The chapel was decorated in blue and emerald; blue signifying the Bridgerton color, and emerald signifying Eleanora. There were also hints of turquoise and teal scattered throughout, which is the color as a result of blue and green mixing as to signify the union.
The orchestra had already been playing for quite some time, and it was time for Colin, and then Benedict, to walk down the aisle. They took their places beside the marriage officiant, who was a priest and not an archbishop like during the previous ceremony. Then Anthony walked down the aisle. As he scanned the room at the guests, he felt like he turned over a new leaf.
When the groom reached his spot beside the priest, he turned to his brothers smiling at him, and looked at his family in the pews, which only consisted of Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth, since the others were with Eleanora.
As if on cue, Eloise walked down the aisle with a bouquet of green tulips, and then Daphne. Eloise looked as if she was forced against her will and had a gun to her head if she didn't participate at the ceremony. Daphne's expression was the polar opposite, and Anthony could detect the future sister dynamic between the duchess and his bride.
The music from the orchestra calmed for a moment once Daphne and Eloise reached their places. Anthony's stomach fluttered, anticipating the view of his beautiful bride after Colin and Benedict's reactions to her dress caused the suspense to practically kill him.
As Eleanora walked down the aisle on Violet's arm, the music swelled gracefully and Anthony beamed at the sight of Eleanora.
"She's gorgeous," he whispered to himself.
As the bride continued walking down the aisle, he could hear Hyacinth comment from the pews to Gregory, "She looks like a princess!"
Once Violet and Eleanora reached the end of the aisle and Violet gave her away and sat down in her seat in the pews, Eleanora shakily stood across from Anthony.
"Hi," she said softly, smiling at her groom.
"You look absolutely stunning," Anthony commented in a whisper.
His eyes scanned her up and down and his head shook in amazement that a woman could look as beautiful as Eleanora did in that moment. She was a literal angel standing before him.
As the bride and groom repeated their vows from the wedding officiant, they both grinned widely as they got closer to putting the wedding band on Eleanora's finger, on saying their "I do's" and kissing.
Eleanora looked over Anthony's shoulder, and Benedict winked at her, and Colin smiled, both in encouraging manners.
As Anthony pulled off Eleanora's gloved left hand one finger at a time, it felt like an eternity as he removed it, and the two kept eye contact as he slipped the ring on Eleanora's finger, causing a joyous tear to slip down her cheek.
Finally, as the priest said "You may now kiss the bride" the whole chapel applauded as the viscount pulled his viscountess in by the waist and brought her lips to his. Eleanora placed her hands on Anthony's shoulders, smiling between kisses. They both separated and faced the pews. They held hands and held them up, cheerfully signalling their matrimony before walking back down the aisle.
~~~
Back at Bridgerton House, where the reception was held in the foyer, one by one the groom and bride welcomed each guest and thanked them for attending.
As the guests spread out to socialize or feast, Eleanora stood by her husband, who had his hands clasped behind his back. As she scanned the room and watched her guests socialize and enjoy the reception, Anthony couldn't help but look at her dearly.
The viscountess felt his eyes on her. "What?" she asked, turning to him.
"You're smiling," he noted.
"I guess I finally have a reason to."
The plan was to hold the reception, then have the guests file out in the evening, and the viscount and viscountess would summon a carriage and gather their belongings to travel to Aubrey Hall to spend their honeymoon there. Eleanora could barely contain herself from excitement.
The newlyweds changed out of their wedding attire in Eleanora's bedroom, both too ecstatic to find the words to express such feelings.
"When do you reckon we'll arrive at Aubrey Hall?" Eleanora finally asked, slipping on her day dress.
"Tomorrow morning. If we sleep in the carriage, we won't be exhausted when we arrive."
After making her final touches, Eleanora slipped her arms around Anthony's waist as he buttoned up his white shirt. "My dear husband, how do you think I'll be able to sleep after today's events?"
Anthony smiled at Eleanora addressing him as her husband. He kissed the top of her head. "We could busy ourselves with other activities," he answered simply, earning a slap on the arm and a giggle.
The viscountess sat herself down in front of her vanity, attempting to undo her hair from its intricate hairstyle. "I simply cannot fathom it. I am now a viscountess. A Bridgerton." She paused, attempting to experiment with her new surname. "Eleanora Bridgerton."
"I think it suits you quite well," Anthony complimented. He stood behind Eleanora and placed a trail of kisses down her neck and shoulder. "Let me," he offered when he saw his new bride frustrated with untangling her hair.
