[1.5] The Duchess of Kent and Strathearn | B. Bridgerton

FINAL CHAPTER

Our Love To Me Is Treacherous

Charlotte was the first of them to wake up the next day. At first, she thought last night was a dream, it felt unreal... But the moment she opened her eyes, and saw her husband laying next to her, made her realize everything was real. Every touch, every caress, every kiss, every moan, every bite, every thrust... To not bother him and let him sleep some more, she closed her eyes again and stayed still.

Few minutes later, Benedict stretched his body and opened his eyes, to see his wife, laying on her side next to him. She was curled up on her side, her hair messy, her eyes closed. He adores the thought that he is the only one who gets to see her like this, at peace, calm, so still, so beautiful like the sunrise. After admiring her for a couple more seconds, he lifted his hand to her face and brushed her hair away, gently caressing her cheek.

"Good morning, wife," Benedict whispered gently, his voice a little raspy, but with a smile on his face as he leaned in and placed a delicate kiss in her forehead.

"Good morning, husband," Charlotte opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"Last night was...unforgettable," he smirked. "I should be away more often if that's how you're going to welcome me."

"Benedict," the smile on her face turned into a playful glare. "Why can't it be more like that with you still around?"

"I know. I'm sorry, Char. Of course it can. And I'm not going anywhere," he brought her closer towards him as she scooted over, now she laid her head on his chest, her arm around him drawing circles on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "I swear it, my angel. I'm not leaving you again. I don't ever want to."

"I didn't want to think about it, but in the end, I think Daphne was right," Charlotte sighed contently. "The greatest gift you can give someone is the space to be his or herself, without the threat of you leaving."

"You told my sister?" He questioned.

"Only a few details... After all, we never payed them a visit like we said we would," she explained, and he lightly nodded.

"We should..." He nodded again, then frowned with confusion. "Should we?"

"We definitely should," she chuckled. "But next time, if we say we are visiting, we should actually go."

"Fine," he chuckled lightly. "But after we spend more time together. Just the two of us, alright?"

"Oh, I'd like that very much," she pecked his cheek. "Just the two of us."

They decided to stay in bed for a couple more minutes. Benedict showered his wife with kisses all over her face, her neck, and her belly. After that, they bathed, changed into more formal clothing for the luncheon the Queen had quickly planned. Since they left their bedroom late, they missed the breakfast with the Queen.

To the luncheon, everyone in the ton was invited, all happy about the quick and successful pregnancy of the Duchess of Kent and Strathearn. Honestly, Charlotte didn't know how to feel about the Queen specifying in the invitations that gifts for the mother-to-be and for the baby were mandatory. Benedict welcomed them all immediately, but agreed with his wife that, depending on the gender, she wanted their baby to use some of the clothes her, Amelia, and George once used. Benedict also agreed to use few of his clothes when he was a little boy, only if the baby was a boy, because he confirmed with his mother that she kept them almost all.