First Impressions // A Bridgerton Story

1st Epilogue

" Lord Bridgerton celebrated his birthday.

This Author believes that it was his thirty-ninth, at home with his family.

This Author was not invited.

Nonetheless, details of the fête have reached This Author's always attentive ears, and it sounds to have been a most amusing party.

The day began with a short concert: Lord Bridgerton on the trumpet and Lady Bridgerton on the flute. Lady Garth (also known as Princess Sophia), the Princess's sister apparently offered to mediate on the piano forte, but her offer was refused.

According to the dowager viscountess, a more discordant concert has never been performed.

But it was quite alright, as it was the Viscount's birthday, and subsequently, the very next day a new Bridgerton joined the family. How blessed the couple is, especially after years of disappointment and no baby.

We are told, it was a boy".

LADY WHISTLEDOWN'S SOCIETY PAPERS, 9 OCTOBER 1822

"She must have a spy in the family", Anthony said to Amelia, shaking hishead. 

Amelia laughed as she held Edmund in her arms, slowly rocking him to sleep. "Shedidn't realize that today is your birthday, not yesterday", she argued softly.

"A trifling matter", he grumbled. "She must have a spy. There's noother explanation.

"She did get everything else right", Amelia couldn't help noting. "I tellyou, I've always admired that woman".

"We weren't that bad", Anthony protested. 

"We were dreadful", Amelia said, with a warm look in his direction. 

She looked at Edmund's peaceful face for a moment.

"We're always dreadful. But at least we try", she said simply.

Anthony sank on the bed next to her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders as they both looked at their newborn son's features. There was little that brought him more peace thansimply holding her in his arms. He didn't know how any man survivedwithout a woman to love. 

"It's almost midnight", Amelia murmured. "Your birthday is almost over."Anthony nodded. Thirty-nine. He'd never thought he'd see the day.No, that wasn't true. Since the moment he'd let Amelia into his heart, hisfears had been slowly melting away. 

But still, it was nice to be thirty-nine. 

Settling. 

He'd spent a goodly portion of the day in his study, staring up athis father's portrait.

But then he had been informed that his wife was in labour and he had dropped everything to be with her. He did not care that the doctors wanted him out of the room. His father was always there at every birth. And he did not wish to leave Amelia alone.

Soon after the birth of Edmund, their son, he had left them for a quick moment to wake up the one person who he wanted to meet his son first.

Hyacinth might call him "Anthony", but in every other way, she embraced him as her father. It was in the way she craved his approval, his cuddles, his jokes, and his presence. Anthony had to admit that the feeling was completely mutual.

Anthony looked after all his siblings, but it was Hyacinth who he first wanted to see when he came back from work, it was her stories he needed to hear after a long day in parliament, and her sloppy kisses on his cheek that made him smile.