He took the brush from her hands and smoothed out and untangled her hair soothingly, putting a calm smile on the viscountess' face.
As the two finished packing and getting dressed, they went downstairs to the foyer to gather with their family before saying their goodbyes. The carriage was prepared and everyone was outside just before the sun was beginning to set.
Eleanora began growing emotional and teary eyed as she gave each Bridgerton sibling a tight hug. These were now her brother and sister-in-laws. This fact was still unfathomable to the new bride. She hugged Hyacinth and Gregory the tightest, giving each a kiss on the top of their heads, and ruffled Gregory's hair.
She told Francesca to write to her to update her on her pianoforte learning journey, then proceeded to hug Daphne, and they placed ghost kisses on each other's cheeks.
As Eleanora hugged Eloise, she whispered in her ear, "Have you discovered Whistledown yet?"
Eloise winced and Eleanora realized she hit a nerve unintentionally. "I'll write to you about it," Eloise promised.
Eleanora hugged Colin, then Benedict. The second eldest and his sister-in-law hugged and he kissed her cheek, before smirking and commenting, "Good god Nora, you're going off on honeymoon, not to war!" as he noted her emotional expression.
The viscountess glanced back at her husband teasingly. "Possibly not, but it sure feels that way."
Finally, Eleanora embraced and said her farewell to Violet, who cupped her face. "Your parents would be most proud of you, dearest."
"I certainly hope so," she said softly, before retrieving back to Anthony's side.
"Aren't you going to kiss us farewell too, Brother?" Colin smirked.
"I've spent my whole life with you lot, I think I'll manage just fine," Anthony retorted, before getting the wind knocked out of him at the impact of Hyacinth's arms around his waist.
Hyacinth looked up at her older brother. "When can we visit you two at Aubrey Hall?"
"When they finish with their honeymoon," Violet answered, not letting the newlyweds let out a peep.
"By then, a baby will be on the way," Colin commented, earning a smack upside the head from Benedict.
"Can we finish this up already, my dress is getting itchy!" Eloise interjected hastily, making Eleanora chuckle.
"It is getting rather chilly," Eleanora pointed out.
"And we do want to arrive to the country by morning," Anthony chimed in, gently prying off Hyacinth from himself with a chuckle.
As the viscount and viscountess made their way into the carriage, they continuously said their goodbyes to the rest of their family, before finally making their way in and taking their seats next to each other. One of the coachmen closed the door for them, and as the horses began moving, the newlyweds waved goodbye to their family until they were mere figures in the distance.
Eleanora let out a breath. "Goodness, that was exhilarating." She slipped her hand into Anthony's, giving him a loving look. He pressed his lips to the back of her hand, causing her cheeks to warm.
Anthony took note of this reaction, using it as an opportunity to trail his lips up her arm, feeling Eleanora shiver beneath his touch. His lips traveled along her collarbone and neck, and met with her lips. She cupped his face, pulling him in deeply.
His hand grazed her thigh, with only the fabric of her dress standing in the way, causing a soft moan to escape her lips. "Won't the coachmen hear us, Anthony?" she asked, catching her breath.
The viscount smirked. "Will you manage to stay quiet?"
With a swift move, Anthony's hand reached under Eleanora's dress and went up to between her legs.
Eleanora most definitely knew she wouldn't manage to keep quiet, given Anthony's talent and skill for pleasuring her, but she didn't care if anyone heard. Hell, it was their honeymoon!
~~~
Anthony slowly opened his eyes to the sight of Eleanora resting her head on his shoulder, fast asleep. He looked out the window of the carriage. They were getting close to Aubrey Hall, he estimated another hour or two.
He looked down at his slumbering bride, kissing the tip of her nose gently and moving her hair away from her face. With a quiet groan, she awakened and stretched out her arms and smiled at her husband.
"I had feared that when I woke up, that this was all a dream. But it appears to be otherwise," Eleanora beamed, kissing her husband deeply.
When they finally made it to Aubrey Hall and Eleanora stepped out of the carriage, she gazed up at the architecture in awe. She almost felt foolish for forgetting how beautiful the property looked.
The housestaff stood by the entrance in the cool summer morning to welcome the newlyweds. As the two approached and introductions were made, the staff suggested a detailed tour of Aubrey Hall, but Anthony stopped them from speaking another word.
"I'm sure the tour would be lovely, but I hope that can be postponed for a little while. The viscountess and I shall stay busy for most of the day," Anthony said, glancing at his wife mischievously.
