Work Text:
Lord and Lady Bridgerton are having a lazy day out in Aubrey Hall in the meadow they had found during their short honeymoon in the estate before their 6 month trip around Europe. It was their safe space and now it was a great respite after a busy season. Kate had done very well with her first season as a Viscountess, presenting Francesca and the first ball she arranged was a success with the help of Violet and Daphne.
They brought Newton along in their picnic with Kate reading her newly acquired novel and Anthony resting his head in her lap. Newton was energetically chasing a butterfly which caught the Viscount's attention.
Anthony looked up to his wife, "Is Newton your first pet?"
"He is rambunctious today, isn't he?", she smiled affectionately towards her favorite creature. "Actually, no. I got Newton as a gift from the Royal Family in India who Appa was working for. I actually had a beagle when we were living in Somerset. She was really special."
"A beagle...hmmm quite a different breed compared to your menace over there," he commented.
"Quite," she placed her book over the blanket and gently played with his locks. She continued, "Once when we were in London, I got lost somewhere in Hyde park and my beagle found me. It rained heavily that day and she somehow found me. She was a strong girl even in her small form. I was quite sad that we can't bring her to travel to India with us so we had to leave her to one of father's acquaintance. I guess she already passed."
"Maybe we can get another beagle for you my love?"
"Probably in the future but we already have a handful with Newton and this one coming up don't you think?" she answered him teasingly. Kate is three months pregnant and is not yet showing but they are both excited to welcome the new addition to their family.
"Come let's go back home to get ready for dinner and I want a proper meal from cook. I have requested Tandoori as I am craving it since yesterday," he kissed her belly and acquiesced to his wife.
---‐-----
After their satisfying dinner, they were in their sitting room which connects the viscount and viscountess' room. They were having a companionable silence as Kate writes her correspondence to her sister and mother while Anthony reads the letters from their tenants.
He suddenly stopped reading and he turned to her, "By the way, you have not told me the name of your first dog."
She looked back at him to answer him but then he continued, "It would have been funny if its Artemis."
She gently placed her quill, "Artemis...that was her name. Anthony how did you guessed that?"
"Truly?" he was genuinely surprised.
"Yes. I can still remember," now forgetting about her correspondence and her attention is on her husband. "Artemis was a combination of brown and white in color but she has a black patch under her chin. That day when I got lost...there was a boy..." she said still contemplating.
Anthony stood up and sat beside her stool and held her hands, "Well...I just thought about that day when Father and I along with Benedict were playing Sardines when we were but 9 and 8 along Hyde Park near where we first met. But then, we got caught in the rain. As I was trying to find father, I saw this dog barking and then it led me to a bush and I saw a girl. She recognized the dog and called her Artemis. I tried to help her but since I did not know what to do I used my whistle to summon father."
"The whistle," she murmured.
"Father found us and thankfully we successfully returned the girl to her companions. As we parted I gave her the whistle so she would not get lost again."
Kate rummage into her drawer and taken out a wooden whistle which is one of her prized possessions.
"It was one of the reasons I took that route to ride when we first arrived here. I did not think it was you."
He reached out to her and turned the whistle, there carved E.B.
"It belonged to father and handed it to me. I am glad you still kept this Kate. I have always that lingering thought of the girl in th park. I'm glad I found you again"
"I'm glad you found me again."