Anthony & Lucy - September 1814
The next few weeks flew by. Anthony had 'moved' back to his bachelor lodgings where he would retire in the evening but, he came by Bridgerton house everyday to get his work done and to visit with Lucy, when Violet wasn't dragging her all over town shopping for the wedding that is. It was the first that Lucy had been out in the city and saw what London, and the world, really was like in the 1800s and it was certainly a culture shock and it did make her miss how life was in her time.
"I wish I could bring a piece of home here for you." Anthony said one evening when they found themselves alone in the sitting room after a particularly busy birthday dinner for Lucy. Now that they were betrothed Violet always reminded them that people would be looking for scandal as Lucy was living in Bridgerton house so they were almost always in the company of someone else, but on this day, Benedict had better things to do than play chaperone, so Lucy was perched on Anthony's lap and he was playing lazily with her hair, taking full advantage of alone time.
"Whatever do you mean?" She asked him surprised. She knew that Anthony loved her and wanted to make her happy, but he still had a bit of a hard time with showing his love in non-physical ways.
"You always look so longing when you return from the city, and I know you miss home." Lucy smiled and pressed a kiss on his lips for being so observant and caring.
"I know, it is just such a change. It is hard to digest sometimes, but I will get there." She assured him. Anthony ran his nose down the bridge of Lucy's nose and along her jaw line to her ear and kissed it gently.
"The things you do for me." He breathed, making Lucy shiver. She pulled back slightly, her cheeks flushed.
"I can't concentrate when you do that." Anthony grinned a wolfish smile and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Mmm, that is quite alright with me." He said, kissing away her protests. Lucy couldn't help but smile, she almost felt like a teenager again, making out in her boyfriend's livingroom and praying that his parents wouldn't walk in.
"I don't think your mother would be as alright with it." Lucy laughed, trying to get up off of his lap but unable to do so due to his strong grasp.
"We could always hurry." He suggested, nipping at her neck and collar bone.
"And where, my lord, is the fun in that?" Lucy laughed, trying futilely to push him away.
"Oh, it can be very fun I assure you." Anthony said in that low voice that made her stomach tie itself in knots. Lucy kissed him and ran her fingers through his hair, taking extra care to move slightly in his lap, teasing him.
"But, not nearly as fun as it could be." She replied with a sultry voice of her own.
"You are a minx." He laughed and released her begrudgingly, but pulled her down beside him, not letting her go far.
"Lucy?" He said suddenly then, his voice careful.
"Yes?" She answered slowly, wondering what his cautious tone was for.
"Are you sure that you can be happy here?" Lucy stroked his cheek and smiled before answering.
"As long as I have you, I can be happy anywhere."
"Do you mean this in earnest?" Lucy shifted to the side so that she could look at him more directly.
"Yes, I mean it. What has brought this on?" She asked, her brow furrowing in concern.
"I came to realise before you made your choice you had not seen more than Bridgerton house and now that you have I wondered if you were...still happy to remain here." He looked at her sideways as if he was hesitant to ask the question at all.
"It's true that I miss the way of life where I am from, and I don't think that will ever really go away, but I need you more than I need that life, and the happiest I have ever been has been with you." Lucy said honestly, reaching for his hand. She much preferred the way of life at home, the world was not as kind to women in 1814 as it was in 2017, and the thought of potentially having daughters during this time worried her, but she couldn't help her feelings for Anthony, nor did she want to. She was confident that she would never be as in love with anyone in her time or in this one, like she was with Anthony, and it was that love that she would choose again in a heart beat.
"I just wish I could do something to make it...easier for you." Lucy felt her heart melting and she was fascinated to find that she could some how fall deeper in love with this man.
"You do, just by being here, and every morning that I wake up next to you will make it easier still." She told him, squeezing his hand.
"Mmm, Miss McCoy, it is not wise to talk about bed to me right now." Anthony said with a grin, bringing some light-heartedness into the conversation again.