The one maid widened her eyes, understanding exactly what the viscount was referring to. "Ah, of course - then by all means, take all the time you need."
The newlyweds entered Aubrey Hall, and Anthony picked Eleanora up bridal style, earning a squeal from her. They made their way to the master bedroom, and immediately began doing what newlyweds did best.
~~~
That evening, around dinnertime, the viscount and viscountess sat beside each other at the dining table and ate their meals happily. One of the servants entered the room with a silver platter with a pamphlet on it, and Eleanora smiled at the man and nodded politely before receiving the paper.
"Is that the latest Whistledown?" Anthony asked incredulously.
"Yes, it is," Eleanora smirked. "Surely the woman had something clever to say about the wedding. I made a special, yet temporary, request to have one delivered all the way out here in the country."
She opened it up and scanned through it as Anthony narrowed his eyes and smirked at his wife.
"Ah! Here it is," Eleanora said, smacking the pamphlet. "The section about us:
It has come to my attention that Viscount Bridgerton and Miss Fitzwilliam had recently united in matrimony, and what a splendid yet quiet wedding it was, or so it was reported. This author could hardly imagine how the Sharmas are feeling about-
Erm - not exactly what I want to hear about on my honeymoon," Eleanora commented, scanning through the section about her and Anthony. "Right, it's this part:
But it would certainly be an understatement to say that Miss Fitzwilliam had turned this season upside down on its axis. She has certainly bounced back from her pitiful widowed spinster reputation, and bloomed into the determined woman that got what she wanted: the viscount.
It certainly hadn't been missed by me, either, of the constant theme of Miss Fitzwilliam's (now Lady Bridgerton's) wardrobe: emerald green. What a bold color choice, indeed, fit for a bold woman. The new Viscountess Bridgerton has certainly left a mark in the ton, and a mark this author shall not soon forget. This author gives her best regards to the happy couple, lest not she catches any scandal going afoot amongst the two.
Best of luck on your honeymoon, Viscount Bridgerton and the Viscountess Eleanora Bridgerton - no. The renewed spinster. No . . .
The emerald viscountess.
Sincerely, Lady Whistledown."
Eleanora quirked an eyebrow at her husband. "How about that! The emerald viscountess!"
Anthony smiled at her, bringing Eleanora's knuckles to his lips. "My emerald viscountess."
~~~
The next morning, Eleanora rested her head in the crook of Anthony's shoulder as she watched him sleep. She never recalled seeing him so peaceful and relaxed until that moment. Just then, the viscountess felt a sneeze coming on before letting the bodily function get the best of her. She winced, hoping she hadn't woken her husband.
He smirked. "Bless you," he said with his eyes closed.
Eleanora teasingly swatted at his bare chest. "How long were you awake for?!"
"Long enough to hear you sneeze," he retorted with a smirk, opening his eyes and smiling down at his wife.
That morning, the couple decided to stay in bed and be in close proximity and converse. Eleanora's abdomen ached and her eyes watered at Anthony's multiple stories of bringing in ridiculous animals and pulling creative pranks on Simon during their days at Oxford.
After the laughter died down and Eleanora recomposed herself, she held up her left hand to the light.
"Look at that," she smiled, gazing at her ring in the sunlight that seeped in through the windows. "Finally, the two of us united in matrimony." She planted a kiss on Anthony's cheek before smirking at him. "You're stuck with me forever."
"What an awful fate," Anthony said dryly with an eyeroll, before kissing the tip of her nose.
~~~
"Mmmm, viscountess . . . you seem to have outdone yourself today," Anthony hummed, laying Eleanora down on the bed before going on top of her, the two out of breath. She straddled her legs around his waist.
"You do know my duties are particularly important to me," Eleanora laughed.
"Perhaps you'd like to go again," Anthony suggested flirtatiously in between kisses. "Seeing as you are so very dutiful."
His lips that Eleanora loved dearly trailed down her jawline, her neck, to her bosom, and he planted multiple kisses on her chest. She adored the view of Anthony placing his many, many, kisses all over her body; she never got tired of the sight.
"Perhaps what would be dutiful," Eleanora said, placing a finger to her husband's lips, who took the opportunity to playfully bite her finger. "Is meeting your family outside before they realize we are ignoring them."
She sat up, and Anthony wrapped his arms around her, running his hands up and down her curvaceous body. Once more they kissed, and the viscountess placed her hand on Anthony's neck, and trailed her hand up to cup his face before standing up to get dressed.
