The downfall of Viscount Bridgerton

chapter fifty seven - match makers

Aurora feel asleep immediately after their... activities. However, the Viscount found it more difficult to succumb to the world of slumber.

Instead, he took the opportunity to fully study his wife. After all, he had never seen her unrestricted by corsets and ribbons.

He could not tell if it was an after effect or if it had simply always been the case, but he found that she almost flowed as she slept. Her long hair trailed around her body like a mane and flowed onto his own chest. When she shifted, some of the strands would tickle him for a moment.

Bending his neck down to reach her head, he placed a chaste kiss on her crown and drew up the sheets to cover her fully so that she would not be cold when they awoke.

"Goodnight my Dolos, sweet dreams."

And with that, Anthony Bridgerton fell asleep to dreams of a baby Bridgerton.

The next morning, Aurora was delighted to find herself waking up in the arms of her husband.

As an early riser, she had always thought she would wake before him. But, alas, she was proven wrong once again.

He was currently sat up in bed, dressed in a pair of night trouser, reading the latest copy of Whistledown.

Noticing that she had awoken, Anthony glanced down and placed a chaste kiss on the side of her mouth.

"Good morning, my love," he smiled at her.

Good God!

Who was this man and what had he done with her husband?

"Are you alright?" She enquired as she snuggled into his chest, "you're... happy? And it's worrying?"

He chuckled deeply and she felt the vibrations in his chest, "yes, I'm quite happy. I should warn you, that does occur occasionally. But don't be too disheartened, it usually fades within a couple of hours."

She shook her head at his joking and leaned up to kiss him again.

"What does Whistledown write?"

He handed her the paper so that she might have a brief scan through it herself.

"Waterstone is still the wonder of the ton, your friend Lucia Black is likely to be engaged, and something to do with a secret society of intelligent young women? Whistledown is one of your little club I think," he mused.

Aurora let out a quiet gasp at the thought, "Anthony we must track her down! Oh, this is so very exciting. I cannot wait to introduce you!"

"When is your next meeting?"

"Tomorrow," she replied as she sat up and leant over the edge of the best to grab the nightdress that had been left there for her to change into last night.

"Hmmmm," Anthony thought for a moment, "in that case, I shall have to find my old Oxford books this afternoon and have a look through them. Are your ladies very advanced?"

"I do not think so? No one really likes the subject to be honest."

He gave her a broad grin, "excellent. Then no one will try to speak to me."

She raised an eyebrow at his antics.

"I see your good mood is already fading?"

The viscountess had now changed into the nightdress and wandered across to Anthony's vanity to brush out her now extraordinarily tangled hair.

"I have to you visit my mother this morning first," he told her and he pulled on a shirt. "Do you wish to join me?"

Aurora's ears pricked up at the thought. She had not seen the younger Bridgertons in some time and was interested to hear more about Benedict's romance with Miss Hayward.

"Of course, though I have a favour to ask?"

Anthony smirked at her as he made his way over to the vanity, hanging his arms around her neck as he leant down and placed kissed on her cheek.

"Ask away."

Glancing at him in the mirror, she began her request.

"A friend of mine has feelings for your brother and I was wondering if perhaps, you might have a conversation with him to see if he is serious in his advances."

Nodding his head in agreement, Anthony smiled down at her with a look of mirth.

"I see you are already taking of your role as a married member of the ton - engaging in eccentric matchmaking?"

She gasped jokingly at his teasing and playfully hit his arm.

"This is not eccentric! They are already in love... they just need a little push toward each other."

"If that's what helps you sleep at night," muttered the viscount, plucking the brush from Aurora's hands and making a start on her hair himself.

The two took a leisurely breakfast as they wandered through the halls of their house. It wasn't that they didn't already know it took by room, only now, now that they were truly husband and wife. It was beginning to feel like a home.

"How is you brother's attempt to woo the princfriendss coming along?" Asked Anthony as he made his way through a buttered croissant.

"I thought you were interested in my eccentric matchmaking?"

The viscount laughed and drew her closer to him as they walked down the main staircase and into the entrance hall.

"Well, you are my wife so I suppose I have to pretend to be interested about these things," but his response did not convince Aurora.

"I see. Well, he has abruptly decided to accompany her back to India when she leaves in a couple of weeks so take of that what you will. However I think-" she dramatically cut off her sentence here and stared out into the middle distance as a devilish grin made its way onto her face.

Noticing her expression, Anthony glanced down at her in a mixture and amusement and anticipation.

"Say, if we're going to embrace our Cupid stereotype, I think there's one member of the ton who we simply have to find a wife for."

She paused for a moment to increase the dramatic effect., then leaned in towards Anthony's ear and whispered.

"Julius."

***

Loyal readers,

Thank you for sticking with this story! I've just reached 300,000 reads which is a huge amount and I'm very surprised indeed!

You'll be happy to know that from now until the end our couple is going to be much more cute and open in their affections.

As a side note, someone commented about the idea of a Minnie McGonagall story and my mind has been buzzing all day at the prospect. I've already made some ideas and I'm very excited!

For those of you who are reading The Bridgerton Princess, I have good news! I'm going to try and start updating that daily from next week as this story is now moving into the final quarter.

Yours &c.
Valentina