December - 1814
Their engagement was to be 3 months long, fairly long for people of their age at the time, but that time seemed to fly by as the season had started as well. They attended many balls during that time, but as Lucy was now betrothed and didn't need to worry about dancing with anyone she didn't wish to, she had a lot more fun this time around. She had made a very good impression with the people of the Ton and the infamous Lady Whistledown had nothing but nice things to say about her, which made her and Anthony very popular people at the balls. So far, Lucy had liked everyone she met, the Featherington's, with the exception of Penelope, were a little annoying and full of themselves, but still nice people. The only family she had met and disliked so far, were the Cowper's. They were extremely stuck up and thought that they were better than everyone else. She had also heard the daughter, Cressida, talking about how Anthony and Lucy must be covering up some kind of scandal because a man like Anthony would never have chosen someone so unrefined like Lucy of his own free will, and that certainly didn't help how Lucy thought of the family. Even without that however, they were just not kind people. Lucy had never been one to associate with bullies and she wasn't going to make an exception just because she was in a different time, and she got the opportunity to make that very clear at her own engagement ball.
Violet had invited most of the Ton, as was expected apparently, so the dreaded Cowper's were there. Lucy had planned on ignoring them, but as she was standing by the Lemonade table talking to Penelope, who Eloise had abandoned there in an attempt to avoid her mother and a young man who seemed to always seek her out, Cressida and two of her friends walked over and interrupted their conversation.
"You have done a beautiful job here tonight Miss. McCoy, You have quite the eye for decorating." Cressida told Lucy in a sickly sweet voice.
"All credit must go to Mrs. Bridgerton I'm afraid." Lucy replied cordially, before turning back to Penelope who had immediately started trying to shrink into the shadows at Cressida's approach.
"Come now, I am sure you made a choice or two." Cressida said, mock flattery dripping from every word.
"None at all, parties are not really my thing. I prefer fun and games, books, and intelligent conversation, which I was in the middle of having with Miss. Featherington here by the way." Lucy bristled, deciding then and there she was not going to deal with any of Cressida's games, especially not at her own engagement party, in what was soon going to be her own house.
"Oh - erm" Cressida started to mumble caught off guard, but Lucy wasn't done just yet, so she said:
"I wouldn't expect you to be overly familiar with intelligent conversation though Miss. Cowper so, I will forgive you for not recognising it. After all you hadn't even noticed me standing near you at the last ball where you so brilliantly deduced there must be a scandal afoot for my fiancé, Viscount Bridgerton of course, to choose someone as ''unrefined' as me for a bride, and surely an intelligent person would make sure that the person whom they are gossiping about would be out of earshot, no?"
Cressida stared at her open mouthed for a moment, and Penelope's eyes darted back and forth between the two of them. When a full thirty seconds of silence passed Lucy nodded regally to Cressida and her friends and said:
"Well, I'll leave you all to contemplate that, I see Lady Danbury beckoning Miss. Featherington and I. I do hope you enjoy yourselves, and make sure you try the cakes, I know the Viscount insists on the best...in everything of course" Lucy said, smiling sweetly at them and walking away, taking Penelope with her.
"I cannot believe you said that!" Penelope hissed as she walked away with Lucy, who couldn't help but smirk. Lucy had never really been one to take crap from anyone, but she often just avoided people like that, being with Anthony however and armed with the knowledge that she was going to be a Bridgerton, a very well respected family, she felt empowered for a change.
"I do hope that it is I that has brought that smile to your face." Anthony said, suddenly appearing at her side, with Colin in tow.
"Your future Viscountess just put Cressida Cowper in her place at least twice over!" Penelope squeaked with awe and excitement, while shooting nervous, furtive glances at Colin.
"Well done! She is quite possibly the biggest - Ah well, she is not well liked." Colin said, with a grin.
"So the smile is not of my own doing." Anthony said kissing Lucy's cheek and slipping his arm around her waist.
"Oh, you have partial credit, you have given me the confidence to stand up to bullies like her." Lucy said, beaming.
"That is what I like to hear." He smiled back. "Would you do me the honour of having this last dance as a single woman before you become a missus?"
Lucy rolled her eyes. "Does my last dance as a single woman count if I'm to become your missus?"
"I will answer whichever way you would like me to in order to get you on that dance floor." He replied smoothly. Lucy felt herself blush and laughed. She looked sideways at Penelope, not wanting to leave her alone, but Penelope waved her hand at the couple.
