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Chapter Text

1812. Penelope's first season out

"I'm telling you, I know my brother and I assure you. He's way too oblivious. He hasn't even realised what his real feelings are. He does not know about your sister's feelings" proclaimed Hyacinth, a bit exasperated.

"I do believe that to be true. And no offence", said Felicity, looking at Gregory "but you seem to be the only Bridgerton who is not completely blind, and the least oblivious of all" she finished.

"Hey! You said «no offence», but it sounded like you were calling all of us Bridgertons stupid" Gregory complained.

"Well, we do have that inner joke, of us having only one brain cell all eight of us have to share. And I happen to be in its possession most of the time" Hyacinth told her brother. "But that's out of topic. We were discussing Colin and Penelope. I think he may need to be pushed in order to finally open his eyes and see what's in front of him. That whole bullshit with Marina was just that bullshit!" she continued.

"I'm not so sure about that. I mean, I have learnt to never bet against you, especially not when the two of you agree" declared Gregory, "but I believe Colin to be smart enough to realise for himself what he feels. I do not think he needs to be pushed into it, nor for something to occur that would cause his true feelings for Pen to hit him in the face" he said. Colin was one of the three men he looked up to the most, and he felt the need to defend him.

"So it's a bet, I have concluded he is slow, so we'll give you three more seasons. If he realises on his own, without anything «big» happening, and without any help from a third part, then you'll win, and we would -". Felicity paused, thinking of something he would desire to gain.

"Do your Latin assignments for a whole month" Hyacinth intervened.

"That would be marvelous! I have just told you I learnt to never bet against you. But the reward is so tempting…". Gregory considered his options. "It's a risky move, but all right, it's a bet. Colin is not THAT slow" he declared, shaking the girls' hands.

The aftermath of the 1813 season

"HE SAID WHAT?!" questioned both Felicity and Hyacinth in unison. Gregory had heard from Benedict what Colin had said at the Featherington Ball, not that Benedict knew he knew, but still. The three of them had spent the last two seasons watching the pair, examining every interaction and sharing every piece of gossip - no matter how small - that involved their siblings. Telling the girls about it was like an instinct for him at that point.

"EXACTLY. WHAT. YOU. HEARD" he said, emphasizing every word. "I should have just followed my rule of never betting against you, I had faith in him, but apparently he is more of an idiot than I thought him to be" a bitter tone could be heard in his voice.

"Oh, no!" Felicity looked like she had just witnessed a baby falling to the floor as she made the others know about what had happened at the Featherington house that night. "I can only deduce she heard him herself. She was so distressed that night. She cried all night long that day. She didn't tell me why, but I stayed with her and I saw for myself how much she was hurting. That must be why".

"That flipping idiot!" exclaimed Hyacinth. "I knew he was blind and stupid. And I knew he would keep saying that «she's my best friend» shit" she imitated Colin's voice on that phrase, "but I never thought him to be cruel. And I would have never even imagined he would mock her and practically declare her unsuitable". It was obvious by her voice that she was very irritated at her brother.

"I do not think he was thinking at all. We all know that, even if he hasn't accepted it or even realised it yet, he loves her, and I know Colin more than the two of you together, he's the one brother I have who doesn't treat me like a baby or as if I were his responsibility, we talk about things…" Gregory took a breath then. "He does care about her a lot. He does see her as a good match. There must be an ulterior motivation, something we are unaware of. He cares enough about her to defend your family from that cousin of yours", he pointed at Felicity. "But I give up, you won, I'll do your geography's assignments. He will need a lot of help indeed. I suggest we start this upcoming season, once he's back from his summer trip", Gregory said.

"Yep! We better start forming a plan as soon as possible. That empty headed brother of us may catch up later than we would like him to, even with us pushing it" Hyacinth agreed.

"I believe that after that statement, we will have even more work to do than we would've had last year. My sister may be head over heels for Colin, but she is quite proud. She hasn't written to him this time, and we know they were very rigorous with their correspondence, so, once he's here, she could even want to distance herself from him. She would even have an excuse now that her and Eloise are in a row". Felicity told the Bridgertons.

Chapter Text

Just my type: The water colors

The plan was simple, but it would not be as easy to execute. All three of them had taken the job incredibly seriously. They had divided the plan in 3 phases.

They had concluded that the first thing they needed to do was manage to make them make peace. But knowing the reason Penelope was angry at Colin, it would be a difficult task. So Phase one had become the simplest of all. They needed to observe the objects of study, but with those two being on different countries, they had to create the conditions under which they were to make the analysis of their behaviour.

So, during the off season, they would make sure Colin and Penelope were constantly reminded of each other.

Firstly they would send Colin a letter and vaguely, but very purposely mention Penelope acting "weird". It was Gregory who volunteered for this task.

Having that taken care of, Hyacinth and Felicity had arranged a meeting at the Featherington house. They knew Penelope would be there, and since the girls loved her younger sister and regarded Hyacinth as another little sister, who just happened to have different parents, they knew Pen would make them company.

Their mothers had been strict about them not wasting time on useless hobbies and to invest that time on something that would help them improve their suitor attracting skills. So they chose to practice on their watercolors, seeing as Felicity actually liked it and Hyacinth hated to practice on them alone.

They were on the garden, when, as predicted, Penelope approached them.

"Hello, girls, how are you doing?, having fun?" Pen kindly greeted the girls.

"You know I love doing this, even if I am no artist, I simply enjoy doing it" Felicity told her. "But I do not think Hyacinth shares the sentiment" she chuckled.

"I obviously don't" exclaimed Hyacinth, with an exasperated tone. "First of all, I suck at this, I not the Bridgerton with the talent to paint, that would be Ben" she started saying, "and second, I used to have Colin telling me all kinds of stories to distract me while I practiced. But now that he is so, so far away that's not possible anymore" Hyacinth informed the other two.

Both girls were determined to take in any kind of reaction at Colin's name from Pen, so they could discuss it later. And if there was one, it was very subtle, so subtle that they almost missed it.

"Why don't you ask Benedict to make you company? He is the artist. Why would you ask -" She was about to say his name, and she shouldn't be feeling that uneasy at the mere mention of him. She had already decided she would get over him. This upcoming season she was to end up married, Penelope reminded herself, but she still couldn't say the name, so she asked "Why would you ask any of your other siblings?".

Hyacinth and Felicity took note of that as well. "Because Benedict actually knows about art, and he keeps telling me how I could improve, which I have no interest in doing", Hyacinth answered, "And besides", she continued, "I love Colin's stories. And I am under the impression he loves to tell them too. I have the suspicion that he makes them up himself. If so, I have to admit he would make an amazing writer". None of it was a lie, so everything had resulted easier than anticipated.

So, Colin is a writer too. Thought Penelope. And of course Hyacinth was right - she tended to -, he must be an amazing one. Her mind was betraying her, so she decided to avoid the topic.

"Well, even if improving with you watercolors isn't your goal, you could benefit from Benedict's talent. You are not as bad at it as you believe. I actually like your work" she assured Hyacinth. "And of course I ADORE yours, Fel. You little miss, are wonderful". Penelope told her sister with a smile on her face.

Penelope was good at hiding, Hyacinth realised, but she was way too invested in their mission not to notice how Penelope's eyes had shone when she told her about Colin telling her stories.

Felicity, Gregory and her would have a lot of work to do, it seemed.

Oh Cecilia (Breaking my heart): Gregory's letter

Gregory wasn't the best with words. And he certainly was not the most subtle person, he was considered the opposite in fact. But by a miracle send by God himself, he had managed to fulfill his task perfectly. So he sent the letter straight away. He was very proud of his job. He wished he could see for himself Colin's reaction to his letter, but things being what they were, he would have to wait for an answer.

Colin received the letter a few days after Gregory sent it. And he was feeling weird. Something in his brother's letter had made him feel uneasy, but he couldn't exactly say which part of it had done so.

Colin was intelligent enough to put two and two together, Gregory was a menace when it came to discretion. He has a crush on Pen, was all he could concentrate on for a while. He was right, though. Penelope was acting weird, she hadn't responded to any of the letters he had sent her. Could she be ill? He didn't think so or else, Greg would have mentioned it in his letter. But something was odd indeed. Perhaps she was under the impression that having argued with Eloise meant the rest of the Bridgerton would stop being friendly with her as well. But that wasn't the case. They all appreciated her and Felicity for who they were, and they all thought Pen fitted with the Bridgertons better than her sister.

So he wrote back to Gregory.

This whole thing was madness, everything seemed to be reminding him of her. He had been on a mood because of the absence of responses on Penelope's part.

Even Frank James, his friend of travels, with whom he had made his first tour after the Marina disaster, had noticed how much he missed Penelope's letters and everyday he asked him for any kind of update.

Frank had even questioned the motive for his sentiment once, saying "You do not even worry that much when your family doesn't write". That had led to a discussion about the nature of his relationship with Pen. One the whole "traveling squad", as they called it, had witnessed. And now mentions of "the famous redhead" were constant in his presence.

It was as if the universe wanted to make sure he didn't forget Penelope and the fact that she wasn't writing to him and he didn't even know why.

Chapter Text

Remember

The letter he had written to Gregory was short.

Colin had had Penelope on his mind the whole time while writing the letter. It's because she is Gregory's crush, he told himself. But something about that idea still didn't feel right.

He was however more concerned with the fact that Penelope wasn't distancing herself solely from him, but from Eloise as well. Something must be very wrong indeed for those two to stop talking. So he decided to write to the other Bridgerton who would be privy to some of the Featheringtons' secrets. Hyacinth.

After finishing that last letter to Hyacinth, he sent the letters, wishing it wouldn't be long before the letters reach their destination, for he was already anxiously waiting for a response.

Why oh why

The day the letters arrived at Bridgerton house, Felicity, Gregory and Hyacinth had a meeting.

"See, he didn't just ask about her in response to your letter" Hyacinth said looking at Gregory. "He was so concerned he felt the need to ask ME for information about Pen" she was smiling.

“He really is way too oblivious for his own good, isn't he?" wondered Felicity out loud. "He tells Gregory you have a crush when you think about them a lot. And then he tells you he has been worried all this time for the lack of responses from my sister. And still he does not realise" Felicity said, exasperated.

"Yep! I'm not surprised but he must be ridiculously slow if he hasn't caught up" Gregory declared.

"Well, I believe it is pretty clear what we are to do" Hyacinth stated.

"Is it?" said Gregory, confused.

"Of course it is", Felicity answered, rolling her eyes at him. "First Hyacinth is to write to Colin and tell him my sister is doing great" she informed.

"And then, you are to keep up the act of you having a crush on her, and telling him all about it. You'll have to pretend you don't know he knows you were referring to Pen, so you'll keep the crush anonymous". Finished Hyacinth.

"Ok. But I still fail to see why I should do so". Gregory was still confused.

"Because that way he will know it's him. That HE did something that caused her not to write back to him, even though she keeps being our friend. And then, we can move to the third task" Hyacinth told her brother.

"Oh, right!" Said Gregory sarcastically. "And what exactly is the third task?".

"Make Colin regret it". Hyacinth and Felicity said at the same time.

Somebody that you loved

Hyacinth made sure to write about all the things she had been doing with Felicity and Penelope. First, she informed him that, she did not know the reason for the Peneloise falling apart. But he assured her brother that she was healthy and that things at the Featherington house look good enough.

Most of what she said was true, except for the part where she had said she didn't know why Penelope wasn't writing back. He better figures it out on his own. She thought.

Gregory did not know how to lie, even when he wanted to, everyone could see when he was not telling the truth, and for that reason, Hyacinth and Felicity made sure he was included in all of their plans before it was time for him to go to Eton, and since Penelope actually enjoyed those three's company, he ended up genuinely being friends with her.

"That stupid brother of us better get his head out of his ass. Now that she's determined to not talk to him, she could end up befriending another gentleman, and then it would be for sure too late. She's actually wonderful once you really know her, any gentleman who takes the time to do so would fall in love, and fall hard. I'm telling you, if I didn't see her as a sister already I would be head over heels for her." He had admitted to Hyacinth and Felicity one night.

"She really is, even if she can't see it herself" said Felicity.

"And my brother has only made it worse with what he said", Hyacinth concluded.

Colin had been hesitant to send the letters in his hands. But it had already been too long. He hadn't heard back from his best friend in months. The summer was about to be over and a new season was to begin. His little brother had told him in one of the many letters they had exchanged that Penelope was looking up to this year's season. Well he hadn't actually said her name, but it was obvious that whenever Gregory talked about the time spent with «his crush», he meant Penelope.

Everytime Gregory had mentioned her - which was once too many times - he had felt something weird on his stomach. Hyacinth told him that things between Eloise and Penelope were better, thay could be in a room together now. Still no response from her had reached him. He was in great desperation.

"Please, just send those letters already. You have been re reading that one every fucking night for about two months", Frank, his roommate, said. "If she hasn't written back, yet she keeps being friendly with your family, then I do believe you are the problem. Stop overthinking and just send that apology you wrote", he sounded desperate, or more so frustrated, "You will see her soon anyway. You promised your sister you would be there for her debut. You can send the apology and get back to being her - ", he paused "whatever it is you are - once you are home".

"It's just that I do not know what could I possibly had done for her to be mad at me", Colin admitted.

"Then perhaps you didn't do anything and she simply lost interest in you", Frank told him, exasperated.

"She has never had any particular interest in me. We write to each other because we are friends. We have been friends since we were babies, and she always seemed to enjoy my stories", Colin said. He missed that sense of being listened to very dearly, sure he still had Hyacinth, Gregory and Franchesca to tell them about his trips - the only siblings of his that actually asked after him and his travels - but it just wasn't the same.

"Well, maybe something has caught her interest while you were gone, or, perhaps, someone", Frank let out, waiting for him to react. He esteemed Colin a big deal. They had come to know each other pretty well and it was frustrating to watch his friend suffering from some sort of heartbreak he couldn't even admit to himself. It was obvious, even to him, who had never seen the famous redhead, nor had he ever watched the two interact, that what they had was more than merely a friendship.

"You are right. I shall send these immediately". Colin said, making his way out of the room a weird feeling of nervousness running through his body at his friend's words.

And so, he sent the letters, to the same person, tho, one of those letters was begging for his sister to help him give the other letter to Penelope, while the second one was begging the girl for forgiveness, of what, he wasn't sure, but he was sure he could continue without it.

Chapter Text

Forgiving

Hyacinth had been surprised to receive two letters from her brother, but once she opened the envelope that was marked with a small number 1, clearly indicating that she should open that one first, she was no longer surprised, but instead, she found herself unsure if she should do as asked.

"What do you think? Should I give this to Penelope?" Hyacinth asked for her friend and brother's opinion.

"I do not know. Colin himself said he had no idea what he had done. What if the apology only makes things worse?" Said Gregory.

"I doubt it could be possible. Pen is the kindest person I know, she forgives way too easily. If she hasn't even open all the letters she has received from Colin, I believe it is safe to conclude nothing could make it worse" Felicity told them, "but perhaps we should look at it before handing this to my sister", she said dubiously.

"Very well then, let's see what he said" Hyacinth decided.

"Ok, I believe she would actually feel better after reading this", admitted Felicity.

"I will give it to her, then", said Hyacinth.

She went to the Featherington house in the company of her brother and best friend. They found Penelope in the family drawing room. Gregory felt special being there, before this summer he had only been there a handful of times, but since becoming better friends with Felicity, over their shared mission, and of course, after sincerely befriending Penelope, he had become one of the only three Bridgertons that were directly taken there, as if he was part of the family, just like Penelope and Felicity themselves were treated at the Bridgerton House.

"Hello there, mischievous trio", Penelope greeted them. She had been on the company of these three kids more often than anyone else and she was glad for it. She actually enjoyed their company, and since her fight with Eloise, they had helped her feel less alone. She looked at them with a nostalgic smile on her face, she saw those three as her little siblings, which she adored, but she could not help but see the similarities between their friendship and the one she once shared with Colin and Eloise. They were just as close to each other as she had been with her friends, they shared a bond similar to the one she had had with the third and fifth Bridgertons. Of course they had their own friendship, something that was so clearly them and nothing like the older three. For starters, Hyacinth and Gregory didn't argue over every single thing, they had their disagreements and fights, sure, as any siblings did, but they were more protective of each other than Eloise and Colin had ever been, more supportive too, and Hyacinth was so clearly the glue of their little group. Felicity and Gregory liked each other well enough, but she doubted the two would be friends if it wasn't because they both loved Hyacinth.

"Hello, there, my favorite redhead", Gregory greeted back, with a smile.

"I thought that was Fel", Penelope giggled.

"Nah, she knows she's only my second favourite Featherington and redhead" he told Penelope.

"Yes, we both agree we like each other's sister better" Said Felicity, with a grin.

"Very well then, I am absolutely honoured, sir" said Penelope.

"No one had ever called my sir, before, it sounds nice", Gregory said to no one in particular.

"Anyways" Hyacinth interrupted, "we are here to fulfil a duty, imposed to us, may I add, but I did promise I would see to it". She gave Penelope the envelope, it had the Bridgertons' adresse and Hyacinth's name, so Penelope was confused.

"You have to open it" Gregory told her, "and read it" he added.

Penelope opened the envelope hesitantly, looking between the three children, in confusion. She read the letter, she really did, even more than once. She hadn't seen Colin's handwriting in a while, she had told herself she didn't missed it, but reading his apology now, her heart was betraying her. She didn't say anything. There was an awkward silence for a few minutes, until Hyacinth gently broke it.

"You don't have to answer him if you don't want to. But he has been worried about you for months. I had to tell him a hundred times that you were healthy and doing well" she tried to help her brother.

"I testify to that too" Gregory backed her up, "he has been very insistent, it was pretty infuriating".

"I will write back to him" she decided, "can you write down his location here?" she asked, handing Hyacinth a piece of paper and a pen.

That night, she did write back. It wasn't quite the answer anyone expected but she felt like she needed to let go of what she was feeling once and for all.

That was it, she didn't need to write anything else. She forgave Colin, and by doing so, she was truly letting go of him, and she was - or at least tried to - freeing herself, opening her heart, and mostly her mind to new possibilities. This upcoming season, she decided, was the one in which she would find a husband.

Forgiven?

Colin had on his hands the first letter he had received from her since last year. He wasn't sure if she had accepted his apology or not, and he was very nervous to discover it all by himself.

"Please, open that and just tell me if she accepted my apology or nor" he told his friend, handing him the letter.

Frank opened ir, read it and simply stated "Seems like she did".

Colin let out a breath he didn't know he had been keeping in. He took the paper out of his friend's hands and read it himself. Suddenly he didn't feel so much relieve as he had felt when his friend had first spoken. It didn't sound like she had actually forgiven him. It didn't sound like her at all.

"I must have really fucked up" he said to himself. But he found comfort in the knowledge he will be travelling home the very next day, meaning he would soon be able to amend what he had done. He could only hope he would know how, once he saw her.

Another letter, this one from his sister Franchesca, had made its way to him.

«Dear brother,
Don't forget you promised to be here for my debut. I am looking forward to it, but being honest with you, I'm also extremely nervous. You are the only one that seems to enjoy the seasons. Even Daphne was stressed the hell out of herself when she debuted. I feel as if I need your presence here to really believe I can do this, that this can be fun.
Once you arrive, please tell me the secret to enjoy yourself during the marriage season.
With love, Franchesca.

Ps. I may be the least chaotic Bridgerton, but I will have your head if you break your promise. Knowing you, the warning was more effective than the pleading.
Also, Hyacinth told me to inform you that she will have your head, she didn't tell me why, though.»

If he knew his sister, and he knew he did, for they were almost one and the same, he was sure that whatever he had done, Hyacinth was in the known.

Chapter Text

Flashbacks and Welcomings

Colin was finally on his way home, he was riding his horse as fast as he could. He had promised Franchesca to arrive on time for her debut, but a big torment on the sea had caused the boat he was on to arrive one day later than planned. He still could get home in time, but he had to make haste.

He was distracted though. He was feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness at the thought of finally seeing his dear friend face to face again. Would she really forgive him once he apologizes in person? What had he done to make her mad? What could have possibly happened to… He didn't finish his thoughts, for, in that moment he crashed against a low branch on a tree. He was hit on the chest, and then as he bent in reaction to the pain, his head hit what looked like a wall of leaves, since it was little after the summer end, they all had a yellowish color. And he fell off his horse.

The memory of all those years ago came to his mind. He could almost see himself in a younger version laying on the floor, having fallen off his horse and a tiny yellow bonnet on his face. He had been learning how to ride by himself, being around the age of 8, his horse was almost a pony, and he had being doing wonderful, until a bonnet had blinded him and he fell. At first he had been crossed, but suddenly he saw a little redhead, her eyes teary, she looked ashamed and somehow worried, so he laughed. He had told his father "Guess I've learnt a new way of getting off the horse", he then got up and gave the bonnet to the little girl, "I would not recommend it, tho, if not practiced may be hurtful" he told her with a grin, hoping the girl would feel better.

"Penelope, what have you done?!" came a voice, yelling at the girl, Penelope, the voice had said. His father then came closer to where the kids were.

"I assume you are Penelope, miss" Colin had said, with wonder in his tone.

"Y - Yes, that is me, Mr… Pardon me, I do not know your name" Colin thought the little girl had a beautiful voice. He was about to answer when Penelope's mother got to them.

"Oh, Lord Bridgerton. I apologise for the troubles this one has caused. I assure you, she will learn to behave" the woman told his father, who he hadn't noticed was mere steps behind him.

"I believe it was all an incident, no need to apologise" His father said.

"I must insist, my Lord" the little girl said, "It may have been an incident, but the harm caused was the same nonetheless". She then turned to face him, and looked at him with what Colin swore to be the brightest eyes in the world. "I am truly sorry for making you fall off the horse, Mr. Bridgerton" she told him.

"Colin, please, I feel old when people call me Mr. Bridgerton" he informed her.

"Very well, I am truly sorry, Colin" and that sound, it was just his name but something on the way she said it, it felt right, like his name was meant to be said by her and her only.

"Let's go, Colin, your sisters are waiting for us. Maybe you would like to come, Lady Featherington, my girls are around your girl's age. And Violet has always loved afternoons full of laughter" with those words from his father, the friendship the Bridgertons had with Penelope had begun. That was the day Penelope and Eloise had truly become best friends and not just mere acquaintances. But he had met her first.

Colin laughed on the ground, looked at his state, he had lost a couple of boutons from his dark blue shirt, but other than that, everything was in place, so he got back on the horse and rode the remaining way to Mayfair.

There he is thought Hyacinth, very relieved. He had told them he was going to get home the previous day, and she had been worrying he would not even come home this season. But he was home. Almost. Hyacinth had seen him across the street and she told the family so they could all wait for him before getting in the carriages that would take them to Franchesca's présentation to the Queen.

"Glad to see everyone waiting for me" Colin said, getting off his horse and going to greet his family.

"I was really going to take your head!" Franchesca told him as they hugged. "I worried you would break your promise and not be here".

"I would never, I am a trustworthy man, sister" he told her, "besides, I've already lost El's debut, I would never lose any of your debuts from now on" he said, sincerely.

"How special I feel" Eloise said sarcastically, as she too hugged her brother.

"I only missed yours because you didn't want to do it, and I didn't want to see you pretend you did in front of everybody. I love the real you, even if sometimes I want to hang her" he told her, affectionately.

"You really are the charming Bridgerton" Kate said, Colin went to hug her. "Of course I am, sister", he responded. They had been corresponding during his travels and even during her honeymoon. Anthony had never been the kind to engage in correspondence, but Kate was a family person, she liked to know her family, to really know them, especially after what had happened with Edwina the previous year, so she had made sure to form a bond between herself and all her new in-laws. Colin already considered her as a sister and a friend. And out of all the bonds she had formed with the other Bridgertons, her bond with Colin was the strongest on friendship, Hyacinth and Gregory had made the strongest sibling bond with her, but Colin was a close second.

"What on earth have you been doing to come home barely on time looking like that" his motter asked him, not before giving him a hug and an affectionate kiss on the cheek.

"Do not make questions you don't want the answer to, mother" he heard Benedict's voice as Anthony laughed. He got to them and they shared a hug of three. He knew what his brothers were implying and even though it was not the case, he didn't care to correct them. Something Gregory picked up on.

"Welcome home, brother". Hyacinth said as she ran to hug him. Colin picked her up and turned around as they were hugging. "I miss you, little miss", he told her. "I am still going to take your head, though", she said. "I am aware of that. I would only like to know why" he answered.

"Oh, yes, I've missed you too, brother", Gregory interrupted, mocking Colin's voice. "I have missed you young man" Colin told him, putting Hyacinth down and going his way. "But I cannot pick you up any longer, you are already too big for that" he still kissed Gregory's forehead. It was something only his father did with the three older brothers, but since Gregory had close to no memory of their father altogether, the three oldest Bridgertons had started doing that with him, even when they didn't do it with each other.

"Very well, enough of a welcoming. We do have to get there on time. And you are not going to male me be late the first time I am to present a sister as Lady Bridgerton". Kate said, pointing at Colin on that last part.

"I doubt we would be late, we just wouldn't be the first to arrive", Gregory said. "Look, the Featheringtons are just getting out of their house" he said. It was true, the Featherington door was getting opened and Lady Featherington came out, Mr. Finch right behind her, his wife on his arm.

Both Hyacinth and Gregory were paying attention to Colin. This season Penelope was going to not only look but be different, they didn't want to miss any detail of his reaction.

Blind or stupid?

Penelope was inside waiting for Felicity, she was the only sister she actually had a sisterly relationship with. Their mother wouldn't care to wait for her because she was going to be presented, but Penelope wanted her there, not only because she was her favourite sister, and she loved her, but also because it was only thanks to her she may be able to enjoy this season a little more.

Hyacinth, Gregory and Felicity were talking with her about their favorite colors, flowers, books and other stuff. Gregory had been surprised to learn Penelope's favorite color wasn't yellow, he had always supposed that despite being obliged to wear her mother's fashion, she was at least allowed to pick the color of her dresses. She had laughed at the idea.

"Why would I pick yellow? It is clear to everyone but mama that it is not a color that suits me" she said, between giggles.

"Well, I thought it was your favorite color, and that you picked it because the fashion choices wouldn't be good anyway" Gregory had told her, honestly.

The little trio had come up with an idea, convinced Lady Featherington to allow Penelope to choose her clothes. It hadn't gone exactly as planned, but under the argument that she needed to concentrate on healing Prudence's image for having been engaged to Lord Featherington, that it would be easier for her to make Prudence look good if Penelope got to choose her dresses. Her mother hadn't exactly agreed, but she had allowed Penelope to chose the style of all her dresses as long as they were a shade of yellow. Penelope was content with that. It wasn't exactly what she would have wished, but she really felt better and looked better on the dresses she had picked, with a little help from Felicity and Hyacinth. Even Gregory had given opinions from time to time. He had been the first male to compliment her on a dress. She had tried on the dress, a very pale shade of yellow, almost cream coloured, adorned with golden sequins and lace. It was beautiful. She felt beautiful.

The dress she had picked for the presentation had to be cream, and she had asked for that dress to have the adorns on a very pale green - her actual favorite color -, it was so pale that anyone could confuse it for cream colour. She looked beautiful on it, if she dared say so herself.

Felicity went down the stairs as fast as she could and together they went out of the house where their new brother in law, Albion Finch - who they got to call Al- was waiting for them to help them into the carriage.

Al was alright, Penelope hadn't expected to come to love him as a brother, but the truth was, he loved Phillips, that was clear, he even had helped her become a better sister to Penelope and Felicity than before. Albion was the youngest of his family, being 10 years apart from the brother of his closer to his age, he had grown up basically as an only child, and was very happy to finally have sisters he could spend time with. He was found at the Featherington house very often, particularly on Thursdays, when they held a family reunion that had become tradition. His loving spirit compensated for his lack of intelligence in Penelope's eyes; she had never had a brother before, but she was sure Al was a pretty good one.

As she was closing the door - which wasn't really necessary, the butler would have done it - she saw Felicity waving in the direction of the Bridgerton House, to Gregory and Hyacinth, she supposed. So she looked in the same direction, she was still in a row with Eloise, even if it was not as bad as it first had been she still wouldn't dare wave to her, but the rest of the family was polite with her and this past couple of months she had gotten to know Gregory and Hyacinth better, they were friends, so she would wave to them. And she did, but then she froze, as she noticed another person, on the other end of the line of Bridgertons in front of their door, waving at her. She didn't know what to do, she had told him she forgave him, but that didn't mean they would just go back to how things were before, she could not allow things to go back to that, this season she would find a husband and then… she didn't know what would happen to their friendship after she married,but surely it would change, even more than it had already done. Well, a polite wave couldn't hurt, so she waved back, but her expression was different, she had smiled at her younger friends, but she didn't smile to him, she didn't even really look at him, if she had, she would have notice his physical change, how handsome he was after his travel, just like she had done the previous year, but she also didn't notice the sadness that crossed his face when she didn't smile back and hurried to the carriage door.

"Come on young ladies, it's time to get going" Al said to the youngest Featheringtons, as he helped them get in the carriage.

Colin decided to go in the carriage with Benedict, Gregory and Hyacinth instead of the one with his frantic mother, his anxious little sister, his nervous new sister, his reluctant sister and Anthony. Normally Anthony and Hyacinth would switch places, but Anthony didn't leave Katie's side for a second since he had found out about her pregnancy.

"Why are you so sour, brother?" Benedict asked, amused "You've just got home and already have found something unpleasant?"

He took a look at Hyacinth and Gregory, who exchanged a conspiratorial look. "Who says I'm in any mood?" Colin answered, but his tone did sound bitter.

"Oh, brother, it is not necessary to be a genius to see you are in a mood" Gregory stated.

"And what the rest of the family may be too blind or to stupid to see, I am not. So don't even pretend not to understand what I mean. I thought she had forgiven you", Hyacinth said.

"Are you calling all the rest of us stupid for not knowing why Colin is in a mood?" Benedict asked, to which Gregory retorted with "Not me, I too, know why he is in a mood. And I am not really sorry to inform you it will get worse. Just wait until you see her on the dress she picked for the first ball, she -" but he didn't get to finish his sentence for at that moment Benedict asked everyone "Who the hell are we talking about? Both of you keep mentioning a «she» and I have truly no idea who you mean. I had a suspicion, but I doubt Colin would write Hyacinth about it, and then you said she would be at least at one ball so it doesn't make sense. Who is she?", he had interrupted Gregory, but Colin was glad for it, it had been weird enough to see him talk about Penelope as his crush by correspondence, but hearing how beautiful he thought she was, it was beyond weird, he even felt a pinch on his stomach at the realisation that his little brother was close enough to Penelope to have seen her on a dress she hadn't officially used, that wasn't Gregory's place.

"See? Stupid" said Hyacinth pointing at Benedict. "Not even with the information we've given did he realised was is in front of his nose", she rolled her eyes, "and here I thought you were one of the blinds", she continued, "I didn't have to give Gregory more information than «Colin is an idiot» and he immediately knew what I was referring to".

"To be fair, that's not completely accurate. I simply assumed you were referring to what he did. But I didn't even need more than «he's much more of an idiot than I thought he was, if he said that about her» and a look at Hyacinth's face to comprehend the whole story" Gregory told his brother.

"He was one of the blind ones, I had thought him one of the stupids" Hyacinth said, "but I was wrong. I wonder which other member of the family I've cataloged wrong".

"I truly must be stupid. I didn't understand a single sentence of that" Benedict exclaimed, confusion on his face.

"YOU" Colin suddenly spoke with a tone of voice su unlike him, that it scared even Benedict, he sounded angry, he was pointing at Hyacinth, both he directed a glance to Gregory as well, "AND I, HAVE A LOT TO DISCUSS", a dramatic pause, during which, Colin tried to regain control of himself, "after Franie's grand moment".

The ceremony was nothing unusual, the debutants were presented one by one or with their sisters - if that was the case - to the Queen. To no one's surprise, Franchesca had been named the diamond of the season.

But still, during the ceremony, she didn't look once at him. Not even by accident, which would have been expected, since Felicity and the Finches had positioned themselves beside the Bridgertons. He could feel Hyacinth, Felicity and Gregory looking at him from time to time, but he didn't pay much attention to that. He didn't pay much attention to anything, really, apart from his sister's presentation and the one of Penelope and her older sister.

He needed to know what had he done that had been so terrible to deserve the cold shoulder from her. So he made his way to Hyacinth's room. Despite never having been there before, due to Hyacinth's new status as a young lady and no longer a child, he found the room pretty easily. Hyacinth was very proud about having moved out of the nursery - after having bled for the first time a couple of months prior - and had informed Colin how the nursery was now empty, and then proceeded to write every single detail about her new room and clothes, and how she had said goodbye to most of her dolls, except for her favourite one «she looks pretty in the new room» she had justified.

He knocked on the door.

"Do come in, we have been waiting for you" Hyacinth's voice was heard from inside.

He did as he was told and found his two youngest siblings sat on the bed, looking at him, already expecting him to yell at them or something like that, it seemed.

"What are the two of you about?" He decided to use a gentle tone, he loved his little siblings and he didn't want them to be scared of him to any degree.

"We are not up to anything" Hyacinth said innocently.

"But you are, otherwise you wouldn't be teasing me about Penelope like you have been doing all day" he said.

"So you admit this is about Penelope, then?" Gregory asked, remembering to use an accusatory tone, as Hyacinth had advised him.

"She didn't forgive me" he let out, he sounded frustrated, "at least not really".

"But she told me she had", Gregory told him.

"She wrote «you are forgiven»", Colin informed them.

"So?", Hyacinth persisted, having never had a reason to correspond with Penelope, neither of the younger siblings knew why it had caused his brother to believe she hadn't forgiven him.

"So? She would never say a simple «You are forgiven» as a response to an apology if she really had found forgiveness. She would have written something to make it a game, maybe a «You will be forgiven once you see a blue blossom hanging on a tree. But I will need proof you did in fact see one»", he tried his best to sound like Penelope.

"That does sound like her". Gregory said with a smile. Pretending to have a crush on Penelope was easier due to the fact that he kinda did, he saw her as a sister in so many ways, but he still saw the woman in her, and he admired so many things about her. My brother is seriously an idiot or concerningly blind not to see the woman in front of him, he thought.

Colin felt that pinch on the edge of his stomach once again, as he looked at the smiling pensative Gregory. "She did not smile when she waved back at me, even when she smiled at you", Colin started talking "and she didn't look at me, not even once as she walked towards the Queen. Even when Felicity was right in front of me", he continued, "she looked at me, well, at me and Eloise as she crossed that path for the first time the year she debuted", he sounded nostalgic, "she looked for reassurance. And I know she probably doesn't need it any more", Especially not looking as beautiful as she did in that dress, he surprised himself by thinking that, but he kept talking, "but I feel as if she was avoiding me on purpose". He felt his sister's hand on his shoulder then, a sympathetic look coming from both of his siblings directed at him. "And the worst of it all, is that I have no fucking idea what I did to offend her", he looked at the kids then, "and I know you do. But I also know you, especially you, Hya, we are very alike, I know you won't tell me that easily, so please, tell me what should I do to be informed of what I did?"

Hyacinth took pity on him, so she told him "Why don't you ask her yourself at Lady Danbury's ball tomorrow? I promise if she doesn't tell you, we would", she promised.

"We have a deal", Colin said, shaking both of his siblings' hands. "But you still have to tell me how you knew my mood was due to Penelope", he told them.

"Dear God! He's a lost case", exclaimed Gregory, taking his hand to his face on a frustrated motion.

"That, dear brother, you will have to figure out on your own, I'm afraid there's no other way" Hyacinth told him, leaving him confused, but he knew she was not playing with him, she meant what she said, he had to figure it out on his own.

Chapter Text

What happened

There were a lot of things happening at the Bridgerton House that night. It was the night of Lady Danbury's traditional first ball of the season. This time Lady Danbury had named it «The shining night ball». Lady Whistledown had been delivered the day of the presentation, she had cleverly guessed who the Queen would choose as the diamond, and having been delivered once the whole thing concluded, the Queen couldn't make sure to prove her wrong. She had complimented Franchesca's qualities, it was almost as if she knew her personally, which not many people of the ton did, Franchesca had spent the last few years with an aunt, perfecting her piano skills. But it was because of that knowledge of Franchesca's qualities, she had been able to guess the Queen's choice.

On one side, the youngest Bridgertons, the only ones left who were not allowed at balls were plotting, with their friend Felicity, how to make their way into the ball without being seen.

"Once we cross that window we just have to be careful until we find a table we can hide under", Hyacinth finish the drawing she was doing. It was one of Lady Danbury's ballroom, she had been there last week when she and her mother volunteered to help Kate and Lady Danbury see to the final details for the ball.

"The tricky part is the not being seen one. But if we manage that, the rest is easy". Hyacinth told the crew.

"Yeah, we may simply have to turn invisible, but let's not worry about that", said Gregory, sarcastically. Hyacinth hit him in the head.

"Turn invisible" Felicity repeated. "We will do exactly that", she said triumphantly. The other two looked at her, confused.

"Penelope always tells me how it is so easy to stick to the walls, she says no one ever notices her, as if she had become one with the walls" Felicity said as a matter of explanation, since none of the others seemed to understand, she continued "we will become one with the walls, the theme is bright night, so we dressed in a gray tone, no one would pay attention to that, and we move stick to the walls until we find a table". Having no better ideas, they decided to follow that plan. They were to leave minutes after their families had left.

"Once we are hidden, we can watch Colin and Penelope. But we may need new allies, who can go to balls, you know?" Gregory told the girls.

"I am afraid you might be right", Felicity said, "but who can we trust?" she asked.

"We will decide after the ball, maybe if we observe Colin and Penelope close enough we can find people who would be on our side" Hyacinth decided then.

Penelope felt beautiful enough for the ball, it was quite simply beautiful, but it was better than she had felt at any ball ever before. The dress was perfect for this ball. The yellowish tone of it plus the golden ornaments on it made it simple, and elegant, but breathtaking at the same time. She put on a tiny tiara, golden, with no other color, and a necklace to match. If the ball was one for a shining night, then she was certainly going to be the prettiest star. Most people were surely going in dark blues with silver sparks, or in light sparkling greys and silvers. Her own mother and sister were going on a blue not exactly dark nor light, with yellow and white plastic stars and moons glued to the dresses. Her mother was the one with the white stars. As if that wasn't already too much they had put on big tiaras, her mother's being all white with a form simulating the moon shine, and her sister's being a yellow one not only simulating the moon shine, but with more stars, of an orange color, glued to it.

Her mother didn't waste a second before commenting on Penelope's «poor fashion choices» but she did calm herself by remembering that would only make Prudence stand out more, and that Penelope's dress had been of significantly lower cost.

When they arrived at the Danbury house, the Lady greeted them.

"You look different, miss Featherington" she told Penelope, as her mother and sister made their way into the ballroom, "in a very good way, perhaps, as Lady Whistledown said, is finally time for some to get out of the shadows", she grinned at her.

"I chose this dress and ornaments myself", Penelope wasn't sure how to respond, so she tried to explain the change, "all except for the color. Mother said I could choose my own clothing this season as long as it was something yellow or orange. Happy colours can attract happy husbands and all that", Penelope quoted her mother.

"I wouldn't have made that dress any other color, even without conditions. You, young lady, look astonishing tonight" Lady Danbury told her, sincerely.

"Thank you, Lady Danbury. I do hope to find a husband this season. Perhaps my «change» can help me with that", she sounded hopeful.

"I am sure it will, but pretty dresses can do just as much", the woman started, "perhaps an insight to who you are is what you need. I am certain, there is more of you than meets the eye". Lady Danbury left Penelope contemplating her words as she made her way to her usual spot, beside the refreshments table.

She was in a very good mood, still contemplating Lady Danbury's words. She decided to take a quick stroll through the garden. Needing to make sure to find a way out of all ballrooms in order to go and deliver the Lady Whistledown scripts to the printer, she got to know the gardens of every house of the ton participant of the social season, so she took the path she liked the most on the Danbury's garden.

"I am more than Meets the eye", she was chanting to herself out loud, sure no one was listening to her,she even started dancing by herself. Surely, if anyone saw her then and there, they would think her completely mad. But people were just arriving and she would be back inside soon, people didn't go to the garden as soon as they arrived, she had a few more minutes to enjoy the fresh air, the tulips and the feeling.

On the other side of the Bridgerton House, people were getting ready for the ball. The Bridgertons decided to go all on a dark blue with silver touches, only the dowager Viscountess Bridgerton would be going in silver. The idea was that of them, all together being the night sky, and Violet, the matriarch of the family, being the moon that shone beautifully on it.

It had been Kate's idea and everyone had loved it. After all, the Bridgertons were known to stand together in the calamities, it would be nice to show everyone they stood together in the good times as well.

Colin was almost as nervous as Franchesca was, only it made sense for her to be nervous, it was her very first ball, after all, it made no sense for him to be that nervous at all.

"Please tell me I didn't made you nervous to attend a ball" Franchesca told Colin, taking his arm to be escorted into the family carriage. "Not you, Col. You are supposed to tell me how to enjoy them, that's why I wrote to ask you to be here for in the first place", she sounded anxious.

"I'm not -" he stopped mid sentence, seeing the «please, I'm not stupid» look on his sisters face, "it is not because of you, nor for the ball itself", he tried to confort her.

"What are you nervous about, then?", she asked him.

"I -" he realised he didn't really know the response to that question, "suppose I did something that hurt someone, and that someone is acting weird around me, but I have apologised, and I am told to be already forgiven, yet, this person keeps on acting weird, and I don't even know what I did to offend them in the first place", Colin told her, as if that was an explanation.

"So you will try to find out what it was that you did to Pen tonight?" Franchesca knew he was talking about Penelope the moment her brother had said «that someone is acting weird around me», of course it would look that way in his eyes, he didn't know or didn't want to see Penelope's feelings for him. It was obvious Penelope was just trying to let go of them, but her brother, not having that information, would of course conclude he had offended her.

"How did you know I was talking about Pen?", he asked her, genuinely curious.

"Why are the two of you talking about Penelope?" Eloise's voice came into the carriage.

