The Second Born Bridgerton // Benedict Bridgerton

Nasty habit

After a few hours longer of drinking and laughing, people begin to return to bed. Penelope is first, clambering into the bed and falling asleep instantly. I expect she shall have a sore head tomorrow. Colin is quick to imitate, he climbs into the other bed and covers himself with the sheets. Benedict glances at me, a frown on his face. "You shall really force me to spend my wedding night with my brothers in a bed?"

"You know it is the only thing we can do." I stroke the side of his face gently and place a kiss on his nose. "I shall miss you as much as you shall miss me, I can guarantee that if it shall make you feel any better."

"It shall not. Now I shall be thinking of how much you are longing for me and that shall make it even more difficult for me to stay away." He is not satisfied with the kiss on his nose, and so he take my chin and lifts my face gently upwards to encourage me to look at him, before he pushes his lips against mine. One hand stays holding my chin and the other begins to attempt to maneuver it's way once again inside my dress, so that now his hands are on my bare skin. "You are so sure that we cannot share? You cannot devise any form of plan so that we might have a few more moments alone together? You are a smart girl, think, Peaches."

"We are not alone at all." I whisper. It is as though he has forgotten that Anthony sits in the corner and as I glance to him, I recognise that he is not looking away. His eyes are fixated on me. "We cannot do it here."

"There shall be a bathroom with a lock on it, and if not then I shall take you to the cliff or the beach or the stables or I shall find another couple and I shall duel them to win their room." He intertwines his fingers with my own and leads me from the room and down the hallway until we find the bathroom, and he pushes it open with his foot. The room is small and it is far from ideal but given the previous circumstances, I am sure he shall find a way to make sure that this works. "Okay, my love. Come here." He beckons me with his finger, pulling me to him as I become within his grasp, his lips mingling with my own and his hands resuming their position on my waist and my chest.

"You are ever so excited." I raise an eyebrow and laugh a little as he trails kisses down my jawline and my neck. "You are ever so excited! My goodness!"

"Then perhaps you should not look so  irresistible in that dress." He releases a low growl which makes me giggle a little harder, wrapping my legs around him and deepening his kiss. That is when there is a hard knock at the door. "I just simply cannot catch a break, can I?" He grumbles, releasing his grip and shaking his head. "I shall refuse to leave."

"Do not be silly. How about... if I promise that tomorrow we shall rise early and we shall explore the beach and perhaps we shall find a cave or two for some privacy?" I smile and kiss his lips, leading him back into the bedroom as he reluctantly follows. "I think I shall pop outside and have some tobacco. Do you care to join me?"

"Not tonight. I fear that if I do not join Colin in bed then I shall get no share of the covers. I love you, my dear wife."

"I love you also, my dear husband." He returns to bed and I take his jacket to keep myself warm, but also so I can use his tobacco. I step outside and I am glad to feel it has stopped raining, and so I light a cigarette. I realise I am not alone, and that Anthony has followed me. "Oh, would you like one?"

"I do not smoke. It is a nasty habit." He crosses his arms and pulls them to his chest and I am sure that he is about to shout at me once more. "You may believe I have been so harsh on you. Perhaps I have been. But I do not regret my actions nor anything I have said towards you or my brother. I am right to doubt you and your family, I do not believe for a moment that you have my brother's best interests at heart." He hesitates for a moment, narrowing his eyes as I take a drag. "I believe he has much more potential than a Featherington and I hope that I shall also have children so that yours shall never become the viscount."

"Did you come out here so you could continue to insult me?" I sigh, bored of his comments and constant jabs now. I am sure I could predict what more he shall say before he does so.

"That was not my intention. I do not think Benedict was wise to marry you, and I do not think you shall be as happy together as you think you shall. I think you are no better than Miss Thompson or your mother. But... you have married him now. It is done and I rushed here so I might stop you but I could not reach in time. You are already married and I can only hope that you do not do anymore to disgrace our name and our reputation. You are a bridgerton now and you must begin to act like one, if you do not care of me then so be it, but think of your husband and Colin and Eloise. I must ask that you truly begin to behave yourself. I do not think you should attend lord Granville's parties any longer, I do not think that your painting shall be appropriate and I am certain that your wardrobe shall need an enormous amount of alterations. You are Lady Peaches Bridgerton now, you must act like so."