Midnight Rain:

Chapter 54: Thoughts about Family:

The Modiste.

"I do wonder about the trim. Is it too much?" Edwina asked her mother at the bridal dress fitting.

"Nothing is too much now that the queen is hosting." Lady Mary smiled, with a slight chuckle, looking at the Modiste, Genevieve Delacroix, who was making Edwina's dress.

"Let me show you the French tulle." Genevieve smiled.

"Oh, yes." Lady Mary smiled, walking with her as Edwina smiled, looking in the mirror at her perfect white dress.

Edwina smiled, looking at the sparkling dress. She was so happy. "Did I tell you we will be married by the archbishop himself?" Edwina asked with a smile while Kate sat down and looked at the fabrics.

"Several times," Kate said softly.

"We must find you a dress, too." Edwina smiled, turning to look at her older sister.

"I have plenty of dresses," Kate said with a small smile.

"This one must be special. After all, this wedding is as much your triumph as mine. Whatever you said to the earl at Aubry Hall, Didi, it clearly swayed him to declare himself." Edwina smiled, clearly clueless.

"I... I cannot claim credit."

"I shall bestow it, all the same. It will be so exciting living in London. The earl said there might even be snow this winter. Won't that be exciting?" She continued to gush as she looked over her gown.

"You must enjoy it without me, Bon. Recall I am to set sail soon after you wed." Kate sighed as Edwina stopped folding the trim around the neckline.

"But you will return to visit, of course. And when the earl and I are blessed with children, you shall be their favorite aunt." She smiled with a soft chuckle.

That should not be so hard, Kate thought to herself. James only had a brother, who had not married yet.

"Think of us all together as a family." Edwina smiled, looking back at her reflection.

Kate sighed, looking down as she did not want to think of the idea.

The Bridgerton Estate.

"And you take the dirt and pat it down." Evelina smiled as she showed Anthony how to plant new flowers in the gardens.

"Like this?" Anthony asked with a small smile.

"No..." Evelina giggled before grabbing his hands to show him how to do it properly. "You have to make sure all the roots are covered... The dirt is like a blanket." She smiled, looking down at the dirt to ensure the roots were covered, but Anthony's eyes were watching how she smiled, causing him to smile because of hers.

"Oh..." He said, pretending like he was listening.

"Oh? That's all you have to say?" She asked, looking at him with a chuckle.

"What? I was listening..." He scoffed a bit, chuckling as she smiled brightly.

"Then, try it again." Evelina smiled, reaching him a new plant bulb.

"Alright." He nodded, taking the bulb when he moved to plant it as she watched him.

"You have to--" She went to say, but he turned to her and scoffed out a chuckle.

"I told you I have it... You cannot tell me what to do. I know what I'm doing." He protested, chuckling as she covered her mouth, laughing.

"Oh, my apologies, my lord... I did not know you were competitive about planting lilacs." She chuckled at him.

"Not competitive... I just want to prove to you that I can do it." He smirked, when she nodded.

He moved to plant it, trying his best, when she smiled, watching him patiently. "You know... My father loved lilacs." He said, smiling as he looked down at the flower.

"They are very beautiful." She smiled, knowing he loved to mention how great of a man his father was.

"He was picking some the day he... the day he died. Along with some hyacinths." He continued when Evelina moved to help him cover the flower bulb.

"Like your sister's name?" She asked him with a small smile. 

"Mm... I don't think I ever realized that." He said with a small sigh. He stopped, looking at Evelina, who dusted off her gloves. "You would have loved to get to know him. You share many interests... He loved to read. And he loved to be in the garden. And he was quite competitive at pall mall." He added when she moved to hold his hand.

"I'm certain that he was a wonderful man, Anthony..." She smiled at him. "And I'm sure that you are more like your father than you know." She smiled, leaning forward to peck his lips.

"I wish I was half the man he was." Anthony sighed when Evelina pulled away.

"I couldn't imagine someone that is more gracious and charming than you." She smiled at him.

"And you forgot, handsome, I presume?" He asked with a teasing smirk.

"I could never forget that, my lord..." She chuckled, watching as he moved his hand to her belly, where she had not yet shown that she was with her child. But the fact that they knew she was was enough for him to use any excuse to hold his hand to her growing baby bump. He could not wait to meet his son or daughter.

~season 2, episode 5: "An Unthinkable Fate"~

~838 words~