"Oh, do not worry about me, there is plenty of time to hear my nonsensical ramblings." She laughed.
"Would you do me the honour and possibly allow me to hear some of those ramblings?" Colin said, bowing to Penelope. Lucy thought that Penelope was quite smitten with Colin, but as clever as he was, Lucy thought that he didn't quite see it. Oh she was sure that he knew there was a crush of some sort, but she didn't think he quite grasped the gravity of her feelings toward him, and with a look of actual, real affection on Colin's face, Lucy thought that if he knew he might just look at her differently.
"Oh, you do not -" Penelope began. Lucy smiled and gently patted her hand and said.
"Colin is the jovial sort, but he is rather impatient." Lucy said, earning a grin and wink from Colin. He nodded before extending his hand to Penelope and said:
"And my future sister-in-law is quite perceptive. Shall we?" Penelope giggled, turned an odd shade of red, and took his hand and followed him to the dance floor.
"I wonder if she will stop blushing after their seven-hundredth dance." Anthony said quietly in Lucy's ear, as they took their dance positions. Lucy knew from reading Whistledown that Penelope didn't often get asked to dance from men other than the Bridgerton's, and they all asked in brotherly ways, and often encouraged by their mother she she had been told. Lucy really hated that some things never seemed to change when it came to dating.
Penelope was short and slightly chubby, but her skin was smooth and clear, and her hair a beautiful red. Her blue eyes were kind and full of more mystery than people knew, and when her full lips split into a true smile her face was rather pretty. It was a shame that no one seemed to see it, because Lucy knew her smashing personality and incredible wit only made her more beautiful and that any man of the Ton would be lucky to call her his. Hopefully, with a few more years of maturing, Colin or another gentleman who saw Penelope for who she was, would sweep her off of her feet.
"Oh I doubt it." Lucy said turning to look at him. "I don't think I will stop blushing when you look at me with that...look." Lucy said shyly.
"Oh? And what look is that?" Anthony asked, tilting his head and looking at her with a smirk on his handsome face.
"You know the one I mean." Lucy said trying, and struggling, to remember the dance steps as she felt that familiar heat growing in her stomach.
"And if I were to give you that look right now, what are my chances of absconding with you and bringing you to bed?" Anthony whispered into her ear as they danced closely with her back pressed against his front. Lucy felt her stomach flip-flop and she smiled, loving that he not only did this to her, but that he was going to for the rest of their lives.
"Let's see after we finish our last dance." Lucy managed to murmur. Anthony's expression turned from devilish amusement, to surprise and then to desire and Lucy almost fell apart right then and there.
It was easy to believe that they were in a fairytale when they danced together in a beautiful ballroom that didn't even almost measure up to the sets that Lucy had seen on T.V and in movies that depicted the Victorian times. Even magical events like Lucy and Anthony's Engagement ball however, wasn't enough to over-power the need they were feeling for each other. Every move they made, every breath they took, seemed to charge the atmosphere between them.
"Do you think anyone will notice if we sneak away for a few minutes?" Lucy whispered in Anthony's ear. Anthony suppressed a groan and pulled as far away from her as the dance would allow.
"To be frank, I really do not care if anyone notices. If we do not have our moment alone very soon, I may just take you right here." Lucy smiled at his weightless threat and tried to chuckle, but the heat she was feeling made her feel hopeful that he would do just that.
"We can't do that to your mother." Lucy said without much conviction. Anthony looked around them then in thought.
"I am going to give a toast and give champagne to everyone and then we will have the band play a waltz and while everyone is celebrating we will sneak out." Before Lucy could object in anyway, not that she would have, the song ended and Anthony immediately kissed her hand and walked off to put his plan into motion. Lucy made her way off of the dance floor and found herself beside Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings and her future brother-in-law. It was still a shock that not only was she about to have a brother-in-law at all, but that he was a Duke as well! Back in her time Lucy had certainly not rubbed elbows with any aristocrats.
"Are you enjoying yourself your grace?" Lucy managed to ask cordially while still looking for Anthony and trying to fight the electricity that was still coursing through her.