Anthony reclined in their bed, taking in the view of his bare-bodied wife with a small smile. Their honeymoon was technically over, and they invited the rest of their family out to the country to stay for a week. That moment, they were running late for their longawaited pall mall game.
Eleanora felt Anthony's gaze on her before looking back at him. "Are you enjoying the view, my lord?" she teased.
~~~
"Ah, there they are!" Lady Danbury announced from under her tent where Violet, Daphne and Augie resided.
Eleanora and Anthony descended the stairs of the terrace to where everyone was out on the grass, unable to separate from each other. They continued to exchange kisses on the lips, cheeks, and necks when they thought no one would be watching.
"Perhaps we can begin playing?" Colin suggested as the couple reached the grass.
"Hoping to get your inevitable defeat over with, Brother?" Benedict taunted.
"Right, we've all picked," Eloise said, tossing up and catching her yellow ball. "But left the mallet of death."
"For me!" the viscount and viscountess both exclaimed as they both ran to pick up the black mallet, Eleanora successfully reaching for it and beating Anthony.
Anthony mockingly gasped at his wife, picking up the pink mallet. "Nevermind, then."
"Probably keep to pink, Anthony," Daphne smirked as she gave Augie to Violet before joining her siblings. "I rather think it will match the shade of embarrassment when you use it."
They all walked to the first wicket, before Anthony began kissing Eleanora teasingly, causing her to giggle. The couple stopped, Anthony's arms around Eleanora as her eyes closed and she basked in the sunlight and in Anthony's affections.
This caused the rest of the siblings to pause in their walk in order to wait for the newlyweds. "I suppose that means they are cutting out," Daphne concluded.
"Not a chance!" Eleanora protested.
"Unless we want to take this opportunity to return upstairs?" Anthony suggested in a whisper, tickling her ear.
Eleanora bit her lip, snuggling her cheek against Anthony's. "As tempting as that sounds, I'd rather not admit defeat."
She turned around to fully face Anthony, and before either person could realize it, their lips were touching and they gently kissed. Eleanora ran her hand through Anthony's hair and the viscount used the mallet to pull her close, causing a giggle to emit from his wife. He gently held the small of her back and ran his fingers up and down her back as they continued kissing.
With a loud groan from Eloise, the other Bridgertons decided to continue their walk to the first wicket and wait until the newlyweds were finished.
~~~
During the siblings' stay at Aubrey Hall, Anthony had requested from Benedict to paint a portrait of the viscount and viscountess to hang in the drawing room, and the second eldest looked forward to painting his older brother and sister-in-law.
As Eleanora got dressed, she was most methodical in choosing what gown to wear for the portrait, which made Anthony rather impatient.
"All your dresses look the same!" Anthony pointed out, throwing his hands in the air.
"First of all, that could not be farther from the truth!" Eleanora retorted. "And secondly, future generations will look at the painting. I wouldn't want our great grandchildren thinking how ugly their great grandmother looked because she didn't choose her gown carefully enough."
When she should've continued picking out a dress, she instead wrapped her arms around Anthony's waist, kissing him deeply on the lips. "Besides, I'm competing with my most handsome and ravishing husband, who started wearing the Bridgerton colors." Eleanora glanced down at Anthony's skyblue waistcoat and darker blue jacket. She felt most fortunate that he began wearing the color, perhaps becoming more comfortable and in tune with the color.
Finally, Eleanora decided on an emerald gown with gold lacings around the empire waistline, on the sleeves, and down the hem.
~~~
"Perhaps we can find my dear brother-in-law a wife next season. Or the season after that," Eleanora thought aloud, eyeing Benedict as he painted.
She attempted to stay as still as possible so as not mess up the artist. She was directed to sit in a chair for the portrait with her hands crossed, and Anthony would be by her side and standing, with one hand on her shoulder and one hand in his pocket. They placed a backdrop of a solid cream color for the background, really making the couple and the colors they were wearing stand out.
Benedict scoffed at Eleanora's suggestion, keeping his focus on the canvas.
Eleanora turned to Anthony. "What about someone he met at the academy?"
"No moving, dearest," Anthony reminded her. "Besides, that art school focused on anything other than art. It was almost sacrilegious."
Anthony shuddered, recalling when he walked in one of the classrooms that could have been mistaken for an orgy session.
"Ah," Eleanora drawled, smirking ever so little. "It was one of those schools."