A Portrait of a Stranger

[Sophia Beckett]

Life was beautiful. And there was nothing more she wanted from it.

Once, Sophie had thought life was about surviving, but not any more. She had come to love the man she was now calling husband. Come to love his quirks, and ideals. Even if loving him still sometimes scares her. Sometimes woke her from sleep.

You see, Sophie sometimes feared their love was on borrowed time. Yet she planned on making every ounce of time she had with him to best. She hid these feelings well, and it was easy to do so with the happiness that she found. It was easy to forget the fear, and unease. For days and weeks at a time even. Sometimes even for months. She was happy. He was happy. And it was enough.

Their love had begun five years ago when he had walked into the village she was working in. She had tried working in noble homes but the men there felt that they could take anything they pleased--even her. She had run far from the memories of them trying to force her. It was how she had found work in the village, not far from both the sea and the mountains. Sometime after, he walked into the village. It was easy to see he had been through something. His clothes had been well worn and ragged. As he walked down the dirt path through town he had fainted. The local doctor said it was from both being ill, injured, and from exhaustion.

Sophie had helped nurse him back to health. Once he awakened, he had no memory of how he was injured or where he had been . . . or who he was. It took him a few weeks to be able to climb from bed, and a short time after that to heal from his injuries. He picked a name that seemed familiar to him. Over the time they spent together, Sophie and him grew fond of each other. Fall in love. He was charming and particular. Gallant almost. He found peace in drawing, even though there was little money in it. She found peace in him. He sometimes drew faces, but did not know the names to give them. He sometimes drew her. And sometimes the world around them. Passing merchants often bought the drawings and paintings. Sometimes selling them for good money.

After years had passed, they gave up on his memory returning, and built a life together. Married. Make love. Found a house to one day have children in. Life was beautiful. And she wanted nothing more from it. Even if she feared his memory would return and he would be taken from her. Or he would have a wife. Or he would forget her. The happiness he gave her kept these thoughts at bay.

Walking up behind him while he painted, Sophie leaned in to kiss him. A deep and happy kiss.

_{Tagged: Benedict Bridgerton}

[Benedict Bridgerton]

Tag: Sophia Beckett

i' m    n o t    b o u n d    b y 

THE RULES OF SOCIETY

Benedict Edmund was incredibly happy. It had taken some time to reach this level of happiness but alas, he now felt it. Upon waking up in an unfamiliar place, with no recollection of who he was or anything from his past . . . an angel had been sent to him to help him recover. Now, he felt content with not knowing because he had, or was rather, building a life with the woman that he loved. Her own circumstances had been challenging but she had helped him through the difficult days; the frustrations. The only name that had given him some semblance of familiarity, was Edmund. He did not know his last name, nor anything else. He was not even certain if Edmund was his true name. But it was the only one that had entered his mind. And it was Edmund, that Sophie was now married to.

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Edmund was engrossed in his painting when he felt the soft touch of his wife. She was perhaps the one distraction that could pull him from his work . . . pull him from this world as if nothing else existed but her. His lips moved against her own, fighting the urge to raise his hand to touch her cheek so that he would not get paint on it.

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Slowly -- and regrettably -- easing out of the kiss, allowing their foreheads to touch for a moment, a smile formed on his lips as he slowly opened his eyes. "I have news," he told her. It was something extraordinary and rather breaking of their daily routine. "I have been called to Mayfair for a commission." He had been bursting with excitement to tell her because, if he could start working for wealthy families and nobles . . . he could better provide for Sophie and the children that he longed to have with her one day.

[Sophia Beckett]

She could climb on his lap. Forget the dress and the paint--she could do it. Yet she knew that replacing the dress would be pointless coin wasted, but she was so tempted. It would be simple to climb over his legs and let the kiss take them away. And yet, her husband was smarter than she, and pulled himself away.

He told her that he had news. It was enough to pull her from her passionate thoughts and back into the moment, and the morning. He'd been called to . . MAYFAIR? Sophie exhaled softly and her hands lifted to his cheeks. "That is incredible!" She told him, her voice held the excitement and proudness that she felt. Bending down the lightly kissed his lips once more. "You have finally caught the attention your work deserves!"

Mayfair! How grand! It was so far away, and it was . . . in . . . London. The city. With the nobles. With her step-mother. Sophie held her smile, but she knew that this would be a conversation they would need to have. He knew of her past. And yet, it was long ago. And maybe with a husband she would be safer. Maybe they would not be anywhere near her step-family. Bending to kiss him again, she pulled back and smiled down at him. She would not ruin this moment for him with her fears.

"When?" She asked, reaching up to brush some of his hair back from his handsome face.

_{Tagged: Benedict Bridgerton}

[Benedict Bridgerton]

Tag: Sophia Beckett

i' m    n o t    b o u n d    b y 

THE RULES OF SOCIETY

Edmund felt that ceasing to smile was an impossibility! He was so excited for this opportunity and thus, building a better life for his wife. While they were happy and did not want for material things . . . he still wished to take care of her. To give her all that she desired, all that she deserved. And . . . to one day, have children to fill their home. He closed his eyes, feeling the softness of her lips as they touched his own. "Something I could not have done without you," he told her gratefully. For without her support, he would be nothing. Quite literally.

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Waking up and having no recollection of oneself was traumatic enough. Without Sophie in his life . . . he was uncertain where he would have ended up. He owed her everything and she held his entire heart. Kissing her again, he leaned forward to let the embrace linger before she pulled away to answer his question. "Tomorrow," he answered with a continued smile. "We must make and make our way. Sophie, this could change our entire life," he said with evident excitement. "Should I successfully complete this commission, we could very well gain more work." We . . . because he could not do it without her. "Is leaving tomorrow suitable for you?" He asked, unsure if there was anything else that she would need remain here for. If she had any work of her own.

[Sophia Beckett]

He gave her credit where credit was not due. Sophie playfully swatted his solder, while smiling down at it. "It is not I who paints magic on a canvas. It is you." A talent he had from before he lost his memory years ago. She wondered if that had been his profession before.

Tomorrow would be a quick turn around. Yet she knew nobles cared not for the urgency they demand. If this noble wanted it, they cared not for any time it took. "Tomorrow it is then." She agreed, knowing they would make it work, in the same way they had made their lives work--together.

"I shall arrange for the house to be empty, and for some food for the travel." She knew her husband would find the manner for them to travel. Be it walking part of the way, or purchasing a ticket in a stage coach. He also would find a place for them to stay within their means. "I shall also pack you a bag, so you only need to worry about your brushes." That way he could collect any paints or brushes he might need to bring with him. Though he might be able to purchase a few new things in the city.

_{Tagged: Benedict Bridgerton}