"It's nothing, El. Colin was just telling me how she's been distant as of late" Franchesca smartly answered both of her siblings.

"And it better stays that way", said Eloise, but her tone was really one of someone who meant it. She was still mad at her, tho. They hadn't made peace with each other. In fact, she had begun a correspondence with the now Lady Crane and considered her a friend.

"Do not be mean, Eloise", Franchesca said, just as Colin was saying "Well I hope not, she is my friend too whatever problems the two of you have are between you, I expect her to continue being my friend even if the two of you are on a row".

Bjt that discussion ended there, as their mother got into the carriage, shouting to Anthony who was on the carriage behind them to make sure Benedict would at the very least stay long enough in the ball to greet their guest.

It was a quick ride and Colin was glad for it. He got into the ballroom taking his sister on the arm. "Remember how you asked me how I enjoy the season even when no other sibling of ours does?" he asked her, and she nodded, so he continued, "first you find someone you find yourself comfortable with, a friend", he made a pause, making sure she was listening, "and then you spend the night talking to them. Only leaving when propriety demands" he told her. She smiled at that. "A pity it will not be as easy for me to find such a person as it was for you. Not everyone has the luxury of having their best friend at this ball".

He contemplated her words. It was true, he was lucky, indeed. "That could be easily remediated" he told her, grinning, "this ball I have the luxury of having not one, but two best friends in attendance, and I am sure you'll like this one", he said guiding her towards a tall gentleman.

"Santis!" Colin greeted the man. They had been best friends since their days at Eaton. Both of them being compromised correspondents had stayed in touch throughout the years even as far away as they had been from one another. So, the season John had decided to look for a wife, having suddenly lost his father, receiving the earldom and with his cousin, who was a brother in all but blood to him fighting in the war, he had told Colin to expect him at every ball of the season.

"Bridgerton!" John's face lighted up as he turned to see his dear friend, "the C one!" He pronounced the C very close to sea, a word game between the two, alluding to Colin's fascination for travelling.

"The one and only", Colin retorted. "And this", he pointed to Franchesca, "is my sister, Franchesca", he introduced the two.

"Miss Bridgerton", John bowed.

"Mr. Santis", Francesca copied him.

The three of them engaged in a conversation Colin was quickly and easily left out of, due to both the evident connection between the two new acquaintances and the fact that during all of the conversation he had been only half present, looking for a certain redhead. Once it was evident he was no longer part of the conversation he decided to move, convinced a new angle would help him spot his target. And it did.

There was something so magnetic in her. The view he was testifying was magnificent, Colin doubted for a moment it was real, it couldn't be, nothing on earth could look that beautiful, not in this reality. He found himself having trouble breathing.

She was near the door that led to the garden, making her way to her usual spot at the side of the refreshments table. But being as impatient as he was, he decided to intercept her midway to her destination.

"Penelope!" He called for her attention. She stopped, turned to look at him and bowed.

"Mr. Bridgerton!" She said in response. Mr. Bridgerton, Colin kept hearing in his head. It was the first time Penelope had ever called him that since the day they had met. He knew it was his name. He was aware it was only proper of her to call him by his title. But still, hearing it from her mouth, something about it was just wrong.

"Please, it's just the two of us, I'm Colin, you know that name only makes me feel old", he tried to ease the mood, but not knowing what else to say, he decided to ask her for a dance. Penelope loves to dance, he reasoned. "Would you dance with me?" He asked her, extending his arm.

She looked around, making sure no one was watching. "That would not be necessary, but thank you", she answered him as she made a turn and continued the path she was on before being interrupted by Colin.

He was deeply confused, what had she meant «That would not be necessary»? He wondered. But the shock of her answer had left him speechless and frozen in his place. And by the time he got back to earth, she was in the company of another gentleman.

"Ouch! Gregory, move your feet!" Hyacinth half whispered half yelled at her brother, who was, just like her and her best friend, under the refreshments table, hidden behind the tablecloth, spying on their older brother and their hopefully soon to be sister.

"Shut up, little squirrel!" Gregory said, but he was doing the same Hyacinth had done, so it was to no effect.

"Both of you shut up" Felicity whispered, but using such a demanding tone the two Bridgertons listened to her. And it was a good thing for, at that moment, Penelope reached the table.

The kids had been surprised, before getting distracted she had been talking to Colin. They exchanged looks of confusion, but being unable to do anything else, they resigned to simply listening.

They heard steps approaching, they all assumed it was Colin, coming behind Penelope, and for that reason when they heard a strange voice, they were all beyond surprised.

"You came in yellow", the voice had said.

"I beg your pardon?" Penelope had answered.

"You are the only debutant who came in yellow", he said, as if explaining, "the only person in the whole ball, in fact".

"I did", Penelope sounded fairly confused, "do you like yellow, my lord?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Not particularly, no". That had only made her more confused. "You are a star", the man stated.

"Well, thank you, sir. It was the idea, the theme being «shining night» and all that". Penelope was still unsure of what exactly was happening, but it had sounded like a compliment, "The stars are what make the night a shining one, you see?" she wasn't sure what she was doing either.

"Yes, I do see. A pretty one I must add" that made Penelope blush, but the gentleman didn't seem to notice or care, he kept talking, "but you are the only yellow star of the night", it wasn't a question, "that's how I know it was you", the man said.

"I am afraid I'm not following, sir. It was me who did what?", she was utterly lost, was this man already too drunk to be speaking nonsense?

"You are the girl I saw earlier, the one who was singing and dancing in the garden" Penelope finally understood what they were talking about and she felt embarrassed that someone had actually seen her.

"I - I", she was looking for something to say, but not thinking of much, she simply said "I thought no one had seen me, or heard me. I am truly embarrassed".

"Are you? Why?" The man seemed to be genuinely asking, so Penelope answered, "Well, I know it is not something young girls on the marriage market are expected to be found doing. People could believe me crazy for such a performance".

"That may be true. But you seemed to be enjoying yourself out there, miss…?" He waited for her to tell him her name, but it was another person who answered.

"Penelope! I do not understand your meaning. Why is it «not necessary»? I know you don't need me to dance with you, but I honestly enjoy our dances together and -", Colin stopped talking, noticing the other man's eyes on him. "Who is your new friend?" He asked bitterly.

Penelope didn't know the answer so she simply looked at the man before her, awaiting an answer from his part.

"I am Harry Dankworth", the man introduced himself.

"Colin Bridgerton", Colin answered back, but there was rudeness in his tone.

"Miss Penelope and I have just met. In fact I would not have caught her name if it wasn't for you Mr. Bridgerton" Harry kept on talking oblivious to Colin's lack of patience with him.

"That would be Miss Featherington, then. I believe. Formalities exist for a reason after all". Colin didn't like how this man was saying her given name, he didn't like it at all.

"I suppose, but you have just called her Penelope, so I suppose none of us really care about formalities. Which I must admit I am relieved for, I am clumsy about formalities". Penelope couldn't help but giggle at that. He was irritating Colin, but the man was either not smart enough or unbelievably oblivious to notice.

"Miss Featherington and I happen to have known each other for the most part of our lives, unlike you, Mr. Dankworth", Colin quickly argued.

"What is life for if not for making new friends?", at this, Penelope was inclined to doubt his intelligence, he didn't seem to be stupid, but Colin had practically told him to fuck off, and the guy had not gotten the hint.

"Whatever", Colin resignated, "I was asking my friend what she meant with the answer she gave me earlier", he looked at Penelope then, "I know you don't need me to dance with, but I thought we both enjoyed our dances", he sounded hurt.

"You are right about that, Mr. Bridgerton", Penelope said, "but nonetheless. We must stop dancing at every ball, otherwise people may assume you are courting me, and we wouldn't like that, right? We would never even DREAM of that, not in our wildest fantasies would we?" she finally let out, anger in her voice.

"Whyever would you not even dream of it?" Harry asked. "I see no reason to see it as such an undesirable outcome. You even look good together. And I am sure that Mr. Bridgerton is a good enough catch". Harry said.

"Of course he is, he is Bridgerton", Penelope confirmed, "It is I, sir, who would not be a good catch", Penelope told him.

"You must be joking. You really are the mo astonishing star I have ever had the pleasure to see" Harry complimented her, Penelope blushed.

Colin was still confused, he did remember something along the lines of what she had just said, but couldn't quite remember exactly what he had said. But listening to this man flirting with Penelope got him out of his stupor and hearing the beginning of one of her favorite dances he proved his luck.

"You love this dance, please, allow me" he offered her his hand.

"I have just told you, we must stop sharing a dance at balls", Penelope denied his offer.

"Perhaps you would allow me?" Harry quickly stepped in, "I would not mind people thinking I am courting you if you are ok with that", he added.

"I -", Penelope was perplexed. It was the first time ever she had been asked to dance by a gentleman who was not Colin or obliged by one of his female relatives. "It would be my pleasure", she took his hand.

"Great, I have the feeling you like this dance", Harry said jokingly.

She giggled. Dammed her, she giggled. It hurt, it hurt bad, Colin realised. She didn't just neglect his offer twice, she accepted another gentleman's offer instead. In front of him. He had a pain on the edge of his stomach. It was the first time Penelope had shown preference to a gentleman she didn't even really know in spite of him. And he didn't like it.

A gasp. He heard it, it came from down the table, it appeared. Then, a knock, from the table and later a rather loud «shhh» coming from the same place. He bent down to inspect the table and to his surprise he found the faces of his two youngest siblings and the youngest Featherington there.

"We will tell you exactly what you did and will not tell mother about it if you don't throw us under the bus" Hyacinth was quick to tell him.

He only nodded, straightened up and said lowly "It's a deal, but do find your way out. I will make sure all of you get home safe. I'll see you in the garden in ten minutes". And with that he left the ballroom. He didn't need to keep seeing Penelope dancing with Mr. Dankworth, not when she looked like she was enjoying it.

Can it be fixed?

The second they arrived at the Bridgerton House Colin demanded answers. First, about what they were doing hidden under the table at a ball.

The girls had come up with the excuse that they had always wanted to see a Danbury ball, they were told to be magnificent, the story was Gregory caught them and being unable to stop them he went to make sure they were fine.

"Very well. I'll give you some points for that Greg", Colin told him, Gregory smiled.

"You, however acted recklessly", he told them.

"Look at me and tell me you never did anything alike", Hyacinth dared him, knowing pretty well he had, and knowing even better he never lied.

"I will let this pass, we do have a deal after all. It's your turn" Colin said.

"The night of the Featherington ball, last season", Hyacinth began, "I don't have the entire story, but I know you mocked Penelope behind her back, laughed with your friends at the very idea that you could ever court her and practically declared her undesirable" she informed him. He could not believe he had done such things.

"I heard Benedict and Anthony talking about it", Gregory said, "they said you were drunk and that Fife was questioning your friendship with Penelope. But you said it all wrong. You insulted her, and it was bad". He could recall more of that night now, he did remember the laughter, but nothing else.

"And I am under the impression that she heard you herself", Felicity spoke for the first time, "she came back from the garden crying, and she continued to do so all night long".

"How do I fix it?" Colin didn't waste a second.

"I don't know. But I think an explanation to be necessary" Hyacinth said, "not about why you said that, but about what you actually meant by those words" she clarified for him.

"I will be calling at your House first time tomorrow morning" he directed his words to Felicity.

"Sunflowers" Felicity said, Colin looked at her confused.

"I thought tulips were her favorites" Colin said questioningly.

"They were, but after she read a flower book and learnt that sunflowers look for the sun those became her favorites", it was Gregory the one to explain that to him. And once again that weird feeling on the edge of his stomach and the uneasiness the whole Gregory/Penelope situation caused him made an appearance.

"Thank you for the information" Colin exclaimed.

And so he took Felicity home and went back to his own bedroom. Already planning his words for the following day.

Chapter Text

Whatever

To everyone's surprise, Eloise seemed to have enjoyed the ball, not because she had danced, nor had she found a particularly interesting gentleman, but she had met a girl, one she looked forward to talk to again, she believed they could be good friends.

"Posy Reiling, that's her name", Eloise told her family during breakfast.

Benedict thought it weird, he knew one of the Reiling daughters and her sister would never befriend her, so he asked her about it "Aren't the Reiling daughters Miss Cowper's friends?"

"Her sister is. But not her. Posy is very kind, and has a good sense of humour. She doesn't particularly enjoy reading, but she likes listening to me talking about what I read. Plus, Cressida wouldn't accept her in her group anyways", Eloise responded.

"Well, I am glad you made a new friend. You have been in a mood ever since your fight with Penelope", Benedict told her.

"Whatever was that fight about anyway?" Colin asked, he was worried the Peneloise fight had been somehow his fault, it had happened the same night he had said those words after all.

"None of your business", Eloise replied, giving zero information.

"Very well. I gotta get going, anyway", Colin announced, getting up from his seat.

"Where are you going, brother?" Franchesca asked him.

"To the Featherington House. I have some things to explain to Penelope", he looked at Eloise searching for any kind of reaction, but she gave none.

"Oh, tell her I say hello", Franchesca said, being interrupted by Hyacinth and Gregory's «me too» before continuing "and if you see Mr. Dankworth there tell him I am sorry for leaving without properly saying goodbye".

"Why would I see Mr. Dankworth at the Featherington House?" Colin asked, sounding confused and defensive at the same time.

"I just assumed he would call for Penelope today. He was so clearly enchanted by her. Even Lady Whistledown wrote about it" Franchesca answered.

"What? Let me see", Colin took the paper and started reading.

Colin couldn't help but feel weird at the thought of that man dancing with Penelope twice. Penelope had never danced twice with anyone, not even with him, and he suddenly regretted never having asked her to, for he would have liked to be the first man to do so.

"I must go", he repeated, saying nothing about the paper.

He arrived at the Featherington House and was directed to the drawing room, where the ladies were supposed to wait for callers. He greeted the ladies, who were all surprised to see him there, all except for Felicity that was.

"Mr. Bridgerton, what a surprise!" Lady Featherington greeted him. "Oh, a delightful one, is it not, dear Prudence?" Lady Featherington addressed her older daughter.

"Yes, I suppose. Even though I don't really like sunflowers", she said, signalling the big bouquet Colin was holding.

Why would they think I'm here to give Prudence a bouquet of flowers? He thought. "Well, it is a good thing this one is for Penelope, then", he said, looking at the girl in question, who, for the first time in what felt like forever, really looked at him.

Everyone was watching Penelope, a rare occurrence even at her own home. "Thank you, Mr. Bridgerton. I actually love sunflowers" she said.

"Your new favorites", Colin stated, seeing her confusion he added, "you are not the only one that talks with my little siblings" he explained.

He then gave the other women smaller bouquets, two made of pink roses to the older two and one made of lilies to Felicity.

"Hyacinth told me these were your favorites", Colin told the young girl.

"Thank you, Mr. Bridgerton" Felicity responded with a smile on her face. Penelope could help but feel softness at the image of her childhood love getting along with her favorite sister.

"Please, do call me Colin. I may be significantly older than you, but it still makes me feel old to hear someone your age calling me Mr." Colin told her.

"Only if you call me Felicity as well" she told him.

"I guess we have a deal, Felicity", Colin said.

Penelope couldn't help but adore the gesture. He was making it really hard to get over him.

"Can I have a word with you?" He said, directing his gaze and words to Penelope, "in private", he added, just in case her mother or sister thought of staying.

She hesitated, she didn't want to be alone with him, it had always been hard. "I don't think it would be proper", she said, looking for an excuse.

"Felicity can chaperone then", Colin quickly added, having anticipated that answer. "Can you not?" He asked Felicity.

"Of course I can", Felicity answered, a smile on her lips.

"We will go ask for tea while you talk", Portia declared, not really comprehending what was happening in front of her.

The two older women made their way out of the room and closed the door behind them.

"I am so sorry, Pen", Colin started, not wasting a single second. "Those words I spit out that night", he addressed what he was apologising for, "I did not mean them as they sounded. I was drunk and didn't consider the effects they could have for being misinterpreted. All I meant was that, you are my friend, and I know how things work, they would all go where another gentleman has gone before", he tried to explain.

"So you do not want to court me, but you don't wish anyone else to do it either?" Penelope was angry, she had been hurt before, but not angry. She had supposed she couldn't be mad at him for simply stating facts. But him saying those words with the purpose of keeping those men from thinking of her as a potential wife, she had every right to be mad at him for that. The curious thing was, she was no longer hurt, just mad.

"That is not what I meant at all", Colin replied, "It is not that I don't want you to find happiness" he assured her, "but I know you would never find happiness with the likes of Fife", he told her.

"You don't know where I would or would not find happiness! I - ", Penelope retorted.

"But I do", Colin interrupted her abruptly, "I may be unsure of the qualities you are looking for in a man, but I know you desire for love, or at the very least for great respect in a marriage. And believe me, those men, they would not respect their wives. They see marriage as a mere obligation", he said.

"Not unlike your brother if I recall correctly", Penelope argued, remembering a talk she had had with Edwina, with whom she had formed a friendship before she married the Prince. "But I know he doesn't only respect his wife, but loves her immensely", she concluded.

"It's not the same, Pen. You know that", Colin said.

"Even if it is hard for you to imagine someone falling for me", her voice cracked, due to the anger she was feeling, "but I hope one day you will be proven wrong. I would very much like to settle".

"And I will be delighted for you the day you found your perfect man", Colin hurried to say, "but I cannot imagine it is any of the gentleman I was talking to that night", he told her honestly, "and I do regret saying what I said, I may not have intended to, but I cause harm nonetheless and for that I sincerely apologise, from the bottom of my heart", he pleaded, once more.

"I appreciate the apology. But I ask you not to interfere in that way ever again", Penelope answered his plea.

"Would we be friends again if I promise not to?" He asked her, he sounded vulnerable.

"We would, Colin", she said, and she meant it.

"Then I swear I would never interfere between you and a possible suitor ever again", Colin told her.

Felicity had been very silent, making sure to remember every word so she could inform the other two. She had thought it a good sign when Colin had implied he didn't want his «friends» courting Penelope, but was later disappointed at her hopefully future brother's blindness or stupidity - the trio hadn't decided which category he was in.

"Only, next time you are asked if you are courting someone you are not interested in, just say no and change the topic", Penelope reprimanded him, not entirely over her anger at his words.

At that moment, a new caller was announced, and all three - the caller, Portia and Prudence - entered the room.

"Mr. Dankworth", both Penelope and Felicity greeted the new arrival, bowing.

"Miss Featherington", he bowed to Felicity, "Miss Penelope" he bowed to her before taking her hand on his own and kissing the back of her palm.

"Mr. Dankworth", Colin said, in a tone very rare from him, an unfriendly one.

"Mr. Bridgerton!" Harry answered back, still oblivious to the tone Colin used with him.

"I did not know you were coming today", Colin commented, casually.

"But of course I would! Miss Penelope and I haven't got enough time to talk yet. And I think I would like to know her better", the man was really open with his words. It was as if he didn't have any secrets, he just said what was crossing his mind at the moment, he also didn't know how to read the room, for Colin's unfriendly actitud would be evident to anyone but this man.

"Would you?" Portia interrupted the moment, seizing an opportunity to engage one of her daughters on a promenade with an eligible gentleman. At his nodding motion, she added "I am sure a promenade tomorrow would help your purpose, sir".

"I would be honoured" he answered.

"As would I", Penelope responded.

"I almost forgot. I brought these for you", he handed Penelope a bouquet of yellow and orange tulips.

"She prefers white tulips", Colin said, before Penelope could thank him for the gesture, "They are her second favorites, if I assume correctly".

"That would be correct. White tulips used to be my favorites, before I read that book about flowers", she said, surprised Colin knew that information in the first place, she couldn't recall ever telling him that.

"You are truly amazing" Harry intervened, "I find those books a little bit complicated to read", he admitted. Penelope smiled. "I only chose those colors because they reminded me of you in the garden", he told Penelope.

"I really like them, thank you" she assured him.

Call me a quitter

Colin returned home with Felicity, who informed him of the tea date she had with Hyacinth.

As soon as the two entered de family drawing room, it was evident to all members of the Bridgerton family that Colin was in a bad mood.

"Whatever happened to put you in such a mood, brother?" Benedict asked him, amused.

"Penelope hasn't forgiven you yet, Colin?" Franchesca wondered.

"She did forget him. This time I think she meant it, at least. I saw her in her eyes". Felicity said, half amused, half curious of his reply.

"It was not that", Colin told his sister.

"Then what is it? I fail to see why would Penelope not accepting an apology from you would put you in such a mood anyway", Anthony said.

"I don't doubt that", Kate rolled her eyes at her husband, but she had a knowing smile on her face, as if something she had suspected had finally been confirmed.

The three younger people in the room didn't miss that. They also didn't miss Franchesca's expression, one that indicated she was connecting the dots, but still unsure if her conclusions were correct. That was the opportunity the three had been waiting for.

"Just forget it, will you?", Colin said, exasperated and proceeded to leave the room. Everyone was silent for a minute, something really rare at the Bridgerton House.

After a while, everyone started minding their own business, Kate and Violet were discussing the decorations for the ball they would be hosting, Anthony and Benedict had retired to their studios - Benedict working on a painting on a studio he had improvised in the nursery now that it was empty - Eloise retired to the library. That presented the matchmaking trio with the perfect opportunity to follow what they had been plotting, recruiting allies.

There had been a discussion the previous night, they had all agreed Lady Danbury was to be their principal ally, but they needed another one, one who could attend balls. Gregory had proposed Kate, since he was sure she already knew, but the girls weren't sure if she would be agreeable to their plan without telling Anthony. So when they saw the way Franchesca seemed to be coming to the same realisation as Kate, they had no doubts who their new ally should be.

"Frannie, would you come for a second, please?" Gregory called for her, from the door.

Everyone knew Gregory was Franchesca's favourite sibling, everyone knew everyone's favourite siblings, even if they were closer to another one of their siblings. Anthony and Daphne were each other's favourites, same for Benedict and Eloise, Colin's favorite was Hyacinth, just like Hyacinth's was Colin, Gregory was Franchesca's and Franchesca was Gregory's, so when he called her, she followed him without any questions. To her surprise, they went to Hyacinth's room.

"Come in, there is something we need you for", Gregory told her, opening the door for her.

"You never open the door for me!" Hyacinth complained.

"You are not Frannie", Gregory shrugged.

"Whatever. Frannie, we need your help with something", Hyacinth told her in a very serious voice.

"Oh, no ! What have you done?" was Franchesca's answer.

"Nothing" Hyacinth said, "Yet!" Felicity added, "that's why we need your help".

"With what, exactly?" Franchesca asked them.

"Nothing bad", Gregory assured her.

"We believe you know the reason Colin was in a mood today", Felicity started, "so, do you?"

Franchesca was unaware her brother and Felicity were on a first name basis, but she supposed it somehow made sense. "It is true then? He really has feelings for Penelope?" Franchesca made her own question as a response to the one she was asked.

"We are sure he does. The thing is, we are also sure he doesn't know it himself", Hyacinth replied.

"That idiot!" Exclaimed Franchesca, causing the others to laugh. "So you are planning to make him realise it", she deduced.

"That's right. And we need an inside into the balls, so we can plan the next move", Gregory said.

"But we need to hurry, Penelope has decided she wants to marry this season", Felicity added, "and it looks like it will be easier than even she had anticipated. Mr. Dankworth is surely planning on courting her. He called for her this morning".

"Yeah, no doubt Colin was in a mood", Hyacinth said, "he may not realise it, but he is jealous".

The four shared a laugh, something like that would only happen to Colin. "I will do my best, I promise".

The following morning Colin's mood hadn't improved, he remembered Lady Featherington had compromised Penelope to a promenade with Mr. Dankworth. He couldn't stand the man.

He entered the room, where his family was taking breakfast. "Good morning, everybody", he announced his arrival.

"What a miracle indeed!" Benedict joked, "you are usually the first at the table, insatiable as your appetite is".

"I am not hungry today", Colin declared, leaving everyone in the room stupefied. "I only came in to inform mother I was to take a walk through Grosvenor Square".

The three youngest Bridgertons exchanged a look, before Franchesca spoke up. "May I go with you, brother? I find myself feeling nervous for the Gunningworth ball this evening".

"Sure", Colin was actually relieved for the offer he didn't even know why he felt the need to go and make sure everything was alright with Penelope.

"Thank you". And with that, they left.

"Felicity says Pen really forgave you, you know?" Franchesca broke the silence between the two as they walked.

"I know, and I too feel like she meant it this time. But I still feel I haven't made up for it", he confided in his sister. It had always been easy, talking to Franchesca, she knew how to listen, mad he liked to be heard, perhaps that had been what pulled them closer than with the rest of their siblings, she also had always been interested in all the stories Colin had from the places he had been to, loving the feeling of being away and coming back just like Colin did, she had always wanted to travel, she understood him, he thought, maybe she would understand him now too.

"Well, what did you do in the first place?" Franchesca faked ignorance.

"I said something that was misinterpreted, but then I fail to correctly explain that to her, and because of that she may think I find her unworthy or that I simply don't want her to be happy", he explained.

If it wasn't because she already had all the details she wouldn't have known what he meant by that, it was a good thing he didn't want to repeat those words, Franchesca reasoned, but if he wanted an advice, he had done a terrible job at explaining

"Then prove to her that she is wrong", she said, "show her you don't find her unworthy, that you want her to be happy". She believed that had been good advice.

"I am not sure how to do that", he admitted, "but I do care about her. If I'm being honest, I only came to make sure she is alright. She is supposed to be promenading with that Mr. Dankworth", he told her.

Patience. He may be an idiot, but he's your brother, Franchesca thought before saying "That's good for her, she did tell me last night that she wished to marry this season. But she also said she didn't really know how to do it", she had only said it tí study his reaction, she underestimated his idiocy, because she would never have anticipated what came out of his mouth next.

"You are a genius! That's exactly what I must do. I will help her get a husband. That would make up for what I did", he sounded excited, which, she supposed, was the worst part.

Chapter Text

New allies?

"He can't be that stupid!" Gregory couldn't believe what his sister had just told him, his brother, helping the woman he loved find a husband that was not himself, simply because he couldn't accept or realise his feelings.

"Oh, but he is!" Franchesca retorted, "he may very well be telling her about «his splendid idea» right at this moment. He seemed way to eager to wait another day, or even until tonight's balls", she was exasperated.

"At least I will have a new brother at the end of this season", Felicity exclaimed, incredulous of what she had just heard.

"I cannot wait to see his face once he realises that by doing this he is only sabotaging himself", said Gregory.

"I am afraid to say it, but I am not at all surprised", Hyacinth told the others, who looked at her, confused.

"I'm just saying, it's Colin, he won't get the hint that easily, he has loved Penelope as a friend since he was a kid, their love story wasn't born in a day, it would be difficult for him to notice his feelings are different now because they didn't change in a day", she tried to explain.

The rest of the people in the room hadn't considered that, would they notice their feelings, if they were in Colin's place? Probably not, stubborn as the Bridgertons were. But Penelope had, they were all sure she hadn't fallen at first sight, the way she looked at Colin had changed not long ago, only long ago for everyone who knew her to notice.

"This can be good for our plan, though", Hyacinth continued, "just right now he is jealous of that gentleman, and he may attribute it to how much he has always cared for her, the way he cares for you, Fel, only, the further this thing with Mr. Dankworth goes, the closer he will be to understanding why he is feeling what he is feeling". She had a plan, a risky one, for sure, but one that would end, one way or another, with her brother realising his feelings.

"Do you know any gentleman who may take interest in Penelope?" Hyacinth asked Gregory, being the only male member of the crew.

"I do. Only it would be unhelpful anyway, all the gentlemen I know are 11 to 16 years old. I doubt any is planning on finding a wife already", he answered.

She had to at least try.

"Maybe I can ask John if he knows any gentleman how may take interest in Pen", Franchesca tried to help.

"Are you and Lord Santis that close already?" Felicity couldn't help but asked.

Franchesca turned all red, she wasn't sure how it had happened, but her brother's advise on how to enjoy balls had actually be helpful, she hadn't been sure at first about how to act, but John had made it easy to be herself, and that had led to a quick honest friendship between the two, and who knew? Maybe it could develop to more.

"I will ask him", was all she said for an answer.

"But isn't him Colin's best friend?" Gregory questioned, "surely he knows about Colin's feelings. I mean, I understand not telling our brothers every single detail about his unusual friendship with Pen, but that's the kind of thing you tell your best friend. Even Geoffrey knows about Felicity and we are not even near as close as Colin and Penelope were at our age", he wasn't sure it was the best idea, but he didn't know the gentleman, so he would trust his sister.

"I would try, if he mentions anything about Colin, maybe we would have another ally. Surely once I convince Lady Danbury, between the six of us it would be even easier", Franchesca informed the other three.

"You do that, but only if he already suspectes" Hyacinth said.

The Gunningworth ball had chose "Blossoming flowers" as the theme for the night, so everyone was wearing their best flowery dresses, for Penelope that would have been a nightmare only one year before, but this year, she wasn't unhappy with her dress choice, it was an orangey one, it started bright orange at the bottom and subtly faded into a more peachy color, close to pink, that suited her complexion pretty nicely.

She felt like she looked nice enough, she didn't consider herself beautiful, but she didn't think she was anomaly ugly either.

This night was going to be her first «lesson» from Colin. He had come to her house earlier that afternoon to propose an idea he had come up with to make up for what he said at the Featherington ball the previous season. She had already accepted he was not her happily ever after, and she thought having him as a friend was better than not having him at all, and he was really trying, he wanted her happy, or at least she thought he did.

When she arrived at the Gunningworth house she was immediately greeted by her friends, Colin and Franchesca Bridgerton.

"Good evening, Penelope. You look delightful tonight", Franchesca said.

"Thank you, Fran. You look spectacular, as always", she answered back.

"Pen!" Was all Colin could mutter. He was not making sense of anything, he could only admire his friend for how beautiful she looked that night.

"Colin", she smiled at him, making it harder for him to get himself back together.

Franchesca could only do as much to keep herself from rolling her eyes right at that moment. "I am glad to see you two are back to normal", she said.

"I am glad too. I missed my friend while I was gone", Colin said, still not taking his eyes away from Penelope.

"I have to admit I missed my friend too while he was gone", Penelope said, looking at the ground.

"Bridgerton, the C one!" John appeared, once again pronouncing the C that certain way that must be an inside joke between friends.

"Santis! You are here", Colin was always happy to see his best friend. And he realised, this was the very first time he had ever been with both of his best friends at the same time, he didn't know if Franchesca had managed to introduce them at the last ball, but he thought it very unlikely, so he introduced the two.

"John, you already met my sister Fran", he said.

"I do. Good evening Franchesca", he said, taking her hand and kissing it.

"Good evening, John", she answered, smiling.

He didn't even stop to question the familiarity with which the two already treated each other, he was happy to finally introduce his two best friends, to whom he had told uncountable stories about each other.

"And this is my other best friend, Penelope Featherington", he was smiling he couldn't help it.

"No way! You are the famous redhead! I have heard so much about you. It is my pleasure to finally meet you", he was being honest, he and Michael had always wanted to meet the girl who had occupied Colin's thoughts since they were children.

"I wasn't aware I was a famous redhead", Penelope giggled, "but the pleasure is mine, my Lord, Colin has always talked highly of you".

"You are the most famous and charming redhead I have the pleasure to have heard about", John told her.

There was silence for a moment before John asked Franchesca for her first dance and led her to the dance floor.

"Are you ready for our first lesson?" Colin asked Penelope, once he was sure his sister and friend were not close enough to hear them.

"I think so", Penelope replied, "What exactly is the first lesson?" She had been curious about the whole thing, but she supposed Colin did understand the male mind better than her, so she wouldn't complain whatever it was.

"Do you see what Franchesca is doing right now?" Colin asked, as a response.

"She seems to be talking to John", Penelope said.

"Yes. But if you look carefully enough you will notice how she doesn't take her eyes away from him, she is not shying away", Colin told her, "all those times we have danced, you always shied away at some point", he noted, "your first lesson is to always look at directly at the gentleman you are dancing with", he finally advised her, "there is something in a lady's stare that would make a gentleman interested".

"It will be difficult, I am not used to being seen, staring directly at someone feels just as intimidating as being stared at", she admitted.

"Let's practice, then", he took her hand, just as the first dance was ending and a new one starting.

Penelope followed his instructions by heart, he didn't shy away, she didn't take her eyes off him a single second.

Franchesca watched this happen, she wasn't sure how anyone could not notice the way those two were dancing, but she took the opportunity to talk to John about them.

"They always dance together. At every single ball", she told him.

"I know. Colin once told me she was his favorite dance partner", he responded.

"I suppose she is a very good one. It is a pity not so many gentlemen take the time to learn that about her", she said, "did you know she wishes to marry this season?"

"She does?" he asked.

"Indeed", she answered, "and I was wondering, do you possibly know any good gentleman who may be interested in Penelope?"

"Is there a reason you do not want her as a sister?" John genuinely asked.

"So you see it too", it was a question, "there is not a single reason for me to not want her as a sister, I in fact am trying to push my brother", she told him.

"I am afraid I am not following", he was a bit confused at her words.

"My brother doesn't seem to know he has feelings for her. It must be because of their friendship. But my siblings and I, we believe that feeling different things about her, such as jealousy, could help him realise what his real feelings for her are", she explained.

John laughed a little. "That is such a Colin thing to do", he smiled then, "but I think I can help with that. I have a friend, he's my «tocayo», Lord John Debling. And there is of course my cousin, Michael", John told her.

"I think even one of them would be more than enough. Colin is already losing his mind because of Mr. Dankworth", Franchesca laughed too. She was relieved, and surprised, John hadn't judged nor questioned the plan, but followed along with it. He would fit the Bridgerton family just as well as Simon and Kate had, she thought.

"Your sister may very well be the next Countess of Kilmartin for what I see", Possy said to Eloise, who made a noise of disgust.

"I can hardly see that as an accomplishment", she said.

"Whatever do you mean? Lady Whistledown says he is the catch of the season", Possy asked her new friend.

"First of, a good marriage shouldn't be considered an accomplishment for us. And second of all, I do not care in the slightest what that woman has to say, she is nothing but an anonymous author who hides herself to talk shit about others", Eloise told her.

"I do not think that is what she does at all", Possy argued, "apart from the occasional scandals she writes from time to time, she doesn't really talks shit about people, I believe she is only sharing what she has to say, what she sees and feels, and honestly, I envy that", she told Eloise.

"What do you mean?" For the first time since her fight with Penelope, Eloise found herself interested in someone's opinions about Whistledown.

"I mean - You may not get it, you are a Bridgerton, you are not only pretty, but you are very wealthy as well - but, people like me, we are often overlooked. People don't really notice us, they definitely do not listen to us, not even if when we scream. Whistledown has made sure people notice her, she found a voice that will always be heard. If I could, I would do the same, but of course I do not have the talent for it", she laughed a little at the end.

Eloise really hadn't considered the reasons her former best friend had had to begging Lady Whistledown in the first place. She was still angry, she felt betrayed, but maybe Penelope deserved a chance to explain her point of view, perhaps she wasn't being completely fair judging her without knowing what had led her to do what she had done.

The incident

Colin was lost. He couldn't make sense of anything. This was Penelope, he had danced with her a million times before, so why was he so nervous, happy, calm and sad all at the same time. All she was doing was following his advice, he had no reason to be feeling how he was feeling.

"Did I do it right?" He heard her, he knew she was saying words, he knew she was speaking a language he spoke too, but he could not, for the love of God, comprehend what had just come out of her mouth.

"Colin?" He heard her again, he did know that was his name, but he wasn't sure what to do with that information. "Everyone is moving off the dance floor. We should move too", as he had no reaction to that either, she took his hand on hers to guide him to the side of the room.

"Colin?! Are you alright?" His name, he recognised once again, but what was she saying? "Do you feel unwell?" Still no answer.

"Perhaps some water would help?" He heard a voice, he still didn't move, but only because he wasn't sure how to do so, he was back to reality, it seemed, or at the very least, he was coming back.

"I do not think that's a good id-", but Penelope didn't finish the sentence, instead she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, just as he came back from wherever he had been. He was now wet. And wouldn't have known where the water had come from if it wasn't for the man who spoke later.

"Did it help?" Harry Dankworth was asking him, while holding an empty glass.

He wanted to be mad, he couldn't stand the man, but if he was being fair it had actually helped, so he simply nodded.

"Great!" Harry looked proud of himself for having come up with a solution, and Penelope couldn't help it, she laughed, it wasn't a discret, easy to hide laugh, she was full on laughing.

"I am so sorry, Colin", she tried and failed to compose herself. Colin laughed too, not because he found the situation funny, but because her laugh was contagious.

Harry wasn't laughing, though, he was just as lost as Colin had been moments before, his eyes on Penelope, he looked just as if he was capturing her laughter, immortalising it.

"I really should go change", Colin finally managed something coherent to come out of his mouth.

"Worry not, I will keep her company", Harry said, still looking mesmerised.

He actually considered staying just for the sake of not leaving him with herm, but at that moment Eloise came and grabbed his arm.

"If you are going, I will leave with you. I have some things to think about", it was a statement, not a question.

"Would you allow me this dance?" He heard Harry asking Penelope, and she must have said yes, because the last thing he saw was her, repeating what she had practiced with him, as she danced with that other gentleman, something about it was just so wrong.

Penelope was getting home after having delivered the newest Lady Whistledown article, but she was surprised to find someone waiting for her.

"I knew you would be here at any minute". It was Eloise, this was the first time they had spoken to each other since that night. "We need to talk".

Penelope had tried to apologise multiple times, before accepting she had lost her purest love and not only her unrequited one. It had been Eloise who had taught her what love was, what it felt like. Before developing a crush on Colin she had imagined expending the rest of her life with her best friend.

"Come in", she thought that to be the smartest response.

Once they were both in Penelope's room, Eloise spoke. "Why do you do this?"

Penelope decided to talk only with the truth, their friendship had been damaged enough, on both ends not to. "I like being listened to".

To her surprise, Eloise accepted that answer without any further questions, in fact, she apologised to her.

"I am sorry I never really did. I was supposed to be your best friend. It was easy, to know it was you, the first time I actually did". She was being honest too. "But I still do not understand, nor have I forgotten, why did you write that about me?"

"I am truly sorry for that", Penelope began, "I know now that it was not the best decision. But at the moment I felt like it was the only choice I had, to protect not only you and I, but my family as well. I should have just come clean to you".

"Yes, you should have. But as I said, I didn't really listen to you, how were you to know for sure I would keep it a secret", Eloise conceded.

"But you have". Penelope said.

"That is right", Eloise responded. There was a silence that extended for way too long, before Eloise turned around and tried to leave, when Penelope stopped her.

"Wait! What does this mean? For us?" She asked.

"I am not sure. But maybe we can try to build a genuine friendship from now on. I still have my concerns. But we can try". Eloise answered.

Penelope only nodded. She was right, as much as she had missed her they couldn't go back to how things were, they needed to start anew. She was glad they took the chance to do so.

"Good night, El". She finally said.

Eloise smiled, she didn't want to admit it, but she had missed her friend so much. "Good night, Pen". And she left.

Colin was in the middle of a forest. Those scary humanly shaped shadows were following him once again. They had never got him, but he knew what they wanted to do to him, and if he didn't run fast enough, he would for sure be dead by the end of it. He started running, as fast as he could, but it was not enough, it was never enough. Those shadows were getting closer and closer, he was desperate, until that light appeared. The light that had always gotten him out of his predicament, its voice, distorted as always, but so clearly telling him to follow. He did. He always followed that voice until he finally found the light, this time, though, the light wasn't a person, it was a three, but it was weird how it didn't feel like a three, it felt like a friend, like family, that three, it felt like home. Once he reached the three he knew he was safe, the shadows couldn't reach him in the light. Curious, how in real life, the shadows only appeared in the light, but there, they could exist in the same space as the light..

He woke up, he could never tell whether those dreams were a nightmare or a good dream. There was something terrifying about the shadows, but he always felt so safe once he reached the light, that it was almost impossible to not wake up feeling the same way.

He was hungry, he had gotten home earlier than most of his family to get changed, but hadn't had dinner like he usually did after a ball, so he made his way to take breakfast. As usual, he was the first one there.

"Good morning, dear", greeted his mother, after what felt like an honour.

"Good morning, mother", he smiled.

"Your siblings will be here any minute, so we can have a proper breakfast", she said.

"Of course", he answered, his mouth full with some biscuits.

"Do remember your manners. I didn't raise ungentle children", his mother admonished.

"I apologise, mom". He said, realising it had been a long time since he had called her something other than the proper «mother» term.

"It is fine, my dear", his mother smiled.

"At last we are back to normal. You are the first at the table and Eloise is reading Whistledown again", came in Benedict.

"Good morning, brothers", they heard Anthony, followed by a "Good morning, mother".

"Good morning, brothers", this time it was Kate, "Good morning, mother", she too, greeted.

"Good morning, Kate", the two answered, "and Katie's husband", Colin finally greeted his oldest brother.

"You may aim to annoy me, but I actually love to hear that", Anthony said, not really thinking about it. That was why his siblings did it in the first place, specifically the older two, they had gotten used to seeing Anthony always so… unhappy, it was actually nice to finally see him letting go of whatever burden he had taken on his shoulders all those years ago.

"Mamma! Tell Eloise I want to read Lady Whistledown too", came in Hyacinth's voice.

"No need for that, there's another copy on the way", this time it was Franchesca.

"And I heard you perfectly well when you told me that yourself", Eloise was still reading, but she was used to walking through her home even with her eyes on a book.

"Please, it's just waking up time, do not yell, some of us would have liked to sleep in", Gregory entered the room too.

"If Daphne was here it would be just like old times, but better, now we have dear Kate and Simon", Violet commented, "perhaps this time next year will have even more additions to the family", she looked at her kids, from B to F.

"Yes, maybe next year the «handsome John» would be at the table", Gregory joked, he had heard his sister tell Eloise how handsome she thought John Santis was.

Franchesca went all red in her head, and half moved from mercy towards her sister half moved from her desire to see a certain redhead as an addition to the family soon, Hyacinth said.

