Midnight Rain:

Chapter 51: Pain:

A few days later.

Charlotte rushed to her daughter once she heard that Evelina had another episode. Charlotte sat by her daughter's bedside like she had done every time Evelina had "episodes." 

Evelina had been sleeping in the bed she shared with her husband for three days, uncertain if she would wake up this time.

"Your tea, Mama," George said, handing his mother a cup of tea himself. He had returned with his mother, worried about how to handle any word of Evelina's condition leaking to the public.

"I do not want it." Charlotte sighed, feeling less optimistic about her daughter waking this time.

"Evelina would not want you to suffer on her behalf. Her husband is already doing that," he said, setting the teacup and saucer on the bedside table.

"She said she was doing well..." Charlotte sighed, trying not to cry again.

"She puts on a brave act. She always has." George said with a hint of a chuckle.

"Hmm..." Charlotte smiled a bit, looking up at her eldest child.

"In that way, she is more like you, as Father would say," George added with a chuckle.

Evelina began to stir awake, feeling her head pounding—and, more importantly, the cold cloth that had been placed on her head a few minutes earlier. "Mama..." She called out, quiet and strained, as George and Charlotte turned to look at her immediately.

"My darling girl!" Charlotte exclaimed, getting up to hug her baby girl. "Oh, you're awake!" She cried, hugging her daughter, who chuckled in confusion.

Meanwhile.

"I will join the family in the drawing room momentarily," Anthony said, keeping his eyes on his papers as he sat on the sofa of his study. He had locked himself away and slept since Evelina fell into a sleep that had lasted for a couple of days.

"Anthony," Violet said, being the light footsteps that Anthony heard without even looking up at her.

"She's awake?" Anthony asked his mother, dropping his papers immediately.

"Jane has just informed Mrs. Wilson." Violet smiled, chuckling softly in relief.

Anthony nodded, smiling. His joyful smile, indicating that his wife was alright, turned to him, trying to fight back tears that he could not stop this time. He covered his hands over his face, trying to calm his breathing.

Violet sighed, watching her poor son trying to fight back the tears he had held in since the other day on the steps, where he was panicking over what was happening with his wife. She sat down next to him, tearing up, along with him. "It is... unthinkable. Finding someone like that. Someone... you love." Violet sighed while Anthony fought back the tears, holding his hand to his quivering lips. "I am sorry. I am so sorry that it was you who was with your father that day. And I am... sorry for everything that happened in the days that followed. If I could go back and change things-- You have no idea how much I wish I could change everything." Violet confessed, unable to contain her tears as she began to cry. "It is what I think about every night before I close my eyes, and then again every morning before I open them... It will never go away." Violet continued before the two quietly cried.

"I do not think I can see her," he sighed, shaking his head as he wiped the tears from his cheeks and took a deep breath.

Violet turned her body to look at him. "Losing Edmund was the most difficult time of my life." She began to say to him as he nodded. "And the pain that I felt... beyond description. But there is one thing that has given me at least some modicum of solace. It's knowing that I would still choose the life I led with him each and every time. And I would undoubtedly feel the same pain I felt all over again if I had to because real, true love is worth it. No matter what." She told him as he looked away from her, fighting his hardest to fight back tears. "Do not lose her, Anthony. You cannot lose her." She continued as she moved to hold his hand.

A little bit later, Evelina tried to sit up and have Jane get her ready for breakfast with the Bridgertons, her mother, and her eldest brother. Charlotte and George joined them, which caused the breakfast to be quiet and awkward. 

Mostly because Violet and her children said nothing; they did not understand what had just happened. 

"What you all saw... It must not be repeated to anyone." Charlotte spoke up, looking around the Bridgertons.

"Of course, Your Majesty." Violet quickly nodded as everyone looked up.

"Very well..." Charlotte said, worried that Lady Whistledown would find out. "No one shall ever talk about it," she said, her tone stricter as she was giving an order.

The room went quiet as Violet looked to the other head of the table to the empty chair where Anthony should have sat, but he had not come down for breakfast.

"You look well," Anthony said, cautiously entering his bed chamber to see Evelina getting her hair pinned up. "Are you alright, my dear?" Anthony asked her when he walked over, and Jane stopped doing Evelina's hair.

"I'll bring you a cup of tea, my lady," Jane said, bowing her head as she left the room.

"Thank you, Janie..." Evelina gave her a small smile. "And yes, my lord. Much improved." She bravely smiled, standing up from her vanity chair to change her slippers into her shoes.

"You frightened me, you know... I thought I was going to lose you..." Anthony sighed, placing a hand on Evelina's waist to keep her in front of him, which stopped her from changing her shoes.

"I'm sorry, my lord." She apologized, trying to avoid looking at him. "That was never my intention--"

"You need to quit apologizing to me, Evelina. I'm your husband... It's my job to worry about you." He smiled, moving his other hand from her waist to her cheek.

Evelina smiled at him, but she could only think about their conversation. He liked her only as a friend, as part of his duty. And yet, she was in love with him.

"Come now, we shall get you something to eat." He smiled, pecking her lips sweetly.

~season 2, episode 8: "The Viscount Who Loved Me"~ 

~1041 words~