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Two weeks had passed by since they had been engaged. Gone are the worries of announcing their engagement to their respective families. Kate was not going back to India. She is going to be Anthony’s wife. His Viscountess.
They had decided to get married a month after the Featherington Ball and the wedding is set to be at Aubrey Hall, away from the prying eyes of the ton. During their engagement, with their families and the public eye, they are a picture of propriety to avoid another scandal. But they have still their morning rides to look forward to until they finally say I do. In their private moments together, they can discuss about anything, how their days went by, the wedding preparation, his day at the parliament, her heart-to-heart talk with Edwina, their future, anything just getting to know each other.
“Well, Miss Sharma I have a question to ask,” he said teasingly while they walk in Hyde Park away from their horses.
“Lord Bridgerton, I’m all ears,” she said looking at him with a mischievous smile from her lips.
“This is just out of curiosity. Uhm well, I happen to observe that you are experienced in,” he paused “I assume you’ve been kissed before.”
Kate just stared at him waiting for him to continue.
“Miss Kate Sharma, what I am curious about is, who was your first kiss?”
Kate giggled at his inquisition.
“Well, milord if you are really so curious…”
“It’s Anthony.”
“Anthony. If you really want to know,” she looked away from him as if embarrassed.
After moments of silence Anthony said, “Don’t tell me it’s me. Our kiss at the church…”
“Oh don’t get ahead of yourself sir,” she laughed, “I have kissed a boy in India before but no, he was not my first either. I think I was about four years old…”
“My my Miss Sharma…”
“Do you want to hear the story or not?” she teased.
He was silent and let her continue, “I was four years old, and I was with Appa in London before we departed for India with Mary. We were at a bookstore, so my father let me walk around and pick a book I want to bring for our travel. I found this book that seems interesting, and it looks like it’s the only copy in that store. Then there was a boy, a few years older than me. At first, he was just looking at me but then he tried to snatch the book from me as I was browsing it, so I ran and he chased me,” Kate recounted the tale happily with Anthony listening to her intently “He was taller, so he caught up with me fast. Then he pulled the ribbon that tied my hair. And when I was about to cry the boy kissed me, well at that time he was pressing his lips on mine to shut me up. Then he ran away with my book, and my Appa found me in tears. We went to the ices after that to calm me down. That Lord Bridgerton is the story of my first kiss.”
Anthony was enraptured with his fiancé’s story, “What a mean boy I say,” he commented then asked, “Did you ever had the chance to read the book you were interested in?”
“No, not immediately, as it was more of an advance reading material for my age at that time, but when I got older, I found a copy in India and enjoyed it. The book reminded me of that distant memory in the bookstore,” she smiled at him, and he smiled in return. “Oh! it’s quite late already, as much as I want to learn about your first kiss as well, I must hasten back as I am to break my fast with Lady Danbury and Mary.”
Anthony rode back with Kate to Mayfair then when he arrived at Bridgerton House, he remembered he forgot to ask his intended the title of the book the mean boy stole from her.
It was two days before their wedding, preparations had somehow calmed down. Their respective families had been busy with their own pursuits leaving the betrothed couple alone in Anthony’s study.
They were seated closely in the settee, hand holding just enjoying each other’s presence.
“Two more days,” Anthony said caressing her ring finger.
“I can’t wait to be your wife,” she said to him adoringly.
“My Viscountess, I can’t wait to start our life together, wake up beside you the first break of dawn in our room.”
“You do not wish for us to have separate rooms?”
“No, you are the first person I wish to see when I wake up in the morning and the last person I see before I sleep every night,” he replied.
“If it is your wish, how can I refuse the Viscount. I also can’t wait to wake up next to you…create memories together.”
“Oh Kate,” he turned to her and kissed her with passion until they finally needed to breathe. “Before I forget I have something to give you.”
“Anthony, you have already given me so much,” he moved away from her and went to his desk. He pulled out from his drawer a small package wrapped in paper.
He handed her the package then said, “This is my wedding gift. I kept it in my old bedroom and think it is best I give this to you.”
Kate curiously looked at the package that seems like a journal or a book then heard Anthony whisper, “Open it,” he said waiting for her reaction.
As she opens the package a ribbon fell and then there was a book, “This…this book…Gulliver’s Travel. How did you…”
"This was the book I stole from a girl with doe eyes in a bookstore."
Tears started brimming from her eyes, “You,” she murmured, “You were the boy.”
He nodded and cupped her cheek wiping the tears from her face, “My love, I’m sorry I stole the book from you,” she shakes her head, “I’m sorry I kissed you.”
She smiled, “I was not crying because of what you did. I just couldn’t believe it was you.”
“I can’t believe it was you,” he said their foreheads touching.
“I can’t believe a seven-year-old is going around kissing girls,” she said to him playfully.
“Don’t ruin the moment Miss Sharma,” he whispered in her ear, “And for your information, it was also my first kiss,” then continue to kiss her with all his want and she responded to him passionately.