"I personally find Mr. Dankworth more attractive than I do Lord Santis", she looked at her brother, who rolled his eyes, so she added "maybe we will see him more often next year".

"Why would we?" Benedict asked, confused.

"Well, if he marries Penelope, isn't she an honorary Bridgerton by now?" She said, innocently, Franchesca did her best not to laugh at Colin's face.

"Oh, so we may have not only the «the handsome John» but the «more attractive Harry» too?" Gregory said, picking up on Hyacinth's game, playing along. He even made a subtle face at Harry's name, so his brother wouldn't doubt his whole crush on Penelope story.

"You know nothing about handsome or attractive men", Colin said without thinking, "after all, you haven't met Michael Santis", he surprised even himself with that last part.

Everyone at the table was amused, and Benedict didn't waste the opportunity to mock his brother.

"Oh! Now I am intrigued. Tell me, brother, on the scale from one to ten, what would you put Anthony in. One being, we'll, you, and ten being, Michael Santis. Just so I can have an idea". Everyone laughed. Franchesca saw the opportunity to see Colin's reaction to some information she had.

"John did say he would like to introduce his cousin to Penelope. He believes they would fit together just fine. So fear not, brother, we may know what attractiveness is by this time next year". Colin didn't know what to say to that, but for some reason the thought of Michael and Penelope seemed especially wrong.

Even Violet had been laughing, but as always, she was the first to compose herself, "Let's start with breakfast, dearest".

Everything went back to normal, they were all eating, when Hyacinth suddenly laughed.

"What are you laughing at this time?" Eloise asked.

"It's just what Lady Whistledown said about Colin. Why did none of you tell me about it?" Eloise smiled too, she was finally able to laugh about Lady Whistledown's words again, and to be fair it had been funny.

"Let me see!" Gregory took the paper, and he too, laughed.

Benedict, having left before everything happened had not witnessed the incident, so he had no idea what had happened, "what does it say?" He asked.

So, Franchesca, who had watched everything first hand, and was the least likely to laugh while reading started, taking the paper on her hands, "she wrote; «A very peculiar incident involving our favorite lemon wallflower and two gentlemen took place at the Gunningwoth's Ball last evening. This author may not have all the details of it, but it ended up with Mr. Bridgerton fully wet at Mr. Dankworth's hands. Perhaps Mr. Bridgerton should have waited for the Santis ball tomorrow night to do whatever led Mr. Dankworth to empty a glass on his head, for it would have been in tone with the Santis' - ocean nigths - theme»", she couldn't help but giggle.

"Why would Mr. Dankworth empty a glass on your head?" Kate asked, failing at her attempt not to laugh.

"I wasn't feeling well, and he actually helped me", Colin asked, not really knowing how to explain what had led Harry to do as he did.

"I am even more confused now". Anthony stated.

"I am no longer hungry, I had enough biscuits before the lot of you arrived. Now, if you excuse me". Colin left the table.

"Whatever is wrong with Colin lately? He looked well enough dancing with Penelope before the whole incident, surely he wasn't feeling that bad", Eloise asked no one in particular.

"Please, sister, I thought you to be on the blind side of this!" Said Gregory.

"What is the other side? And most importantly, what is «this»?" Anthony asked him.

"The stupid side, the one so far you seem to be in". Gregory answered, earning an admonishment from his mother.

Chapter Text

Ocean Nights

The ball of "Ocean nights", plus a comment Mr. Dankworth had made about Penelope's eyes the day of their promenade had presented the percat opportunity to finally convince her mother to allow her to wear colors that were not yellow and orange.

Penelope was extremely happy with her reflection on the mirror, she had dreamed about wearing a blue dress, and this, she couldn't have dreamed something that beautiful.

The dress was somehow of a darkish tome of blue, but it only got darker the lower the fabric was on the dress. She was going as the sea itself. The fabric was one that even changed color to the eye with the light, and her tiara was one the color of sand, her necklace a pearls one.

Felicity had helped her choose the tiara and necklace as she was unsure whether to use those or simply some blue stoned ones. But she was happy with the decision her little sister had made.

"Wow! You are truly so beautiful. Just wait until he sees you!" Felicity exclaimed.

"I am sure Mr. Dankworth will be polite enough to say the same. Thank you, Fel". Penelope answered.

"Mr. Dankworth?" Felicity was confused for a second, she had meant -, "Of course he would comment on it! That man cannot be any more enamoured by you", she quickly saved her misstep.

"He is only polite, and perhaps happy someone takes him seriously despite his - well - not so intelligent conversations", said Penelope.

"He is a bit dumb, isn't he?" Felicity smiled, only a couple of interactions with the man - when he had visited Penelope - had been enough for her to gatter that much information, "but he seems nice. He clearly has a good eye for beauty. And he seems funny", Felicity commented, just because she wanted a certain young man to be her brother didn't mean she automatically hated Harry, he was a good person who deserved the very best, she believed.

"He is. I happen to enjoy his company a lot more than I thought I would. He makes me laugh, and he even makes me feel - I am not sure what it is but - nice. Does that make sense?" Penelope had been surprised to have found a friend in the man, one who despite not being the smartest person was always interested in the last thing she had read, her favourite things and even in what she had to say about those things she hated. She thought him to be exactly what she was looking for. Really he was the perfect match for her, he was good looking, nice, he had an excellent sense of humour, and it would be easy to hide Lady Whistledown from him. All she had to do now was secure a proposal from him. That's when Colin entered the plan, he was helping her attract his attention to herself.

"It does", Felicity sounded worried, Penelope wasn't sure why, but perhaps she just didn't want her to leave her alone in this crazy house, alone with their mother at least.

"Is something the matter, sister?" She asked, trying to get Felicity to talk.

"None at all. I am happy you are doing so well, but it is weird, that's all", Felicity lied.

"It really is", Penelope held her sister's hand, reassuringly.

That night Felicity sneaked into the Bridgerton House that night in order to tell her best friends about her new worries concerning her sister and that suitor of hers.

"What are we going to do if she falls in love with that man and no longer wants Colin?" Gregory felt sorry and frustrated. His brother could very well end up losing the love of his life because he couldn't open his damned eyes.

"She will not. That simply cannot happen", Felicity said. She knew how much her sister loved Colin and she wanted her to be happy. The kind of happiness she would only find with Colin.

"But what if it does?" Hyacinth was now concerned too.

"I don't know", Felicity admitted.

"Maybe we need to make sure they don't spend as much time together, that way it would be harder for Penelope to fall in love with another man", Gregory suggested.

"And how would we do that without ruining my sister's chance of being in a courtship?" Felicity asked, "As much as I want Colin to be my brother, I do not wish to take away this new happiness from my sister. Today was the first time she didn't tell me not to lie when I called her beautiful. And I do think it has a lot to do with the way Mr. Dankworth looks at her".

"We will be subtle. We don't even have to do much. If Lord Santis' friend turns out to be interested in her as he supposes, then she would have to spend less time with Dankworth, anyway" Gregory said.

"Yes! And now that Lady Danbury is on with the plan, we may not even have to interfere almost at all. She will invite Colin and Penelope to a selected soirée, I will tell her not to invite either of the other two gentlemen". Hyacinth assured her friend.

"What did you do to convince her anyway?" Felicity asked, amused.

"I had to promise I would go to her house every Thursday and read a book of her choice to her", Hyacinth admitted.

"Can't she read it herself?" Gregory asked.

"I believe age is starting to catch up with her" was Hyacinth's answer.

Penelope arrived at the Santis' house, where most people were already there. She was greeted by Lady Jane and Mrs. Elena Santis, the hostess of the ball, Lord Santis' mother and aunt, she learnt.

"Oh, miss Penelope, my son is waiting for you. He has a friend he would like to introduce you to. He is right there", Lady Janet pointed at where her son was standing, next to Colin, Franchesca and another gentleman she did not know.

"Thank you, Lady Santis. I think I will go his way", Penelope answered, surprised by what the woman had said, she was unaware John - as he had asked her to call him when in confidence - had planned to introduce her to a friend of his.

When she got to where the other people were talking she greeted everyone with their proper name, not knowing one of the people in her presence.

"Good evening, Lord Santis. Her mother informed me you were looking for me", she said first.

"Miss Bridgerton, Mr. Bridgerton", she said to the others.

"Miss Featherington" all three of her friends said to her.

"Why were you looking for her, John? I mean if I am not being indiscret by asking", Colin casually commented, he had wanted to talk to John about introducing Penelope to Michael, something about it was wrong, but since he couldn't just point at what was exactly that, he didn't dare to do so. Still, he at least wanted to be aware of everything.

"I only wanted to introduce her to my friend and «tocayo»", he said, shrugging. "Miss Featherington, this is Lord Debbling. John, she is Miss Penelope Featherington", he finally introduced the two. "I believe the two of you would get along just fine".

"My pleasure, my lord", Penelope said.

"I assure you, the pleasure is all mine. Your hair is fantastic, I adored the color of it, and I must tell you, it goes just so well with the blue of both your eyes and your dress". Lord Debbling complimented her.

The two Bridgertons had been quiet watching the exchange, but that last part caught Colin's attention the most, a blue dress? Penelope always wore yellow, it was her color, it was even more her color than green - her favorite - was.

He looked at her, intently and he was mesmerised by the sight, she - she was as magnificent as the ocean, her eyes just as profound with that dress complimenting them as well as it was doing, had her eyes always been that deep? He wondered. He was the most beautiful sight he had had the pleasure to see. Had it been twice already he had said the exact same thing about her? How had he just not noticed before? Or had he? Had he simply just made his best to ignore it for the sake of their friendship? He believed so, because he was a man, after all, and any man - not related to her - would notice the beauty of her, and the deepness of her eyes, it was simply impossible not to.

"Dance with me, Colin", Colin was paralised, he had heard the words, but having been lost in his thoughts he hadn't paid enough attention to know who had spoken them. Not the gentlemen, for sure, it was a delicate voice, could it have been her?

"Colin? Come!" It was Eloise. He hadn't noticed when had she arrived.

Once on the dance floor, and back to the present he asked "Why are you so eager to dance, sister? Developing a new love for the art, are you?"

"Of course not! Possy is busy entertaining Nigel at her mother's demand, and that Mr. Whatever mom was trying to set me up with was way too near for my liking", she replied.

"Sounds a lot more like you. Has Benedict left already? Or why is it that I was the chosen one for this dance?" He asked.

"Benedict is with a young lady Kate introduced him to, you were just with Fran and Pen". She said, as if it was obvious.

"What do you mean «just», Penelope is a young lady too", he protested. He didn't really know why, he had always known she was a young lady, but he had never referred to her as such in that context.

"Well, she is but - she is not, no - you are not - you are nor, are you?" Eloise panicked all of a sudden, he didn't know why, but he was crossed at her for degrading Penelope the way she had, the way he had just last season, he felt sick with the memory.

"OH MY GOD! YOU ARE!" Eloise exclaimed, she had been so blind to see what was in front of her eyes, she realised that now. How did she not see it before? It was so clear, so in her nose. Maybe she had been a worse friend than she had thought, maybe she had been just as bad of a sister, she really could not believe it.

"I AM WHAT EXACTLY?" Colin all but yelled.

"Nothing. Please forget it. I just - You did not seemed to be willing nor engaged to take Fran nor - Pen - to the floor". She said, emphasising their friend's name.

"Well not at that moment, but I always dance with Pen, you know that". She didn't. She really had been way too absorbed in her own problems to see what was happening, even with two of the people she loved the most in the world.

"I apologise. I will go to the garden", she left at the middle of the song. Colin was confused. His sister was clearly uncomfortable, but he didn't think he had done anything to cause such discomfort.

He went back to where his sister and his friends were.

"What was that about?" Franchesca asked, watching her sister leave to the garden.

"I genuinely have no idea", Colin told her, honestly.

"Is she feeling unwell?" Penelope was concerned.

"I do not think so", Colin said, still trying to make sense of his sister's words.

"I see you are friends with not one but at least three Bridgertons, miss" John Debbling commented.

"For what I heard, she is friends with all of them" John told his friend.

"Really?" Lord Debbling asked, he was impressed. "You must be quite the character. For what I have heard, one Bridgerton is like a handful - No offence to present members of the family -" he hurried to add.

"None taken. It is only the truth", Franchesca said.

"And Penelope IS one of the few people who can handle the lot of us. I'll give you that". Colin told the man.

"Who are the other few?" The man asked. "I am sure I would enjoy their company as I am already enjoying miss Featherington's".

"Well. There's our best friends, of course. Only, Simon is now part of the family, so he doesn't really count, there is also Kate who is now married to my brother, there is John who we'll -", he motion to the way he was already talking with Franchesca, not paying attention to anything nor anyone else, "and then there are Pen and Felicity", he finished.

"It sounds like there is a patron, as if one day Misses Featherington will be married into the family too", Harry Dankworth laughed. Colin hadn't noticed his presence, but he must have arrived while he was dancing with Eloise. Why did he always miss so many things?

Penelope appeared to get nervous at those words. Colin was a little hurt, did she found a future like that one just that unappealing?

"Why don't we go dance, Pen? This is your favorite dance", Colin changed the topic so suddenly.

"I - uh - I actually promise this dance to Har - Mr. Dankworth", Penelope said.

"Oh!" Colin made the sound, he wasn't sure why but he was disappointed at that. "Well, maybe the next one", he tried.

"That one would be mine, Mr. Bridgerton", Lord Debbling told him.

"Are you already compromised for the one after that?" Colin asked, sounding nervous.

"I am not, but -", Penelope was abruptly interrupted by Colin taking her card and signing his name on the next space.

"That one is a waltz, Mr. Bridgerton", Penelope had started using his proper name when she felt herself in danger of falling hopelessly into him again.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Colin was half hurt, half worried he had offended her again.

"Uh - Mh - No, I don't think there is", Penelope answered. Why? She didn't know, she knew she should have said no.

He saw her dance with the other two. And he felt an inexplicable need to cry, or to stop her from continuing, or both.

"I hope it is not so soon for me to pay a visit tomorrow morning, miss Penelope", he heard Debbling said.

"It is not, I assure you, my mother would be delighted".

"Is your mother that redhead lady talking to Mr. Andrews?" He asked, and Colin saw Penelope go a bit red in the face as she answered, "Yes, my lord, that is my mother".

To both of their surprises, Debbling said "Wonderful, I think I would appreciate her views on fashion. She seems not to care about what the rest think. I am like that too. That's why I brought my pirate hat today. I was disappointed to see no one else had one". Penelope smiled.

"You should keep it until the Bridgerton masquerade, my lord. I am sure you would love that one". Penelope kindly said.

"I will do so. Until tomorrow, miss". He kissed her hand and left.

"Come on! The waltz is next. It is also time for the second lesson. I saw you doing what I told you when you danced with the other gentlemen. You did it very well. But there is more you need to know". He took her hand, just like he had done at the Featherington ball after facing her despicable cousin, just before she had told him he was special to her, «astonishing» she had called him, and he had felt so big, so strong, and so vulnerable at the same time. That was costume with her, he realised, feeling so many emotions at the same time, contradicting ones as well as some that went together.

"Now. You know not to keep your eyes off me, but you also have to learn how to get close enough to make them take the last step". He told her in her ear as the waltz was starting. She trembled. Good, he thought.

She really took his instructions at heart for she didn't shy away by the motion, she looked directly into his eyes and said "I do not know how to do that". Wow, Colin thought, she had a beautiful voice too.

He cleared his throat. "You take a step closer to him", as they were back to face to face she did as she was told, not once taking her eyes off his, he swallowed, he was becoming nervous, "and then you make sure they can memorise you".

"I beg your pardon? How does a lady do that?" Penelope still had a lot of questions, "isn't that way too bold?"

"Not if it's done right, you take the first step, now you just have to turn your head a bit to the side, don't let him lose sight of your beautiful face" she did, and he had his jaw on the floor. But he kept dancing and instructing him.

"I was going to say to make sure you smell of your own fragrance, make sure to spread it on your hair and neck", he inhaled, "but I think you already do that, so just, open your neck. No one could resist that, they would take the next step". Once again she did as she was told and By God had he been right! No one - not even him could resist it, he took the next step. Now they were inappropriately close, but no one would say anything as they were only dancing. Both starting to breath heavily, both still looking at each other. "And at the end, you have to take two steps back, and finish the dance just like the rest of the couples would", he whispered in her ear. And oh, how he regretted it when the dance ended and she did as he had said.

"Thank you, Colin", she said and she moved out of the dance floor. Once again, he was frozen in place for a moment, but he got himself together.

It was weird, how different it was this season, being with her, he was having thoughts one did not have about a friend. He needed to think, so he followed the way Eloise had gone and once there, he said "I have so many things to think about too. Wanna go home?" He held his hand for her to take. "Yes", was her answer.

But then they heard John's voice calling for Colin.

"Is everything alright, John? I am sorry I didn't say goodbye but I was actually on my way home", Colin said, he was tired.

"It won't take long, I promise", John assured him "I - I just - I want to ask your sister's permission to court her. Tomorrow, when I call for her. Only, I may have only met her a week ago, but I know he would never accept a courtship you or your little brother do not approve of. I sent a letter to Gregory, he has given me his blessing, but you are my best friend, I wanted to do it in person. So, do you? Give your blessing, I mean?" He was nervous.

"Why me and Gregory? Isn't Anthony the one to ask?" Colin was in the edge of tears, his closest sister, being officially courted, because Franchesca would accept.

"I will ask him before I propose. But you and Gregory are the ones Franchesca wouldn't live without, she wouldn't accept not even a courtship of which you and Gregory do not approve. You are the most important people in her life at present. So, do you?" Colin actually cried at that. He didn't know if it was because his sister would be so clearly happy with him, or if it was because he would lose his closest sister, to an extent.

"Of course I do! You will be my brother! Just like you have been my very best friend!" He was still crying, but he hugged his friend.

After a few seconds he said "I do have to go. Come on, El". Eloise, to her surprise, was happy to hear about Franchesca's possible nuptials.

In the carriage ride, Eloise surprised him with "Perhaps it is time you consider the possibility of finding - love - too". That whole sentence was so un Eloise, except for the face she made at the word «love».

He couldn't help but ask "And where does that come from?"

"Let's just say we have so much of the same things to think about. And even if I haven't been the best sister, I do want you to be happy, with her, because I am sure I will want her to be happy too". They got to their destination and Eloise all but flew to her room, leaving Colin more confused than he had ever been in his life.

Falling

Colin was really confused. He felt like he had just begun to catch up with information he should have known years and years ago. He couldn't deny - not any more - he was attracted to Penelope. How could he? But he had been attracted to Marina, he had believed himself in love with her and he now realised he had been wrong.

He could no longer act as if her beauty, her whole self, really, didn't enchant him. But something like that could ruin their friendship for real, especially if he didn't want anything more than a friendship despite being attracted to her and he wasn't sure what his feelings were in that matter. He wanted her to be happy. He decided not to do anything about his new realisation, for the sake of their friendship. Had that been what Eloise discovered while they were dancing? It was the only way her words in the carriage would make sense.

He was glad it was a family promenade day. His mother had insisted on going for a promenade together, even Daphne and Simon would be there. The Bridgertons standing together in good and bad. He loved his family for that.

After having an unusually quiet breakfast, John arrived to see Franchesca, he and his mother and aunt were to promenade with the Bridgertons that day. Colin was happy and nervous on their behalf, this was the day their courtship would officially begin, and as John had made their intentions clear, the first day of a relationship that would last until death do them part. He knew his sister felt the same way about his friend.

They were walking, he had Eloise on his arm, they were at the end of the line of Bridgertons. Their mother was on Benedict's arm at the front, Kate and Anthony were side by side with the Duke and Duchess of Hastings, Franchesca and John talking animatedly behind them, being chaperoned by the Santis women, who were following close enough not to lose sight of them, but far enough to let them talk in private; Hyacinth and Gregory were running and chasing each other, as they usually did, and they there he was, with Eloise.

"Did you think about everything you had to think about yesterday?" He asked her, solely because he didn't like silence at all.

"No. But I plan to talk to Penelope about some of those things today", she answered him.

"I am glad the two of you are slowly going back to normal", he said, "and -", he hesitated, "I am sorry. If whatever fight you had was in some way caused by me". He finally said.

"It was not", Eloise reassured him, "but why would it have been, anyway?" She really didn't know why her brother would think so.

"You don't know?" Eloise wasn't sure if what she knew what was her brother was talking about, so she simply said no with her head.

"I said something the night of the Featherington ball. I will not repeat those words, but even if I didn't intend to, they hurt both Penelope's feelings and prospects", he said.

"I had no idea", Eloise said. She didn't know what her brother has said, but she imagined it could be nothing good.

"That's weird. I didn't remember it myself. It was Hyacinth who told me. Gregory told her. And he only knew by listening to Benedict tell Anthony about it", he told her.

"And yet no one thought to tell me nor Mother… You must have fucked up pretty badly", she said.

"I did", he admitted.

"Well. At least she seems to have found suitors this season. I didn't know it before, but last year I found out she actually enjoys all of this", she told her brother.

"She does?" Colin suddenly felt guilty, for not having known, and weirdly as it was, for not having helped her enjoy it. "Franchesca did say she told her she plans to marry this season. And I am helping her, or at least trying to help her secure a proposal", he informed his sister, but something on that sentence made him feel… weird, dumb, tired.

"You are? But I thought -", Eloise stopped, she finally understood what her little siblings were talking about a couple of days ago, she was on the blind side, but where was Colin? She decided to let him find out on his own, if he ever did, "I had always imagined my life as a spinster, living with Pen. We even had plans, you know? But I am glad she is trying to find happiness", she finally said.

"I want her to be happy too", he suddenly said. It was all that mattered, really, as long as Penelope was happy, whatever tricks his mind was playing, he would be happy for her.

It was poetic, really, how after a few minutes they walked into the Featheringtons, Lady Featherington was walking with Felicity, while Prudence walked behind her, in the arm of one Nigel Berbrooke, but what caught the eye of all Colin, Eloise, Gregory and Hyacinth was one Penelope Featherington walking on the arm of one Lord John Debbling, who to everyone's confusion, and in contrast with his companion, seemed to be enjoying the Featheringtons' chatter.

"Lady Violet! Lord Bridgerton! Lady Bridgerton! Your highness! Mr. Bridgerton! Mr. Bridgerton! Mr. Bridgerton! Lord Santis! Lady Janet! Mrs. Elena! Mr. Bridgerton! Miss Franchesca! Miss Hyacinth! Miss Eloise!" The whole Featherington clan greeted the Bridgerton one.

Similar greetings were heard from the Bridgerton clan to greet the Featherington one.

"Pen!" Both Colin and Eloise greeted, "how are you?" Eloise asked.

"I am very well", Penelope replied, "how are you, El?" she asked back.

"I am fine, thak you", and they stopped talking. They both promised to try, but neither knew how to do it.

Felicity had gone to greet Hyacinth and Gregory, who that very same morning had asked their mother to let them invite both Felicity and Penelope to the garden party at Bridgerton House, only Bridgertons and honorary ones were being invited. That meant only Lady Danbury, Felicity, Penelope and the most recent additions - the Santis - were going to be there.

"Do we have any plans for tomorrow?" Felicity asked.

"Not exactly. We think we have to make sure Pen remembers why she fell in love with him in the first place. But we have no idea why". Hyacinth answered.

"Oh, but I do. I know the story", annonce Felicity.

"Oh do tell us", we'll see you home this afternoon.

Theirs was not the only conversation that was about said plan, once the Bridgertons reached the Featheringtons.

"Michael is eager to meet Penelope, he says he'll be here in two weeks time", John told Franchesca. He had sent an urgent letter to Michael, telling him he had met the famous redhead Colin had always talked about, he told her she was funny and smart and beautiful and kind, he even went so far as to tell him he thought he would get along so well if they met. He had also told him of his intentions with Franchesca. So Michael's answer was «I imagine we would get along - me and Colin's redhead - but I mean, we call her Colin's redhead for a reason, and I do estime him, so even tho I look forward to make her acquaintance, I don't wish to interfere between her and our friend. I will be there soon, two weeks if I get my way, three at most, I would never miss the opportunity to meet the debutant that has caught my brother's attention». He and Michael called each other brother, they practically were in all but blood. It was part of their culture and identity, they both lived at their grandparents home with their parents, and that had continued even after their grandparents passing, he wished it would stay that way now both of their fathers had passed.

"Excellent, only I do feel sorry the first event we would be invited to would be the Smith musical", Franchesca commented.

"It can not be that bad", John said.

"Believe me it is. I do not know why we keep going every year. And if he goes with Penelope as we expect, he would find himself in the front row. She always takes that seat".

"Michael will manage", John laughed it off.

"So? How did it happen?" Gregory asked Felicity. She had informed him and his sister she knew when and why Penelope had fallen for him, and they were eager to know too.

"Well, it happened a few days before her sixteen birthday. Apparently we were there, all three of us", she started telling the story just like Penelope had told it to her.

"We were?" Hyacinth asked.

"And not only that, we apparently caused it too", she said.

"How?" Asked Gregory.

"Well, she said it was a day when we were playing together. We were the damsels in distress and you", she pointed to Gregory, "were the evil wizard holding us captive. But there was no one to rescue us, so Penelope and Eloise volunteered to be our nights in shining armour, so Franchesca said she would be your magical dragon. Everything was well until Colin and Benedict arrived. She says all of you were embarrassed to had been caught playing silly games with us, you included Greg", she continued, "you all stopped playing for a minute, not sure what to do, she said, but then Colin, nineteen years old, surprised everyone coming out of the house with a paper crown on his head, demanding for you to free his princess, meaning us, of course", she pointed to Hyacinth and herself, "and we started playing again. He was fighting with you and your spells, while Eloise and Penelope were fighting dragon Franchesca. But Penelope missteps and in an attempt not to fall he crashed into Colin, and he fell", they laughed a little remembering the moment, "she was so embarrassed, but he only laughed. He even played it as part of the game, he didn't get crossed at her", she said, "Pen says that seeing his kindness, and how he was willing to play with us only so we would be happy, how he made the game better by inventing a story and how he treated me no different than a sister was what got her. And she fell in love right there and then", Felicity finished the story.

"Then it is clear what we should do", Hyacinth said, "tomorrow we will show her Colin is still the same playful, kind, funny man she fell for, and you", she pointed at Felicity, "have to make sure to have some bonding time with Colin while she sees".

"We can propose a dance, like the one we had with the Sharmas last season", Gregory suggested.

"Yes, you ask Pen to dance and Colin will ask Felicity. Katie's stomach is way too big for dancing now, so she can play the piano or the violin", Hyacinth started getting excited. The Bridgerton Family night would be a good one indeed.

Chapter Text

Everybody knows

Eloise had asked Penelope to see her once she arrived from her promenade with Lord Debbling. She had been up most of the night thinking about her new knowledge of her brother's feelings for the redhead, she had also re-read all of Lady Whistledown's writings in hopes to find out something that could tell her whether the redhead reciprocated his feelings or not. She should have had the answer, she was supposed to be Penelope's best friend. She had found the passages where she had called her brother good looking and charming, but that didn't necessarily mean anything, the only writing that could tell her whether Colin's love was or wasn't unrequited was the one where Penelope had exposed Marina, and even then, the article itself didn't reveal anything, she had to know the reason behind its publication. But she was 90% sure her friend was in love with her brother too.

"It's weird to be here again. After all this time we spent apart", Penelope commented, sitting on Eloise's bed.

"It is", Eloise conceded, "but I have something I want to ask you about", she said.

"Ok. What is it?" Penelope wanted to know.

"Why did you exposed Marina like that?", she was known for saying what was on her mind, so she didn't bother to make the question sound any less direct than how she thought it.

"It was a hard decision I had to make. I am not sure, not even today if it was the right one, but in this case I do believe it was the only way I had to stop Marina from trapping Colin into a loveless marriage based on lies and secrets", she confessed.

"You could have talked to them, or even to me", Eloise argued.

"I tried to talk Marina out of doing it. And I even tried to warn Colin, but neither of them listened. I was considering telling you or your mother, but then I learnt of their plan to elope. I felt hopeless and trapped. I just - I want Colin to be happy. I wouldn't have done it if Colin had known the truth and still decided to continue the engagement. I just - ". She started crying then, and Eloise remembered the night she probably wrote that about Marina, how she had found her and immediately started crying, how she said she didn't deserve her friendship, how she couldn't let go of her, how it broke her heart to see her dearest friend that broken. She didn't hesitate to hug Penelope, assured her that in that matter she believed she had done the right thing.

"You saved my brother. You chose his happiness even at your own family's reputation expense", she realized that now, how she had sacrificed herself, risking her own reputation in order to do what was right, perhaps being Lady Whistledown came with more of those hard decisions to make, perhaps what she wrote about her and Theo was one of them.

"I knew we would be alright, I knew we would somehow get out of it. And my prayers were answered with Sir Phillip. Marina seems content now as Lady Crane just like she was always meant to be. Little Oliver is the heir as he was always supposed to be. As far as I am sorry for the pain I caused both her and Colin, I do not regret it", Penelope allowed herself to say it out loud for the first time.

"I understand", Eloise responded, surprised by the fact that she was not lying in the slightest, "but I still think she deserves to know the truth". Eloise had found a friend in Marina Crane by corresponding with her during her fallout with Penelope, believing Marina would be the only one to understand her, but she hadn't told her Lady Whistledown's true identity.

"She already does. She knows my more precious secrets. One she found out on her own, the other -", she breathed in, "the other I wrote to her, after our fight. I concluded you weren't the only one who had a right to the truth".

"She found out on her own about your feelings for Colin then?" Eloise didn't really know how to ask for a confirmation.

"How do you -?" Penelope looked her in the eye.

"I cannot tell you exactly how it happened. But I had an epiphany, I wasn't the best of friends, it was pretty clear you had been in love with my brother for a while, it may just be me who hadn't noticed", Eloise replied, "well, me and Colin himself. It is clear for everyone who is paying enough attention and has at least half a brain".

"I thought you not knowing meant I was being discreet", Penelope giggled.

Eloise laughed at that. "I can only imagine what it would be like if you hadn't been trying to hide it", and just like that they both felt like their friendship had healed. No, that was not right, it hadn't just healed, it had grown into something deeper.

Next day, very early in the morning while he was getting ready for church - as it was Sunday - Colin could only think about how happy he was Penelope was coming to his family reunion after the religious ceremony. It would be like old times, being alone with her, only, not exactly alone, but none of her new suitors would be there, so he could have her all for himself… except, now he had to share her not only with Eloise anymore, but with Franchesca, Gregory and Hyacinth too. Still, no suitors would be demanding her attention and that was good enough for him.

He didn't really like going to church, he wasn't a particularly religious person, so he wasn't paying attention to the priest at all. Instead, he found himself looking at her, she was in a light green dress and he couldn't stop himself from deducing that she would look absolutely lovely in an emerald green dress or even better, in a Bridgerton blue one. He smiled at the thought and then, someone elbowed him. It was Gregory.

"Can you please at least pretend you are not looking at her", Gregory tried to sound jealous, but he wasn't sure if he succeeded, he was way too amused.

"I am not", Colin replied, swallowing.

Then why did you immediately know who she was?" Gregory retorted.

"Well - Uh", he didn't really know what to say that would be believable.

"You've been staring at her the whole morning, Col", Kate said, not looking at him, still with her eyes to the front.

"At who?" Anthony asked, trying to be discreet while turning his face to look. Hyacinth laughed, Franchesca closed her eyes, smiling, Gregory quietly snorted, Kate patted his shoulder, Eloise rolled her eyes, Colin prayed - for the first time that morning - that his brother didn't realize who they meant, that his mother wasn't listening, that his other brother wasn't either.

"Why are none of you paying attention?" His mother suddenly turned her face to her children, making Benedict, who was about to fall asleep, jump.

"We've already heard that one", Hyacinth said, earning an angry face from Violet.

"Do pay attention or I'll make you hear about it from me everyday for the next week", she threatened, and as they weren't sure whether she meant it or not, they all started at least pretending to pay attention.

The ceremony wasn't long and after it was over the Bridgertons greeted Penelope and Felicity, they were to go with them and the Santis to Bridgerton House for their family party.

"Good morning, Pen" Gregory was first to greet the Featheringtons, wanting to annoy his older brother for having stared at her all the time inside the church, not even trying to be discreet.

"Good morning, Greg", she answered, "good morning to all of you", she smiled at all the other Bridgertons too.

"And good morning to you too, I am fine by the way, thank you for asking", Felicity said to Gregory. They found it funny, how every time Gregory singled Penelope out in front of Colin his nose would wrinkle and his eyes would show signs of sickness without him being able to prevent it.

"Is there anything wrong, brother?" Kate asked Colin, a knowing smirk on her face.

"Why would anything not be?" Colin answered, his tone one of annoyance, even though he had no idea why he was annoyed… Well that was not completely true, the annoyed tone came from that sensation in his stomach every time he remembered Gregory's crush on Pen. his Pen.

He didn't know where that had come from.

"Do not speak to my wife like that, brother. But do tell whatever is the problem", Anthony intervened and Kate giggled.

"Why are you laughing?" He turned to Kate then.

"Well, I find it funny you feel the need to both defend me from him -", another giggle while she pointed at Colin, "and actually ask what has put him in a mood", Kate answered her husband, a hand on her growing belly.

"Do you know what she's trying to say?" Anthony turned to Benedict for help.

"I am as lost as you brother. Perhaps it was the ceremony, it was quite boring". Benedict replied.

"However would you know? You were asleep for the most part", came in Simon's voice.

"Precisely", was his answer.

"What are we discussing that has led us to the topic, though?" Simon asked, Daphne on his arm.

"Colin", said Anthony.

"What about him?" Simon persisted.

"We are trying to guess why is Colin in a mood", Benedict answered him.

"Well, it's obvious", said Daphne giggling alongside Kate, her belly growing too, pregnant as she was for the second time.

"Care to explain?" Anthony pressed.

"Yeah, share it with those of us a little more clueless, wife", Simon agreed.

"Men", Daphne rolled her eyes, but continued, "are you truly so blind not to even notice Colin is only physically present here at the moment?" They all turned to look at Colin then, who was on one side of Kate, having walked her out of the church while Anthony chatted with another gentleman, still holding her arm.

It was true, Colin while present in body with them was elsewhere, his eyes on the youngest Bridgertons chatting excitedly with the youngest Featheringtons.

"So…", Benedict started, "Colin is in a mood because he would rather be with El, Fran, Hya, Greg, Pen and Felicity rather than with us?" He finished, he was a bit confused.

"Idiot!" They all heard Anthony, they all saw him too, hitting himself in the head, which made it difficult to know if he was insulting Benedict or himself, perhaps both.

"Pardon me?" Simon still looked lost.

"Oh, so it was blind for you", said Kate, laughing at her husband. Despite not having asked for her help, the three children and Franchesca had confided in her their suspicions the night prior, when she had caught them discussing whether Eloise was aware or not.

"I am afraid I do not follow", this time it was Benedict who looked lost, just like Simon.

"This idiot right here is in a mood because of Gregory's little crush". Anthony tried to explain. The three gentlemen had discussed Gregory's apparent crush on Penelope since he started going every day at the Featherington House with Hyacinth and Felicity. It was quite obvious.

"Why would he be in a mood because of that?" asked Benedict. Simon looking just as confused.

"Stupid", declared Anthony, looking at the giggling ladies, "these two are on the stupid side".

"Why do they keep insulting us?" Simon asked Benedict.

"I am as lost as you are on this, brother", he answered Simon.

"Think for a minute", Anthony was exasperated by now, "WHY would Colin be in a mood because of our little brother's little crush on our friend?" He emphasized the why, "and then lose himself staring at them talking while we discuss the issue right in front of him as if he wasn't present at all, yet not even noticing there are people around him?" He tried to make it as clear as possible for those two. If they hadn't caught up with that, Anthony would be obliged to doubt their intelligence.

To his annoyance it took them a moment to come to the same realization as the rest of them.

"Oh!" They both finally let out a cry of understanding. And then they all laughed at the absurdity of it all.

"Do you think he knows?" Asked Simon, between laughter.

"Do you think he would be still standing here if he did?" Answered Benedict, still laughing.

"Poor Col!" Daphne composed herself before informing the others of what she had heard, "Lady Dankworth, Mr. Dankworth's mother, that is, has informed everyone who would hear how his son is soon to begin a formal courtship with her".

"Yes, I heard that too", lamented Kate, "and that's not all. I overheard Mrs. Santis telling Lady Santis that her son would be coming to town at Lord Santis' request. They all think he would make a great pair with Penelope".

At the mention of her name, Colin got out of his stupor and finally looked at them.

"What about Pen?" Was all he could think of saying, for he had not listened to a word they had said before that of her name. They all looked at him, Daphne with what appeared to be pity, Benedict amused, Kate and Simon a mix of both and Anthony a mixture of exasperation and compassion.

"Oh, nothing! I was just saying that her and Felicity were going to take the ride home with Lady Danbury, she offered her carriage yesterday", Kate quickly responded.

"Ah!" Colin let out. Once again looking at her talking so animatedly with Gregory.

The luncheon party

Lady Danbury had been really kind to take Penelope and Felicity to the Bridgerton House on her carriage for the family party.

"I must admit that, while I am not surprised you have caught the eye of a man as fine - if perhaps a bit stupid - as Mr. Harry Dankworth, I am surprised to find you content with that fact, miss Featherington", Lady Danbury was telling Penelope while they walked towards the carriage door. Gregory walking behind them to help them get on.

Penelope smiled despite herself, much to the distress of both Felicity and Gregory.

"Thank you, Mr. Bridgerton", Lady Danbury addressed Gregory as he helped her get in the carriage. He then turned to take Penelope's hand and do the same.

"Thank you, young gentleman", Pen too thanked the boy.

"Yes, thank you, Greg", Felicity shared a worried look with him and nodded to let him know she would inform them of Penelope's answer later that day, before climbing into the carriage with the other two women.

"He is not a simpleton, although he appears to be at first", Penelope felt bad to admit that, but she needed to be honest with Lady Danbury, for she was sure she did not take kindly to being lied to. But she also felt the need to defend Harry, so she continued, "but even if he cannot read the room and doesn't particularly enjoy academic pursuits, he is an intelligent man, and kind and he has a good sense of humor, he is surprisingly a good judge for character and he is so attentive to those he cares for…", Penelope was blushing.

Felicity felt inclined to cry, she knew Penelope was becoming close to Harry Dankworth, for they talked about their days every night, but she hadn't realized her sister had started to care for him. She should have, though, for her sister was one to love freely if she was given the chance, and so long, Harry Dankworth had proven to be deserving of her good opinion.

"And he has a good eye for beauty. A better one than most people of the ton I would say. And clearly a good taste in people", Lady Danbury conceded, "that makes it no less surprising, girl".

"As we've established he has several qualities. Why would I not be content?" Penelope wondered out loud.

"Do not mistake me for a common person of the ton, miss Featherington", Lady Danbury admonished her, but neither Penelope nor Felicity were sure what for.

"Your Mr. Bridgerton seems to be vexed by him, why would you say it is so?" Lady Danbury asked Penelope, feigning innocence. Felicity couldn't help the smirk on her face at Lady Danbury's mention of her sister's Mr. Bridgerton.

"Colin, do you mean?" Penelope sounded nervous, at Lady Danbury's knowing smirk and nod, she continued, "he is not my Mr. Bridgerton".

"Yet you knew exactly who I was referring to", Lady Danbury replied.

"Well I - He - Hm - I do not know why he doesn't like Harry", Penelope said, and Felicity's smirk banished at the sound of her sister's familiarity with the man. She calls him by his christian name already, she thought, miserably.

"I sure do", Lady Danbury let out, smiling.

"I believe we've arrived", Felicity informed them. She all but flew to find her friends.

"So we must make haste", Hyacinth sounded panicked, even whispering, as they were, "that's what it means". She tried but failed to look assured.

Gregory couldn't help but look at his brother from the distance, how he wished he could just tell him he was in love with his best friend to get him to do something about the fact that another man was trying to charm her.

"Leave it to me, I know something we could do to help get the ball rolling", he informed the girls.

He wasn't lying, Felicity's birthday was approaching and he wanted some advice on what he could get her for her birthday, so he walked to his brother.

"Hello there", he said to get his attention.

"Hi", Colin said back.

"I need your advice on something", he said.

"What about?" Colin asked him, not wanting to hear more about Gregory's crush on Pen.

"Felicity's birthday is next Saturday. Hya and I are invited to the picnic with the Featheringtons, but I don't know what to give her. I mean, sure I have some ideas, but I don't know if some would be too improper seeing as we are about to become young bachelor and bachelorette", Gregory told him.

"Why didn't you go to Anthony for that? You know I don't do really great with property rules". Colin argued.

"Because unlike you and I, our brothers don't have a single female friend", Gregory answered.

"That's not true. They are friends with Pen and Felicity as well", he said.

"You know it's not the same. They may be friendly with them and sure they treat them as family, but they are not - close enough to them to give them a birthday present based on what they would like", Gregory tried to explain to his brother.

"You are right. What are your ideas?" Colin asked him.

"Well, there is of course the option of giving her the new book her favorite author has just published, but that seems a bit basic", Gregory started, "I was thinking of giving her a dress that's not in her mother's fashion. Or perhaps giving her some lessons on her riding", Gregory told him.

"She doesn't know how to ride a horse yet?" Colin asked him. Normally, girls her age only needed practice, but already knew how to ride.

"Not very well. She was just learning when her father passed. And then Finch tried to help her but, with their new predicament Lady Featherington has been pressuring him, so he hasn't been constant on his lessons to Felicity, Pen tried to help but…"

"She hates riding", both Gregory and Colin finished.

"What predicament are you talking about?" Colin was concerned the moment his brother mentioned it, "is there something we can do to aid them?"

"Not unless we plan to give them a baby boy", Gregory chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Colin was genuinely confused.

"Well, I thought you already knew, seeing as how you were the one defending them from that awful cousin of theirs". Gregory had been told about the urgency of getting a new baby boy in the family by Felicity. In fact she had asked him for details on how a baby is made to see if there was something she could do to help her sister get one. He hadn't told her more that «time alone with her husband would help», but she had still confided in him all the details she had.