"I am actually." He replied with a small grin.
"Oh, and that comes as a surprise does it?" Lucy said with a smile, falling into easy conversation with the Duke.
"Yes, but not for the reasons you may think." He answered with a smirk.
"Care to explain?"
"It is quite amusing for me to see Bridgerton the one acting like a lovesick fool, and I mean no offence in that." Simon said, his mischievous smile a glimpse into his old playboy ways.
"I think I can see why your...tact, gets you into trouble" Lucy said, trying to figure out where the Duke was going with this, did he possibly know the couple was trying to sneak off for a quickie?
"No you see, despite all that went on between us, Anthony Bridgerton is one of my dearest friends. I want to see him behaving such a way because maybe now he will truly understand what went on with Daphne and I. He forgave me for the sake of his sister, but our friendship has never been the same. We are brothers in law still, but we used to be brothers of a sort in a much different way. He could not understand why the man he knew would cross the lines that I did, and I could not explain it to him. I think you will understand what I mean when I say there are no words for what happens to our heads when we find ourselves so completely in love." In was very uncharacteristic for the Duke to be quite so open with anyone, but it robbed Lucy of all of her words.
"The truth is, I want to repair that brotherhood, but it has seemed irreparable because I cannot apologise for my actions. Because of Daphne, I know what it is like to have that kind of love and I want that for Anthony. I was wary of you when we first met, and I admit I am sometimes still suspicious as to who you truly are, but none of that matters when I see both you and Anthony as befuddled as you are by each other's mere presence and for that, and the happiness it brings my wife to see her brother so happy, I feel very joyous tonight, not to mention, surprised that my dear friend the Viscount has become just another fool in love." Lucy didn't miss the warning in the Duke's sentiment, but even that warmed her heart.
"Your grace I am truly at a loss for words. Just know that your friendship to Lord Bridgerton means more to him than I think either of you will ever know and I think he did understand what happened with you and Daphne, but as he was fighting against the existence of those feelings for himself, it was easier to be angry about it than to admit he understood it." Lucy wanted to make it plain that the Duke's feelings on his friendship with Anthony were not one sided, she wanted him to have hope that their relationship would be repaired, because Lucy had never had a friendship like that and it seemed an absolute travesty to see one damaged beyond repair.
"Please, we are to be family in a few short days time, call me Simon." The Duke said warmly to Lucy, and the feeling of having another kind and warm relationship here made her feel quite pleased with herself. Her life in 2017 was missed, but she had more true, solid relationships here than she had ever managed to make at home, and yet she had only been in 1814 for four months.
"Hastings." Anthony said tightly, suddenly appearing beside Lucy and slipping an arm around her waist.
"Bridgerton." Simon returned just as tightly, but his lips in a half smile. "I mean this in earnest, congratulations Anthony." Simon said then, clapping Anthony on the shoulder and squeezing.
"I was just about to go round up some people from the terrace, I assumed you will be making a toast any moment?" Simon said after a moment, erasing any need for Anthony to acknowledge the moment, which would undoubtedly be difficult for him, another true sign of his friendship and loyalty to the Viscount. Anthony cleared his throat, working silently through his emotions.
"Erm yes...thank-you." Simon smiled tightly and nodded before departing for the terrace, and Lucy bit back a smile of her own at the knowledge that the friendship between the two men had just begun to be repaired.
"Did you tell him of my plan?" Anthony asked suspiciously.
"No, of course I didn't! I had just asked him if he was having a nice time." Lucy answered honestly.
"And what, may I ask, was his answer?" Anthony asked, still not convinced.
"That he was...and that he was over-joyed to see you happy and that your happiness made Daphne very happy as well." Anthony rolled his eyes, making Lucy smile.
"Typical, speaking for my sister." Anthony muttered under his breath.
"Anthony, he means it." Lucy chastised gently. Anthony sighed and nodded.
"Yes I know, I think that is what makes it worse." He said with a slight chuckle.
"Right, come on." He said, back to business then. He released Lucy's waist and grabbed her hand and lead her to the platform where the band was set up. When they had made it on stage Lucy noticed that each guest had a glass of champagne and soon they had both been handed one as well. Anthony and let go of her hand and again put his arm around her waist.
