Aspire - Kanthony's continuation story

Chapter 17 - The Nursery

NOTE: I apologise in advance for all the "boy names and girl names" talk in this chapter, or any other parts of this story implying that there would be only two genders, but this is set in the 19th century. I do not personally share this view in any way.

Also, this specific chapter is participating in #AnthonyWeek22 (Sept 11th-17th) with the prompt of today (H - Honour, Husband), although I'm not submitting this entire fic to the actual collection on AO3. But do check out all the wonderful works that have been submitted!

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Aubrey Hall, December 1815

Kate stood by the large drawing room window at Aubrey Hall, overlooking the beautifully sparkling frosty landscape that seemed to go on forever. The lands and forests were wintery barren, except for the evergreen conifers. The days grew shorter while the nights grew longer and darker. All around the large estate the nature seemed to either fall asleep or perish in the biting cold, but as life outside seemed to slowly wither away and die, inside of Kate life was growing stronger and more mobile for every passing day. She caressed her big round belly and kept staring through the window while her hot breath stuck to it and made it harder to see through. No snow had yet fallen, much to Kate's disappointment, but at least she had the delicate and intricate frost flowers to admire on the glass when the pale winter sun shone through them. The ancient house laid silently and peacefully around her after another lively breakfast. The only sound that could be heard was the crackling from the fireplace and the silent snoring of Newton, who was lying on his back in front of it. Kate looked at him with a smile and returned to the table, where Mrs Wilson had brought her today's mail. She browsed through the letters, but there was still no word from Anthony. In all honesty, she had not written to him either. It still seemed like both of them were too proud - or too offended - to take the first step. Underneath the letters lay the most recent Lady Whistledown. Kate thought about tossing it straight into the fireplace, but her curiosity got the best of her and she began to read.

Lady Whistledown's Society Papers

December 22nd, 1815

Gentle, joyous reader,

Your favourite author wants to wish you a merry Christmas and delight you with the latest news to relish whilst you are eating your gingerbread and drinking your eggnog. In the off-season delightful gossip is unfortunately very hard to come by, but I have handpicked for you the cherries from what these destitute times have to offer.

[...] This author tends to want to take pride in that she seems to be right nearly all of the time - and I was certainly right about the upcoming matrimony between Lady Violet Bridgerton and The Duke of Stanton, since they have now finally announced their engagement. As for the other Bridgertons, it seems like there might be some trouble in paradise for the previously so blissful viscount and viscountess. The viscount has resided in London all December, while the viscountess and the rest of the family have already left for the countryside. Yes, one might think that the viscount simply needed to stay behind to finish his important business in London before everyone leaves for the holidays, but regarding how passionately the viscount and viscountess enjoyed spending their time together in the past, one might just wonder if the lady's radical speech in Bloomsbury last month managed to make a crack in the previously picture-perfect marriage...

Now Kate crumpled up the damned paper and tossed it into the fireplace. Newton woke up and gawked at Kate with a questioning look, just as Lady Mary entered the room. She had arrived with Lady Danbury a couple of days ago to spend Christmas together, as planned.

"Kate, darling! Here you are." Mary smiled at her stepdaughter. "Shall we continue with our organising of the nursery? Benedict and Colin are just bringing something more down from the attic." She said, wrapping her magenta shawl tighter around her shoulders. Kate smirked to herself, because Mrs Wilson and some other elder servants were still too frightened to go up there after a young Daphne had given them such a scare, but apparently the Bridgerton brothers were brave enough to enter the supposedly haunted attic.