"I do not understand what he has to do with babies", Colin answered.

"Well, the guy most have more pride than we thought for, instead of letting the title go to a distant relative he left a paper stating the first born grandson of Lady Featherington would be the heir". Gregory informed him. He really thought he already knew. He had assumed Penelope's eagerness to marry this season was due to her desire to help the family as well.

Colin was thinking the same. Was that the reason Pen wanted to marry so soon? It wouldn't be out of character for her. But she had always dreamt of a love match, he knew that. She shouldn't be trying to take that burden. It made him sad to think Penelope could be putting her family's necessities before her own desires.

"I think the dress would be a nice gift", Colin answered Gregory's question. Gregory had already forgotten he had asked. "And I will be teaching Felicity how to ride. There would be whispering if you do, but seeing how I am much older and she's not yet out, people would only assume I am trying to charm one of her sisters". Colin told him.

Gregory hadn't planned to tell Colin everything he had just said. In fact his plan had been merely to inform him of Felicity's birthday so 1) he could get an answer on what to give her, and 2) Colin would get her a gift himself, he adored Hyacinth and Felicity, they were his baby sisters, even if it wasn't yet official with Felicity. But his plan had resulted better than he had imagined, sure it was by accident, but the girls didn't have to know that.

"Thanks, brother". Gregory smiled at him and made his way to the girls.

When they finish lunch and the conversation was starting to get dull, the three kids asked Kate if they could have a dance just like they had done last season with her mother and sister.

Kate loved when the three asked her to do something fun with them, and so, she decided she would be playing the violin.

The four Bridgerton brothers watched carefully as John asked Franchesca the honor of the dance, and she accepted, a smile on her face.

Anthony told Hyacinth it was their tradition, and so he would be her partner. Benedict didn't even bother talking and simply took Eloise's arm. Simon charmingly claimed Violet's arm for the dance, saying it was a shame he hadn't been present last time to take her to the dancefloor. Gregory made sure to ask Penelope to be his partner for the dance before Colin even had the chance. Daphne got to the piano, her belly was too big for dancing anyway. Lady and Mrs Santis seemed to have agreed to be each other's partner on the dance. And so Colin stood and asked Felicity to dance with him. Lady Danbury was in charge of changing the sheets so Kate and Daphne could play.

The dance began and they all were having so much fun. At one point, the couples shifted leaving Felicity awkwardly dancing with Gregory and Hyacinth dancing with Colin.

"I missed you, brother", Hyacinth told him as she twirled.

"I missed you too, little miss", he replied. He was feeling happier than he had since he arrived. He had the sensation of being surrounded by the only people in the world he needed. And it was warming to see how well they all fitted together.

"When you marry, please don't forget about your favorite sister", Hyacinth told him. She would love to go visit him once he and Penelope were married.

"I would never! But worry not, it will be a long while before I marry", he said.

Hyacinth giggled, "yeah, we'll see", she told him.

Once they were back with their original partners he decided it was a good moment to tell Felicity of his intentions of helping her with her riding.

"Felicity, now that we are on a first name basis, would you be agreeable to let me help with your riding lessons?" He told her, smiling.

"You would help me with that?" Felicity asked, genuinely moved.

"It would be my honor, I assure you", Colin told her. The dance ended and he bowed to her.

She was so touched by his offer she actually hugged him, and said "Thank you. I would be very grateful if you do".

"It's settled then. We'll begin tomorrow morning", he hugged her back.

"What did you promise her? Whatever it is she must love it if she reacted like that", he heard Penelope telling him.

She was smiling at the picture in front of her.

"He offered to help me with my riding lessons!" Felicity answered happily.

Penelope had known how insecure Felicity felt for not having properly learnt how to ride yet, when all other girls her age were already just in need of little practice, and she was moved by the fact Colin would offer such a thing. There was something troubling her, though.

"It is really considerate of you, but…", she took a breath, "aren't you worried people will assume you are courting me or Prudence?" She finally let them know of her worries.

Colin looked nervous for a second, or maybe uncomfortable. Everyone had turned their eyes and their attention to them, leaving Penelope feeling vulnerable.

"I could ask Ha - Mr. Dankworth to help you", she told Felicity as she saw everyone made a face, some were awkward, like Daphne; some amused, like Benedict; some seem lost in thought, like Violet; some looked worried, like Gregory; but the most surprising of all was Colin's look, he seemed hurt.

"I assure you, that man can't teach her anything I cannot", he said, a paused, "I didn't know you were formal already", he sounded wounded.

"We are not… Yet", she answered. He made a face before looking a little bit relieved, and as a matter of explanation she added, "but he wouldn't mind if people think he's doing it for me. He told me he actually plans on courting me", she was blushing and smiling shyly, "he's only waiting for it to have passed enough time so it won't look like we are in some kind of rush", she finished. Everyone but the two youngest ladies understood the implications of the word «rush».

"I will be helping Felicity", Colin answered, simply, "I know you have reasons to doubt me, but I really wouldn't mind people thinking I am taken by you", he softly told her, reaching for her hand before someone cleared their throat.

"You seem to have gotten smarter this season, Mr. Bridgerton", Lady Danbury broke the silence. Anthony laughed. Penelope simply stared at him, just as he was staring at her.

"It is starting to chill why don't we go inside for some tea?", Violet intervened.

"That would be pretty good, mother", Daphne tried to help.

"Come on inside", Kate too joined their efforts.

At this Penelope simply went inside, not saying a word.

Chapter Text

Fighting

They were in the family drawing room taking tea, Penelope was talking to Eloise about some of the books they had read while they hadn't been speaking, Anthony was looking at Colin with something close to pity on his eyes.

"I am so glad the two of you are back to normal, my girls", Violet directed her words to Penelope and Eloise.

"I am as well", said Eloise, smiling reassuringly at Penelope.

"I really missed this. I am so glad to have my friend back", she answered, taking Eloise's hand on her own. Colin couldn't help but smile.

For what he had gathered everyone had noticed Penelope's constant absence in the house, not only because of Eloise's bad mood, but also because they had gotten so used to her being around these past few years. Since it hadn't been required for the girls to be getting countless new abilities to attract suitors, resigning to make do with what they already had, Penelope and Eloise were truly inseparable, spending every day by each other's side, mostly at Bridgerton House, for not Penelope nor Eloise particularly enjoyed Portia or Prudence's presence. They even had sleepovers at each other's place, as if they didn't spend enough time together.

Colin loved how well Penelope fitted with them, how everyone already considered her family, how they already loved her. It was their thing, in the Bridgerton family, one of them loving you was enough for the rest to do the same, and in Penelope's case it wasn't one, but two Bridgertons loving her as a dear friend.

"I am also really happy you finally have a chance to enjoy the season, dear. Your Mr. Dankworth sounds lovely", Violet commented.

She regretted it in a second, though, for the older people in the room all looked at her as if she had just revealed to be the victim of a terrible illness.

"He is. I didn't know it could be so easy to be myself with someone other than the people in this room", Penelope said shyly, "but him and I have become friends quite easily".

"As I always say, you should marry the person who feels like your dearest friend", Violet told Penelope, and immediately regretted it, for her oldest three were pleading with her to shut up with their eyes, the third even having a murderous look on him. She wasn't that blind. She had always assumed Colin's particular care for the girl was similar to that of her youngest boy for Felicity, but after listening to their discussion over Felicity's riding lessons, she had started to wonder if perhaps there could be more to it, having only brought up the topic of Penelope's suitor to see her son's reaction. She believed she had her answer. Not only was there more to it, all of her children were aware of it, except for the two in question.

"You and I are friends", Colin suddenly said without thinking.

"We are", Penelope felt confused by his attitude. Everyone was quiet for a moment, until John spoke trying (and failing) to help his friend.

"Franchesca and I have become friends", he said, everyone turned to look at him, "in fact, I have asked for her permission to formally court her, and she has accepted", he sounded proud of that.

The three ladies nearest them were delighted by the news.

"Oh, just wait until Michael hears the news!" His mother, Lady Janet said.

"He may even be encouraged to begin looking for a wife himself!" Mrs. Elena exclaimed, excitedly, not without directing a pointed look at Penelope, much to Colin's annoyance and everyone else's amusement.

"Oh, we are excited to meet him too, Mrs. Santis", Benedict said smiling, "our dear brother here says he is quite handsome".

"You did?" Penelope questioned.

"I suppose I did", Colin answered, sounding annoyed.

"I believe you would agree miss Penelope", Lady Janet said, smiling to Mrs. Elena.

"Oh, yes, I do believe the two of you could develop a good friendship", Mrs. Elena said.

Colin felt sick. He was sure she would agree, and what was worse, he was sure the two of them would actually be great friends.

"I look forward to meeting him, then", Penelope said, smiling.

"He is my friend too", Colin didn't realize he had said it out loud until Hyacinth actually laughed.

"The tea is exquisite, mother", he tried to move on from the topic. Kate made clear her disagreement.

The two Santis women started not so discreetly gathering information about Penelope, they asked for her favorite flowers and sweets.

After a while Penelope must have felt overwhelmed, because she excused herself for a moment to go take some fresh air and a few seconds later, Colin made his way after her, hoping no one would see him, for surely it would look beyond improper if he was seen going after her without a chaperon.

"I knew you would come here", Colin announced himself, entering the library and closing the door behind him.

"Mr. Bridgerton!" Penelope jumped.

"Why are you calling me that?" Colin asked.

"Well that is your name", Penelope told him.

"Not to you!" He said, exasperated.

"Well, I am truly sorry, my Lord", Penelope said sarcastically.

"You know what I mean, Pen", he told her, not at all amused by her attempt at a joke.

"Why did you offer to help Felicity?" Penelope asked him, suddenly.

"Because she needed help, and I became aware of why Mr. Finch couldn't help her as much as he would like", Colin answered.

"Did Al tell you?" Penelope questioned him.

"Yes", he lied, "why didn't you tell me yourself?" He had been meaning to ask her that since he learnt about the issue.

"Why would I? You cannot help me", Penelope replied. That hurt him, sure he couldn't just give her a baby boy but Gregory wasn't going to give Felicity one either, and yet she had confided in him, and they weren't as close as he was with Penelope.

"Well, my little brother can't help either, yet I know your sister told him about it", he couldn't help but tell her, he was becoming angry at her for not trusting him, he knew he didn't really have the right, but he couldn't help it.

"I do not know why she did, Gregory cannot help us either", Penelope retorted.

"That's not the point, Penelope! It doesn't matter if he can or cannot help, she trusted him with it because they're friends. I thought you and I were friends who could trust each other too". He was becoming angry every passing second.

"You weren't even here", she defended herself.

"Yes, and you didn't write to me a single time, even though I wrote to you every single day. I am aware of that", he said, unable to keep himself in check any longer.

"And you know why I did not!" She too was becoming angry.

"I have apologized for that! I really am sorry, Penelope! What do I have to do for you to believe in me again? Tell me and you've got it!" He said, despite the nature of his words he sounded mad.

"I have forgiven you, Mr. Bridgerton! And even if I had not, helping my sister would be enough to gain my forgiveness!" Her words too sounded like they weren't meant to be said with the tone she was using. They were yelling at each other now.

"Then quit it, Penelope!" He had never used that tone with anyone before, not even with his siblings. He took a step closer to Penelope, they were close enough to touch, but not close enough for it to really cause a scandal.

"You cannot order me about! You have no right to do so!" Instead of retracting, she took a step closer to him too.

"I can when it is me who gets affected!" Another step closer, they were now improperly close.

"And how is it that you are affected by me calling you by your name?" She wasn't shying away, she took another step closer to him, because of her height she was forced to look up to see him, but that didn't stop her from looking him in the eyes, challenging him. They couldn't be any closer now, he thought.

"Because it's just wrong when you say it!" He moved his head, not being able to move any closer, but not wanting to let her win this argument. Their noses were almost touching, and he became suddenly aware of that fact.

"You better get used to it" She didn't want to let him win this either, so she kept looking him in the eye, despite how nervous she was. She was whispering now, though.

"And why would I?" Colin was whispering now, too, looking her directly in the eyes. He wasn't sure what he was doing, but for the first time since they knew each other, he became aware there was something he wanted to do.

"Because I am sure your wife wouldn't like another woman calling you by your christian name", she started breathing harder, "and despite what you believe, I AM a woman".

He started breathing harder too, he was confused as to why was this inexistant wife of his making an appearance in the conversation but all he could say was "Believe me, I KNOW".

"And nor would my husband", she breathed out. And that was the only thing she could have said to make him think straight again. He moved backwards, more angry than before all of a sudden.

"So this all has to do with that stupid Dankworth of yours?!" He yelled at her.

"Harry is not stupid!" She yelled back.

"Are you really throwing away our friendship for him?!" He ignored her.

"Not you nor I could be sure he would propose", she said, still angry, "and even if he doesn't become my husband, I am sure it wouldn't be taken kindly my calling another gentleman with such familiarity! Besides, it is YOU! The one who has a problem with Harry, not him with you!" She was really mad at him.

"Of course I do!" He moved to be close to her again, both mad at each other. Only this time she closed her eyes, trying to keep the tears inside, angry tears. He didn't know why he did it, but he decided to take her face in his hands then. At least he was using gloves that morning because of church. "He is the reason you are calling me all those names that are not mine in your mouth", he said, a strange tone in his voice.

She opened her eyes slightly then, and he bent forward, to whisper in her ear.

"Say my name", he begged.

"I cannot", she whispered too, closing her eyes again.

"WHY?" He moved and went back to yelling.

"BECAUSE YOU WON'T BE MY HUSBAND!" She yelled back at him.

"If that is the problem…" He chuckled, but he still managed to sound annoyed.

"Don't! You better shut up now, sir", she said, moving past him and getting out of the library, on her way to the family room, no doubt.

He stood there, frozen for a minute, when he heard the library door again. He turned to see who it was and was surprised to find Anthony.

"I think we need to have a word", Anthony said.

They were in Anthony's study, he had poured him a glass of whisky. In fact this was his second, but still no one had uttered a word. He was silently asking for a third when Anthony took his glass and said.

"I promised Kate I wouldn't say anything, you know?" Colin didn't know what his brother was talking about, so he asked.

"And you're telling me because?" Colin took the glass full of whisky from Anthony's hand.

"I have been there. And it was awful. I don't want any of you to go through that", Anthony tried to explain, but Colin was still lost.

"What are you talking about Anth?" He finally asked.

"I did my best to bury my feelings for Kate last season. God! I almost married Edwina just so I wouldn't have to admit it to anyone", he said.

"Yeah. I still don't understand why you did that", Colin told him, "we would've been happy for you and her from the beginning you know?" He wanted Anthony to know how they would have loved Kate no matter what, simply because he loved her and she loved him back.

"I am not so sure myself anymore", Anthony admitted, "but at the time it was scary".

"What were you scared of?" Colin asked curiously.

"I genuinely do not know", Anthony chuckled. He had missed this side of Anthony, it had been hidden ever since their father's death. But he loved this new version of Anthony, a happy one, one that seeks his own happiness just like he had always sought his family's. He made a mental note to thank Kate for that, he loved his new sister, it was time someone thanked her for being there.

"I suppose I didn't have any reason to be scared. The day of the Featherington ball I finally decided to let go of my fears and just tell her. I wasn't sure how she would react. I feared she would ask me not to love her, but I realized that even if she didn't want me to love her, she had the right to know I did", Anthony told Colin.

"Why are you telling me this?" Colin wondered. Anthony giggled, before responding.

"Because I want you to know I would be happy for you, we all would. And you -", he paused then, "no, you will know why I told you, I'm sure you will, but I cannot explain it now", he settled for that answer. He supposed he wasn't breaking his promise to Kate if he didn't actually tell his brother the reason he had wanted to talk to him.

"But you weren't with Marina", Colin said, he didn't sound angry like he had when that had first happened, he sounded more confused.

"Can you look at me now and tell me she would've made you happy?" Anthony asked him.

"No", Colin answered.

"I suppose deep down I always knew it. Just like I am sure you know it too, you just haven't realized it", Anthony told him.

"What have you always known?" Colin wasn't getting a lot of their conversation, but he was glad he could finally solve the Marina issue with Anthony, he hadn't been mad at him since Marina's secret had been revealed, having just assumed that Anthony's head of the house powers were just telling him Marina hadn't been a good choice for him. But he hadn't gotten over the hurt he felt at not having anyone in his family happy for him (well, despite Hyacinth and Gregory) when he had thought he had found the one to make him happy. He was finally able to not be hurt at the memory.

"As I've said, I cannot tell you that now", Anthony answered him. "But keep in mind what I did tell you".

Colin nodded, finished his glass and left the room. He didn't bother going to the family drawing room, he didn't want to face her now. He was still mad at her, so he decided to go to his room instead.

We need answers

That night the Featheringtons spent the night at the Bridgerton House, it was the first time in a year Penelope was to have a sleepover with Eloise and Franchesca, and the first time ever Hyacinth and Felicity would join them, being the first year they were finally out of the nursery.

She was brushing Eloise's hair just as she brushed Franchesca's and Hyacinth brushed Felicity's, but her mind was on her fight with Colin earlier, she wasn't sure what had led them to yell at each other, nor why had he acted the way he did when all she had done was call him by his proper name, she was revisiting the whole conversation, word by word, when she got curious about something.

"Fel, why did you tell Gregory about our need for a new heir?" Penelope asked her sister.

"Why do you need a new heir?" Eloise asked her, not knowing about the situation with cousin Jack apart from what everyone on the ton knew.

"Cousin Jack left a paper stating my mother's first grandson will inherit the title and all the properties that come with it before leaving. I have a suspicion mother threatened him to sign it after Colin confronted him". Penelope informed her best friends.

"That sounds like something your mother would do. I respect her for that, though", Eloise said smiling.

"I had no idea, but it does sound possible", Franchesca added.

"And I am offended you told Gregory and not me!" Hyacinth exclaimed, directing her gaze at Felicity.

Penelope was surprised, she had supposed Hyacinth knew because Gregory did, and Hyacinth was Felicity's best friend.

"I only learnt about it when he was at Eaton", Felicity started, but that didn't explain anything, so she took a breath before continuing, "and I wanted to be helpful", she said.

"You asked him to give you a baby?!" Hyacinth wondered, scandalized.

"Of course not!" Felicity made a face of disgust, "I asked him for details about how a baby comes to be. I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help Phillipa get one", Felicity explained.

"Did he tell you anything?" Eloise sounded very curious herself.

"No. He only wrote back «time alone with her husband would be helpful», but gave no more details. I had already explained to him why I wanted to know, in case he didn't want to answer", Felicity said.

"Well, he did give us more information that we previously had, tho". Eloise said, content.

"He did?" Asked Franchesca, not following her sister. The other three girls seemed equally as lost, so Eloise explained.

"Yes, well, he informed us there is a need for time alone with a man - since we all know now that marriage is not a requirement - to get with child", Eloise was proud of herself for gathering that.

"Do you think that is why a chaperon is needed at all times? So we don't get with child?" Hyacinth asked.

Franchesca looked suddenly panicked, Penelope assumed she had spent some time alone with John by the way her eyes got all big, waiting for the other's answer.

"I do not think that is all", Penelope answered. Everyone turned to look at her, Franchesca still panicked, only slightly less than seconds before.

"What makes you get to that conclusion?" Felicity asked. Franchesca only nodded her agreement with the question.

"Well, I have spent time alone with Colin before, you know how no one really cares me being with him, no one believes he would ever ruin me, even if we are alone, so there must be more about it than just being alone", Penelope reasoned, "besides, if being alone was all that was needed I would have gotten with child already from it, don't you think?"

"It does make sense", said Eloise thoughtful. "You should ask him!" She sounded excited at the prospect of finally having all the information.

"I will not do such a thing!" Penelope argued.

"Why not? You are friends with him, are you not?" Franchesca, too, wanted answers, she sounded much more relaxed than mere moments before.

"Close friends!" Felicity added.

"I am sure he would not lie to you!" Hyacinth said.

"Still, I will not ask him about such a topic!" Penelope kept arguing.

"Please! That way we can make sure not to do anything that would put us at risk of becoming with child", Franchesca pleaded.

"Plus, don't you think it unfair that Gregory knows all the details, even though he is younger than you?" Hyacinth pressed.

"It is unfair!" Eloise exclaimed. "It needs to be you, Colin won't tell either of us", she pointed at the other four girls and herself.

"And since Gregory didn't tell me, you are our only hope!" Felicity added.

"Maybe at least one of us will be able to inform the others next year", Penelope said.

"But how do we make sure to avoid getting pregnant before that happens?" Franchesca was nervous once again.

"I don't want to talk to Colin, ok? We had a fight this afternoon". She finally said, not wanting to be pressured by the girls any more.

"When?" Asked Felicity.

"When I left to get some air", she answered, despite not wanting to talk about it she supposed it was better than being asked to go ask him for details about baby making.

"Why did you fight?" Hyacinth asked her.

"I honestly am not sure", Penelope said.

"How can you not be sure?" Eloise wondered.

"Because I didn't do anything wrong, but he started yelling at me", Penelope explained.

"What did he yell at you about?" Tried Franchesca.

"He said something about me calling him Mr. Bridgerton", Penelope told them, she really made no sense of any of it, perhaps one of his sisters would actually be able to explain.

"But you always call him Colin", said Hyacinth.

"Well, yes, but - I just thought that it wouldn't do for one of us to get married and still treat the other with so much familiarity", she explained.

"You think Mr. Dankworth will mind?" Asked Eloise, she still didn't like the idea of her friend getting married, but she had promised to try and be a better friend, so she wasn't going to express her opinion on the matter.

"I don't know, but even if it is not him I marry, I do not think it would be something they would like", Penelope tried to reason with the others.

"Did you tell him that?" Franchesca voiced the question in the three youngest girls' minds.

"Of course! I tried to make him see reason, but he wouldn't understand", she said. She caught the look of understanding that crossed Hyacinth's face.

"Maybe he's just scared of losing your friendship", Felicity said.

There was silence for a moment. Penelope hadn't considered that, how would she feel if Colin just suddenly started calling her «Miss Featherington» for later to explain it wouldn't do for his future wife if he called her by her name? She would be heartbroken. But that was only because of those feelings she had, he wasn't heart broken. But maybe he was afraid she would stop being his friend.

"Do you want something to eat? I will go to the kitchen", Penelope said to the others.

"I'll go with you".

Colin was hungry. In his attempt to avoid seeing Penelope he had skipped dinner. Something he hadn't done, like ever.

He watched the clock and saw that it was already too late for him to ask for something to be brought to his room. Sure no one would complain, but it wasn't fair of him to wake someone up just so he wouldn't be hungry.

He remembered that the cook always left pastries and milk in the kitchen so the Bridgertons would have something to eat in case they went to the kitchen at night and there was no one. He got up, and made his way to the kitchen.

When he was near, though, he heard a couple of voices coming from the kitchen. Female voices, perhaps he could get something proper to eat after all. Only, the closer he got the clearer it was that those voices belonged to Eloise and Penelope. He stopped, he wasn't properly dressed to face them, especially not Penelope, and judging by the hour, neither were they to face a gentleman. He got angry once again, how could Penelope get out of the room, underdressed with the possibility of one of his unmarried brothers seeing her? At least in Eloise's case they were her brothers, they would never think anything improper about her, not even if they caught her in an absolutely improper situation. But Penelope? They were all men, he wasn't sure even Anthony could avoid his mind lingering in improprieties by the sight of an underdressed lady, even if he would rather get a bullet through his head than disrespect Kate in any way.

"I am being serious, El. I will not ask him for details about it!" He heard Penelope saying. What are they talking about? He wondered.

"But you are the only one with a chance of getting them!" Eloise persisted.

So, it was something he wouldn't tell his sister. He wondered who he was.

"Maybe, but I will not embarrass myself by asking for such a thing", Penelope insisted.

And it was something that would cause Pen embarrassment. Interesting.

"Please, we need to know! That's the only way we can make sure it doesn't happen to us. Believe me, I do not plan on getting a baby anytime soon, but I must know how to prevent it". Oh! He thought, so they are talking about the mecaniques of making a baby.

"Well, you have a point", Penelope said, "but I will not ask him how it happens".

"But Pen -", his sister started protesting.

"I won't, El. But perhaps I can ask Harry. It would still be embarrassing, but I don't think he would judge me for being curious", Penelope offered.

No, no, no. That would not do. I cannot let Penelope talk to that man about such topics. God only knows what that idiot may do to her! He needed to do something, he needed to prevent that from happening. Despite his better judgment he let himself be known.

"Who would not judge you for being curious about what, Pen?" He feigned innocence, but emphasized her name, still not over their fight.

"Colin!" Both girls were startled. Good. They shouldn't even be considering those topics. He thought.

"So? Who will not judge you for asking about babies?" Colin asked, realizing his mistake one second too late.

"You were eavesdropping!" Eloise accused.

"That's hardly important when you two were discussing things no young lady such as yourselves should!" Colin accused back. "So, who would you ask, then?" He pressed.

"That is none of your business, Mr. Bridgerton!" Penelope answered him. Her surprise and habit had caused her to use his first name when he entered the room, but she wasn't over their fight either.

"Since I am Eloise's brother, and you plan to inform her of what you learn, I believe it is", he argued.

"No it is not!" Eloise said. He ignored her.

"Tell me, so I can also make sure he doesn't approach any of my sisters", he said to Penelope.

"I will not!" Penelope answered.

"And to think I was suggesting she could ask YOU!" Eloise exclaimed

So he was actually me. That would have been better, at least I know I wouldn't ruin Pen, he thought. He was a bit hurt Penelope had discarded that option and gone straight to Harry for answers.

"I will tell you if you promise not to go to Dankworth", he wanted to say. Instead he noticed Penelope's underdressed status in front of him, making him nervous all of a sudden.

"Let's go Pen!" Said Eloise, taking Pen's hand and gidding her out of the room. He was thankful his sister had done so, for he wasn't sure he could have controlled his mind had she stayed longer.

He took some pastries and milk and went to bed, trying to form a plan not to allow Penelope and Dankworth to be alone enough time for her to ask him. He would even tell her himself if that meant Penelope felt no need to bring up such topics in front of that man. How he despised him!

Chapter Text

She learns something

Next morning, Colin had promised Felicity he would be beginning with her riding lessons. He was very glad for it, perhaps if Penelope noticed what a good friend he could be, then she would quit the act of calling him Mr. Bridgerton. He hated hearing that on her lips. Why was she doing it in the name of two inexistant people such as his wife and her husband? Only, for her it may not be exactly inexistant, that Mr. Dankworth seemed completely taken by her. He felt that pain in his stomach he was starting to get used to. But then again, she had said the man didn't have a problem with him, in fact, she said, correctly, that it was Colin who had a problem with him. Perhaps he should try to befriend the man so he can tell Penelope he doesn't mind if she calls him by his name.

He knocked on Hyacinth's door, where Felicity had spent the night. Hyacinth, who was coming with them, opened the door and informed him that Felicity had gone to change her attire for one appropriate for riding.

Once Hyacinth was ready, they made their way to the Featherington house to wait for his little friend. To his surprise, and seeing as he was with Hyacinth, he was directed to the family drawing room to wait for the girl.

"Mr. Bridgerton! My girls informed me of your kindness to take Felicity and teach her how to ride. Did they not, dear Prudence?" Lady Featherington was sure Colin was trying to charm her oldest, and was delighting herself at the idea of having caught a Bridgerton for one of her daughters.

"I suppose", she said, trying not so discreetly to direct Colin's eyes to her bosom. Colin wanted to roll his eyes. If he was to court a Featherington, it would obviously be Penelope. What? I mean - the «obviously» comes because of course it wouldn't be Prudence, right? He thought.

"It is no problem, ma'am. I adore Felicity as if she were one of my sisters", he told her.

He saw Penelope smile, she hadn't even directed her gaze at him, he supposed she was still angry at him because of their fight, because she greeted Hyacinth as normal.

At that moment one of the Featherington's maids entered the room.

"A new letter for you, miss" the maid said.

"Thank you, Claire", Penelope told her, her face lit up at the sight of the letter.

"Who is it from?" Hyacinth asked, ever the curious.

"It's from Mr. Dankworth", she told his sister.

Again, that pain in his stomach, it really was becoming his closest acquaintance.

"I am ready", he heard Felicity saying happily. "I am so sorry for making you wait, Colin".

"Don't be sorry. It is my pleasure", what was he doing? He only intended to show Penelope what a good friend he could be, but that only sounded as if he wanted to charm her mother in the process.

"Let's go, then", Hyacinth said, she too, was excited on Felicity's behalf.

The three left the house to get their horses and get going.

Felicity was a quick learner. He could only assume the other gentleman who had tried to help her weren't very good at teaching, for she was a complete chaos when they started, but with only a few advices from Colin she was able to keep reign of her horse.

"That's it. You've already got it!" Colin encouraged her, "now, why don't we go buy some sweets? That way you can practice larger distances", he said.

"You will buy us sweets?" Hyacinth said, happily.

"Only if she manages to get to the sweet man by herself", Colin answered.

He understood their friendship a lot more at that moment, Felicity took the dare way too personal, she was determined to get her friend and herself some sweets.

"Why was Mr. Dankworth writing to Penelope?, do you know?" He asked Felicity on their way to the sweets. He had wanted to ask all morning.

"I don't know what they talk about in those letters they send", Felicity said. Again, that pain became alive at the word «they». That meant Penelope wrote to him too. "She doesn't let me read them".

Oh no! Colin thought, but he tried his best to act calm. "Does she let you read other correspondence she gets?"

"Sometimes. She allows me to read most of her correspondence with Eloise, and I have even read some of your letters, but only the ones she particularly likes". Felicity told him.

Well, we've never discussed improper topics and she doesn't really show Felicity my letters either. He tried to calm himself.

"I wonder why they feel the need to write letters, they are both in town at the moment", Colin commented.

"That I do know", Felicity said, "Mr. Dankworth learnt of my sister's love for writing and corresponding. And he simply started sending her a letter every single day, and Penelope started answering his letters not long after. It's like their thing now". Felicity told him, softly.

"That is so romantic!" Hyacinth said, without thinking.

Colin was… He wasn't sure how he was feeling. He agreed, that did sounded romantic. He hated it.

"Let's speed up a little", he simply said.

After they had gotten to the sweetshop and were happily eating some sweets, Hyacinth finally asked something she was curious about since the previous night.

"What was your fight with Penelope about?" She asked her brother.

"How do you know we fought?" He asked in response.

"She mentioned it at night", Felicity answered him.

"I cannot discuss that with two young ladies, specifically not with sisters of mine, such as yourselves", he said. Felicity was touched by those words and even Hyacinth appeared to be happy to hear them.

"Why not? She said something about your wife", Hyacinth, not knowing anything about their little fight in the kitchen was confused.

Colin had thought they meant the fight they had in the kitchens, not being able to think about anything else all night. But of course they had meant the fight in the library.

"I - uh -", he cleared his throat, "I don't like it when she calls me Mr. Bridgerton", he simply said.

"You had another fight, didn't you?" Felicity asked.

"How do you know?" He asked.

"Because you weren't talking about that one when you said you couldn't discuss that with us", Hyacinth responded as if it was obvious.

"I just don't like the idea of Pen being alone with a gentleman, and she was discussing that with Eloise when I overheard them", Colin tried to explain, "I care a great deal about her, you know?"

Hyacinth couldn't help but smirk, Felicity was smiling in conspiracy too.

"But you have been alone with her a hundred times, and you are a gentleman", Hyacinth argued, a smirk still on her face.

"That is different!" He replied.

"How?" Felicity wondered.

Colin thought for a moment, in the great squeem of things, no, it really wasn't different. "It just is, ok?".

The two girls looked at each other before nodding. Not for the first time Colin felt like they knew something he did not, but should.

Once they finished, they headed home. Colin played the gentleman by taking Felicity home himself.

"You're back", Penelope said to him, for the first time since last night.

"Good afternoon to you too", he said.

"Mother and Prudence are at the modist", Penelope said.

"Is it wrong I am relieved they didn't take me?" Felicity asked.

Without thinking first, Colin answered "knowing your mother's fashion. I think it's only understandable".

The girls couldn't help it, they laughed.

"I am going to change. I smell like horses", Felicity said. She turned and left the room, not without closing the door fully behind her. Colin decided he indeed liked the girl.

"Do you fancy some tea, Mr. Bridgerton?" Penelope asked him.

"Please, just stop", being mad hadn't worked, so he tried another approach.

"I do not know what you mean", only, she did.

"I will try, ok? I'll be the best of friends to him if that means I get to keep your friendship too". Colin said. It would've been hard to miss the desperation in his voice.

"Why do you care so much about a name?" She asked him, sounding tired.

"Because ever since the day we met we've been Colin and Penelope. There's no other way with us. Even my father mocked me from time to time because no other girl - apart from my sisters, of course - ever called me Colin. And then we even came up with endearments to one another, I was Col, and you were Pen and in years that hadn't changed until for some reason you decided you wanted a husband and that a man you barely know was more important than me, your oldest of friends", he said to her. He hadn't even known that was his problem with the name until the words came out of his mouth.

"I didn't -", she started saying, "I don't think he is more important than you simply because I want him to propose. I just -".

"So you want him to propose?" He asked, something in that thought hurt him.

"Well, I think he is the perfect candidate, actually he's more than I had hoped for", she confessed to him.

"He is not your love match", he suddenly said.

"No, he's not. But that's what I meant, I think maybe with time I can actually fall for him", she said.

"But you've always wanted a love match", he protested.

"I will not get a love match!", she exclaimed.

"You could!" He didn't know why they had started yelling.

"You do not understand, I - you!" She was getting mad.

"You could if you weren't rushing so much to get to the altar!" He was getting mad too. "Why are you rushing, Pen?" He softened his voice.

"You cannot be that oblivious", she too softened her voice.

"So all you want is a baby boy? Are you really putting in this much effort so you can secure your family's future in case your sister cannot?" He asked her.

She chuckled at that, she hadn't even considered that possibility. "What if I am? That would be the only way of helping them anyway. At least I think it is, I have no idea how a baby comes to be, remember?" She said.

"Do not remind me of your intentions to ask him about it", he told her, it sounded like an order.

"Who else could I ask?" She said.

"Me!" He shouted, "Penelope… I am your friend! Why can't you just trust me?" He allowed himself to ask something that had been bothering him since the night before.

"Because you wouldn't have told me. You would have said I shouldn't be even thinking about such topics, just like you did Eloise", she told him, matter-of-factly.

"You are not Eloise", he replied.

"But you regard me as you do her", she argued.

"That's not true. You are not my sister!" He contra argued. It was the first time he had ever actually meant it. Penelope was not a sister of his, he didn't see her as a sister. It would be concerning if he did, one did not think about a sister the way he had been thinking about Penelope since he had arrived, at least no one who wasn't sick.

"Then tell me", she challenged, she was sure he would not. But Colin, for some mysterious reason, was determined to prove to her he did not see her the same way he did Eloise.

"Take a seat first", he said. Penelope was petrified, she was starting to doubt whether he would actually tell her. But her curiosity was bigger than her, so she did as he said.

Colin was anxious, he couldn't believe he was going to inform a lady about the innermost of the marital bed, but if that meant he would get Penelope's trust back, only God himself could stop him from doing it.

"Men and women, we are different… in anatomy, I mean", he started, watching Penelope carefully for any sign of her wanting him to stop, but she looked eager to learn.

"You do not have big bossons", Penelope stated. If he wasn't so anxious, he would've laughed.

"Yes, well, that is not the only part of our bodies that is different", he paused, still she looked eager, so he continued, "we have a -" he coughed, unable to actually say the words penis out loud in front of her, but not wanting to disappoint her.

"A what?" She said, not having caught the word due to his coughing.

"A member", he settled for, "in between our legs". He let out a breath he had been keeping inside.

"And we don't have it?" Penelope asked.

"No, you would know if you did. It -", he breathed in again, "it is large", he tried to explain.

"What does it have to do with babies?" Penelope was not understanding.

"Well - uh - your absence of it, in between your legs", he was starting to doubt he could do it, but she looked at him like he was giving her a most precious gift, he couldn't not tell her now. "It gives space for our member to go inside", he said, he couldn't look at her any longer.

"You have to put it inside of us?" Penelope involuntary closed her legs. "Why would you do that? It sounds painful".

"I - uh", another cough, "it can be really pleasurable, if done right. For both men and women", he tried to assure her. It wouldn't do if he scared her the hell out of her with his explanation.

"Pleasurable? How?" She asked. God! She was not making it easy. "I do not think it was done right to my mamma then. When I overheard her talking to Phillipa about her new duties as a wife she told her to lay down and allow her husband his pleasures", she said at his absence of a response.

Colin almost choked, he really didn't need so much information about Lady Featherington. "It can be pleasurable for women, believe me", he said, he didn't have any authority for her to believe him though, never having done more than kiss a woman, not going any further than touching their breasts with his hands.

"Of course you would know how to do it right", she said more to herself than to him, but he still heard her.

"I beg your pardon?" He said, going all red in the face.

"So people only do it for pleasure?" She ignored him. "I suppose it makes sense love isn't really a requirement, specially knowing marriage is not one".

He was taken aback by her question. He supposed she was correct in thinking it wasn't a requirement, but, the reason for him not going any further with any woman being that he didn't have any desire for meaningless sex, he felt obliged to say, "it can be done without loving the other person, yes. But I have been told that loving your partner makes it even better. It becomes the biggest demonstration of love when you do it with the right person".

"That sounds rather romantic", she said. He nodded. "Is that what it means? Seducing someone?" She couldn't help but ask. Up until Marina she had assumed seducing someone meant making them want to kiss you.

"Yes. That's what it means", he replied.

"So what you taught me… your advices… you were telling me how to seduce a man?", she blushed at the thought.

"What? No! I -", he felt disgusted at the thought of Penelope seducing that Mr. Dankworth. But then again, he supposed that was exactly what she had been doing.

"Am I failing to seduce him then?" She asked, nervous.

"No! That's not what I meant. You have been doing great at the job, actually. I just -", but he was interrupted by the sound of Felicity entering the room.

"Mom and Prudence have arrived", she said, before going to sit next to Penelope, clearly telling them without words that she would pretend to have been there all along.

She must have been listening outside the door for some time now, because she was using the same clothes. Yes, Colin really liked the kid.

A pretty good prospect

Penelope couldn't believe she finally knew about marital relations, even more unbelievable to her was the fact that it had been Colin the one to inform her of the topic. Now, more than ever she thought it was unfair women weren't allowed to know about it, specifically considering how they would be blamed and shamed for participating in such an act before getting married, it wasn't fair knowing a man participated just as much in the act as women would. And they needed to know if they were to avoid it, for, if it was pleasurable, as Colin had said, for women too, how could they make sure to stop something they were enjoying for the sake of their reputations?

So, it was for that reason and that reason only that Penelope invited her friends for a sleepover at her house, even little Hyacinth included. She and Felicity were now able to produce a baby now their courses had started, so they too had a right to know.

The girls waited until they were sure Lady Featherington and Prudence were asleep to discuss Penelope's new knowledge.

"So, they have to put their thing inside of us to make a baby?" Franchesca asked, horrified.

"Yes, that's what Colin said", Penelope answered.

"That sounds awful!" Eloise said.

"And painful!" Hyacinth added.

"And scary!" Felicity said.

Penelope agreed with all of it, but Colin had told her it could bring them pleasure. And there were ladies such as Violet who loved their husbands and cherished every single memory they had with them. Penelope couldn't imagine doing so if such an act was as terrible as it sounded, so she felt inclined to believe him.

"Colin says it can feel good for both men and women", she said.

"Of course he would say that! He doesn't have to put something inside him!" Eloise said.

"Did you believe him?" Hyacinth asked.

"Well, I was reluctant to, at first. But then I thought about your mother. I do not think she would have as many children as she does if she didn't like to perform the act", Penelope said.

"I hadn't considered that", Franchesca said, "pappa would have never done anything to hurt mamma", she said.

"And even if they needed to, I don't think anyone would participate in the act so many times! Specifically not when one has already three male children", Felicity added.

"That is true. If it was so awful I am sure our parents would have stopped at Colin", Hyacinth reasoned.

"I am still not convinced. I cannot imagine how it can be anything but painful", Eloise said.

"Well, Colin's exact words were that it can be pleasurable for both parts «if done right»", Penelope told them. "Perhaps your pappa simply knew how to do it right".

"So we must look for a man who knows how to do it right", said Franchesca.

"How are we supposed to do that? It's not like we can go asking our suitors if they know how to do it right!" Eloise complained.

"And they could lie!" Felicity said.

"It must be mere luck, for I can only imagine we would know once they are doing it. But we cannot allow them to do it before we marry", concluded Hyacinth.

"Let's hope we are all lucky then", Penelope said.

Neither wanted to talk after that, so they simply went to bed without uttering another word.

That night Penelope dreamt for the first time about Colin doing more than just kissing her.

Colin didn't know what he would say to her once he saw her after their talk the day before. But he wanted to see her. He was nervous, and anxious, and ashamed. He had dreamt of her breast, not for the first time, if he was being honest, but it had been the first time he had allowed himself to think of her while he took himself in hand. One really shouldn't think of a friend the way he thought about Penelope.

"I see you are excited for tonight's ball, brother", Franchesca told him, while he was eating some pastries, before going to the ball.

"How could you tell?" He asked her.

"You are smiling", she answered, "any particular reason to be so happy?" Franchesca asked.

"Not particularly, no", he said. But he was lying. He had been thinking all night long about how his first fight with Penelope had ended.

«You will not be my husband!» She had said. Well, if that was her problem it had an easy solution. He had only said it to point out how ridiculous that was that day. But after having lots and lots of sinful thoughts about her the day prior, he had concluded that marriage with Penelope was a pretty good prospect.

He was sure it was a brilliant idea. That way he would be able to ensure she had a good husband, one to treat her right, one that would seek her pleasure and not only his own while having sex. He would even be able to help her with the heir problem. And she would have a respectful and happy marriage. Surely if she thought Dankworth a perfect candidate she would believe him more than a perfect one, he thought.

"I think there is one", Franchesca said, but left him be.