"Good-Evening Ladies and gentleman!" Anthony said loudly, quieting any guests still speaking.
"We want to thank all of you for attending our engagement ball this evening, it has been our pleasure to host you all and celebrate our upcoming nuptials. I know that the arrival of Miss. Lucy McCoy was a surprise to all of you, but for those of you that know me, it should come as no surprise that it was a woman like her that captured my heart. I am celebrating my upcoming marriage tonight, the beginning of my future, and the new Viscountess Bridgerton, but most of all I am celebrating the discovery of the incredible woman that is my bride to be, Lucy McCoy. I am truly happy to celebrate that with all of you, so if you would all please raise your glasses to my lovely fiancée Lucy, and a long, happy, and healthy life together, cheers!" Anthony said enthusiastically raising his glass. The crowd did the same, and Lucy felt her eyes welling up with tears. She saw Simon standing near the terrace door with Daphne who was smiling widely. Simon met Lucy's eye and nodded and raised his glass to the couple. Next smiling up at them Lucy saw Colin standing with Penelope and Eloise, then Violet and Benedict, then Lady Danbury, and Lucy felt a rush of emotion.
"The band has another waltz to keep the evening going on the dance floor!" Anthony called after everyone sipped their champagne.
"Meet me in my study in 5 minutes." Anthony whispered in Lucy's ear and kissed her quickly on the cheek before descending into the crowd and heading over towards his mother.
"We really are very happy for you, you know." Colin said, coming up to Lucy with Penelope and Eloise in tow.
"Thank-you." Lucy managed to say through her embarrassed delight.
"Ugh you are positively glowing." Eloise groaned. Penelope laughed and agreed.
"I think I will take my leave now, future family and company." Lucy said awkwardly with a small small.
"and who do I get to be in this scenario?" Colin asked, mock hurt on his face.
"I'm undecided, you haven't made a statement to embarrass me yet though, so I will reserve my judgement." Colin laughed and leaned forward placing a chaste kiss on Lucy's cheek, a true brotherly gesture. Lucy smiled because of how touching it was, but also because of the swooning look on Penelope's face from having witnessed it.
While Lucy had made her exit from those 3, she was soon caught up with the other Featherington women, while Anthony was still in conversation with his mother.
"Anthony, could I ask a favour of you?" His mother asked, after already being very sweet in telling him how proud she was of him.
"Of course." He replied instantly.
"I know you have already had a wedding band made for Lucy, and I will completely understand if she will want to use that instead but...would you, or rather could you, talk to her about using this one, during the ceremony?" Anthony's mother slid a gold band with a simple and delicate floral design around it from her 4th finger and placed it in Anthony's hand.
"Mother, I -"
"You know that as much as I loved my betrothal ring, I had no troubles locking it away to keep it safe after your father passed, but this one I just could not bare to part with. It was the direct link that connected your father and I. It symbolized our love, our marriage, our family and our life together. I have tied very much of my heart into this ring and I had every intention of someday being returned to the lord with it. That is, until the moment I saw you look at your future bride the way you did a few minutes ago. The way your father used to look at me, and the way that I too looked at him. I know now that you have the kind of love that we shared, the very kind that your father always wanted you to have and I would be very much honoured if you would use this ring, the ring that began this family, to begin yours." his mother's eyes were swimming with tears and he couldn't bring himself to care that they were in view of so many people. He pulled his mother into a hug, pouring every emotion, love and ounce of respect that he had for his mother into it. He didn't thank her for everything she did, or for shaping him into the man that he had become and loving and supporting him without fail, nearly as often as he should, and he hoped that she understood all of that from this hug.
"Please." She said softly, pulling away from her son and patting his closed fist.
"You will have this back, this belongs to you and papa, but it is I that would be honoured to use it for the wedding."
It took much more than 5 minutes, but the couple had managed to speak to everyone, and slip out of the ballroom undetected and make it to Anthony's study. Lucy had gotten there first and she paced the room nervously waiting for him and a couple of short minutes later he came in, closing and locking the door behind him. Lucy wasted no time and launched herself at Anthony, who caught her in surprise, but kissed her back just as fiercely.
