly but feel my own cheeks flush a slight pink colour. I do think he enjoys seeing me embarrassed for he insists on a barrage of compliments most moments of the day... but how could I complain when they come from him? "I hope every night shall be like this."
"It shall be, my darling. Every night shall be full of wonder and charm and every day shall be a spectacular adventure as long as I have you here with me." His gentle hand snakes around my waist and pulls me inches closer to him so that he may place a kiss on my lips. He presses his forehead against mine, smiling, happily.
I pull away, resting my head gently on his shoulder, letting out a content sigh as I gaze up at the bright stars in the sky. "They are beautiful, do you not think?"
"They shine for you, my dear." His fingers rake carefully through the back of my hair, kissing the side of my temple. "I love you more than there are stars in the sky, Peaches... I want to give you everything you deserve, I want you to know how appreciated you are every single day. I... you know that, do you not? How absolutely, godforsaken, in love with you I am?"
"You do never fail to tell me." I smile, just enjoying him speaking to me as my eyes grow tired in the dark of the night, his arms comfortingly around me. "I have never felt more content in my life, and that is all because you chose me."
"I would always choose you. In any world, in any reality, in any lifetime. A hundred times over, without doubt or pause or hesitation, I would always choose you."