They arrived at the Lumley Ball a bit late, due to Eloise putting on as many excuses as she could think of, not to go. But Violet had raised her, she knew none of what she was complaining about was true, and so, a great deal of time had been spent trying to get Eloise to quit acting and start reading herself for the ball.

Not sooner had they arrived, Franchesca on Colin's arm, that she was stolen from his side by none other than John, claiming her first ball.

Colin scanned the ballroom, trying to find his favorite redhead when he spotted that suitor of hers. Mr. Dankworth was awkwardly standing next to Lady Danbury, they seemed to be discussing something important, but Dankworth's eyes were somewhere else entirely. Colin followed his gaze and was horrified to spot his target talking to none other than Cressida Cowper. No doubt Dankworth looked worried while talking to Lady Danbury.

He started to make his way towards his friend when Lady Cowper pretended to have an accident, getting Penelope all wet with some wine. It was not the first time he had witnessed the Cowper girl being despicable with his friend, but it was the first time Penelope actually defended herself.

"You call me a lost case, yet I am the one who is rumored to start a courtship soon. We have been out the exact same amount of seasons, and this time I am the one with the better chance at ending it married!" She told Cressida, who was open mouthed.

"How dare you speak to me like that! You are nothing! And as nothing you have no right…", the girl started.

"But I believe she does, after how you've treated her, Miss Cowper!" The disgust on Colin's voice was pretty clear.

"I beg your pardon?" Cressida turned to him, "did you not hear what that thing said to me?"

"I heard what she said perfectly clear, miss Cowper. Just as clear as I saw how you've purposely ruined her beautiful dress!" Colin said.

He then turned to look at Penelope, really look at her. She was wearing lilac. The color really suited her. And to his pleasure, he noticed how they were matching.

"Are you alright, Penelope?" He had meant to ask that too, but the one asking the question wasn't him, it was Harry Dankworth.

"I actually am. I have decided I will no longer let people such as this woman ruin my mood", Penelope answered.

"You horrible…" Cressida started.

"I would not finish that sentence if I were you, miss Cowper", both Colin and Dankworth said at the same time.

"You should better go!" He heard Eloise threaten the girl. He hadn't noticed her presence there.

To their surprise, Cressida Cowper actually left.

"Do you want to go home, Pen?" Eloise asked her friend.

"I must even if I don't want to. My dress is dirty", Penelope answered.

"I will bring your mother", Dankworth said as he started leaving.

"I will go with you", Eloise offered.

"Actually, I would like it if you stayed here", Penelope said, looking at Eloise. There was no doubt in Colin's mind the two were communicating in silence. "The ball has only started, after all. Nothing of notice has happened yet", she said. Colin was sure what had just happened was of notice, but she must have meant something else entirely, for his sister seemed to understand perfectly well what their friend was saying.

"What have you done, Penelope?" Came in Lady Featherington's voice. All three non Featheringtons present seemed to be annoyed at the Lady for speaking to Penelope like that when she had clearly been innocent.

"I assure you, ma'am, Penelope did nothing wrong", Dankworth said.

Lady Featherington seemed to consider ignoring the man completely, but she decided to answer him in the end. "Of course not! I was simply surprised at the state of her dress".

"I think I need to go home, mamma", Penelope said.

"Of course you do!" Lady Featherington forced a smile on her face, but didn't manage to erase the annoyance in her voice as she said it. "But you will be the one telling dear Lord Green why Prudence must leave him waiting for a dance until the next ball", the woman sounded as if she was threatening poor Penelope.

"I could take her home if you wish, Lady Featherington", he heard Dankworth offer.

No, no, no. That would not do! Colin thought, he wasn't going to allow the man to take Penelope home when there was no one there to ensure nothing ruinous would happen to her.

"I will be leaving early anyway. And your house is right in front of mine. Why don't you allow me, Lady Featherington?" Colin said.

Eloise rolled her eyes, but looked like she would laugh at the scene.

"Only if that is not a burden to you", Lady Featherington answered.

"Not at all. Please, allow me, miss Featherington", he said, not letting any room for arguments. He directed her to the garden so they could wait for the carriage that would take her home.

Chapter Text

Revelations

Penelope didn't say a word during the carriage ride. Colin had been so eager to talk to her that night, that he didn't just let her on her doorstep, he actually went inside with her.

"Excuse me for leaving you here alone while I changed, Colin", Penelope appeared. He had been left in the family drawing room. Penelope had explained their lack of butler. It appears that last season, before her cousin got to town, they had to resign almost all of their staff, only keeping Mrs. Varley, who had assumed all of the roles needed in the Featherington House. They had been able to hire lady's maids, a cook and new footmen thanks to a generous inheritance an old aunt of hers had left her mother before passing. But they hadn't been able to find a butler yet. And having abused Mrs. Varley last season, the Featheringtons had agreed not to bother her on ball nights, and she was allowed to go to bed early to rest while they were gone.

"It is no problem, I assure you". Colin told her. "Is Felicity home? I wouldn't like leaving you here alone".

"I don't think she is. She told mother she would go with Hya and Greg in case we arrived earlier and didn't see her".

"I'll wait for her with you, then". Colin decided.

"It is not necessary, Colin", she said.

"I am glad to be back to you calling me Colin", he said sincerely.

"Well, you did show me I could trust you". She blushed, no doubt remembering their scandalous conversation.

Penelope wanted to assure him that she trusted him, but not knowing what to say she settled for taking his hand in hers. A mistake, she realized, when she felt the bare skin of his hands on her own. She hadn't bothered to put on gloves after she changed her dress for a night dress.

Colin became aware all of a sudden that this was the first time they had ever touched each other's skin. He couldn't help his mind going to forbidden places. All he could think of was how her hands would feel in other parts of his body, or how the skin on different parts of her body would feel under the touch of his hands.

And it was all it took for him to realize it, what everyone else seemed to already know, what even Anthony had been pleading with him to notice… He was a goner. A simple, innocent touch of hands, skin with skin, that was all he needed. He could never go back to who he was then, he had been too stupid to realized it before, but now, now only Penelope herself would be able to stop him from trying to get her. He was in love… He was in love with one Penelope Featherington. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

Penelope was aware of the fact it was the first time he had ever touched a man's bare skin too, and the fact that it was Colin's skin she had touched, it made her lose all kind of sense that was left in her body. She positioned herself impossibly close to him. She wouldn't allow herself to hope for it to mean something, but she would take whatever he would be agreeable to give her.

"Pen", he breathed out, he positioned his head so close to Penelope's that their noses were touching.

"Colin", she breathed out in response.

He loved the sound of her voice saying his name. How he had missed it. It made sense now, why he cared so much about her using his name; the pain he would feel in his stomach every time another man made clear his interest in Pen. His Pen. How good it sounded.

He smiled, moving his head to be even closer to Penelope, their lips were almost touching.

"Pen, I want to -". But Pen didn't get to know what he wanted, for, at that moment Felicity entered the room.

"I am so sorry!" She said pretty loud, closing her eyes as if to give them some privacy.

"Whatever are you sorry for?" They heard Gregory's voice, followed by Hyacinth's voice.

"Oh my god!" She didn't bother closing her eyes, too happy with the sight in front of her. Colin had moved a little, but he refused to let go of her hand.

"I guess we are sorry for interrupting", Gregory said, smirking.

"It took you long enough!" Hyacinth exclaimed, excitedly.

"What are you doing here?" Colin asked, deeply bothered by their interruption. He would have told her he wanted to be the only man ever courting her when his siblings arrived.

"I live here", Felicity answered.

"I came with her to get something", Hyacinth was still too happy.

"And I was not going to let them get out of the house by themselves at this hour", Gregory explained his presence there.

"What are you doing here? Alone?" Hyacinth wasn't going to let it die.

"Penelope's dress was dirty", Colin tried to explain.

"I think we do not want to know after all", Gregory shot a look at his brother.

"Mamma didn't want Prudence to leave earlier, so Colin offered to take me home, since he had meant to leave earlier anyway", Penelope explained it better.

"Yes! That is the reason!" Colin agreed.

"Shouldn't you get going then?" Gregory asked him dubiously.

"I should, yes", Colin said. Awkwardly bowing to her as a goodbye, letting go of her hand.

He made his way out of the house and, feeling embarrassed about being caught in her moment with Colin, she stood up and made to leave the room.

"I will be at my room in case you need me", she said to the kids.

Penelope took the extra time she had to write part of the article that was going to be published in Lady Whistledown the following morning, before remembering she hadn't been at the ball enough time to collect gossip, so she only had the bit about Cressida wetting her dress with wine.

She decided to go see Eloise, she had seen the carriage arrive a few seconds before, and seeing as she had actually stayed at the ball, Penelope knew her friend had understood and humor her plea for help. So she stood up and went to Bridgerton House, leaving the paper with the Whistledown writings on her desk.

The girls didn't tell him why they needed privacy, but it was clear they did for they had asked Gregory to go get Penelope, and surely they wouldn't have, both knowing the way into this house better than he ever would. But he didn't mind, at least they hadn't asked him to just leave.

"Penelope? Are you there?" Gregory asked, but received no response.

He stayed out on the hallway for a second, although, what Felicity had told him to be Penelope's room door was partially open.

"The girls need you for something", Gregory said again and waited. Again, no response.

He started to suspect Penelope had fallen asleep, but there weren't any noises of breathing coming from her room, so he decided to take a look.

When he looked inside her room it became evident there was no one there. But since none of them had heard her leave he decided to get in and ensure everything was indeed ok.

He saw an open bottle of ink and a Pen on her desk, and thought it weird seeing as how she wasn't in the room.

He got closer to the desk, close enough to see the writings. He assumed Penelope had been writing on her diary, and as bad as it may seem, he couldn't help his curiosity, perhaps she was writing about what Colin and her were really doing before they had interrupted. He started reading and…

"No fucking way!" He couldn't help but shout. He must have been loud because the girls made their way to him and asked:

"Is anything wrong, Greg?" It was Felicity's voice.

"My God! I am not sure", he answered, not being able to overcome his surprise, but not wanting to say anything strong in the presence of women.

"Whatever is the matter?" Hyacinth asked him.

He simply pointed at the desk. The girls weren't understanding, but they followed his instructions. He knew the moment it clicked for them.

"Bloody hell!" Said Felicity, followed by a less polite "Shit!" From Hyacinth.

"My sister -", Felicity looked at them.

"Is fucking brilliant!" Hyacinth finished.

"I can hardly believe it", Gregory said.

"That must be why she and Eloise had a row", Felicity said.

"She has forgiven her, tho". Hyacinth said.

"Yes, but, why did Pen-", Felicity started, but she was interrupted.

"What are you doing here?" Came in Penelope's panicked voice.

"We needed you for something", Gregory tried to explain.

"And now we know your secret, Penelope!" Hyacinth sounded excited.

"How?" Penelope asked, fear in her voice.

"You left your writing in the open", Felicity said.

"You cannot tell anyone", Penelope pleaded with them, flashbacks of the night Eloise had found out coming to her.

"Why would we?" Gregory asked. He was impressed by the way Penelope had managed to do it.

"You are not crossed at me?" She asked.

"Are you mad? You are the most brilliant person of my acquaintance! I can only admire you. Why would we be crossed?" Hyacinth said, she continued smiling.

"Because I have written horrible things about both of our families", Penelope said, giving them an apologetic look.

"Not really. Apart from the Colin and Marina article, which, by the way, saved my brother from being caught in a lie, and the one about Eloise, you haven't really hurt anyone I care about", Gregory said, honestly.

"I understand why you did what you did about Marina", Felicity tried to reassure her.

"And Eloise seems to have forgiven you already, so why would I be mad at you in her honor?" Hyacinth said.

Penelope considered how easy it had been for those three to accept it. It must be due to their age, things were really simple when you were a kid. How easier life would be if people didn't stop seeing life through kids' eyes.

"I love you", Penelope told them.

"We love you too, Pen!" Hyacinth said for all three of them.

"Can we stay and see how you write it?" Felicity asked hopefully.

"Only for a moment, it would be hard to explain why we are all here to mamma", Penelope told them.

They spent almost an hour watching Penelope write the newest Lady Whistledown with all the gossiping Eloise had provided for her.

Don't harm them

Colin had gone to Mondrich's. He was on his fifth glass of whiskey already when Will approached him.

"Is everything ok, Mr. Bridgerton?" Will asked him.

"Everything is better than ok, Mondrich!" Colin was in a very good mood.

"Is all this drinking in celebration of something, then?" He asked.

Colin considered his answer for a moment. "Yes!", he said, "a blind man has finally seen". He said, drinking the full contents of his glass.

Mondrich looked confused, but before he could say anything, Anthony's voice came into the room.

"There you are!" He almost shouted. An amused Benedict following behind him. "Colin, a word". It wasn't a question.

The three brothers made their way to a private room in which they could talk.

"What has gotten into you? I was having a wonderful night", Colin said, sitting on a chair in front of his brothers.

"Not a wise choice of words", Benedict said, trying to keep himself from laughing.

"I was informed of your early departure from the Lumely ball with Penelope", Anthony started, angrily, "I didn't think much of it seeing as how Mr. Dankworth assured Franchesca it had only been due to Cressida Cowper", he continued, "But then I got home only to find out that you didn't arrive until later. Only to find out by overhearing Hyacinth and Gregory that you had been way too close to Penelope before they interrupted", Anthony was positively yelling at him, now.

Colin was touched by his brother's concern for Penelope. They would agree to duel him if he ever hurt her.

"So I must ask", Anthony tried to relax, "what were you doing with Penelope Featherington? Do I need to defend her honor?" He asked Colin.

"You need not worry about that, brother", Colin said, "I didn't do anything ruinous to Penelope".

"Why do I think that was not a wise answer either?" Benedict let in.

"Then what did you do?" Anthony pressed.

"I am a gentleman. I assure you, you won't be needing to duel me. We only talked", Colin supposed it wasn't really a lie, it had only been because of the interruption, but he hadn't even kissed Penelope.

"Is that so?" Anthony wasn't having it, "Then what did Gregory mean by «interruption»?"

Colin wasn't sure what to answer, he wasn't going to tell Anthony he almost kissed Penelope. He decided he wasn't going to tell him he had finally understood his words at his study some days prior. He wanted Penelope to be the first to know, so he simply shrugged.

"I have been there before, Colin", Anthony said. "I am pretty sure their interruption was no different from one of Daphne last season between Kate and I. But I will give you a chance. Next time there is something to be interrupted I won't be so kind. The Featheringtons may not have anyone apart from Mr. Finch to protect them, but that doesn't mean I will give you nor anyone a pass to ruin them. Especially not Penelope nor Felicity. Do you understand?"Anthony told him.

It was clear on his brother's face he was not joking, so Colin nodded his agreement.

"Now, let's get some drinks before it's time for me to go back to my lovely wife", Anthony said, going to Will to ask for drinks.

"Mr. Kate was furious with you, you know?" Benedict said, using their new nickname for Anthony, "and I understand. They are like an extention of Eloise and Hyacinth to us, do not harm them".

"I promise you, I would ask you to shoot me myself if I ever do", Colin told him, just as Anthony was coming with their drinks.

That night Anthony got to his wife's side, ready to tell her all about what he had heard the kids said and how he was sure Colin was finally close to the realization.

"I think you should invite the Featheringtons to Aubrey Hall before the rest of the guest arrive for the masquerade. Perhaps adress the invitation so they will arrive a day after the pall mall game we've planned", Anthony was telling Kate just as he kissed her neck.

"I was already planning to. I think it would be best for Colin, otherwise Mr. Dankworth will have her all for himself for more time that we would like", Kate said, her fingers intertwined in Anthony's hair.

"I only hope he opens his dam eyes before it is too late", Anthony said.

"It may be a Bridgerton thing. You do not admit to yourselves your own feelings until you are at risk of losing the object of your affections", she was smiling.

"Well I do not want my siblings to make the same mistakes I have made in the past", he suddenly sucked on her neck, causing her to moan, "besides, I can testify it is not worthy. One should do whatever they can not to lose the love of their lives. I would've regretted it forever if I had let you go". Anthony told her. He would never get tired of telling her how much he loved her. He would never stop doing it, not after he almost lost her without her knowing of his feelings.

"I know, my love", she said, "but Penelope isn't exactly predictable. God only knows why she's so determined to find a husband this season when it is clear to everyone with eyes and half a brain that she is completely in love with our brother", she reminded Anthony of the reason they had decided to intervene in the first place.

"I have a theory", Anthony confessed to her.

"What is it?" She asked him.

"I believe her mother is planning on practically selling one of her daughters to that Mr. Andrews", he said, "and we both know no man with desire for an intelligent wife would chose Prudence Featherington as a bride". She frowned at that.

"So you think Penelope found out about it and decided to take her future on her own hands?" Kate summarised, "I can see it being true", she admitted.

"She is Eloise's best friend for a reason. I know El would never let life just happen to her. In a situation like that, I wouldn't be surprised if Eloise eloped with a man of her choosing, even with no desire to marry, she wouldn't allow for all options to be taken away from her". Anthony told her.

"Eloise is lucky to have you! You would never chose a life on her name". Kate said, moving to kiss her husband.

"That would be killing her spirit", Anthony said. "Maybe Lady Featherington really tried to kill Penelope's".

"I say we should have faith in Colin. Lady Danbury's private soirée is this Friday. Lady Danbury told me Hyacinth asked her not to invite Mr. Dankworth nor Lord Debbling", they both giggled.

"I still feel a little bit stupid because Hyacinth and Gregory knowing before I did". They stopped talking after that, having better things to do to pass the time.

Chapter Text

Pleasantries

Colin went to the Featherington House first thing next morning, he had been waiting to call on Penelope. He had been at the Featherington House during calling hours countless of times, but it had never been so he could actually pay a call on his friend, just like every other suitor would. Knowing he was not the only suitor Penelope would be entertaining, he wanted to make sure he would be the first person there, and the last one to leave.

He was received at the entrance by Mrs. Varley, who directed him to the drawing room.

"Mr. Bridgerton! What a pleasant surprise", Lady Featherington greeted him.

"Why are you surprised, mother? He has been coming every calling day since the start of the season", asked Prudence, gaining a sigh from her mother.

"He has", Felicity commented, she couldn't help but smirk.

"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Featherington". He said, putting on his most charming smile. He hadn't realized marrying Penelope would mean making the Featheringtons forever related to him, he liked the idea of Felicity being his sister, he would be the best of brothers to her; but the idea of Lady Featherington and the other Featherington daughters being his family wasn't exactly an appealing one, especially not knowing how they constantly made Penelope feel like there was something wrong with her. But Lady Featherington was the head of the family at present, he needed her blessing.

"It is quite earlier than usual, though. You normally come here after Harry has left", Penelope said.

"Penelope!" Her mother reprimanded her.

"I was simply wondering what was the reason for it, Colin doesn't particularly like waking up at early hours", she said.

Colin took the opportunity, "well, I am here to call on you, of course", he smiled at her.

"You are calling on me?" Penelope asked with disbelief.

"He's just said he is!" Prudence pointed out, rolling her eyes.

"Why?" Penelope couldn't help but wonder out loud.

"Penelope!" Her mother shouted at her, looking at her, indicating with her eyes for her to shut up. "Forgive her, Mr. Bridgerton. She is simply surprised, pleasantly so, I assure you", Lady Featherington said.

She then moved, trying to give Penelope and Colin enough privacy to talk without leaving them alone.

"You are not being serious about calling on me, are you?" She asked him, once her mother was far enough not to hear her.

"Why would I be anything but serious about it, Pen?" He responded, "Last night-" he began, but Penelope interrupted him.

"We didn't actually do anything last night, Colin. You don't need to feel obliged by honor to call on me, seriously". She said. For her, Colin feeling the need to court her moved by honor was worse than the idea of him never courting at all.

"I do not feel forced by anything, Penelope", he took offense on that, "I am calling on you because I want to".

"But why do you want to?" She still wasn't sure what other reason he could have.

"Why does anyone call on a beautiful lady? Because I am interested of course", he said to her.

"Interested in what?" Penelope wasn't making sense of anything.

"Well, in you, of course. Are you feeling unwell, Pen?" He was starting to become concerned, why was Penelope not understanding?

"You are interested in me for what?" She didn't answer his question, still too confused to do so.

"Good god", they heard Felicity whisper with a sigh. She was eavesdropping, no doubt.

Colin looked at her, and seeing as Penelope was making him worry, not answering his question, he called for her help.

"Felicity, can you come for a second?" He said.

"Of course", Felicity said. She had the decency of looking ashamed for having been caught listening to a private conversation.

"What am I needed for?" She asked.

"We know you were listening, Fel", Penelope told her.

"Sorry. I just-", Felicity started to apologize, but she was cut off.

"I didn't call you to reprimand you, so you don't have to apologize", he told her, "But since you know what we were talking about, I thought you could answer me… Is your sister well?" He asked.

"She is well. She just doesn't get it because for some stupid reason she doesn't believe someone like you could ever be interested in her", Felicity said.

"I do not understand", Penelope said. She really didn't have any idea of what was going on.

"What do you mean?" They ignored her, "why wouldn't I or someone like me be interested in her?"

"Because, some people", Felicity said, looking at the direction her mother and older sister were, "have put the idea on her head that she is not beautiful enough, nor popular enough, nor desirable enough, for someone with your wealth, attractiveness and prospects", Felicity explained, "Stupidities, I know. But she won't believe me any time I tell her that's nonsense", she said.

"How can we make her believe it, then?" He asked her.

"Can the two of you stop talking about me as if I were not present?" Penelope intervened.

"I am here, calling on you, because I am interested in you the way a suitor is interested in a debutante they would like to court, Penelope", he tried to explain it to her as clearly as possible. Felicity was smiling at him, love for her sister clear in her eyes.

"But -", Penelope looked at him, "Colin, just last season you told me I didn't count as a woman. And, although I assure you I have really forgiven you, you did make it clear you weren't interested on courting me in the slightest", she said.

"Last season I was a fool, Penelope. When I told you you didn't count, I see now it was merely because I couldn't even imagine not having you in my life. Of course you do not belong in the same place as every other woman to me, you are much more, Penelope. And, I do not know why I said what I said after that, but I swear, it would be my honor if you allow me to court you", he said. Taking her hands in his. How he wished she weren't wearing gloves. He was grateful for the way Felicity had positioned herself, blocking them from her mother's view as she left the two alone again.

"Colin -", but it remained a mystery, what she was going to say, because Mrs. Varley came announcing Mr. Dankworth's arrival, he was paying a call on Penelope.

"It is not fair, mamma! Why does Penelope have two suitors calling on her while I have none. I am older than her. I should marry first!" He heard Prudence not so silently complaining.

"Harry!" No one could tell if Penelope was glad to see him or if she was uncomfortable, the tone of her voice could easily be mistaken either way.

"Good morning!" Dankworth greeted.

"This is for you", the gentleman said, handing Penelope a beautiful bouquet of red roses.

"She doesn't even like roses", Colin couldn't help but point out. Harry looked with a raised eyebrow at the bouquets on Colin's hands, the two visible to him, at least. They were roses' bouquets.

"These ones are for Lady and Miss Featherington", Colin said. Handing the bouquets to Portia and Prudence.

"This one's for you, Felicity", he said, handing Felicity a bouquet with lilies, he had remembered Hyacinth telling him those were her favorites. Felicity took it happily.

"And this one's for you, Pen", he gave her a beautiful sunflower bouquet.

"Thank you", Penelope looked at him, adoration in her eyes before remembering where they currently were, "to both of you. I love these gifts".

"I didn't know you didn't like roses, but it's good I have brought something else as well", Harry said. Handing her a bag.

"What are these?" Penelope asked, looking inside the bag but not being able to put a name to the contents.

"They are called Yangmei. A fruit from China. My grandmother sent some to me and I thought you would like them", Dankworth said. "I remembered you mentioned being tired of potatoes on one of your letters and I just wanted to let you know I won't let you go through something like that again", he told her, secretive, because Portia and Prudence weren't aware Penelope answered to his letters, but Colin could still hear him.

He had mixed emotions for the man, he realized. One side of him, that took the most part, hated the man, he couldn't stand him. But another part of him, a little one, couldn't help but feel grateful to him for making Penelope smile the way she was doing, for considering her and doing things as thoughtful as the recent for her, for being an amazing friend to her. He would love the man for it if it was all he wanted from Pen, her friendship. But he didn't, he wanted much more from her, and he hated him for that.

He watched Penelope try one of the little berries, those perfect lips of hers, so tempting, tasting the fruit, tentatively at first.

"These are delicious!" She moaned. He didn't like Penelope moaning for something another man had done.

"All of you have to try them!" She said excitedly, handing Felicity the bag so she could take some.

"Oh my God! They are", she said, handing the bag to him.

He took one and handed the bag to Prudence. He was mad at himself for not thinking of bringing something for them to eat too. He knew about Penelope and the potatoes. He had made sure his mother invited Penelope for dinner as much as possible without being suspicious. Why hadn't he thought to bring something for them? He had tasted all kind of delicacies while traveling, surely he could have brought some back so Penelope could taste them.

He put the berry on his mouth. He decided then that he would take Penelope all around the world with him, wherever she wanted to go, so she could taste everything. That was the first thing he would do once they were married, he decided. They would bring Felicity some of their favorites, surely Penelope would like to share that with her little sister. He could even offer to bring Hyacinth and Felicity with them from time to time, yes that would be…

"My god! These really are delicious!" Colin didn't finish his plans, too taken by the taste of those berries, "where did you say these are from?"

"China", Dankworth told him, happily. "Have you ever been there?" He asked.

"No. But I think I will go on my next tour!" He said, "Kate has talked so much about India that I just have to go. And after tasting these, I will make sure to visit China once I'm on that side of the planet".

"You will love it there! Both China and India, I am sure. Those are two of my favorite places in the world", Harry said.

"You like traveling?" Colin asked.

"Doesn't everyone? It gives you a sense of freedom", Dankworth replied.

"It really does", Colin agreed. Yes, he would like the man quite a lot, they would be good friends, if he wasn't trying to take Penelope away from him.

"I would like to hear more of your travels, Bridgerton", Harry said, "as I am sure would Penelope. She seems to enjoy listening to me when I talk about things I've witnessed on different parts of the world". Dankworth said.

That was one of the reasons they couldn't be friends. He knew Penelope loved listening to stories of different cultures and places, but Colin wanted to be the one showing them to her, much the same as Dankworth, he thought. But Penelope looked so happy watching the two of them interact that Colin decided he would make his best effort to befriend the man, if only Penelope would look as happy for the rest of eternity.

"Please, call me Colin. And I would like to hear more of your travels as well", he said.

"Very well. Only, please call me Harry", the man replied.

"I will pour some tea for us so we can talk", Penelope said, her smile had never been bigger.

Penelope was absolutely happy listening to Colin and Harry telling lots of stories about the places they had been to.

She hadn't expected Coin calling on her and declaring he would like to court her. She had dreamt about it since she was 16. But she realized, now, that no matter how much her heart wanted it, she couldn't let Colin follow through.

Marrying Colin would mean putting him at risk because of Whistledown, and even if he actually wanted to take the risk with her, she couldn't allow him to risk his whole family as well. Not when the Bridgertons had been so good and kind to her. Not when Violet had loved her better than her own mother. She couldn't do that to them.

She wouldn't do that to Harry either, she had decided, the day Harry told her he was planning on formally courting her, that she would be honest with him. Her original plan had been to take a husband who would be none the wiser about her double identity, but the more she knew Harry, the more she was sure she could never do that to anyone, it would be using them. She would give him the chance to decide if he wanted to take the risk with her or not. If he did, it wouldn't be as bad as it would be with Colin. Most of his family didn't even participate in the season, being as they were in China, so the only ones affected apart from herself would be Harry and his mother, who, she had learnt, prefered China to London. Mrs. Lè Qí wouldn't feel ruined if she was obligated to leave London because of Penelope. If Harry didn't want to take the risk, though, she trusted him enough to keep her secret.

Penelope was so lost in thought that she hadn't see when Al had entered the room, nor did she know why everyone was congratulating him.

"We should take Phillipa with us, then! To celebrate!" Felicity was saying.

"I am afraid she wouldn't like that, Fel", Al told her with an apologetic tone in his voice, "In fact, I do not think I can take you to the lake as I had promised. I need to be by her side in case she needs anything". Penelope wanted to ask what was this all about, but seeing as she had been physically present as it happened it would only raise concern for her.

"I doubt she will need anything right now, it's too early for the baby to cause her any discomfort yet. But you are right, son, you are not to leave her side until that baby is born", Lady Featherington said.

A baby! She would be an aunt! And it would do for her mother to stop pressuring the poor Al to make a baby with Phillipa.

"I am sorry, Fel! I will buy you a new hand mirror to make up for it. Is that ok?" Al directed his words to the girl.

"You don't have to. I understand. I was simply looking forward to it. But you are already going to give me a new niece or nephew. I couldn't be any happier". Felicity said, hugging the man.

"We can take you, can we not Colin?" Harry said.

"Of course we can! We can go next Saturday, before your birthday picnic", Colin said. He didn't know why Harry had said they could take her, honestly if Colin had had the idea he would've said he would take her. But he wasn't going to complain about it.

"Would you really?" Felicity asked.

"Yes! I would only like an invitation for your birthday picnic in exchange", Harry said, jokingly.

"Yes! But of course you are both invited!" She said.

"I am so happy!" Penelope said. "Congratulations, Al!" She said.

New acquaintances

The next day Colin and Hyacinth went to the Featherington House to take Felicity on another one of her riding lessons.

During the lessons Felicity informed him, with no so subtle intentions that he would take the hint to match his attire to Penelope's that she would be wearing a green dress, the color was not exactly light, but it was not dark either, something more in the middle. He had taken the hint.

When he arrived he went directly to Penelope, he didn't even bother to wait for John to get to Franchesca.

"Good evening, Pen", he greeted her, "Harry", he said to the man at her side, "and -", he realized he didn't know the young lady who was making them company.

"Posy. She's Posy Reilling. I thought you already knew her. It was Eloise who introduced us", Penelope said.

"Good evening, miss Reilling", Colin greeted, "I am afraid I hadn't had the pleasure".

"Good evening to you too, Mr. Bridgerton", the girl greeted him.

"Oh no!" She suddenly said, "My mamma is coming with Nigel Berbrooke. Penelope, please hide me, I do not like the man at all!" Posy moved to be behind her new friend.

"I am afraid it is too late, your mother has seen you. I would take you to the dancefloor myself if it could stop her, though", Penelope said.

The action reminded Colin of one of his younger sisters, he could imagine Penelope and Eloise having this exact same convo. In fact, he was sure they had had it, for the words had come so naturally to her mouth he knew it wasn't the first time she had said them.

Colin didn't like the man either, but Penelope had given him an idea to help the girl in question.

"Why don't you do me the honor, miss?" He said, offering her his arm.

"Really?" The girl asked, incredulous.

"I would be delighted", he said.

Posy smiled as they walked to the dance floor. Penelope appreciated Colin's thoughtfulness to her friend, she knew exactly how Posy felt.

"Where has my brother go?" Came in the desperate voice of Eloise.

"He's dancing with Posy", Penelope answered.

"Damn it!" She said, "I am trying to avoid dancing with the man mamma is trying to set me up with", she explained.

"Well, I could be of service there, miss", Harry said.

Eloise considered it for a moment. "Well, I suppose you can, you won't try to court me and Penelope seems to enjoy your company, so you must be alright", she said, taking his arm and directing him to the dancefloor.

Penelope was left alone, waiting for their friends to finish the dance. Only a few seconds had passed when someone spoke to her.

"Red head, is there any chance of you being a Featherington, miss?" A man, light brown skinned, tall and pretty handsome asked her. She didn't know who the man was nor what did he want with a member of her family.

"I am", she said, curious.

"Great!" The man said, "then perhaps you can help me, I am looking for a miss Penelope Featherington?" He said.

Penelope didn't know why he was looking for her. "You are currently talking to her, sir", she said.

"You are Penelope Featherington", it was not a question, "I thought I would find you with my cousin, or perhaps in the presence of at the very least one Bridgerton", he said.

Penelope was still confused as to why would this man assume so, and her face must have shown it because the man explained himself.

"I am sorry. I must be scaring you. My name is Michael Santis. I am John's cousin. He said he wanted for us to meet and left me supposedly to find you".

"I am delighted to meet you, Mr. Santis", she said, "but I have not seen John tonight. He must have gotten distracted with Franchesca Bridgerton, they have just arrived, you see", she told him.

"Yes that must be the reason I can't seem to find him. But he told me you would be so kind as to aid me keep the eager mammas at bay, so I thought I would find you myself", he said.

"That makes me feel so special", she commented.

"I did not mean - I am sure your company is -", he started.

"I did not take offense in your words, so no need to apologize", she told him, she had been trying to joke. "I am in fact an expert in avoiding mammas, especially mine". She said as if she was conspiring with him.

"And I find myself in great need of your abilities", he told her in the same conspiratorial tone she was using.

"I can see why", Penelope may not have realized it, but she was effectively flirting with the man, alluding, without shame, to his attractiveness.

"I can see why he likes you", Michael commented.

"Your cousin is a very nice man", she said, "I like him too".

He had been meaning Colin, but of course she didn't even know he knew Colin.

"He really is", he said. "I suppose I should've known it was you, I have never heard anything else about your family apart from the fact that they are the redheads of the bon ton", he said.

"I am surprised your cousin has talked about me to you", she said, "we haven't had much opportunities to talk, seeing as how we are normally entertaining other people".

"Ah, yes! He did say you've got a new suitor. I do not see the fool here, though". He commented, "but he really hasn't said much, apart from «you must come meet her, and hurry up before her new suitor makes a move»", he said, jokingly.

"Then how is it that you knew I would have been in the company of a Bridgerton?" Penelope asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Because of Colin, of course. He's best friends with my cousin, and John and I, we are brothers in all but blood". He explained.

"Colin has told you about me?" She asked him.

"Are you kidding me? He wouldn't shut up about you. I know a lot of his stories with you. In fact, I didn't even consider it was you I was looking for because Colin had mentioned countless times how your mother would insist on dressing you in yellow, despite your dislike for the color", he said.

"I didn't even know he paid that much attention to me", she said. How it hurt, she finally had a slight hope the man she loved could ever love her back and she couldn't let him do it.

"That has very recently changed, only thanks to Harry's liking of me wearing different colors", she informed him, without thinking.

"Harry?" Michael asked, not knowing who she was talking about.

"Mr. Dankworth. He has been paying attention to me this season. He is the first so called suitor of mine, you see", she didn't know why she was talking so openly with this man.

"What about Colin?" He asked, confused about her words, he knew Colin paid a lot of attention to her, and sure, his friend was blind, but she couldn't be as oblivious as him. Two oblivious people together could be a real danger to society.

"Well he is not - I mean until last morning he hadn't -", Penelope didn't know how to explain the situation, "we are just friends", she knew it was true, but that hurt nonetheless.

"I do not think friends should pay as much attention as you do to each other", he said, looking at her, daring her to contradict him, "but I suppose it makes sense now, why my cousin was so eager for me to hurry back".

"And why do you think it is?", Penelope asked.

"So a dear friend of ours will finally open his eyes before it is too late", he whispered on her ear, having moved close to her to make his point.

As if to make emphasis on what he was saying, Colin's voice filled the air.

"What are you doing, Santis?" His voice was not the friendly one Michael was used to. Good. It's about damn time, he thought.

Chapter Text

Murderous eyes

"C man!", Michael greeted Colin, not bothering to move away from Penelope in the slightest. Penelope noticed the way he pronounced the letter, just like his cousin always did, making it a point for it to sound just like «Sea».

"What are you doing?" Colin ignored his greetings.

"It is a pleasure to see you again too", Michael still didn't move.

"Colin, I see you have quite a lot of friends", came Harry's voice, the man didn't have a clue of the mood Michael's closeness to Penelope had put Colin in, he looked happy to be making new friends.

"He has some pretty ones, I see", he said, looking at Penelope, who, much to Colin's annoyance hadn't removed herself from Michael's side either.

Harry looked confused, as if unsure if the man in front of him had called him or Penelope pretty. "I am Harry Dankworth", he simply said.

"Michael Santis", Michael introduced himself.

"And this is our friend, miss Posy Relling", Harry said because nor Colin, nor Penelope seemed like they were able to speak.

"A pleasure to meet you, miss", Michael said, still not looking away from Pen.

"You have not answered me", Colin said.

"I do not know what you want me to say. It is clear I was here talking to Penelope, was I not?" He directed his question at Penelope.

"Yes, that's right", Penelope answered, looking to the floor.

"So this is the more handsome Michael Santis", Eloise said, mockingly.

"I beg your pardon?" Michel was taken aback by the comment.

"You do have an eye for beauty, Col", Eloise ignored him, "does he not Pen?"

Penelope blushed, "I suppose he does", he looked at Michael over her shoulder.

"i have the feeling I lost an important bit of the conversation", Harry said, looking at the four people talking.

"You are not the only one", Posy said, imitating him.

"You know what I mean, Santis", Colin said.

"I do not", Michael said, "but I think I hear the beginning of my favorite piece. Miss Featherington, would you do me the honor?" He said, just to taste Colin's patience.

Penelope was confused, but she managed to nod her head before being drag to the dancefloor.

"Whatever is the matter?" Michael asked her once they had begun to dance.

"It's nothing", Penelope tried.

"We may have just met, but it is obviously not nothing", he said.

"I suppose you're right", Penelope said. She then looked him in the eye. "I am a little bit confused", she confessed.

"May I ask what about?" Michael insisted.

Penelope considered telling him it was nothing of importance, but then she remembered the man was friends with Colin and that they had talked about her. Perhaps it would be helpful to tell him.

"Well, Colin's attitude. Last morning he said he was calling on me when he went to my house; and then he shows up wearing the exact same color as I am, no doubt knowing it from my sister; and just a few seconds ago, he looked as if he were jealous. And you may be thinking, just as I am, it makes no sense", Penelope explained.

"I think it makes perfect sense, a man who is interested in a lady being jealous, and wanting to match with her", now he was the one confused at Penelope's confusion.

"Those three events do, but I mean, it doesn't make sense with the Colin from last season", she said.

"What do you mean?" For Michael it made perfect sense, even if he thought about 11 years old Colin.

"Didn't you say you were friends?" Penelope asked.

"We are, that's why I am confused", Michael considered the possibility Penelope had had more drinks than she should have.

"Well, I suppose you didn't listen about it because you weren't here, but just last season Colin made clear he did not see me as a woman, and I cannot fathom a reason that could have changed so suddenly", Penelope confessed.

"You must be mistaken, we cannot be talking about the same person", Michael was not understanding.

"I assure you, I am not. I heard it myself, he actually told me once", she said.

"You must have misunderstood", Michael insisted.

"I have not. He said it in front of some gentlemen too", she persisted.

"What exactly did he said?" Michael asked.

"Well, he said, and I quote «I would never dream of courting Penelope Featherington, not in your wildest fantasies»", she said, remember word by word what he had said that night.

"Surely you didn't hear the whole conversation. It could only make sense if he added one «if I were you» after that. He would try to murder any suitor of yours, judging by the look he's throwing at me", Michael told her.

"But he did not. He has apologized for it, and I no longer hold it against him, but I do not understand the sudden change in his actions", Penelope said.

"What were they talking about before those words?" Michael was trying to make sense of it.

"Well I am not sure, I only started listening when I heard my name. I did hear Lord Fife asking «are you courting the girl, Bridgerton?» clearly mocking Colin about a dance we had shared", she replied.

"Oh! I see", Michael smiled, "but you cannot believe he meant those words", he said.

"I don't see why he would say them if he didn't", Penelope argued.

"Please, Penelope. He has 7 siblings, and if his stories about his family are reliable, quick and stupid responses are second nature to him, just so he can avoid being mocked. He didn't think his words, he merely said them because they were the most likely to save him from weeks of being making fun at". Michael told her.

Knowing the Bridgertons as she did, and most importantly, knowing Colin as she did, she couldn't help but see the truth in his words. Colin had once claimed he loved walking bare foot on the mud, just so his siblings wouldn't make fun at him for having forgotten his shoes inside the house when he was 18. He had also repeated the action for weeks until he was sure they had forgotten.

"So you think he's being honest now?" She asked him.

"I think no man who saw a girl as «just his friend» would be as ready to duel a dear friend as Colin is at present", he nodded towards Colin, who was indeed looking as if he would kill Michael for dancing with Pen as close as he was doing.

Just at that moment the dance came to an end and the two made their way towards the rest of their friends.

The small group of young ladies and gentlemen were talking, getting to know one another. Both Colin and Harry claimed Penelope for more than one dance, Colin hadn't stopped looking at Michael with murderous eyes. Thinking the two of them were only in need of a few drinks, Harry told them to go with him to where most of the other gentlemen were and wanting to put as much distance between Penelope and Michael as possible, Colin dragged his friend with them.

Not much time had passed when suddenly Franchesca came in, all red, she seemed to be in between panicked and absolutely happy.

"Eloise, have you seen Anthony or Kate?" She asked.

"Last time I saw them they were on the dancefloor for like the tenth time tonight. So they have probably snuck to a private place by now", Eloise answered.

"Are you sure you have no idea where they can be?" Franchesca asked, biting her lip.

"No. But what is the problem? Do you need something? I know where Colin is, if he can help you", Eloise told her, starting to feel concerned for her sister.

"No, it has to be Anthony", she said.

"Why?" Eloise was confused.

"John and I are now engaged!" She said, happily, but still somehow nervous.

Penelope suspected they were probably caught alone, because Michael had been keeping an eye out to find his cousin so he could meet Franchesca, but had not spotted him once. It was also due to the fact that it was out of character for John to propose at a ball.

"Oh!" Eloise said, she looked troubled for a moment, but seeing the absolute happiness on her sister's face he couldn't help but be happy for her. "I am glad you've found John", Eloise said sincerely.

"Thank you, El!" Franchesca, hugged her.

"You are to be the next Countess of Kilmartin", Pen said excitedly.

"I know!" Franchesca said, happily.

"I believe congratulations are in order", Posy said, smiling.

"Thank you!" Franchesca answered.

"I still do not know why Anthony is needed", Eloise commented.