"I don't think we have much time." Lucy managed to gasp as Anthony kissed her neck and squeezed her breast.
"We will make do." he said, quickly undoing the buttons along the back of her dress. As soon as it became loose enough Anthony yanked it down and Lucy shimmied it to the floor and stepped out of it. Anthony captured her mouth in a searing kiss and Lucy's hands moved down his chest and started work on the buttons of his breeches. Anthony backed her over to his desk and when she felt it hit her, she jumped up onto it, gathering the skirt of her chemise up passed her knees and spreading her legs to fit Anthony, who wasted no time in moving between them. He cupped her face in his hands and ran his thumb along her bottom lip.
"You are so beautiful." He whispered, making a lump form in Lucy's throat. She had never been the woman that a man crossed a crowded room for. She wasn't ugly, she was just average, but for the first time in her life, she truly felt like she might be beautiful, at least Anthony made her feel that way in everything that he did.
"What is it?" He asked, seeing her face filling with emotion.
"I just...I never imagined love would feel like this." Lucy said, stroking his cheek.
"Nor did I." Anthony admitted, bringing his lips to hers softly just for a moment, and then the fire within them exploded and neither of them could control the passion. Anthony had pulled the top of Lucy's chemise down and it pooled around her middle, freeing her breasts. Anthony only spent a moment on each before he couldn't restrain himself any longer and he pulled himself free of his breeches, yanked Lucy forward until she was perched on the very edge of his desk and drove into her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rocked up to meet him. They were both moving furiously, like they had never made love before or like the world was ending. Lucy felt her head fall back as she felt her orgasm building.
"I will not be able to pull out in here." Anthony said, somehow managing intelligent speech. Lucy simply nodded, too breathless to say anything. Anthony groaned and all but flattened her against the desk as he continued to push into her. Lucy could feel herself coming apart and she knew that Anthony was too so she squeezed her legs tightly around him and let him spill inside of her. Anthony remained inside of her while he caught his breath, his head resting in the crook of her neck. Lucy ran her fingers through his hair, and when he finally raised his head, she took his face in her hands and kissed his forehead softly.
"I love you." She told him gently, saying it not just because they had had sex, but because what had just happened, although quick and on a desk, was more than sex. It was purely an expression of their love for each other, making Lucy understand for the first time, why so many had called the act of sex, 'making love'. Anthony chuckled and bumped his forehead against Lucy's.
"You drive me mad by just existing, and I think it is very plain to see, that I love you too." That was the first time that Anthony had said that to Lucy, and she was very touched. She knew that he felt it, he had made it clear, but he had yet to say the words, and hearing them aloud only made her even more love sick. Anthony gently pulled out of Lucy and slowly pulled her chemise back into place.
"This might seem like an odd time." Anthony started saying as he helped Lucy back into her clothes.
"But, my mother and father were very much in love and...well my mother asked if you would be willing to use this on our wedding day?" Anthony, let go of the dress that he had just been helping Lucy into, and dug the gold band his mother had just given him out of his waistcoat pocket.
"Is this her wedding band?" Lucy asked, surprised. Anthony nodded, studying Lucy's face for any reaction.
"How can she - I mean, doesn't she want to continue wearing it?"
"It means the world to her and I insisted she have it back." He said with a nod. "She was ready to give it to you though. She said...that she would be honoured if I start my family with the ring that my father and her started theirs with." Anthony explained with a shrug. For what felt like the hundredth time that day, Lucy felt herself overcome with emotion.
"I of course had one made for you, so you will have your own I just thought -" Anthony began, misreading the emotion on her face.
"I'm so touched she would allow us to use it. Having no parents left and nothing of theirs to use, I would be thrilled to use it" Lucy said, her voice thick with tears.
"Really?" Anthony asked, excitement evident in his voice.
"Really!" Lucy assured him with a smile. Anthony smiled and kissed her again.
"How are you so incredible?"
"I ask myself the same thing about you." Lucy laughed.
* End of Chapter *
Disclaimer: I own none of the above characters, they are all creations of Julia Quinn (With the exception of OC Lucy McCoy)