"He's not exactly needed, but I want to find him before Lady Cowper has -", Franchesca was explaining, when she was rudely interrupted.

"Do I really need to find out I am to have a new brother from Lady Cowper?" Anthony accused her.

"I was looking for you to tell you, but", they all took notice of Anthony's undone shirt then, "I see you were busy", she finished.

Anthony cleared his throat, "yes well, I would've still liked to hear the news from you", he said.

"You're not mad at me, then?" Franchesca asked, confirming to Penelope there was something to be mad about.

"No, I am not", he answered her, reassuringly.

"But you were mad at Daphne. You even tried to kill the Duke! I thought…" Franchesca started without thinking. Despite all of the Bridgertons and Penelope knowing about the incident that led to Daphne and the Duke's wedding, it was not known by the ton.

"I didn't know Kate back then", he said, as if the answer had been obvious from the beginning.

"I am to be a Countess!" She squeezed. Anthony simply hugged her.

"You are", Anthony said, contently, "but we do have to go now, if only for mother's sake". And the two of them made their way out of the ballroom.

Intentions

Next morning at the Bridgerton House there was chaos. The two youngest Bridgerton girls (that were not Franchesca) had spent all night talking to her, trying to see if she would give them any more details about the act of baby making, having learnt that she had indeed been caught in a compromising position with John by Lady and miss Cowper.

Franchesca hadn't gone that far with John, but had explained to them how good it could feel to be touched by a man.

The Bridgerton brothers, on the other hand had passed the night making arrangements to procure a special license for Franchesca and John and bribing the Cowper women so they wouldn't spread word of the situation they had found Franchesca in.

The result of all of them having been up all night was a house full of moody Bridgertons. That was one way to enter hell.

"You are in Whistledown, Frannie", Hyacinth commented, her and Gregory being the youngest and having the most energy despite not having properly rested. Colin had taken Gregory with him to get the license, after the younger had asked them to stop treating him like a baby. Colin thought it was only fair, his brother was soon to begin Oxford, after all.

"What does it say?" Franchesca was nervous about it, what if Lady Whistledown somehow knew?

Hyacinth cleared her throat before starting, "«Dear gentle reader, I believe we can all agree last night's ball was quite an eventful one. It has come to this author's attention that our beautiful diamond of the season has become engaged to the biggest catch of the year, one Lord Santis, Earl of Kilmartin. Theirs has been a short courtship indeed, but the Bridgertons do have a fame of marrying for love, you need only see the way the Viscount looks at his wife, and the way she looks back at him, to know theirs was indeed a love match, or, if still unconvinced, pay attention to the way the dance together at every ball, making up for all the dances they didn't share last season, no doubt. Although a brief period of courtship, this author does not doubt the Lord was moved by love to propose to the lovely Bridgerton debutante, so allow me, gentle reader, to give my best wishes to the future Earl and Countess of Kilmartin, may their union be a happy one, until death do them part»" Hyacinth finished reading, "She was so nice for writing this", she said.

"She really was. Now no one would even consider the possibility of scandal thanks to this new article", Violet said, relieved.

"As much as sometimes I want to hang the woman, she has done us some favors from time to time", Colin commented, causing Gregory and Hyacinth to share an amused look.

"I was about to say she may be turning nicer", Franchesca suddenly said, having taken the paper from Hyacinth, "if only she had not insulted Penelope", she signed.

"What did she say about her?" Colin said angrily, to no one's surprise. He didn't bother waiting for an answer, he took the paper from Franchesca and began reading.

Colin was furious, how dare this woman call Penelope a rotten fruit? Or even an insipid wallflower?

"Brother, are you alright?" Hyacinth was asking him.

"Yes", he said.

"You look all red", Gregory pointed out.

"I do not like the way this woman refers to Penelope", he said. All of his siblings agreed.

"I know she's being rude, but I am sure Penelope doesn't mind it", Eloise intervened, fearing his brother would try to do something stupid moved by his evident desire to defend Penelope.

"Even so, the woman has no right to be talking that way about her", Colin stated.

"I know Colin, I'll talk to her", Eloise said, without realizing she had said ot aloud until they all were looking at her, horrified.

"To Penelope, I meant", she quickly thought of a way out.

"You scared me for a second, El", Benedict said. Almost everyone looked relieved, except for Hyacinth and Gregory who looked skeptical and Kate, who looked suspicious.

"No, I'll do it", Colin said.

"I was going to her place, anyway, I'll call on her", Colin announced, not sure if he had already told his family of his intentions to court Pen after letting her know first.

"You are paying a call on Pen?!" Eloise shouted. Everyone looked at her. "Why?!" She demanded. She knew her brother liked Penelope more than a friend should, but she hadn't realized he could actually be serious about it.

"Because I hope she would give me her permission to court her", Colin answered, shyly, he supposed he shouldn't, but his family hadn't reacted in the best of ways when he announced his interest in Marina, so he wasn't sure what to expect. His family already loved Pen, but what if they just didn't like the idea of them either?

"Took you long enough!" Said Hyacinth, running towards him to give him a hug, "I shall be the first person you invite to your new home once you are married", she said, matter-of-factly.

"If you invite her then I shall go as well", Gregory added, hugging him too. How he loved his little siblings, they were always so genuinely happy on his behalf.

"You will not be bothering dear Pen with such requests. She'll invite you when she sees it as the right time", Violet said, walking towards Colin.

"I am sure the two of you will be so happy together. Four of my kids married in three seasons! And all of them because of love!" Violet said, happily, "you have no idea how happy you have made me", she then kissed Colin's cheek and hugged him tightly.

"I cannot believe you will be a married man by this time next year", Anthony said, he actually looked on the verge of tears, "but I am so happy you have found your future wife", he said, hugging Colin too.

"I will need to invite her for tea so we can arrange for her to come with me to pick the nightgowns for her trousseau. You can thank me later, by the way", Kate rushed to hug him too. Colin couldn't help but wink at her. He was sure Penelope would prefer Kate, or even his own mother to help her pick out stuff for her trousseau rather than her mother.

"Maybe she can start coming with us while I pick mine, so her mother won't suspect", Franchesca said, excitedly.

"Simon owes me five!" Benedict let out.

Colin was happy to see how his family had taken the news. It was all so different from the whole situation with Marina. Something should have told him that wasn't right, how could he ever have doubted his family wanted anything but to see him happy?

"Won't you say anything, Eloise?" Colin asked, he had thought she would be the happiest of them all, he would make Penelope truly and to everyone's eyes her sister, once and for all.

"I do not know what to say. I suppose I am glad it's you. At least I know you'll be nice to her. But it still feels like she will be stolen away from me. I thought we would become old maids together", Eloise explained. "But if both of you are happy with that decision, then I will make sure to be happy for you. I do love the two of you so much already", she said, but she, unlike everyone else, didn't make any attempt to congratulate him.

"But be aware, that if you ever touch her against her will, I will duel you myself. And we both know I am the best shoot in the family", Eloise told him, seriously.

"I'd hand you the gun myself if I ever harm her or hurt her again", Colin reassured her. Eloise simply nodded.

"You know why I didn't put her on my list last season, Col?" Anthony said, out of nowhere.

"Your list of potential brides?" Benedict asked, Anthony nodded.

"Because deep down I always knew she would be my sister. She would have been a strong contender, but I just couldn't see her as anything but my sister. And even if I wasn't aware at the moment, I didn't want to hurt you", Anthony said, having come to the realization the day Kate had pointed out Colin was lucky Penelope didn't let just anyone see her true self.

"I wished I had come to see it earlier. I already feel like we have wasted so much time", Colin confessed.

"Then you better not lose a second longer", Anthony said, motioning for him to leave.

The day had gone very well. He had had a whole hour with Penelope, only with Felicity as chaperone, as Lady Featherington and Prudence were out to the modist, for the most part of one hour, until Harry arrived to pay a call himself. Colin was annoyed he didn't have more time alone with her, but the man was just so damn hard to hate once you got to know him that he had actually enjoyed his company. They had even made plans to buy Felicity a new dog for her birthday. They had learnt how much Penelope and her missed their puppy, who, the girls were sure, had died of sadness after their father passed, Fluffy, they had called him.

Colin had suggested to Harry they could look for a new puppy for them. Since he had included him on his plan to take Felicity to a trip on the lake, earning the invitation to her birthday picnic and dinner later that night, he thought it was only fair to include him on his planned gift.

But even when he had had a good day, he was secretly glad Harry hadn't been invited to Lady Danbury's selected soirée.

The following morning Colin was eager to get to Lady Danbury's place. He must be down pretty bad if he was actually looking forward to pass the time with Lady Danbury.

Colin had been practicing all day with Franchesca. After last season's soirée for Edwina, Lady Danbury had been so amused she insisted all of the gentlemen invited had to display their accomplishments for the ladies «it would do to see you acting as the fools for once», Eloise had said.

Colin wasn't sure what he could do, he didn't think he had any particular talent. But then he remembered one of Penelope's letters during his first tour, saying that she missed listening to him singing at Bridgerton House.

So, he was going to sing to her, only, he needed someone at the piano to accompany him, and Franchesca had offered to help him practice.

"Are you sure you cannot make it to the soirée?" He asked her.

"I am afraid I cannot. Mamma says we need to go pick my trousseau tonight so it can be ready for the wedding", she told him.

Franchesca and John's wedding was to take place in a week, and the two had been so busy, making preparations with their mothers. They hadn't had a chance to see each other. Michael hadn't even met Franchesca yet.

"I don't know who I should ask to accompany me on the piano", Colin said, "we both know Eloise is not particularly good with it".

"I think I remember John saying something about his cousin knowing how to play the piano. You should ask him", Franchesca said.

Colin considered it a moment, he still wasn't sure what Michael's intentions with Penelope had been at the last ball, but since he hadn't called for her the next morning, he supposed it wouldn't be such a bad idea to ask him for help with the piano.

"Maybe I will", Colin said.

Chapter Text

Gossip

They arrived second. The selected part of Lady Danbury's selected soirée wasn't an exaggeration. The only ones that had been invited being the Bridgertons, who because of Franchesca's wedding preparations weren't able to attend all, being only Benedict, Colin and Eloise; the Featheringtons, who Colin suspected had only been invited because of Lady Danbury's liking for Penelope; the Lumleys, both Lord and miss; Mr. Evans, Mr. Santis, Miss Harrington, Miss Potter and Mr. Everlark. None of them with more chaperone than Lady Danbury herself, accompanied by the recently arrived Lady Sharma, who had traveled to London to visit both of her daughters, and was currently staying with Kate.

"Good evening, Lady Danbury", the Bridgertons greeted, "Lady Mary", both Benedict and Colin kissed her hand, charmingly, having become familiar with the lady because of their sister Kate.

"Good, evening. I see Franchesca couldn't make it with you", Lady Mary commented.

"No. I wouldn't expect Kilmartin to come either, they are crazily busy with all the preparations for their wedding", Colin told the ladies.

"Kate mentioned something when I arrived in the morning", Lady Mary said. "She looks happy. Franchesca, I mean", she said.

"She is", Eloise said, smiling at the women.

The first part of the evening, after all the guests had arrived, consisted of the men showing off their accomplishments to the ladies. The first one to go to the front, was none other than Lord Lumley, just like the year prior, reading poetry.

Miss Harrington looked positively enamored by him. Colin had decided to go last, with Michael's help, they were to take their turn together.

As it was Benedict who was on the front, not really wanting to participate, but fearing Lady Danbury would do something to him if he didn't, he decided to make a sketch of the Lady.

"I bet Lady Danbury only does this so she can have her amusement at our expense", Michael whispered into Penelope's ear, Colin, being on her other side, could listen.

"I don't doubt it for a second. Lady Danbury is just the type", Penelope giggled.

"I am the type to do what?, exactly", Lady Danbury asked. Penelope had forgotten to whisper the way Michael had done. It was impressive how Lady Danbury could talk without moving an inch.

Penelope went all red, Michael couldn't help his laughter, Colin wanted to punch him.

"I apologise. I didn't mean to say it aloud", Penelope said.

"But you did, and now you must tell us", Lady Danbury said, still not moving.

"I said it sounded like you, to make a soirée like this so you can make fun at the gentlemen", Penelope told her, fearing she would be offended, not daring to look at the gentlemen, fearing she had offended them even more, but refusing to hide herself, staring directly at Lady Danbury.

Everyone seemed to be expecting the Lady's reaction. To all of their surprises, Lady Danbury laughed, she really laughed.

"I knew I liked you, miss Featherington", she said.

Everyone else laughed too, except for Prudence who didn't get what was so funny. Lord Lumley even said aloud "At least everyone of us is conscious we are making fools of ourselves this time, unlike last year".

"Indeed. But it was only miss Featherington who pointed it out", Lady Danbury said.

"Of course she did. It's Penelope", Colin said, proudly, taking her hand until Lady Mary looked at him, with reproach. He remembered she was to help Lady Danbury chaperone these young people, so he put his hand away.

"Indeed", Lady Danbury said, smiling.

"Well, at least it's over now! Here, your sketch, Lady Danbury", Benedict said. Everyone took a look at the drawing and laughed, Benedict hadn't even tried.

"It is your turn, Mr. Bridgerton, Mr. Santis", Lady Danbury informed them.

"Do we really have to, now that we know it was only for your entertainment?" Michael asked.

"I would say we are more obliged than ever to do it. Do you know Lady Danbury?" Colin asked.

"Smart, that one", Lady Danbury told Penelope, causing her to giggle. "Mr. Bridgerton is right, especially now that you know it is for my sake, I would never deny the rest of us the pleasure of seeing the two of making fools of yourselves", she said.

"Very well then", Michael made his way to the piano.

"So I suppose we must begin", Colin said, he had practiced all morning, but he was nervous nonetheless.

Michael started playing the notes, Colin had to start singing soon. He took a deep breath in and started.

He started so quietly they could hardly hear him. Colin was nervous, but one look into Penelope's blue eyes and her encouraging smile was enough for him to forget everything but the woman with the deepest eyes he had ever seen.

He hadn't realized he had moved closer to her, until he was kneeling in front of her, almost touching her legs with his hands.

Penelope's eyes were shining in a way he had never seen before, the two got so lost in each other's eyes that they didn't notice everyone staring at them as Colin continued singing. They didn't notice either Michael had stopped playing, staring as everyone else in the room at them, prepared to move his friend in case he forgot completely about property and made a move that could ruin the redhead. Benedict and Eloise looked just as ready as he was to tackle the man to the floor if he dared move any closer to her.

The two women who were supposed to be chaperoning were unsure if they should interfere.

The other young ladies seemed to think they were witnessing they most romantic thing they could have ever imagined. The other gentlemen looked amused at the way none of them seemed to notice they were in the presence of a small gathering and not in a private room, but unlike some gentleman last season, they wouldn't make fun of them for it, they wouldn't question the obvious either. Lady Danbury had invited them precisely because they weren't like most people on the ton.

The song finished, Colin lowering the volume in his voice. It wasn't until Penelope reached to touch his face that the spell was broken, abruptly interrupted by Eloise.

"I believe I don't feel good enough to stay any longer", Eloise took Penelope's hand, trying to at least lesser the gossip that was sure to come out of this moment. It did not matter these people wouldn't do it out of malice, they would simply share what had happened, only the truth was already enough to cause unsavory gossip once it got to the wrong ears.

"What?" Penelope said, looking away from Colin for the first time.

"I am feeling a bit unwell, would you accompany me to my house?" She said.

"Of course, El", Penelope started getting up.

"I will take you-", Colin started saying.

"No!" Shouted Benedict, suddenly, "No, I mean, we have to make sure Miss Prudence Featherington gets home all right. And I am sure Eloise would like Penelope's company much more than yours right now", he said, leaving no room for debate.

"But we cannot let them leave on their own", Colin protested.

"Why don't you allow me, Miss Bridgerton?" Michael intervened.

"Yes, I would be delighted", Eloise said. Colin knew by that un-Eloise answer that they were trying to help him, he just didn't know with what exactly, but he nodded.

They made their way to leave, saying goodbye to amused gentlemen, dreamy eyed ladies and two confused matrons.

Hyacinth had been surprised Eloise and Penelope had arrived so early form Lady Danbury's, even more surprised to learn Benedict and Colin stayed there, and they had come home on the company of Michael Santis.

"I think I really want to know", she said, once they had dismissed Michael and moved to Eloise's room.

"Believe me, you will sooner or later", Eloise said.

"What do you mean?" Penelope was still thinking about Colin singing, she hadn't really paid attention to anything else, so she hadn't noticed Eloise was lying when she said she was feeling unwell. "Do you feel better already?" She asked.

"Dear God, Pen. I wasn't feeling bad. I simply thought you needed to get out of there before doing something stupid in front of that many people", Eloise said, dramatically.

"Now I really need to know all the details. What happened?" Hyacinth asked, excited.

Eloise told Hyacinth the story without missing a single detail.

"I knew they were lovesick birds. But not even I could have imagined something like that would happen", Hyacinth said, amused.

Penelope was all red. She hadn't realized they had been quite so bold, she thought no one had noticed.

"You have to write about this in Whistledown. It would be suspicious if you didn't. I am certain at least the debutantes will retell the story a dozen times, some with envy, even, as soon as they get home. It will be known by everyone by tomorrow morning", Hyacinth said.

"You know about Whistledown?!" Eloise shouted.

"They found out some days ago", Penelope explained.

"Who exactly is they?" Eloise asked.

"Felicity, Gregory and myself", Hyacinth told her.

"I do not think I could write about it. I know I have to, but… I cannot seem to think of any way I can talk about it without making clear to everyone that it is I who wrote the article", Penelope confessed.

"Then we'll help you", Eloise said. She had decided she would do everything in her power to protect her best friend's secret. Now that Penelope was not keeping it to herself, the two of them were unstoppable, they would protect each other against God himself if they needed to.

"Thank you", Pen said, hugging her friend.

The three of them spent hours trying to come up with a way to inform of the event without making it clear that the writer had witnessed (more like live) it herself, for that would reduce the suspects to a selected few.

Penelope hadn't been able to get it right, Eloise had a great gift for details, she had made a list of things Penelope had to mention, but she couldn't find it in herself to sound like Lady Whistledown, so they couldn't use what she had written.

Hyacinth had been really quiet, taking notes of the way Penelope would phrase things and all the details Eloise insisted just had to be written about, writing something herself.

"I think I've got it", she said excitedly, "but I don't think you would let us print that, so I am not gonna show you", Hyacinth said to Penelope.

"But I have to know, how will I be able to tell if it is indeed right if I don't read it?" Penelope protested.

"Do you trust El?" Hyacinth asked her.

"Now more than ever", Penelope quickly replied, "and with my life", she said not an ounce of doubt in her.

"Then she'll read it, and she will decide if it is alright or not", Hyacinth said.

Penelope nodded, unsure. She watched as Hyacinth handed Eloise the paper with her writings for Eloise to read them.

Eloise started reading. She couldn't believe this hadn't been written by the same person behind Lady Whistledown, Hyacinth managed to sound just the right way, even if it was clear Penelope would have never written what was on the paper, if Eloise didn't know any better she wouldn't be able to tell this was written by someone else entirely.

"This is indeed what we needed. You do have to publish this, Pen", Eloise said, but knowing her friend would never do it if she knew what was written, she added, "but you cannot read it before taking it to the print shop".

"I will only do it because I trust you two", Penelope said. She went home to finish the rest of the Lady Whistledown writings that would be printed the next morning and took them to the print shop.

Intrusion

She had just finished putting her nightgown on after arriving home from the pronto shop when there was a noise coming from outside her window.

Thinking it was Eloise, Penelope didn't even bother asking who it could be, she just opened the window. But before she could look out of it to see her friend someone got into her room.

She had been too stunned to react, even more so when she realized it was a man, and even more so when she recognised Colin.

"Colin! What are you doing here?" Penelope whisper-shouted.

"I am sorry to scare you Pen. But, Benedict wouldn't let me out of sight. I was already in bed, see?" He looked at his clothes, and sure enough, he was not even remotely properly dressed, he had no cravat, no jacket, just a thin shirt through which Penelope could almost see his chest and a pair of trousers. "And I really tried to go to sleep, but I just couldn't. And then I looked out of my window and noticed there was light in your room and I thought maybe you couldn't sleep either and I just couldn't stay there, I had to come see you". He explained his presence there, trying not to make too much noise.

Penelope hadn't been aware he knew this was her bedroom.

"How did you know it was me?" She asked him.

"I'm not sure. I suppose I just do. My room is right in front of yours, you know?" He answered.

"I know", she said. "Why did you have to come?" She asked him.

"Because…" He started, he took a few steps closer to her, he was not extremely close to her, but he could easily touch her if he wanted to. "Pen you left… wi-with Michael!" He said, whisper-shouting like she had done before.

"Eloise said she wasn't feeling well. I couldn't just leave her to return alone", she said.

"But why did it have to be Michael, the one to accompany you?!" Colin insisted, "why him when we had just had a moment?.. Or at least I thought we had", his tone was angry, "but one does not have a moment with someone and then just leaves with another prospect", he recriminated.

"I didn't leave with another prospect, Colin!" Why was it so easy to get mad at him over stupidities?

"You did, Penelope!" He said, "God! I had been planning to -", he cut off, "but then you just -", he didn't finish that sentence either.

"You cannot keep treating me as if I was betraying you simply because for the first time you are not the only man I like to talk to!" She yelled at him, somehow still whispering, in order not to wake her mother, or sisters, or the staff. It would be scandalous if they were found out, she was only in her nightgown, not wearing anything else to look at least a little bit more presentable, not even wearing a corset, not to mention he looked as if he had lost most of his clothing.

"I am just trying to understand, Penelope!" he said, angrily, but still keeping his volume down.

She moved closer to him, she realized they had found themselves in this position so often lately. "What exactly are you trying to understand?" She demanded an answer.

Colin became extremely nervous, "I - You", Colin was so aware of their closeness he wasn't capable of speech.

"Tell me", she ordered. She felt good, knowing how she was the one causing him to lose the ability to have a conversation. She liked it so much she even dared to put her hands on his neck to put his head closer, teasing him, "what do you want to understand?" she whispered in his ear.

"Why do you -" but he really couldn't finish a single thought, he was overwhelmed by Penelope's scent, honey and strawberries.

"Why do I what, Colin?" Penelope kept teasing him.

His name on her lips was his undoing. He could not help it, he wanted so desperately to taste her. But he had promised he would never touch her without her consent, so he decided to ask first.

"Penelope, I want…" He breathed in her scent again.

She loved having that power over him, the same power he certainly had over her, but right now she wasn't going to give it away.

"What do you want, Colin?" She asked him, moving her face so her mouth was so close to his lips she could already taste his breath.

"I want to…", he breathed out, "kiss me", he said.

Penelope was confused, so she pulled back a little.

"What?" She asked.

"You!" Colin almost positively yelled, forgetting they had to be quiet, "I - I want - I want you - to kiss me", he said, bending down, so she could do it if she wanted too.

Penelope did as she was asked.

Colin's life was forever changed. He had kissed women before. Hell! He had even kissed a few men. But nothing, no one, could compare to the feeling of Penelope. He was kissing Penelope Featherington, and God! It was glorious.

He had to stop for a second, for something in his head was bothering him.

"How did you know what you had to do?" Colin had imagined that the first time he would kiss her, he would have to teach her how to do it, he had even imagined saying something like «you can kiss me too, a kiss is for two people». But Penelope needed no instruction, she hadn't even hesitated to do it. And the thought of Penelope being kissed by another man awakened something primitive in him. "Have you ever been kissed before, Pen?" He asked her. He needed to know, he wasn't mad, but he swore to himself that if another gentleman had kissed her before, he would do his best to make her forget everything about him, he would make sure Penelope would only remember him.

"Not by a gentleman", she answered.

"Good", he said and put his lips back on her before actually getting what she had just said, "wait, what do you mean «not by a gentleman»?" He asked her.

"Well, you are the first man I have ever kissed", she said.

"But not the first person", Colin concluded.

Penelope went red, so he knew he had guessed correctly. He chuckled.

"Who have you been kissing, Pen?" He asked, bringing her lips to his smiling.

"Eloise" Penelope answered.

"As in my sister Eloise?" He asked, not sure if he was amused or taken completely aback.

"I do not know of any other Eloise", she said.

"Why have you been kissing my sister?" He asked her, raising his head because he didn't want to talk about any of his siblings while having Penelope's lips on him.

"We were curious. And we thought it was unfair you were allowed to kiss whoever you wanted but we weren't", she answered him. "And we couldn't just ask a man to kiss us because we would be ruined. So we decided to practice with each other".

Colin couldn't help but chuckle. These two were unpredictable, no doubt they were attached at the hip. They were closer than best friends should.

"Do you still do it? Practice with her I mean", Colin asked her, needing the answer before continuing anything.

"No, we stopped doing it after we found out Marina was with child. We got scared we could come to be with child if we kept doing it. No one taught us any better, you see". She said.

Well, at least he wasn't kissing the same woman his sister was. It was still a bit weird, but he had no right to be mad about it.

"Ok. I would appreciate it if you don't kiss my sister ever again, tho. It is weird enough to know you have", he said, kissing her again.

"I won't", she promised.

They kept kissing passionately for a while, at first Colin was unsure if it would be ok with her if he moved his hands, but she didn't seem as unsure as he did, her hands were almost everywhere, on his hair, on his abdomen, on his chest, on his arms, on his neck.

He started moving his hands up from their place at her hips, one of his hands stopped at her breast, not daring to actually touch her, fearing it could scare her, but not willing to not keep his hand there. His other hand went to her hair, pulling her closer and closer.

She moaned against his mouth and knowing she was enjoying this as much as he was he didn't ask permission to move his lips to her neck. Another moan, this time a little bit louder.

"Shhh", he said to her, not helping by sucking on her neck.

"Colin", she moaned again. "I can't be quiet if you keep doing that", she said. The smirk on his face, a sign of how much he liked to hear that.

"Then I am afraid we must stop now", he said, not without gently sucking her neck again. "I'll call on you tomorrow", he said, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before climbing out of the window.

"Good night, Pen", he said before he was completely out of earshot.

"Good night, Colin", she said.

It was sad. Knowing how good it could be to have exactly what you wanted, yet not being able to keep it. But she had decided she could not marry Colin, no matter how much both of them may want it.

Chapter Text

Bets

Next morning Colin was preparing to pay a brief call on Penelope. It had to be brief because he had spent the whole morning the previous day practicing the song with Franchesca, so he had asked Felicity to move their lesson to the following morning.

He was about to make his way into the dining room when the butler stopped him.

"Someone is waiting for you, Sir" He informed Colin.

"For me?" Colin asked. It was a weird feeling, receiving a caller during calling hours. But curious as to who could be calling on him, he made his way to the drawing room.

"Colin", Harry Dankworth greeted him.

"Harry?" Colin wasn't expecting him. "What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I read Lady Whistledown this morning", he said as if that was enough explanation.

"Great!" Said Colin not knowing what Harry had meant by that. "I enjoy reading it from time to time too", he said unsure. What was he supposed to say?

"Is it true then?" Harry asked. Colin just looked more confused, so he tried to explain further, "the thing about your eyes?" He said.

"I am afraid I am not following, Harry", Colin said, unable to understand what Harry was asking.

"Do you like Penelope as more than a friend?" He asked, no filter.

Colin didn't know what it had to do with Whistledown and his eyes, but he wasn't going to lie to him, "I do. In fact, I hope she gives me the chance to formally court her", he said. He wasn't sure what to expect, the two gentlemen had become friendly, but they were still fighting for Penelope's love.

"Oh. I see", Harry said, taking Colin's words in.

"Look, Harry. If you came in to tell me you are not going to make it easy for me, then -", Colin started, but Harry interrupted him.

"I didn't come to fight. I may not be a genius, but anyone with capacity to see can tell you are a fallen man, in fact, anyone with the capacity to perceive the world could", Harry said, "but I think we have somehow become friends, so I thought I should be honest with you".

"Ok. I'm listening", Colin said.

"I like Penelope as more than a friend too. And I, too, would love to have the chance to court her. I will keep trying, I would love to make her my wife", Colin wanted to protest, but Harry stopped him from doing it, "but only if she wishes to. If she doesn't, though, I would be happy simply being her friend. I know the thought may be uncomfortable to you, but all I am asking is for you to understand that I will be her friend for as long as she lets me. I would never disrespect something as sacred as a marriage, I assure you, but I would like to be her friend. She is the only person who doesn't treat me as if I were some kind of stupid animal", he said, "And I also wanted to tell you that if she wants to marry me, you would always be welcome at our house, anyone Penelope loves would be part of my life as well, and I don't want for this to cause a problem that may hurt her". Harry finished.

Colin felt so small at that moment, the way Harry had come straight to him, the way he was giving him the chance to keep Penelope in his life no matter who she chose to marry, Colin wasn't sure if he would have done the same if Harry hadn't come to him first.

"As long as Penelope wants you in her life, no matter who she wants to marry, you and I will be in each other's life", Colin said, Harry smiled at him, "can we agree to be friends despite being rivals on this?" Colin asked him, offering him his hand to Harry, who took it.

"Done. But can we agree not to talk about our love lives if Penelope wishes to marry one of us?" Harry asked, "I don't think I would like to hear the stories". Harry said, he sounded so serious it made Colin want to laugh, it was a foregone conclusion, but he supposed Harry had never been the best at reading the room.

"Please! I don't think I would like to hear them either". He said. "Why don't you come have some breakfast with us?" Colin invited him.

"Oh, you are really kind, but I was going to the Featherington's. I need to go pick the dog this afternoon, the one we talked about, since tomorrow is Felicity's birthday, so I'll have to leave earlier than usual, and I thought I would arrive earlier too", Harry said.

"Of course! Have fun, and do tell Felicity to be ready, I'll take her to the park for her lessons today". Colin said.

"Sure, I'll tell her", Harry said, making his way out of the room.

Colin entered the dining room. He noticed he was the last one to arrive.

"Has the new Lady Whistledown arrived?" He asked, still not knowing what Harry had meant by «the thing about his eyes».

"I didn't know you liked the paper that much, brother", Anthony teased him.

"Shut up, Mr. Kate", he said. He knew Anthony actually loved the nickname, but he loved watching his brother pretend he hated it, so they would keep using it. "I am simply curious as to what it says about me", he explained.

"Someone's got a big ego, I see. How are you so sure you're on it?" Benedict asked.

"Harry Dankworth mentioned reading something about my eyes when he came in to see me", Colin said.

"Ow! You had a caller because Lady Whistledown wrote something about your eyes?" Kate mocked him.

"So funny, Mrs. Anthony", Kate loved the nickname too, but she made a better job at pretending she hated it.

"No, but seriously though, why would Mr. Dankworth come to your house to tell you he read something about your eyes on Whistledown?" Asked Franchesca, amused.

"I am not sure, since I haven't read it", Colin replied, rolling his eyes.

"Have none of you read it yet?" Hyacinth asked, "I think today's article is one of my favorites".

"I have no doubt it is", said Eloise, grinning.

"What does it say?" Asked Gregory, curious.

"Here, you read it", Hyacinth replied, handing them two copies of Lady Whistledown, one for each side of the table.

They all got closer so they could read it. Even Violet was doing so.

"What does she mean «alarmingly close»?" Anthony asked him, using the same tone he used with Hyacinth and Gregory when they were misbehaving.

"She's exaggerating", Colin said.

"No she's not, I was ready to tackle you out at any moment, to prevent you from ruining Penelope in front of everybody", Benedict said.

"You exaggerate as well", Colin shrugged.

"Believe me, they do not, even Michael Santis looked prepared to take you should you move any closer", Eloise said. "I was already considering dueling you. I was sure you would ruin my friend", she said, going back to her seat.

"And you are one to talk", Colin said. He certainly wouldn't have done anything Eloise hadn't already done herself, as he had learnt the night before.

"What does that mean?" Eloise asked.

Colin couldn't very well tell them what he meant, because if he did they would ask how he knew and then he didn't know how he would cover the fact that he had sneaked into Penelope's room.

"I don't know, it was the first thing I thought to say", he lied.

"Agh!" Eloise made a sound, as she rolled her eyes.

They all continued eating, joking here and there, just a normal family morning, until Colin got up and said.

"It is time I go to the Featheringtons. Will you be coming with us to the park, Hyacinth?" He asked, meaning him and Felicity.

"No, I have to go to the modist to the final fitting for Felicity's new dress Gregory will give her", Hyacinth answered. Since Felicity and her were the same size, Gregory had asked her to be the model for Felicity's dress, so it would truly be a surprise.

"Very well. I'll see you in the afternoon then", Colin said, before leaving the room.

Once he was out of the room, Franchesca broke the silence.

"How long do you give him until he actually proposes?" She asked everyone.

"A few days ago, I would have said a month at the very least, but after witnessing the song yesterday, I say he'll propose by the end of the week", Benedict said.

"I don't think so. Maybe Colin would actually ask for a ring this week, but I don't see him proposing without Penelope saying she wants him to", Anthony said.

"I believe a month is a sensible choice", Violet said.

"I think he will ask permission to court her this week, but he won't propose until after Franchesca's wedding", Gregory said.

"Yes, I agree with you, Greg", Franchesca said.

"You are all wrong. They will only become engaged until the end of the season. Mark my words", Hyacinth said.

"Is it a bet then?" Kate asked, "because my money is with Hyacinth", she declared.

"Of course it is a bet", all of the Bridgertons said. Even Violet, although her tone was more frustrated than the excited one of all her kids.

"So, what is your bet, Anthony?" Benedict asked, "don't you agree with me?"

"And bet against Hyacinth and my wife? Have you lost your mind? They NEVER lose", he said. "But do put ten on my name"

Felicity's birthday

After both Harry and Colin had left Penelope thought she could have a free day, without entertaining any gentleman. She had told Lord Debbling they were not going to work, so he had stopped calling on her. He had been more interested in having Portia as a mother in law who would give him fashion advice than he had been interested in Penelope, so he had moved on to Prudence instead.

But to her surprise and that of her mamma's, she received another caller that day, one Mr. Michael Santis.

"Mr. Santis! What a surprise", Penelope said.

"Please, call me Michael, no need for formalities", he said.

"What are you doing here, Michael?" Penelope asked, "not that I don't want you to be here, but I do not understand", Penelope said, once they had moved to the side of the room where she always received Harry and Colin, where her mother could see but not hear anything.

"Oh, I apologize, it may sound as if I am trying to use you, but the truth is my mother and aunt have been asking me to start looking for a bride. And I knew they would be content if I paid a call on a young lady. And seeing as I actually enjoy your company and they talk about you a lot, clearly with no hidden intentions", he said sarcastically, "then I thought you were the only answer to my problems". Michael answered.

"Well, I don't think it was a smart move on your part. My mama has seen you, now she'll be trying to set us up for promenades and dances", Penelope told him.

"But since you are such a good company, it wouldn't be so bad, besides, once you are engaged to either Colin or that Henry guy, she'll stop trying", he said.

"First, it's Harry, not Henry. Second, how are you so sure I'll be engaged anytime soon? And third, do not underestimate my mamma, she tried to marry my sister to our cousin", Penelope said.

"That sounds gross". Michael said.

"It was", Penelope said, making a face when she remembered the events, causing Michael to laugh.

"You even make me laugh!" He said, "if she doesn't stop at your engagement, then she will stop at your wedding, and by then the season will be coming to an end anyway. It's a win-win, Penelope", he said, helping himself with some pastries.

"If you are so sure about it", Penelope said, "but you will have to find a way to entertain me as well", she told him.

"I like you, Penelope", Michael said. Penelope simply smiled at him.

After a couple of hours, Michael decided it was time for him to leave.

"Oh, you should come to our picnic and dinner tomorrow, it is my youngest's birthday, you see?" Lady Featherington was telling him.

Michael looked at Penelope and couldn't help but smile watching Penelope mouth «I told you» to him.

"I will be delighted to accompany you, Lady Featherington", he said. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow", he said, taking Penelope's hand and giving her a kiss on it.

Only a few hours talking to him and Penelope already knew he was a helpless flirt. One could even say rake, but as Daphne always said, there was more to being a rake than just being with lots of women, and she could not imagine this man being one. She still rolled her eyes at the gesture, though, causing Michael to smirk.

The next morning, Felicity woke up at the sound of her sister singing a birthday song for her. Penelope had even made a cake for her.

"Happy birthday, not so young girl" Penelope told her, pulling her into a hug and giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Gregory gave me this last night. He said it was his birthday gift to you, but thought you may want to see it before you got ready for the day", Penelope told her, handing her a box with a big ribbon on top and a handwritten card that read «You are my favorite 15 years old redhead» from Gregory.

"What do you think it is?" Felicity asked her.

"I don't know. You should open it, that way we'll know what he meant", Penelope told her.

Felicity took the note to save it, then undid the ribbon and opened the box. It was a beautiful light blue dress. Felicity loved it, she had always wanted a dress out of her mamma's choosing, but she had only recently allowed Penelope to pick her own dresses so she had no hope to actually have one before marrying. But thanks to Gregory, and she suspected Hyacinth (she knew Gregory wouldn't have known what kind of dress to pick, but the fact that he still thought to get her one was more than enough), now she had a beautiful dress, she already believed this was one of her best birthdays.

Colin, Gregory and Hyacinth arrived at the Featherington House earlier than even Phillipa and Al. Hyacinth had brought with her a couple of gifts, a book Felicity had been desperately wanting to read, a box full with her favorite sweets and a medallion with their initials.

"So you always remember I love you", she had said. Felicity loved her best friend.

Colin had brought a gift with him too, but had said he couldn't give it to her before Harry arrived. It seemed they had planned to give her a joint gift, and Harry had a very important piece of it.

The next ones to arrive were Phillipa and Al, who gave her new earrings. They were followed by Lord Debbling, who was invited by Prudence and not knowing Felicity very well had brought her chocolates. Next came in a man neither Felicity nor Penelope had ever interacted with, he said he was their mother's new suitor and gave Hyacinth ten pounds, for some reason thinking she was Felicity. Mr. Anderson, he had said.

When Harry arrived he first asked for Colin's assistance, he had brought two gifts, he said, one in a box, which he gave Felicity, telling her not to open it yet, and the second being the joint gift he had bought her alongside Colin.

"Close your eyes", he told her. Then called Colin to come in with the puppy.

Penelope gasped, she had missed Fluffy, and this seemed like a perfect gift for Felicity.

"You can open your eyes now!" Colin told her excited to see her reaction.

"My God! Are you serious? I get to have a new furry friend?" Felicity asked them, happiness in her voice.

"Of course! You have a new friend, now. I must admit this was Colin's idea", Harry said.

"But Harry did almost all the work", Colin said.

They had agreed Harry had to keep the puppy with him. With the amount of time Felicity spent at Bridgerton House he could not have hidden it from her.

"Thank you!" She was too happy she forgot it wouldn't look good for her to hug the two gentlemen as she did, since they were not related to her.

"We take it you like it", Colin said, patting her on the back, as Harry was doing.

"I love him already", she said, then paused. "Is it a he or a she?" She asked.

"It's a she. I believe. Last time she peed she sat down instead of putting her leg up", Harry answered.

"Oh we have to give her a name", said Hyacinth.

"What about Princess Barter?" Gregory suggested.

"I don't know, I like the Princess part, but I'm not sure about Barter", Felicity said.

"What about Princess Fanny?" Hyacinth suggested, "that way she would have yours and Penelope's initials".

"I love it", Felicity said, happily. "Say hello to Princess Fanny", Felicity told the group. She then opened the boxes Colin and Harry had brought, they contained everything she could think of Princess Fanny could possibly need.

"What are we waiting for, then?", Colin said, "Let's go to the park, we will take you to the lake while your mother and sisters have some tea", he told Felicity.

"We are only waiting for Mr. Santis, now", said Lady Featherington.

Colin and Harry looked at each other. They had agreed to be friends for as long as Penelope wanted them both in her life, but they hadn't even considered the possibility of there being a third party.

"Did someone call me?" Michael appeared at the door.

"We were just saying you were the only one needed to make our way to the park for the picnic", Penelope said.

"Oh! My apologies for being late. I had to stop to bring the birthday girl this", he said, putting out a beautiful ruby necklace that, despite not having even met her, so clearly belonged to Felicity.

"Is this for me?" Felicity asked, astonished.

"It is", Michael said.

"It's so beautiful", Hyacinth said.

Traitor. Colin thought.

"Well we should get going", he said irritated.

Chapter Text

Wet

The little gathering, consisting of the Featheringtons, the three Bridgertons, Harry, Mr. Anderson, Lord Debbling and Michael made their way to the park. Colin kept a close eye on Michael and all the special attention he was paying Penelope. The two had been so secretive since he had arrived, and Lady Featherington was more than happy to allow them some privacy.

"Do you think we should worry about him?" Harry had asked him.

"I think we'll have the answer after our picnic", Colin had told him.

Penelope and Michael had been privately talking since the gentleman had arrived at her house, thanks to her mother.

"Just so it's on the record, you are doing this to yourself", she had told Michael when it was obvious Portia would keep trying to set the two up.

"I am aware of that. But your mother may be more bearable than my own and my aunt", he had answered him.

She didn't know why befriending the man was so easy for her. She imagined it was due to the fact that, unlike her situation with Harry, she didn't feel the pressure of wanting him to particularly like her, and unlike her situation with Colin since she was 16, she didn't have feelings for him.

"Does your mother not realize it will look incredibly rude of you to completely ignore your suitors?" Michael asked her, as they were arriving at the place where the picnic was to take place. Her mother's efforts to give them some privacy were evident.

"Believe me, she does. But I told you, you did this to yourself, my mama will be trying to set me up with you without caring about them from now on", she told him.

"But why? Henry is very wealthy, even more than I am, even if he has no title or connections, he's a great prospect", Michael said.

"Harry", Penelope interrupted, "his name is Harry". He had made it a point not to say his name correctly, in an attempt to make clear he did not approve of the match. Only, not wanting to be that obvious and having known Colin since he and John started Eaton, he couldn't very well pretend he didn't really know his name, so he had started calling them «Henry and Bridgerton».

"Whatever", Michael said. Penelope rolled her eyes. "As I was saying, then there is Bridgerton, he may be a third son, but he's more wealthy than most earls, his brother is a Viscount, his sister is a Dutchess, and his other sister is to marry my cousin, an Earl", Michael finished saying.

"How obvious it is that you don't know my mother. That is true, but you are second in line to the title. And my mother is just the kind of person to care about that sort of stuff". She explained.

"Well, I am unlikely to ever be titled, so I don't see the point". He replied.

"Because there is no point. But in her head it is of extreme importance that you are more likely to hold a title than Colin or Harry ever will", she said.

"Why didn't she insist you court the weird guy, then?" Michael asked, meaning Lord Debbling. Penelope had told him about the guy the day before, "he is a Lord".

"Believe me, she did. After I told him we were not gonna work, my mother stopped talking to me for days, until Lord Debbling started calling on Prudence", she said.

"And here I thought my amazing looks had something to do with it", Michael joked.

Penelope laughed loudly, causing everyone to look at them.

"Hey! If it hadn't been you I would be deeply offended", Michael said.

"Sorry! But wouldn't it be weird if my mother had selected you because you're handsome?" Penelope said, still smiling.

"So you do think I'm handsome", he teased her.

"Not more than Harry or Colin, no", she teased back.

The group arrived at the place where the picnic was taking place then. Colin and Harry told the two youngest girls it was time for their boat ride in the lake, and they excitedly followed the two gentlemen, followed by Gregory.

"You don't like boats?" Michael asked her.

"I do", Penelope said, "why the question?"

"So, you are telling me that you like boat rides, yet none of the gentlemen currently courting you asked you to go with them?" Michael chuckled.

"Well, no. But they are taking Felicity, she is really excited about this". She said in their defense.

Michael chuckled again. "Idiots! Those two. You may have a type, Ginger", he said.

"Michael!" Penelope yelled, but laughed at his comment.

"Come on", he stood up and offered her to take his hand, then increasing his voice's volume he almost shouted, "Do me the honor, Miss Featherington, to come with me on our own boat ride".

"You are incorrigible, Michael", Penelope laughed, but took his hand anyway.

"Remind me, why didn't we ask her to come with us?" Harry asked Colin as they prepared the boat they were to take.

"Because we are stupid, Harry", Colin answered.

"You didn't even think to ask her?" Gregory asked. He was helping them, Colin included him at every chance he got after Gregory had asked to stop being treated as a baby.

Harry and Colin both shook their heads, not knowing why they hadn't thought to invite her.

"Idiots!" Gregory said. They couldn't agree more.

Once they finished the preparations the three helped Hyacinth and Felicity into the boat and climbed in after them.

The ride started with Felicity and Hyacinth chatting excitedly, joined by Gregory from time to time, when he was not busy laughing at the gentlemen's faces every time they looked at Michael and Penelope's boat.

"Why didn't she come with us instead?" Felicity asked them, suddenly.

"Because they didn't invite her", Gregory answered, with a laugh.

"Why not?" Hyacinth asked, confused.

"We didn't think to do it", Colin admitted, Harry nodded in agreement.

"Idiots!" Both Felicity and Hyacinth said.

"Once we are off this boat…" Hyacinth told the two, "Go get your girl, you two!" She said.

Colin and Harry's relationship was confusing to the three young kids, but if they were comfortable being friends knowing the other wanted Penelope too, they weren't going to question it.

But then, without warning they heard something splash on the water, so they turned only to see Penelope and Michael fall off the boat.

Colin didn't think twice, he threw himself to the water, in order to reach Penelope. But by doing so, he turned their boat upside down too.

A lot of things happened all at once, Colin reached Penelope, who despite knowing how to swim, was struggling to keep afloat, consequence of the corset. Gregory didn't hesitate a second to reach for Hyacinth, just like Harry was reaching for Felicity. None of them were bad swimmers, but the dresses they were made to wear made it difficult for them to keep afloat.

Finch, Lord Debbling and Mr. Anderson all went to the edge of the lake to try to help the gentlemen get to the ground with the ladies.

Finch quickly gave Felicity his coat, trying to offer some comfort to the wet girl. Lord Debbling and Mr. Anderson did the same, offering Hyacinth and Penelope their coats.

"What the hell was that, Santis?!" Colin yelled at him.

"An accident", he said. Penelope couldn't help but laugh.

Colin looked at her, annoyed at her laughter when he had been trying to protect her.

"You could have caused a horrible incident while you were with Penelope!" Harry said, angry as well.

"But nothing happened. It was really an accident, don't blame him", Penelope pleaded.

In fact, Michael had done it on purpose. They had been talking about Penelope's confusion at having both Harry and Colin as suitors. She just couldn't think of a reason why they would like to court her, and had confessed to Michael that sometimes she doubted they were being honest. Michael had assured her they were, but not really wanting to believe him, she had asked for some proof, to which Michael had said, "they would dive in to help you in a heartbeat if you fell", but when Penelope had protested, he had said "you'll see" and then they were in the water.

"Fine! I have to go get some dry clothes for me and my siblings, anyway", Colin was angry. At Michael for putting Penelope in danger and causing him to put the rest of them in danger too, and at Penelope for defending him.

He then motioned for his siblings to follow him, which they did.

"Will you still come to dinner?" Felicity asked them.

"Of course, kid", Colin answered, softening his voice, Felicity hadn't done anything wrong.

The picnic had been cut short by the incident, all of the people involved had to go home to change their clothes, but they all promised they would be back for dinner. Even Michael, at Portia and Penelope's insistence.

"Penelope", Felicity called her sister as the two were taking a bath so they wouldn't get sick.

"Tell me", Penelope answered.

"What caused your boat to turn upside down?" She asked her. She had been fearing something could have happened between her and Michael that had caused him to get distracted, or worse, to move so abruptly they fell.

"Michael got distracted", Penelope answered. Felicity didn't like the answer.

"With what?" She asked, quietly. Penelope didn't know what to say, she was thinking of a good excuse. Felicity, knowing her sister as well as she did, knew whatever she was going to say would be just that, an excuse, it was clear Penelope didn't want to tell her. She worried about it.

"Never mind. You don't have to tell me", Felicity said.

"Let's say he just did", Penelope agreed, not being able to come up with an excuse.

After they were done bathing they got dressed so they could return to the family drawing room, where they were to eat lunch. Felicity put on the last dress her father had bought for her, a light pink one that she really liked. Penelope put on a light green dress.

Don't interfere

Dinner arrived quickly, the Bridgertons arrived with Eloise who, having heard of the incident, came in to see if her friend was alright.

Then Harry arrived and started talking to Colin as the two friends catched up with the events of the morning.

And then, to Colin's annoyance, Michael arrived, carrying a new gift for Felicity.

"I apologize for the incident I caused. I got distracted. But I hope this can earn your forgiveness", he told Felicity giving her the gift he had brought, "your sister told me about your watercolors", he said.

"Thank you, sir. But you really didn't have to", Felicity told him.

"Nonsense! You should allow people to spoil you from time to time", Michael insisted.

"Very well, then. Thank you, I love the gift. Perhaps we can practice together again, Hya", Felicity said, looking excitedly at the watercolors in her hands.

"Only if Colin can come to tell me a story", she said.

Felicity looked at Colin then, hopeful.

"Is tomorrow after church ok with you?" He asked.

"Thank you, Colin", both girls said.

"Let's move to the dining room now", said Portia, "I am sure we are all hungry".

They made their way to the table, Mr. Anderson sat at the foot of the table, opposite Portia; Lord Debbling sat beside Prudence and Albion, who was in front of his wife; Eloise sat to Penelope's right; Hyacinth in the middle of Gregory and Felicity; Colin and Harry sat one beside the other, in front of Penelope and Eloise and, being the only seat left, Michael sat to Penelope's left.

"I think they like each other more than they like you, now", Michael told Penelope, whispering in her ear, watching Colin and Harry talking to each other, watching Penelope.

Penelope laughed a little, "they would have handsome babies, for sure", she joked.

"My kids will be more handsome", he said to her.

"If you say so", Penelope said, smiling, before the staff arrived to serve dinner.

"Do you think she likes him?" Harry asked Colin, whispering.

"No. Her eyes don't do the thing. They do when she sees me, or even you, I'm afraid", Colin answered, honestly. Harry chuckled. Colin liked being able to talk openly to Harry. "But I think he may like her", he said, "I am not sure yet, Michael can be… confusing".

"It's her decision anyway, is it not?" Harry said, simply.

"It is", Colin said, sighing.

The night was a very pleasant one, the whole group, with the exception of Lady Featherington and Mr. Anderson, who had mysteriously disappeared, started a game of Charades. The pair with the most correct answers would win the remainder of the birthday cake.

The pairs consisted of Hyacinth and Felicity, Penelope and Eloise, Albion and Phillipa, John Debbling and Prudence, Harry and Colin and Michael and Gregory. As costume Hyacinth and Felicity were winning.

"Rats!" Harry was shouting, "no, no, no! Fleas!.. No I'm mistaken, it's… it's… I don't know what it is, do something else, Colin!" The time was almost over.

Colin, then stopped doing what he was doing and changed to doing something weird with his hands and legs. Harry got even more confused.

"A baby having a tantrum?" Harry asked. Colin hit his head.

"Time's up!" Said Eloise.

"It was a clock!" Colin said.

"How?" Prudence asked, causing everyone to laugh.

"You suck at this game, brother", said Gregory.

"Language!" Phillipa admonished.

"Sorry", Gregory actually apologized.

They continued playing for a while until it was becoming too late. The Finches, Lord Debbling and Harry had already retired for the day. Michael was saying his goodbyes to Penelope, taking his time just to annoy Colin.

"Are you staying here today, Hya?" Colin asked, trying to ignore Michael. The girls usually spent their birthday having a sleepover.

"Yes, I am", Hyacinth said.

"Very well, then Greg and I will go now. Have a good night", he said. "Happy birthday, Felicity", he said.

"You can call me Fel, if you'd like", Felicity told him.

"I hope you enjoyed your birthday despite having ended up wet, Fel", Colin told her.

"I did, thank you very much, Colin", she said.

"I will get you another dress, it was my fault yours got ruined, after all", Colin said.

"Yes you will, it had been a perfect gift", Gregory said, waving everyone goodbye and getting out of the room.

"See you tomorrow, Pen", Colin said. He had wanted to wait until Michael had left, but it was clear Michael wouldn't go until Colin was no longer there, and Colin rather him not staying any later.

When the two Bridgerton brothers had left Michael actually stood up, ready to leave too.

"Wait, I'll bring you the book you lent me yesterday", Penelope told him.

"You finished it already?" He asked, surprised.

"It wasn't a large book", she said, making her way out of the room to retrieve the book.

Michael sat down to wait for her, when suddenly the two young girls approached him.

"Are you trying to court my sister?" Felicity asked him.

"You don't sound happy at the prospect", Michael commented.

"We are not", Hyacinth said.

"Can I know why?" Michael asked.

"Because it's always been Colin and Penelope", they said.

"You don't seem to dislike Harry, tho", he said.

"I don't", Felicity said, "We don't dislike you either. But it's different with Harry".

"How?" He asked, amused.

"Well, firstly because he helped boost my sister's confidence. Second because weirdly enough he and Colin seem to have come to some kind of agreement, they may even be friends", she answered.

"Colin is my friend too", he said, unable to keep the smirk off his face.

"Well, yes, but... You don't actually like Penelope, not the way Harry and my brother do. Your eyes, they don't light up when she enters a room the ways theirs do", Hyacinth argued.

"If you keep flirting with her, what if she loses her chance to be happy with one of them?" Felicity asked.

"What about this?" He said, "I will make it clear I am not looking for a wife right now, without offending Penelope. And I can keep being her friend and perhaps get along better with you", he offered them a deal.

"And you promise not to interfere?" Hyacinth asked.

"I would even help you get Colin to actually do something about her. I have heard him talk about her for years and years", he said, honestly.

"We have a deal, then. But seriously, don't get in the middle", Hyacinth said, offering her hand, when he only looked at it, Felicity added a "Please". Michael took the offer hand right before Penelope entered the room with his book.

"I believe I must go now. Good night, ladies". And he left.

Chapter Text

Convenient

The following week passed rather quickly. Penelope kept entertaining both Colin and Harry, and even if it wasn't exactly entertaining, she kept Michael company.

The Featheringtons had been invited to go to Aubrey Hall for the Bridgerton masquerade in honor of Violet's birthday before the arrival of the other guests alongside the Santis the day of Franchesca's wedding. To the whole Bridgerton family relief, Portia had declined the invitation, claiming she could not leave now that she was in a courtship with Mr. Anderson, and Prudence couldn't leave London either now that Lord Debbling was calling on her every calling day. But after the insistence of Violet, Kate, the two youngest Bridgertons and even Anthony himself, Portia had given her permission to her two youngest to go with the Bridgertons to Aubrey Hall, and say she would meet them there.

Michael had been in a mood ever since John and Franchesca's wedding.

"Michael, may I ask you something?" She had asked him one morning, a couple of days after Franchesca's nuptials, when Michael called on her.

"Sure", he said, not looking at her.

"Did you not like Franchesca?" She asked. He went all pale.

Penelope could only think of one reason for his mood after the wedding. He hadn't had a chance to meet his cousin's bride before the ceremony due to her busy schedule full of preparations for the wedding. She assumed he just hadn't liked his cousin's choice of a wife, because he had been in a mood right after John had introduced them.

"What makes you think so? She's…" He said, taking in a breath, "lovely", his mind was clearly elsewhere.

"You have been acting weird ever since you met her. Are you sad it's not gonna be just you and your cousin anymore, then?" She asked.

"Why do you have to be so good at reading people?" He sounded angry.

"I'm sorry. I was merely curious", Penelope said, not knowing what had caused him to get angry at her.

"You do not understand", he said, still not sounding like himself.

"I cannot if you don't explain it", she answered matter-of-factly.

"I am a bad person, Penelope", he said to her, sounding much more serious than he had ever sounded.

"No, you're not. Whoever has made you think so, I assure you it is not true", she said.

"If you only knew, you would agree with me", he insisted.

"No, I would not", she said, "you haven't done anything for me to think so, I believe you are exaggerating", she said.

"I fell in love with Franchesca!" He whisper-shouted. Desperate to have someone to yell at him, to tell him how horrible he was. And not knowing who he could trust apart from this redhead.

"Oh", she exclaimed. She took a moment to think before saying. "That is unfortunate, yes. But you are not a bad person because of it. One cannot choose who to fall for, believe, I know".

"She is my brother's wife", he said. They weren't brothers in the full sense of the word, but they were in every way that mattered. He chose to use that word so Penelope would understand the gravity of the situation, the treason he was committing.

"Even so, you do not plan to do anything about it, do you?" She asked.

"Of course not! I would never", he said.

"Then you are not a bad person, merely one who is suffering from an unimaginable kind of heart break", she told him.

He took his time to think about what she had said. It was true, he hadn't chosen to love Franchesca, «One cannot choose who to fall for», she had said. How true it was.

"Who did you fall for that you shouldn't have?" He decided to change the topic, talking about her instead.

"I beg your pardon?" She replied.

"Who have you fallen for?" He repeated. "And do not say no one. I know by the way you said it that you were thinking about someone". He said.

"Isn't it obvious?" She answered.

"Why shouldn't you fall for Bridgerton? He's head over heels for you", Michael was confused, "or do you mean Henry?" Michael asked, "Do not tell me we are talking about someone else", he said, eyes wide.

"Of course it's Colin", she said. "But it just cannot happen. No matter how much I want it", she said.

"Why not?" Michael couldn't think of a single reason.

"I just can't", she simply said, "and, as much as I like Harry. Kissing him wasn't the same", she said, not realizing what she had confessed. "I mean it was so good, but, something was missing", she breathed in, "Would I be using him if I choose to marry him despite knowing I would forever wish he was another?" She asked.

"There's so much to unpack there, but, let's focus on the important bits", he commented, "you cannot marry Colin because… reasons, I suppose, but you feel it would be unfair to marry Harry when your heart belongs to Colin", he said, not really understanding.

"Well, pretty much, yes", she answered. "I just wish there was a way to be honest with my future husband, without hurting him. That I could marry someone I like, but who wouldn't be hurt by my love for another. Someone who was agreeable to just be with me with none of us expecting more from the other and… At the same time, someone pleasing to spend the rest of my life with". She tried to explain. It was hard putting into words what she wanted.

Michael looked at her for a long moment, he opened his mouth a few times but closed it again, no words coming out of it, until he finally gathered his courage and said…

"Then marry me".

Penelope looked at him, not knowing what else to do.

"You are joking", she said.

"Not at all", he said.

"Why would you want to marry me?" She asked.

"Because we are pretty much in the same situation here, you cannot marry Colin for reasons I do not understand, and I can't marry the woman I love. But I think we both find each other pleasing", he winked at her, "you wouldn't expect me to love you, nor would I expect you to love me. And yet, we would both be able to be honest with one another", he said. "It is exactly what you said you wanted", he said.

Penelope considered it for a second, it was truly exactly what she wanted
But before she could utter a word, Colin came in, for the second time that morning, carrying a list Lady Bridgerton had done of things that needed to be seen before going to Aubrey Hall the following day.

Eloise and Hyacinth had insisted it was imperative they shared Penelope and Felicity's carriage to Aubrey Hall, and Colin had gentlemanly offered to «keep an eye on them» by going in the same carriage.

Violet, Kate and Anthony were hesitant at first to agree to this, but since Eloise and Hyacinth convinced them nothing was gonna happen because they would all be there to witness it, they had given them their permission to follow through.

When they were about to go, Colin help the young ladies into the carriage, firs Hyacinth, then Franchesca who took a seat next to Hyacinth, then Eloise who sat in front of them, and then Penelope, who may or may not have anticipated Colin's help to get in the carriage and decided not to wear any gloves.

Colin took Penelope's hand to help them into the carriage, anticipating the rush of electricity that was sure to run through his body when he saw Penelope's lack of gloves. He took her hand and hold it for a little more than necessary, before getting in himself.

When he was in, he noticed he had two options to sit in, either beside Hyacinth or Penelope. He chose the seat beside Penelope.

They were all too tired to even try and have a conversation. Hyacinth and Felicity became quickly entangled and fell asleep. Eloise had tried to stay awake with her friend, but after a few hours she gave up.

"I'm sorry, Pen, but I am really tired, may I use you as a pillow?" She said.

"You already know the answer", Penelope said, positioning herself so Eloise would be more comfortable.

Colin waited until he knew all the rest of them were asleep to prove his luck and reach for Penelope's hand.

She hesitated at first, but took his hand in hers and held it firmly.

"I was dying to touch you, you know?" Colin whispered.

"As was I", Penelope said.

"The first time I touched your bare hand, that was when I knew…. When I knew that I… That it was you… That for me there was no other", he said.

"I don't think we should be talking about this right now", she whispered.

"Probably not", he agreed, "but I can't find it in myself to care", he said. Moving his lips closer to hers. Giving her a quick kiss on the mouth.

"But I have been wanting to do that again for so long", he gave her another quick kiss on the lips.

Hyacinth had heard voices whispering, and being who she was, she couldn't help but overhear. Then there was a noise she did not recognise, so she discreetly opened one eye. She almost jumped out of happiness when she saw Colin kissing Penelope. Surely it meant they were already talking about marriage.

But the noise Hyacinth movement caused made the two jump apart.

Hyacinth then pretended to have been moving to be more comfortable in her sleep, just like Eloise was taking a new position after Pen had jumped and scared Eloise, who was profoundly asleep.

"Maybe it wasn't the best idea to do it now", Penelope giggled, quietly.

"Just you wait until we arrive home", he answered, still holding her hand as he positioned himself to sleep, her head on his shoulder and his on top of hers.

Penelope knew she had to stop this, he had called it «home», not «my home», not «Aubrey Hall», he had said «until we arrive home». She could not marry him, no matter how much her heart wanted to be selfish and have the man of her dreams all for herself, but she couldn't, for her best friend's sake, for Hyacinth and Gregory who had loved Felicity without conditions, for Violet who had always been there for her, even when her own mother wasn't, for Anthony and Benedict who had protected her more than once against other gentlemen, even when they didn't know she was aware, for Kate, who had been the kindest of all to her during the off season, for Franchesca who had been such a good friend, but especially for Colin himself, because he loved his family dearly, and she loved him. It didn't matter if he wasn't exactly what Penelope had thought he was, she had come to learn he was more insecure and impulsive than she had thought, that he possessed a temper that drove her mad, she would love him no matter what, against all odds, against the whole world, how could she put him at risk when all she wanted was to protect him? She couldn't. But she would have the rest of her life to love him, to miss him. She could allow herself a little more time to pretend this could be real.

When they arrived at Aubrey Hall she was surprised to see Felicity and her were given a private room in the family wing. Their maids, who had accompanied them, Henrieta and Harriet, who happened to be sisters as well, helped them change their clothes before dinner.

"Did you see the new dresses Colin left for me?" Felicity asked Harriet, excitedly.

Colin had bought her seven whole new dresses, in replacement of the dress he had ruined the day of her birthday.

"I did, miss. All of them will look beautiful on you, I am sure", Harriet said.

"Thank you, Harriet. I was thinking I could use one tomorrow", she said, looking at her lady's maid.

"It is a good idea, perhaps the purple one?" She asked.

"Yes! And Pen, you can use the one he left for you, too", Felicity said, making eyes at her sister innocently.

Colin had arranged for the dresses to be left in their room. When he was paying for the dresses she would give Felicity as Hyacinth picked them up and modeled for Madam De la Croix, he had seen a Bridgerton blue fabric he thought would suit Penelope, and he payed the modist to make a dress for Penelope with it, saying he would recompense her discretion if she could come up with a way to take Penelope's measures without telling her he was buying her a dress.

"Maybe I will", Penelope said. Reminding herself she would take the following days to pretend this could be real, this was her last opportunity to wear a Bridgerton Blue dress before she would accept Michael's proposal.

She had been thinking it through. After being interrupted, Michael had told her she could take her time to consider it, and that she could give her an answer later. Penelope had decided it was the best course of action, they would both be on the same page. She would tell him about Whistledown first, of course, let him decide for himself, but she did not think it would be as bad for him and his family as it would be for the Bridgertons, as there were no unmarried young ladies in his family she could ruin. They would go to Scotland, or maybe even to Spain, where his parents had gone to, once the Independence War in New Spain had started, before his uncle had got the title of Earl from an old distant uncle of his who had never married and decided to spend his life in the company of one good friend of his, Michael had told her.

"I think you will look lovely in that dress, miss", Henrietta told her.

Penelope smiled, she had always thought Bridgerton blue would really suit her.

The truth gets out

The Santis arrived only a few hours after the Bridgertons, and they too, were given rooms in the family wing.

Once they were in the dining room, Penelope took a seat at the table at random and saw both Colin and Michael make their way to sit at either side of her.

"Have you thought about my proposal?" Michael asked her, talking in her ear, discreetly.

"I have", Penelope answered, not wanting to tell him of her decision yet.

"And do you plan to tell me what you decided?" He insisted, not exactly getting an answer.

"I do. But not right now", she said.

He only chuckled. He may not love her, but life would surely be interesting with her, she would not leave it easy for him.

"What is so important you cannot wait to discuss it later, Santis?" Colin asked him.

"You do not wish to know, Bridgerton", Michael said, directing his attention to his food.

After dinner everyone had gone to their bedchambers, having had a tiring trip. Penelope, however couldn't sleep, and knowing her way into the house, having been invited multiple times by Eloise before debuting, she made her way directly to the family private gallery.

She loved the room, it was full of portraits of generations and generations of Bridgertons, all looking so attractive, so happy on family portraits and so mesmerized by their partners, there was a couple of bookshelves too, and a small desk on the corner.

She hadn't expected anyone to be there.

"Pen!" Colin was surprised to see here.

"Colin!" She was equally as surprised. "I didn't know you would be her. I thought everyone had already gone to bed".

"Funny", he said, "I thought the very same". He closed the notebook he had been writing on and moved to be closer to her.

"What were you doing?" Penelope asked. She hadn't known Colin kept a diary.

"Nothing of importance", he said, "I just really like being here. It helps me remember there are people in my life who love me", he smiled.

"I can understand that. This is a beautiful room". She said.

They were absentmindedly getting closer and closer. Once they were able to actually touch each other, Colin put a hand on her cheek.

"We are alone now", he commented.

"We are", she said, unable to let this opportunity go to waste and unwilling not to take it.

He kissed her. It was a soft but passionate kiss, one he hoped was saying everything his words were not. He had his hands on her buttocks, trying to pull her closer. She had her hands in his head, she loved the feeling of his wild mane under her fingers.

He moved his mouth to her neck, and one of his hands to the back of her legs, lifting her up, expertly putting her back against a wall, making it easier for him to kiss her without breaking his neck.

She instinctively put her legs around his waist, making him groan. Suddenly she couldn't bear his cravat hiding his neck from her, so she removed it with one hand. He moved the hand that had lifted her to the edge of her dress, touching her stocking, moving his hand up, touching the back of her knee. His other hand had made his way to caress her right breast without his notice.

She started moaning, moving one of her hands from his hair to the inside of his shirt, touching his bare chest.

"Colin", she moaned, "I need…", sheshe started saying, but she didn't know exactly what she needed, so she settled for "Please".

He couldn't help the smirk on his face at the sound of her pleading for him to pleasure her.

"Be quiet, love", he said to her ear, biting it when he finished the sentence.

"Please, Colin, I want…" She was willing to beg if she needed to, but she wouldn't dare voice what she was thinking. His hand had made its way up on her leg, it was now dangerously close to that prohibited place in her body she had been told not to even think about, and she wanted him to touch her there.

"I will need you to tell me what you want, Pen", Colin said. He was going to give her whatever she wanted, as long as it wouldn't put her at risk of complete ruin. He wanted everyone to know he worshiped the ground she walked on, and it wouldn't do for everyone to think they had only married to avoid scandal.

"I want… Everything", she said, hoping he would understand what she meant.

He looked at her as if to confirm if he had understood right, when she nodded, pleading with her eyes, he gave a quick kiss to her lips, before saying, "Pen, we cannot do that", he kissed her again, "not before we are married", he went back to kissing her neck.

She knew that was not going tk happen, but she wanted it so much, she couldn't help but beg for it, "Please, Colin. I want this. You have no idea how much I want this". He kissed her lips.

"Believe me, I do. But I don't want to risk a scandal that would harm your reputation", he said, his mouth daring to move lower than he had gone before.

"Please, Colin. I want you", she begged, "I'd take any risks with you", she said, knowing it was a lie, there was one risk she wouldn't put him on.

Colin knew he could take her now, she would be a willing participant, she would match his enthusiasm, but if he was going to do it, he needed her to know first that he wouldn't be proposing out of some stupid sense of honor, that he wanted her to be his wife, even if they didn't go any further at the moment.

"Then say you'll marry me, Pen", he said then, stopping his kisses. Looking her in the eye.

Penelope looked like she was going to cry. "I can't", she said, a tear falling from her cheek.

He wasn't expecting that. He put her down on her feet. "Why not?" He asked, "I thought you felt something for me", he sounded wounded.

"I do… God! I have loved you since I was 16. I… I will only ever love you, Colin", she was desperate.

"Then why can't you marry me?" His tone was equally as desperate.

"Because I would never do that to you", she said, knowing he couldn't understand.

"Do what to me? Make me the happiest person on Earth? Give me the chance to be with the love of my life for the rest of my days?" The desperation in his voice had only increased.

"The love of your life?" She asked.

"Yes, Penelope. The love of my life". He answered.

She hadn't thought Colin was that serious about her, she had accepted he had feelings for her, but he had had feelings for Marina and she was certainly not the love of his life.

"I cannot marry you because you are the love of mine", she said, unable to contain the tears anymore.

"That makes no sense, Penelope!" He was starting to sound frustrated.

"It does! Believe me I have a damn good reason! Even if you don't understand it… I am trying to save you from pain", she said.

"Then help me understand! I am sure we can solve whatever it is together", he said, he was definitely frustrated now.

"We cannot! Trust me. I have considered every possibility. Every. Single. One. I cannot be selfish enough to accept you. I can't do that to you", she said, crying.

"Why?!" He was yelling now, "Why can't you allow yourself to be happy?!"

"Because I am Lady Whistledown!" She shouted.

He went all pale, frozen in his place. He knew she wouldn't just say something like that if it wasn't true. She was not lying. But she had lied to him. She had hurt his family. It had been her, all this time.

Penelope just looked at him. Thinking he must hate her now. And she could not bear it.

"I need to go", Colin said, making his way out of the room.

Chapter Text

Where the confusion began

Penelope had been sitting in the family gallery crying for about two hours. Her hair was now a complete mess and she was so red she could be mistaken for a tomato.

She had managed to calm herself a little bit and decided it was time to go talk to Eloise, she would make it better, she always did.

When she was in the family wing she was so concentrated in getting to Eloise's room, she hadn't seen the man getting out of his room. She crashed into him.

"My god, Penelope! Are you alright?" Michael took sight of her. Just one look into her puffy eyes made him know she was not alright, "did anything happen? Did someone do something to you?" He asked her, but she couldn't make a single sensible sound, all she did was cry.

Feeling bad and concerned for her all Michael could think of doing was hold her tightly, trying to make the pain go away.

"You are safe now. Nothing will happen to you, Penelope. I promise", he was telling her.

That seemed to be working, her cries softened, and she could finally speak. Still, he did not let go, just in case.

"Michael, you need to know something", she said.

"Tell me", he said.

Penelope buried her face on his chest again, before saying, "it has something to do with your proposal".

Michael smiled at her, even if she could not see it. "Is that a yes, Penelope?" He asked, teasingly.

Penelope, however, didn't get a chance to answer, "Michael?! What the hell are you doing?" John shouted at him. Trying to keep his voice down not to wake the others.

"Not what you are thinking" he said, moving away from Penelope.

"Then tell me what were you doing holding an unmarried young lady in the middle of the night?" John demanded.

"I need to go see Eloise", Penelope said, flying out of the scene without any more explanation, but she could hear John's voice saying "And please do include the reason for her crying in your story".

"And then, when I was coming here I crashed into Michael. He doesn't know why I was crying, but he tried to comfort me, and then John saw us and now if he says anything I would be ruined anyway, and I haven't told Michael about Whistledown and I-" Penelope was talking so fast.

"Pen! Breathe", Eloise told her, holding her hand reassuringly. "I lost half of the story because you are not pausing enough times to breathe", she said. "Now, let me see if I got this right… You told Colin about Whistledown, and he left you alone at the gallery?"

Penelope nodded.

"And you stayed there for a while, but then you came looking for me and found Michael, who…" Eloise had lost that bit of the story.

"He hugged me for a while, because I was crying, and he didn't let go until John appeared in front of us", she said.

"Dear God!" Eloise exclaimed, "do you think he'll force the two of you to marry?" Eloise asked.

"I do not know", Penelope said, "but I am not as concerned about that as I am about Colin", she confessed.

"You cannot worry about that now, especially not right now. Our footman John is bringing in some gossip in the morning and I arranged for Theo to meet you close to here so you can deliver the newest Lady Whistledown while we are here and everyone else is in London. Remember it is really important, that way no one will suspect Lady Whistledown is one of us", she said.

"How did you convince them both?" Penelope asked. She had been surprised when Eloise had come up with a plan for her to write the Lady Whistledown article about the ball they were going to lose for having come to Aubrey Hall earlier than expected.

"I promised John a promenade with one of your maids, with Henrietta, actually", Eloise confessed, "and Theo said he was sorry about last season and accepted to help with no further questions. I still pay him to get me some books mamma wouldn't let me buy by myself", she explained.

"I will tell Henrietta I need her to arrange for a hired carriage tomorrow after everyone has gone to bed. You are right, I will try to see how Colin reacts to the news first", she decided.

Colin hadn't been able to sleep all night, images of Penelope writing Lady Whistledown all over his thoughts. Had he ever truly known Penelope? He wanted the answer so desperately to be yes. But the Penelope she knew would have told him about Marina right away. Had she tried? He couldn't remember, he had been so focused on Marina that season he couldn't recall anything else. He remembered Penelope trying to tell him Marina was in love with another, perhaps she hadn't been fully aware of the situation back then, after all, he had explained to her how babies were made just this season. Still, there was the issue with Eloise, what had that been about? Didn't she care about El? Was the person he thought he loved a complete stranger?

He was in a mood the next morning. He wanted so desperately to hit or kick someone, or something, that he proposed a round of pall mall after breakfast. The Bridgertons being the Bridgertons had accepted without hesitation.

"The mallet of death is mine!" Kate and Anthony were once again fighting over the black mallet, Kate always won in the end.

"We should decide who else is going to play. Simon doesn't want to, especially after the incident at pall mall two years ago", Daphne, who was not going to be stopped, not even by 7 and a half months of pregnancy, from joining a pall mall game with the family was saying.

"Fran and John are busy, so they won't join", Benedict said, "I say Michael or Penelope join".

"I rather not", Penelope said.

"And I trust her sense", Michael added, causing Penelope to giggle.

"Can I join in, then?" Gregory asked hopefully.

"I don't see why not", Colin said, "let's take our mallets now. You pick first Greg. Anth and Kate are going to be like that for a while and you don't want to end up with the pink mallet. It brings bad luck, I am sure".

Gregory picked the orange mallet, happy to be joining in with his siblings.

"Now I'll pick mine, since I won the last game", Colin said. Everyone was starting to argue, but Colin didn't pay any mind to it, just taking the blue mallet, one he had never picked before, he realized. He normally chose either the green or the yellow one, he always won when he was using those.

The rest of his siblings weren't as civilized, they all made to grab a mallet of their own. Leaving Anthony, for what felt like the millionth time to play with the pink mallet.

While they were all playing, Penelope was sitting in the grass, cheering her best friend on, while Felicity and Hyacinth played with some ribbons. Michael decided it was a good time to get an answer out of her.

"Why don't you tell me what you have decided about my proposal? We won't be interrupted right now", he said, approaching her.

"I believe I will like to accept", Penelope said. Michael smirked, "but I have something to tell you first. I need to meet with you at night, so no one else will listen. Eloise will come as emotional support, but, if you change your mind… after I tell you… I'll understand".

"I do not think you could say anything to cause me not to want to make you my wife", Michael said, "but I'll wait up for tonight", he said, winking at her.

Chaos unfolds

"Do you really think she'll elope with him?" Hyacinth asked her friend.

The two had heard bits of Michael and Penelope's conversation, but not being close enough to listen carefully for all the details, they only had caught words here and there.

"It's the only thing I can think of that would make sense. He did say «make you my wife»" Felicity answered.

"And I did hear Penelope saying she needed to see him tonight", Hyacinth said, worried. "I thought Pen and Colin had figured things out, by now… I… We need to stop this from happening, Fel".

"How?" Felicity asked, "we don't know what the plan is… If we want to stop it we need to at least know how they are going to go to Gretna Green".

"Then we need to keep a close eye on Penelope", Hyacinth decided, "we will see if she bribes any of the servants to help her get a carriage, and if she does then we'll know where and when to intercept it", she decided.

"Hya…" Felicity said, "can we keep this between the two of us for now?" She asked, "I don't want Gregory to think Pen is just looking for an advantageous match. I don't understand what is happening, but I know she loves your brother".

"Of course! I won't tell anyone, Fel", she said.

The two made sure to stay near Penelope for the rest of the day without her noticing.

"We need to leave Gregory a note. Just in case we are not back in the morning", Felicity said to Hyacinth, handing her a note they were to slip under Gregory's door before leaving.

Following Penelope had been easy, they had found out Henrietta was going to call for a hired carriage to wait for Penelope at the edge of Aubrey Hall. The girls had decided to go hide on a tree near the edge of the property so they could stop Penelope from getting in the carriage. They had put some of Gregory's old clothes that were still in the nursery.

"Do you know what time she will be leaving?" Hyacinth asked.

"No. But I heard Michael telling John he would be out by 11" Felicity answered.

"They won't leave at the same time nor right after the other if they don't want to be suspicious, so you think by 12?" Hyacinth concluded.

"Yes. I say we go like half an hour before 12 so we can really stop her", Felicity said.

"You are right, we should be there when she appears", Hyacinth agreed.

Penelope and Michael had agreed to talk around 3 in the morning, to make sure no one would be still up and for Michael to have time to visit an old friend of his who lived near Aubrey Hall.

Penelope was really nervous, not only was she to reveal her secret to another person, she may end up engaged right after it. It was also the first time she would have to snuck out of Aubrey Hall. John had brought some gossip to them in the morning and Penelope had spent the afternoon writing about it for Lady Whistledown, now she had to take the writings to Theo, Eloise's friend, so he could take it to the print shop.

Penelope decided to wear the Bridgerton Blue dress, only because one way or another, this was the last time she would be able to pretend for a while. She put on the dress and went downstairs to get dinner with the rest.

Around ten everyone started leaving to go to their rooms, Penelope and Eloise made sure to listen carefully until they knew everyone had gone to bed, with the exception of Michael, who was also going to be out.

Once they were sure everyone had at least started to fall asleep Penelope left Eloise's room, where she had been waiting, it was quarter past 11. She left the house and walked to the edge of the property, to take the hired carriage that was already waiting for her.

What Penelope didn't know was that two young women were following her, having thought they had more time they had panicked when they saw her far ahead of them and Penelope couldn't hear how they yelled for her to stop, so she didn't notice they ran behind the carriage for a while after she got in.

Gregory had needed to use the pot at one point during the night, and that was the only reason he saw the note that had slipped under his door. He thought it odd, but odd was normal at Bridgerton House, so he didn't really consider any possibilities before opening it.

"For fucks sake! I have stupid siblings! And friends!" Gregory yelled, making his way out of his room and to the room of the only other person who was sure to be as worried as he was… Colin.

He knocked desperately on the door, a sound, not an intelligent one, he knocked again, harder. This time it only took a few seconds before Colin opened the door.

"What is your problem? Some of us actually try to sleep", he said.

"Why don't you see for yourself what my problem is?" Gregory told him, handing him the note.

"I do not understand", Colin was utterly confused.

"What part are you confused about?" Gregory was irritated.

"Why do they think Pen is going to elope with Michael? And why do they feel the need to intervene?" He asked.

"Because we've been waiting for you to realize Pen was more than «just a friend» to you. Penelope has been in love with you for a while now, I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't think you are being honest with her right now and decided to keep her options open", he said.

"That's where you're mistaken. She's the one who hasn't been honest with me. Not just now, but for a while now… She's hurt us, Greg", Colin argued.

"What are you talking about? She has never hurt us, I mean maybe a little but she didn't want to, not even with…" Gregory paused then, remembering he didn't actually know what Colin was talking about and not wanting to be the one telling him about Lady Whistledown.

"Do you know something?" Colin asked.

"That depends on what exactly you mean by something", Gregory answered.

"I think you know perfectly well what I mean… How did you find out?" He asked.

"By accident, we were at Felicity's house and they sent me to look for Pen and… well, the evidence was there" he said, still not wanting to say what he had found out, in case they were having two different conversations.

"She lied, Greg. She's written awful things about us", Colin said.

"When? She kept a secret, yes, but she never wrote anything just to hurt us. In fact, she's helped us more times than not, she ruined her own family just so you wouldn't be trapped in a lie", Gregory was starting to think he should have gone to Benedict instead.

"And what about Eloise?" He asked.

"I believe that if Eloise has forgiven her, and even helped her, as she has as of late, the two must have a damn good reason to have published the article", Gregory said, "now, are you coming with me to look for Hya and Fel or should I go alone? Because we've wasted a lot of time already".

"I am going to look for them… You wake Anthony up and bring him with you, do bring your horses too, and Gregory… You will be an amazing man one day", Colin said, making his way to Anthony's studio.

"Wait, you are not going alone, we do not know what may be happening, you'll need help. I will ask someone to wake Anthony up and give him a note and I will go with you". Gregory said, leaving no argument for debate. He left his brother for a moment to find someone on the staff who would wake Anthony. When he got back to his brother he saw Colin holding a gun.

"What is that for?" He asked.

"In case we need it, of course", Colin answered. "Bring your horse and let's go".

The two made their way to retrieve their horses and then to the perimeter of Aubrey Hall. They didn't know which direction the girls had gone in, so they started shouting their names in case one of them could hear them.

A few minutes had passed, they were so worried because they hadn't seen them yet, despite being at the edge of the property already, when they heard their screams.

"Hyacinth! Felicity!" Both Colin and Gregory shouted.

"Colin! Greg!" Hyacinth yelled back.

"Where are you?!" Colin shouted.

"We don't know, but there is a wild dog! We think it may have rabies", Felicity answered.

"Keep yourselves as far away from it as possible" Gregory shouted, getting rabies pretty much meant getting a death sentence. "I hope you are a better shot than me, Col. We are going to need it, after all".

"We should have woken up Eloise", Colin tried to joke, making his way to where the shouts appeared to be coming from. Gregory right behind him.

They finally spotted the girls. They were up in a tree trying to keep the dog at bay. Colin didn't hesitate a second before pulling the trigger. He felt bad for the dog, but being a decision between the dog and his little sisters, it would always be an easy choice.

The two girls climbed off the tree and went to hug Colin and Gregory, who put their arms protectively around them.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Gregory asked them.

"We wanted to stop Pen from doing something stupid", Hyacinth said.

"By doing something stupid yourselves?" Colin asked. Gregory and him were taking off their coats, putting them on the girls so they wouldn't be so cold.

"We are sorry Colin", Felicity told him, still crying, so Colin hugged her tightly, trying to assure her of her safety.

"It's fine, you are alright now", he kept saying.

"But it's not, now she's gone and you won't be together and…" Felicity started positively sobbing.

"We couldn't get to her in time, she left, in a hired carriage… Colin, we are sorry, we promised we tried, we…" Hyacinth started sobbing too, a rare occurrence, Hyacinth was cold headed most of the time. That dog must have really scared her.

"Where did she go?" He asked the girls, who pointed in the same direction.

"Gregory, you are in charge of taking the girls home safely. Tell Anthony everything. I will go try to find Pen", he instructed them. He hugged the girls one more time before saying "do not worry, she will be fine, I promise".

And he made his way to look for the redhead that had stolen his heart and his every thought, the one who was probably on her way to marry another man.

Chapter Text

What happened?
Eloise was waiting awake for Penelope to come back, she was keeping herself busy by reading a book when a lot of noise started to come from outside her door. She didn't give it much thought at first, but then, she heard Anthony's voice.

"Wake up Fran! And John! Now!" He was trying to be quiet, as if he didn't want to be heard. If it wasn't for the fact that he was using his head of the house voice, Eloise would have thought he was sleep talking.

She was being as silent as she possibly could in order to hear what was being said, when suddenly he knocked on her door.

"Eloise! I know you are awake! You must come with us instantly!" Eloise panicked, but she didn't dare open the door.

"I said instantly Eloise!" Anthony said, a bit louder.

She hesitantly opened the door and was surprised to find not an angry Anthony, but a worried one. She was about to ask what was the matter when Fran and John came out of their room.

The three followed Anthony to a study near the entrance of the house, one that was so rarely used that Eloise began to fear the worst.

When they got there they saw Kate and Benedict already there, but they couldn't even greet them, for Anthony began talking without wasting any other second

"Where did they go?" He directed the question at Eloise and John, which confused Eloise.

"I beg your pardon?" John didn't seem to understand either.

"I don't have time for this. Hyacinth and Felicity could be in danger for trying to follow them. WHERE. DID. THEY. GO?" He asked again, emphasizing every word.

Eloise was utterly lost. Hyacinth and Felicity? They tried to follow someone? And why did Anthony think she knew where they had gone?

"How would we know, brother?" Francesca answered, looking as confused as Eloise and as worried as Anthony.

"Probably not you", Anthony conceded, "but they must have at least an idea", he motioned to John and Eloise.

"I do not understand why you think I know where the girls went", John said, not able to make sense of it.

"Because they were following Michael and Penelope", Anthony said.

Eloise was taken aback by that. Why were they following Penelope? And most confusing of all, why were they following Michael?

"Well, Michael went to visit a friend of his who lives nearby", said John, "but I do not see…" He was interrupted.

"I demand the truth", said Anthony. Followed by a "We know they eloped" by Benedict.

What? They thought Penelope and Michael had eloped, but why?

"I do not follow", she said, trying to see if they would give her more information. Francesca and John looked as surprised as she was by hearing the other's suspicion.

"Eloise, please tell us. I assure you we are not trying to ruin your best friend, we just want to know where to start looking for the girls", Kate said to her.

"Except, I do not know what you are talking about", she admitted.

"And I assure you. I was told Michael would be visiting his friend", John added.

The three older people in the room looked very frustrated at this. She thought she was going to be reprimanded, when the sound of horses started coming from outside.

Anthony ran to the door, followed closely by the others. He was outside the house already when they noticed the sound came from Gregory's horse. The girls were riding him, and Gregory was walking along.

As soon as Hyacinth saw Anthony, she got off the horse and ran to his arms. Anthony had never felt so much relief in his life.

Benedict helped Felicity get off the horse and instructed a boy to take Gregory's horse to the stable.

"What were you thinking?" Anthony asked Hyacinth who was still hugging him tightly.

"They weren't", said Gregory.

"We are sorry, Lord Bridgerton", said Felicity, with as much formality as she could. "We panicked about my sister rushing into marriage with someone she doesn't love".

"I have known you since you were born, Felicity", Anthony said, extending a hand to take hers in his, "you can call me Anthony", he tried his best to show her he was not angry with her, merely worried about her and his sister.

"You should have told us, though", he said, sounding very serious. "We care about Penelope a lot. We could have helped without you putting yourselves in danger", he said.

"Why don't we finish this talk inside?" Kate said.

Everyone followed her lead and went inside, to the little study. Once there, the girls told everyone the story of why they had ended up making that decision. John left in the middle of it, determined to find an answer. He went looking for Michael, to where he said he was going to be, at his friend's house.

"Colin's got the gun", Gregory told Anthony, after John had left and the girls finished their story.

"Dear god!" Exclaimed Francesca, "I pray Michael didn't lie to us".

"For all of our sakes, I pray for the same", Anthony said.

"We will know sooner rather than later", said Kate.

"What do you mean?" Asked Benedict.

"Well, if John comes back with Michael we will know they didn't elope. But that would lead to the question…" She didn't want to voice it, but everyone understood what she was thinking by the look she directed at Eloise.

"I don't know where she went. She said she was just going to take a walk to the orangery" Eloise lied.

"Because she is eloping with Michael!" Hyacinth said, miserably.

"She is not!" Eloise retorted.

"We heard them talk about their plans to go forward with the proposal", Felicity said.

"She would never get married without me and you there!" Eloise tried to make Felicity see reason.

"And I thought she would never say yes to a proposal that was not Colin's", Felicity returned.

"She hasn't accepted Michael's. She would have told me", that last part Eloise wanted desperately to believe.

Michael didn't understand why his cousin had interrupted him and his friend so rudely. Nor did he have any idea why they were making haste to Aubrey Hall in the middle of the night. He had planned to spend most of the night at his friend's house, but although John had said he didn't have time to explain he made sure Michael knew how important it was that they got to Aubrey Hall as soon as possible.

Michael was scared something may have happened to Francesca, was she in need of help? How bad could it be that her husband and brothers, who were all powerful and wealthy men, needed his help?

He was fearing the worst, and so, he didn't hesitate to follow John as fast as possible to Aubrey Hall. When they got there he seriously didn't understand a thing.

"You promised us!" He was welcomed by an infuriated Hyacinth, who was clearly mad at him. He didn't know why.

"You gave us your word!" Felicity accused. She didn't sound mad, though, merely sad, which confused him even more.

"I beg your pardon, misses, but I do not understand", he said, looking at everyone in the room, noticing for the first time, they were all, apart from the girls dressed in their night clothes. What on earth is going on and how do I figure in all of this? He thought.

"You said you would not intervene!" Hyacinth was still yelling at him, being held on by Kate. He was sure the girl would have his head if she wasn't being held.

"But you still proposed to my sister. And now we don't even know where she is", Felicity said, and she looked at him in such a way would have sworn he had killed her puppy.

"How do you know that?.. And most importantly, what do you mean you don't know where Penelope is? Surely she is in her bedroom", he said. Everything was making less and less sense every second.

All of the people present looked at him in confusion.

"Tell me what happened, please", he finally asked.

Anthony retold the girl's story for him without so many details, just so he knew what was going on.

"I will admit I did propose to Penelope. And truth be told I had agreed to meet her later tonight, but we had no plans of eloping", he said, finally understanding why he was needed.

"And you had the impudence of telling us you would even help?" Hyacinth was clearly still furious.

"But she didn't accept your proposal did she?" Eloise asked.

"Not exactly. She said we needed to talk first" he answered. That seemed to satisfy Eloise.

"But then where did my sister go?" Felicity asked no one in particular, her face all worry.

Eloise looked at her, trying to explain with her eyes, she knew the kids knew, but none of them seemed to understand the meaning behind her look, none except for Gregory.

"Dear god! I hope Colin doesn't kill anyone" Gregory said, leaving Michael with such wide eyes Kate couldn't help but laugh, before everyone joined her.

Confrontations and carriages

Colin was going as fast as his horse would allow him too. He wasn't sure what exactly he was feeling. Jealousy? Probably, betrayed? Surely, sad? Maybe, scared? Indeed, the inclination to shoot someone? It was likely, as if he was going to die? He thought so.

When Gregory knocked on his door, he had been dreaming, it was one of those dreams again, the ones in which he was running from death and saved by that voice, that light. Except this time, he recognised the voice and when he got to it, he saw her face. He would have loved to know what happened after, but that was when he had been awoken.

What was he going to do once he found her? Stop her from marrying him? And what then? He still felt uneasy with the knowledge of her secret, but what Gregory said had been true.

Penelope had saved him, even ruining her own family by doing so. And Eloise? She would have killed Penelope herself had she had no reason for writing what she did about his sister.

Perhaps, he reflected, he needed to know, because now he was able to see her completely, and as scary and insensible as it was, he found himself loving her more than ever.

Suddenly it was all so clear. What he was feeling, that being despair; what he would do. He would stop her from marrying him, unless of course she truly wanted to. He would ask for her hand. And if she said yes this time, he would spend the rest of his life loving her, and protecting that love.

He had been riding for about two hours already, when he finally saw a hired hack waiting outside what looked like an inn.

"Hey sir, did you, by any chance, bring a redhead here?" He asked the man waiting in the carriage.

"Yes, sir. She said she would pay more if I waited for her", he said.

Colin rolled his eyes, if it was that easy to get information out of that man…

"Thank you sir", he said, but then he remembered if he was to take Penelope with him back to Aubrey Hall, he would need a carriage.

"I'll pay for the carriage" he suddenly said.

"What?" The man said, awestruck.

"I will buy this carriage from you" he repeated, "how much did it cost you?", he persisted, "would £300 suffice?", he said.

Colin thought it had been a good thing to have taken as much money as he could with him. He was prepared to buy his way out of any difficult situation if needed be, so this would not signify.

As a response the man got immediately off the carriage. Colin counted the money as he was given it to him, so the man would know he was not being tricked.

"You can keep your horse", Colin said, thinking he needed to take his horse back with him and that perhaps it was unfair if kept the horse for that price.

The man widened his eyes. Well, the price would have been fair, after all, Colin thought, but he didn't really care.

"Thank you so much, good sir", the man said, taking his horse as if Colin may change his mind if he didn't take it fast enough.

Colin all but ran inside the Inn, he was prepared to bribe as many people as necessary to know where Penelope was. But it turned out he didn't need to, for he saw her, about to leave the Inn, and she was… dressed like a maid?

"What in the name of god do you think you are doing?" He all but yelled at her. A gentleman appeared behind her.

"Do not talk to the lady like that", the man warned. He was furious now.

"And who are you with?" Colin ignored him. Some more people appeared, hungry for gossip, no doubt.

"Do you know him, miss Penelope?" The man asked her. She had become completely frozen the second she saw him, but seeing Theo and Colin could start punching each other at any second, Colin out of anger and Theo for thinking he was defending a lady, she nodded, still unable to talk.

"I'm Theo Sharpe", he said, answering Colin's question.

"Eloise's friend?" He asked, confused.

"Do you know miss Eloise as well?" Theo asked him, as a matter of answer.

"I am her brother", he said, looking at him.

"Then I think it wise to say I'm not", Theo replied.

Colin would have laughed at that if he hadn't been so furious.

"I am not Anthony. I won't kill you just for being my sister's friend", he said, "I would however do it if you dare offend her in any way", he finished.

"I will not, Mr. Bridgerton. I do cherish her as a friend, and I, too, am an honorable man". He said.

"Is that so?" Colin mocked, "then pray tell me what were you doing here with my… Penelope".

Theo chuckled, "I am afraid that can only be answered by your…", he looked at her, "Penelope", he said.

"Would you be alright with him, miss Penelope?", Theo asked her. She nodded. "Very well, then. I must be going". He said, as he was leaving the place.

"Co… Col… Col…" She heard herself saying.

"That would be Colin", he said, looking at her.

"I… I… Mmmm… What are you doing here?" She asked, as if she had just ran into him in the park.

"What am I doing here? Oh, you see, I came here because I heard this inn had spectacular gardens" He was being sarcastic.

"They have a beautiful Chapel too, just in the backyard", she commented, trying to sound casual.

"Oh, that is a very good thing indeed. I think I would like to see it immediately", he said, "I intend to pray, you see?" Colin said.

"At this hour?" Penelope asked, she should stop talking, she knew that, but for some reason, presumably her nerves, she just couldn't. "I didn't know you to be such a religious person".

"I am not", he said, "I intend to pray for you", he said, his voice so dark, Penelope knew she should just shut it and accept whatever it is he had in mind. But again, her nerves betrayed her and she found herself asking "me? Whatever for?"

“Because” he began, unable to prevent his voice from rising in volume, “by the time I’m done, prayer is the only thing that is going to save you!”

She gasped. So did one of the ladies who was witnessing the scene. The gentlemen, on the other hand, looked amused.

"Let's go, sweetheart", he said, grabbing her along with him.

Once outside the Inn, Penelope looked around, she could see the carriage she had arrived on, but she saw no driver, nor did the carriage had a horse.

"Get inside, Penelope", Colin ordered her. "We are going home".

"Colin! There isn't even a horse", she tried to argue.

He paused for a second. "Get. Inside", he repeated, simply. His tone was such she didn't dare question him again, but still she didn't get in as she saw him attaching his horse to the carriage.

"Dear god, woman!", He exclaimed. "Just get inside", he said angrily.

"No", she said.

"What did you just say?" Colin asked, incredulous.

"I said no", she answered. She was nervous, but she wasn't going to let him order her about.

"And what, may I ask, are you going to do?" He asked her.

"I will walk", she said.

"To Aubrey Hall?" He asked. She looked at him, she knew it was unwise, possibly even impossible for she didn't really know the way, but she didn't want to let him win.

"No", she said, because she didn't want to admit he had a point.

"So you're walking all the way to London then?" He asked her, chuckling.

"I may stay here", she said. Because she didn't know where she could go.

"So I assume you have enough money to pay for a room, not to mention a good damn excuse as to why you are suddenly not at Aubrey Hall, but in an Inn, unchaperoned", he said.

She did not have either. In lack of a good response she simply started walking the opposite direction.

"For God's sake, Penelope!" She heard him. "I cannot believe you are so keen in contradicting me, that you would willingly walk alone at night in a place you don't even know", he went after her.

"What you cannot believe is the fact that I possess the nerve to actually contradict you", she shouted back, walking faster.

"Let me assure you, my love, I do believe you capable of that", he said. Finally getting to her and grabbing her by the arm, forcing her to turn around.

"Then you know I am perfectly able to take care of myself, and so, you must leave me alone", she said, angry.

"I believe you capable of that, yes. But you clearly lack some sense if you think this wise", he said, equally as angry.

"I wouldn't have to if you hadn't… whatever happened to the driver?" She asked, because she couldn't figure what had Colin done to get the driver to leave with just his horse.

"Well, the carriage is mine now, so just get the fuck in", he said, he noticed he was being quite rude, so he added "please".

She had never heard someone say «please» with so much anger. But she supposed he was trying, so she stopped.

"What are you doing here, Colin?" She asked him.

"Looking for you, of course", he said as if it was obvious and her question was irritating.

"But why? You weren't even supposed to know I was out", she said. Not really thinking.

"Now that you mention it. I came here to stop you from doing something stupid, and while you didn't do that, I think it's safe to say that I failed miserably", he commented.

"And what is it that you thought I was doing?" She was starting to be curious.

"As a matter of fact, I was under the impression I had to oppose to your wedding", he said.

"What wedding? Colin, you are making no sense". She said, confused.

"Our sisters were under the impression you had eloped with Santis", he said, "and they tried to stop you"

"Hyacinth and Felicity? Why would they believe I was eloping with Michael?" She asked, not understanding.

"They heard you", he said, simply, "they tried to go after you. But seeing as Santis is not with you I assume they misheard".

"They were listening to me and Michael?" She was keeping track of everything.

"Would you stop calling him that?" He said, exasperated.

"But that is his name", she argued.

"You should not be calling unmarried men by their christian names", he said, losing patience.

"Very well, Mr. Bridgerton", she said, annoyed.

"That is not what I meant and you know it!", he shouted at her.

"But you are an unmarried man, at least as far as I'm aware", she said.

"Penelope, can you be serious for a second? I was awakened by my sickened worried little brother, who was freaking out because our little sisters had gone after you and your supposed betrothed" he looked at her, frustrated. "We found them by a tree, trying to stay away from a wild dog. And you know what?" He asked her, she had gasped at the news of how the girls had been found, but she kept listening to him carefully, "they were still more worried about you. They tried to apologize to me for not catching you before leaving. So by the name of all that is Holly. Get. Inside. The Carriage".

She, of course, started to walk towards the carriage, but then stopped. "Please tell me they are not harmed", she asked him, tears in her eyes.

"They are well, I assure you. Now, get inside". He motioned to the carriage, but again, she did not.

"Why were you looking for me?" She asked, again.

"I already told you", he said, but before he could repeat his answer, she interrupted him.

"But WHY?" She emphasized the question.

"Why do you think?!" He shouted.

"Why?" She repeated.

Instead of answering, Colin sighed, his eyes reflecting pure madness now. And then, still not answering, he started yelling.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME, WOMAN?!"

She just stared at him, not comprehending.

"I DO NOT KNOW WHAT KIND OF SPELL YOU PUT ON ME. I FIND MYSELF HAVING TROUBLE EVEN BREATHING. I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER MYSELF, I CANNOT SLEEP AT NIGHT, MY HEART RAISES EVERY TIME YOU ARE NEAR AND THE MERE THOUGHT OF YOU BEING GONE MAKES IT BREAK. MY HEAD, MY HEART AND MY CHEST, THEY ALL HURT BECAUSE OF YOU. THAT PART OF ME THAT WANTS TO PROTECT HIS FAMILY TELLS ME TO GET AWAY, BUT THE TRUTH IS, DOING SUCH A THING WOULD DESTROY ME. IT WOULD LEAVE ME LIVING DEAD"

"Colin", was all she could think to say.

"Just get inside", he said, tears in his eyes.

This time she did, and he followed right in. They looked at each other, not wanting to break the silence just yet, until Colin, looking annoyed, wondered out loud "Why are we not moving yet?" as he knocked on the carriage's roof.

She looked at him, raising a single eyebrow, but seeing as he still didn't notice his mistake, she said "Because there is no one to drive, Colin".

"Right", he said, "wait here, I'll be back in a moment".

Penelope waited there, she wasn't sure what she was going to do now, tell him the truth of why she was there, of course, but she feared his reaction, would she need to confess to more Bridgertons? If things had been as Colin said, at least the Viscount was surely aware of her absence.

She was considering all the possibilities when Colin came back. She was surprised when the carriage started moving with Colin inside.

"Who is driving?" She asked him.

"I don't know, I said I would give £50 to whoever drove my new carriage home and some dude volunteered", he said.

"You are just allowing «some dude» to drive us home?" She said.

"Didn't you just do the same when you came here?" He asked, unconcerned, "or were you acquaintances with the previous owner of this carriage?"

She said nothing.

"There are a lot of things I would like to know. But let's start from the beginning, what with the maid clothes?"

"It is easier to move around as a maid than it is a single unchaperoned young lady"

"I would think there is a reason"

"You asked", she defended herself.

"What were you doing here with Eloise's friend?" He asked her another question.

"He is helping me deliver the latest Whistledown to be printed tomorrow morning"

"Are you being serious? This was all about Whistledown?"

"Well, it would be very suspicious if I just stopped writing at the same time I happened to be out of town, would it not?" She explained.

"So you do see the danger you are putting yourself into"

Again, no answer.

"Why do you trust that man so much?" He sounded hurt, "why have you asked for his help but not mine? Haven't I been your friend for as long as we can remember?"

"I didn't tell him I am Whistledown. He believes I am her maid. Eloise told him she had found the author, and that she was helping her in exchange for something, so he agreed to meet me here", she defended herself.

"Good", he said. "Now please explain what all this engagement with Santis is about", he prayed it had all been a misunderstanding, he would not stand things being as his sisters said.

"I am not engaged to anyone yet", she said, "but it is true, Mic- Mr. Santis proposed to me. And I said I would like to", she was trying to be honest with him.

"What?" He felt his whole world crumble under his feet, "why?" He was trying hard not to cry.

"What do you mean?"

"Why accept his proposal but not mine? Do you love him?" He had thought he was desperate in his way here, but it wasn't true, he had never felt as helpless as he did at that moment.

"No. But I would not ruin so many lives if I marry him. I wouldn't cause as much damage to people I truly love, not the way I would if I were to marry you", she said, because he deserved to know the truth, "besides, you proposed before knowing about Whistledown, so you have all the right to take it back now you do"

"So he knows", Colin said, not looking at her.

"Of course he doesn't. Colin, I started the season planning to marry someone to take me away from my mamma, someone who would be none the wiser about my double life. But then I met Harry, I truly did, and you know as well as I do that the man is easy to love", she felt the need to clarify, because she didn't want Colin to misunderstand, "if not in the way a wife should love a husband, then in the way a friend would love another"

"I know", he said, so she knew she could continue.

"So I knew that I could never marry a good man and put him through the risk of ruin without him agreeing to take it with me"

"Then why are you marrying him?"

"I am not, at least it's not official just yet. I was planning to talk to Mi- Mr. Santis tonight"

"I will", Colin stated.

"No, Colin, I have to be the one to tell him this. I already told Eloise -", but she didn't get to finish.

"No, you misunderstood. I will take the risk. With you. I still want to marry you", he said, turning his gaze from the floor to her eyes.

"Colin, you can't. I can't. We can't", she said, feeling tears falling down her face.

"Why, Penelope? You keep saying that but it is not the truth"

"No, Colin. It is. Michael and Harry, they don't have little sisters or brothers I could ruin. If I marry one of them and find myself being discovered, then it would be just us facing the consequences, their families, they don't even do the season in normal circumstances. But yours… I love them. I could never do that to El, Hyacinth, Benedict or Gregory. Not to mention your mamma, who has been a mother to myself and my baby sister. Colin I cannot", she said, starting to sob.

"And if I don't let you refuse?" He asked.

She looked at him.

"What if they want to take the risk? What if they, just like I, cannot let you go, not on our behalf", he started to get closer and closer to her.

"Colin, what are you saying?" She shook her head, trying to think clearly. One of them had to hold into sanity and think with sense, but it was proving to be very difficult, especially when Colin started kissing down her neck.

"Do you know how much I want to touch you?" He whispered in her ear.

"Please", she moaned.

"Please what?" He stopped kissing her.

"Sir?" He chuckled at her answer.

"As you wish, my lady", he brought one of his hands to cup her breast, and oh… he knew she liked it… The sounds she was making… He was in heaven.

"Colin", she moaned.

"Are you trying to make me stop?" He asked her, pulling his head up from its position, which was now in her breast, right over the line of her dress.

"No!" She rushed to answer, desperately for him to continue, "I want…" He resumed what he was doing, making her lose track of her thoughts again.

"What do you want?" He asked, his voice so low and seductive.

"I don't know", she sighed, "I just… I need… More"

He didn't need to be told twice, he lowered her dress so now her upper body was naked before him. Penelope gasped in surprise just as Colin let out a growl.

"What…" But he wouldn't hear what she was about to ask, for the second he put his mouth where his hand had been, she lost the ability to talk.

"Do you like that?" He asked her, not taking his mouth off her body, but looking at her face. She only nodded frantically.

"Good", he smiled, "I was going positively mad. When I thought you were on your way to marry another man. The possibility of never being able to ever do this, it was killing me", he growled.

She couldn't help it, she screamed, out of pure pleasure.

"Are you quite alright, ma'am?" Penelope heard the driver asking. She had the words in her mouth when Colin did something so nice to her, that the "yes" she let out could not be mistaken by anything but someone in ecstasy. Colin chuckled.

"Right", the man said, "sorry to interrupt".

The smirk on Colin's face was adding to his attractiveness.

"I guess you liked that as well", he said, "which is good. Because I love doing it".

During the rest of the ride, the driver kept trying to ignore the sounds coming from the inside of the carriage. He was so relieved when they got to their destination.

"We have arrived, sir", the man yelled, some meters away from the door, so they could have time to make themselves presentable.

"Just a moment", Colin said, helping Penelope to put her dress back in the right place.

Once it was done and Penelope was trying, uselessly to fix her hair, he looked out of the window, it was already 6 am, so he was surprised to see people inside who appeared to be awake.

"Looks like the family is waiting for us", he commented.

"What?" Penelope said, scared. "The family?"

"Yes. Our family", he said, getting out of the carriage and positioning himself to help her get off of it too.

"Our family?" She asked again before turning to him and the opened door.

"Of course", he said matter-of-factly.

"But -" She started.

"Dear God, Penelope, are you going to marry me or not?"

Chapter Text

Approval

"Dear God, Penelope. Are you going to marry me or not?"

Penelope wasn't expecting that, and the surprise of it made her fall face first to the ground.

"Pen! Are you alright?" Colin rushed to her side to help her get up.

"I am", she said, "but Colin, I have already told you -"

"And I told you. Allow US to decide", he took her hand and looked into her eyes.

She nodded, "Very well, but Anthony must be the first one to know. If he does not accept it, then we won't even ask the rest. And all of them have to be willing", she told him.

"Of course, my love", Colin said, bringing her into the house as he shouted to the man that had driven them there that he could sleep in the stable and a coach man would take him back later.

They didn't make it far from the door when Anthony was yelling at them, everyone else behind him.

"WHAT ON HEAVEN WERE YOU THINKING, PENELOPE?" He started, "AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, LOOK AT YOU BOTH! BY THE STATES YOU ARE IN I HOPE A WEDDING BY NEXT WEEK!"

Everyone turned to Penelope then, and Colin noticed he had left a love mark on one of her breasts.

"That would be my pleasure, brother, but we need to talk to you before that, please".

"Of course we are going to talk. Thank your lucky stars mother and Daphne are unaware of all this", he said, "now, to my study".

"Yes, sir", Colin said, a smile on his face.

"Eloise, I need you there, for what we are to tell him", Penelope said. Eloise immediately went to her side.

"And I will need it for it to be just Anthony, El and myself first", she looked at Colin who was shaking his head no.

"Brother, just leave this to us, we know why it's needed", Eloise told him, pushing him away and walking to Anthony's study with Penelope.

"But we have been waiting all night too", Hyacinth complained.

"Then you can wait a bit longer. Talk with Colin meanwhile" Anthony told her.

Once the three of them were inside, Anthony looked at Penelope and Eloise, holding hands, and he knew, whatever they were going to say was no good.

"Penelope, would you tell me what is this all about?" Anthony asked her.

"Colin wants to marry me", she began, "but I cannot do it without you accepting it".

"Penelope you have been part of this family for a while now, we were all waiting for the day my brother -", but he didn't get to finish.

"I love all of you too. But before you give us your blessing, you must know something", Penelope said, a fearful voice that made Anthony anxious.

"And brother," Eloise added, "you have to remain quiet until we tell you we have finished, the story won't be complete, there would be misunderstandings if you do not let us talk".

"You have my word, now, for my sake, just say it". Anthony closed his eyes, and so did Penelope as she said.

"I am Lady Whistledown". Eloise squeezed her friend's hand, reassuringly.

For the first time in his life, Anthony didn't keep his promise, he started talking.

"You? You are Lady Whistledown?" Penelope nodded, her eyes still closed. "How could you?" He asked.

Eloise was not having it, "Anthony you said you would listen"

"You are defending her? After all she has done to our family? To us? Seriously, El?"

"What has she done?" Eloise was fighting for her friend. She would defend her against God himself, and she knew, because she had done it before, Penelope would do the same for her.

"Do not act as if she hasn't written awful things about us!" Anthony spat.

"She has done more good for us than she has done wrong", Eloise yelled at his brother, something she had never really done before.

"Good? Please, tell me, how exactly has she done us any good?"

"Oh, I don't know… Perhaps when she wrote about Berbrooke, which stopped him from trapping Daphne into marriage. Or maybe when she ruined herself and her family in order to save our brother from being trapped into a marriage. Or when she declared yours a true love match that was inevitable from the very beginning, which made it so we weren't completely ruined after you and Kate married", Eloise told him.

Anthony was silent for a moment, his sister was right, Lady Whistledown had written in favor of the Bridgertons more times than not, and when she wrote against them, it was because not doing so, would make everyone believe the author was a Bridgerton, except for that one article…

"What about what she wrote last season? About you?" He pressed.

"She did it to protect me… To protect all of us really", Eloise said.

"What are you talking about?" Anthony asked her.

Eloise didn't want to tell him, so she sat down. This, Penelope took as a signal it was her time to explain.

"I have never wanted to hurt you or your family in any way. I assure you. The article you are referring to. I did it so… They would know Eloise wasn't the author behind Lady Whistledown", she tried to explain, not wanting to earn her friend a punishment.

"Who needed to know the author was not Eloise?" Anthony questioned.

Penelope looked at Eloise, who nodded for her to tell the whole truth.

"The Queen", Penelope said.

"And why did the Queen need to know that?" Anthony asked, he was not feeling like he was able to breath as he anticipated the answer.

"Because she suspected me. And threatened myself and my whole family if I didn't write exactly what she wanted" Eloise said.

Anthony took his seat, he would pass out, but he still had more questions to ask.

"And tonight. Why did you go out?" He turned to Penelope.

"A business trip", she said, not wanting to say the word Whistledown again in front of Anthony.

"Of course you were", Anthony sighed. "Leave and call Colin in".

Hearing the tone in Anthony's voice, Eloise did so, but Penelope, she answered.

"You cannot order me, my Lord". Eloise looked at both people. She didn't know of a single time anyone had questioned Anthony while using that voice.

"Since the only people who would willingly give their lives for you are both named Bridgerton, I believe I can", Anthony responded.

"It is still mine, whose life would be in question", Penelope argued.

"I need a moment alone with my brother. You will be back soon after. I am not done with you".

Penelope decided it was easy to leave than argue with him for the rest of the day.

"I'll send Colin", she said as she was leaving.

Anthony took a glass of whisky, keeping it outside, he knew he would need that.

Colin entered his office. "Did you send for me?" He asked.

"What were you thinking, Colin?" He asked him, "Out of all the women in the world you had to fall for Lady Whistledown?"

"I don't know what to tell you, brother. Except that, I would not survive losing her. If you oppose to this, then you will no longer have a brother. Not because I would not love you, but because I will no longer be", Colin told him. "She won't be my wife if anyone in our family refuses to take her in. But I know that if I have your approval, the others will eventually give it as well".

"What do you expect me to do? If this gets out, it would ruin all of our family, our siblings. How am I to decide?" Anthony asked him, not wanting to be the one making a decision.

"Think what you would have done if it had been Kate", Colin said.

Anthony's first thought was to say "she would never", but he knew she actually would. His second thought was to say "I would choose my family and leave her", but that was a lie, he would risk anything for Kate, had she been Lady Whistledown, Anthony would still have married her, more so, he would even dare go against the King himself to protect Kate. Forcing his brother to do otherwise wasn't fair. He sighed.

"So this is it, then? We must prepare for the worst? Form a plan so the Queen doesn't find out and threatens us again?" He asked, trying hard to think of a way to do that, to protect all of them, his siblings, his wife, his mother, Penelope.

"What do you mean «again»?" Colin asked, panic in his eyes.

"So they did not tell you?" Anthony chucked, of course they did not. "The Queen thought Eloise was the author, threatened her and us, if she didn't write what she wanted her to", Anthony said.

Colin went all pale, feeling blood was leaving his body. "I will call our wives", Anthony said, simply.

Anthony called for Kate and Penelope, knowing not him, nor Colin would do a good job without them. He also ended up calling for Benedict.

They had to explain everything to Kate and Benedict. And after a few hours of thinking for the best course of action, they decided to settle for one.

"I will call for her at once, Lady Danbury will be thrilled", Kate said.

She had had the idea of involving her. In fact Kate and Penelope had come up with this plan almost all by themselves, Kate being concerningly happy about the news, even asking Penelope to write sincerely about her costume for Violet's birthday masquerade, she had been planning it so Lady Whistledown would want to write about it when she didn't know of the identity of the author.

They needed Lady Danbury because of her connection to the Queen; they had agreed that having someone on their side who knew the Queen as well as Lady Danbury did was essential in order to lessen the consequences should the truth come out.

Now, all they had to do was wait for Lady Danbury and ask the rest of the family for their blessings to Colin and Penelope's marriage.

At night, Penelope reflected, things had gone better than she had allowed herself to hope for. All of the siblings accepted her without a second thought, even Daphne and the Duke, they had actually even thanked her for her help with Lord Berbrooke.

And then, there was Violet, the one Penelope hoped the most not to have let down, she had gasped when she revealed herself, and she had cried. She had been the last one they had asked for approval. When the moment came to turn to her, Penelope started crying too, apologizing time and time again to her.

To her surprise, Violet had hugged her, causing her to stop talking as she started doing it instead.

"My dear girl, you have been my daughter in all but name since you were but a little girl. You and dear Felicity are part of this family just as much as Simon, Kate, John and Michael are. And although I cannot lie and say I am perfectly fine with the news, you have to know that in this family, love is unconditional, we would never let you face this alone. If we fall, it will be together, my darling. And I will be delighted to finally claim you as my daughter and not be questioned about it". She kissed her forehead.

At this, Penelope noticed, Colin has started to cry too. "Thank you, mamma", he had said hugging both women.

All she had to do now was wait, they would announce their engagement at Violet's birthday, have their engagement ball two weeks later and be married one week after that.

Colin had tried to make the matters faster. He even made a point in showing the love marks Penelope had left on his neck, he had tried to do it smoothly, but she knew it had been on purpose, especially after seeing him smile at Violet's scandalized face and Daphne's expression, a mix of disapproval and amusement. But Anthony had insisted it was better to have this wedding be as proper as possible.

"And of course, Lady Whistledown will have to write about my success in marrying two of my children the very same season", Violet said, winking at Penelope.

For someone who was "not completely fine with the news", Violet appeared to be thrilled by knowing the secret. It was evidently something Hyacinth had inherited from her mother.

"But I do expect to find out about any possible grandchild before the rest of the ton", Violet went on. "Oh, how Agatha is going to hate finding out after me!"

Penelope was sure of one thing. She could have never asked for a better family to have.

She was just going on about the events of the day when there was a knock on the door. Eloise always had been hard to wake up, so she knew she had to answer the door. She got up from the bed and was surprised to see Colin waiting for her.

"Colin, what happened?" She asked.

"Oh, nothing happened. I was actually here because I need to talk to you", he took her hand, "in private".

Penelope didn't even had time to wonder where he was taking her, when they got to his room.

"I do not think the Viscount would approve of you bringing me to your room in the middle of the night", she commented, not really caring about it, but not knowing how else to react due to her nervousness at being in Colin's room.

"He would not, but we are not telling him", Colin said, closing the door of his room.

"And what do you want to talk about?" Penelope said, suddenly unsure what to do with her hands.

"Oh, now that you ask…" Colin took a seat in his bed. "The fucking Queen is threatening you and you didn't care to tell me?!"

"Oh" she said, not knowing of a better way to answer.

"Seriously, Penelope. Do you not fear what could happen to you if you're found out?" Colin was saying, his voice a mix of anger and worry.

"I do", she confessed.

"Then why do you keep putting yourself in danger?" Colin asked, "do you just not care about what would happen to you?"

"I do, Colin, I really do. I have spent the past two years thinking about what would happen if the Queen learns of my identity, but…" She breathed in.

"Then why don't you stop?" Colin asked.

"Because I love what I do", she answered, "I will not quit unless I want to. I have accomplished something big even when it's so unlikely for women like me to do so. Would you just give up your life's work for fear?" She questioned him.

He had learnt so much of Penelope in the past few days, he couldn't help but admire her and even be a bit jealous of her. She had done something.

"Pen, I… You… I would never ask you to quit. You have no idea how proud I am of you", he said, "but you must understand. I would be nothing if I were to lose you. I… I have always loved you, Pen".

"You do not have to lie, Colin. I understand this is scary, but nothing will happen to me", she said, touching his cheek with her hand.

"I am not lying", Colin said, "I may not have known it, but I have always loved you", he kissed her forehead before putting his own in hers. "I was revisiting my journals, I needed to clear my mind after you told me you were Whistledown. Do you know what I found?" He asked her.

She shook her head no. She had a lot of questions for him, she hadn't known he kept a journal, didn't even imagine him having several of them, but she wanted to know what he had found.

"That every sight I thought beautiful, I wanted to share with you. That I was reminded of you by every sunset. That all I wanted to do after learning something new about a certain place was tell you about it", he said, "I was helplessly in love with you and didn't even know it", he said.

"May I read them?" she asked him, then, "your journals, I mean".

He looked her in the eyes. He hadn't meant for her to know about his journals, the idea of someone else reading his thoughts terrified him, even more so if it was an accomplished writer such as Penelope, except, it was his Pen, and he wanted to share his whole being with her, because he wanted her to do the same.

"Perhaps another day", he settled for. He may want to share everything with her, but he wasn't exactly ready just yet.

"Ok. I think I must go now", Penelope said, kissing his cheek before turning to the door.

Suddenly Colin was hit by the urge to stop her from leaving, he didn't want her to ever leave his side.

"Stay", he said, taking her hand and pulling her to the bed. "Stay", he said, now pulling her to him. "Stay", he begged, now kissing her neck.

And she knew, before nodding, she was agreeing to much more than simply sharing a bed at night. "Always", she told him.

Games

The following morning two guests arrived. It was still a few days earlier than the rest of the ton was expected. Kate had called for Lady Danbury, so they had only expected one, causing confusion when Harry Dankworth got off his horse, not even having brought a carriage; everyone was confused. Everyone but Colin.

"Harry!" Colin shouted, suddenly remembering the reason Harry had come early, but there was still something he didn't know. "How did you know where to come?"

"You called him?" Penelope asked, surprised.

Colin had almost dare Michael to a duel over Penelope's hand. It wasn't but after Penelope had told him Michael had only offered because he wanted to help her get out of her mother's house that Colin had dropped the topic. He still didn't talk to him, though. The amused expression on everyone's faces was clear.

"I asked at an Inn not far from here. They said the redhead and the mad man had gone home. I assumed that meant you and Penelope", Harry explained.

"Oh, yes. I was indeed a mad man that night", Colin chuckled.

"Harry!" Penelope greeted him, "I am delighted to see you. But I do not understand, why don't you have a carriage with you?"

"I was under the impression we would be needing to transport a body", he answered as if Penelope had asked how did he find the weather and the answer was clearly «a bit cold».

"Seriously, Bridgerton?" Michael spoke, "you recruited Penelope's other suitors to kill me?"

"Is he the bastard hen?" Harry asked, a smile on his face. He kept saying things like that as if it was the most mundane of topics. "Why haven't you shot him? Have we forgiven his misstep?"

"Mostly", Colin answered, "he had not taken her. She had gone out on her own".

Harry only nodded, he moved close to Penelope and asked her, in a whisper, "Whistledown business?"

Penelope couldn't believe it, and to Harry's surprise she yelled, "You knew?!"

Harry moved his eyes to the Bridgertons, all in the drawing room looking curiously at him. "Shhh… They can hear you", he murmured again.

"They already know, Harry. I'll tell you everything later, but now tell me, how did you?"

"All of them?" Harry asked, looking at the only people in the room who weren't related, Michael and Lady Danbury.

"Yes! Now, tell me", she demanded.

"Oh it's nothing, really. You are the only person who has never call me stupid, not even when we met. And Whistledown, well, when she writes about me, she writes about good things. Others would have use my lack of wit as a constant joke whenever I was featured, so there really wasn't other options". Harry explained.

She hadn't even noticed that, she would need to be more careful with her writing. "You are not stupid, Harry", she said.

"See? You are too kind to say it, but it is true, I am comfortable with it, anyway", Harry said.

"Man, you really are not stupid. People just expect you to know things you don't. But you figured out Lady Whistledown's identity before anyone else in the ton. In fact, all but one person in the known had to be told", Colin told him.

"Thank you, Colin", Harry smiled at him, sincerely. "I do expect you to keep your promise, let me assure you", he said.

"How did you -?" Colin asked, if Harry was asking him to keep his promise, that meant he already knew he was to marry Penelope.

"You did not shoot him" he pointed at Michael, "and she told you her secret".

"I say", Lady Danbury spoke, "I like this gentleman, wouldn't you agree, miss Eloise?"

Eloise looked annoyed, but then actually said "he is nice enough, but don't get ideas in your head, Lady Danbury. She wanted to marry my best friend", then she looked at Harry and said, "and he doesn't even like reading. Something I would very much require in a husband".

"You know, Mr. Dankworth. I think I know the perfect debutant for you. And she is not in this house", Lady Danbury said.

"Who is she, then?" Harry asked.

"Oh, you will only have to take me to a musical next season, I will introduce you to her". Lady Danbury had a smile on her face.

"Poor Harry" Felicity silently lamented, "he will be forced to listen to the entire musical"

"Oh the thing a man does for love!" Hyacinth said, playfully.

"Poor man is going to get tortured before even meeting her", Gregory added. All three kids laughed.

"So… what was the promise about?" Eloise asked, curiously.

Later in the afternoon the Bridgertons decided to play a game to pass the time. As expected with Bridgertons, it was all chaos before the game had even started.

"No you cannot play with him! I am her wife, so I'll have him as my partner" Francesca was yelling, pulling at one of her husband's arms, while Michael pulled the other.

"You wouldn't have even talked to her if she hadn't been my best friend!" Eloise was arguing with Colin over who should be Penelope's partner.

"No, you cannot play together. I am sure you cheat, you always end up winning when you are a team" Gregory was complaining.

"I am with Gregory in this", Anthony said.

"If you can play with Kate, then I will play with Felicity", Hyacinth yelled.

"Now, siter, you have him all day, all year, all for yourself. I get so little time to bond with my brother in law", Benedict was saying.

"Benedict why are you fighting with me to be Simon's partner?" Daphne was irritated, "you don't even know if he's good at this game".

"Well, you want him. And everyone else is already fighting for someone, I will not be stuck with whoever no one else wanted to play with", Benedict was yelling now.

"Can you all please stop?!" They all suddenly heard John's voice. He had never even used an elevated voice with them, so they were all taken aback.

"You know what?" John said, "I will make the pairs, and I will be moderating the game".

Everyone started protesting immediately.

"Shut it!" Harry yelled. "I think that is the fair thing to do", he said.

"Very well, just do it now so we can Stert playing", Anthony said.

John left the room to find some paper and inks, he wrote down all of the names and proceeded to put them on a plate, where he made sure to mix them. Then, he put out a name.

"Very well, so the first pair is… Kate and…" he took another name, "Hyacinth".

"We are doomed", said Gregory. "They never lose".

"Not even when they do", said Anthony, "I better get a good partner, Kilmartin".

"You must wait, Bridgerton", John said.

"Next we have… Simon and… Fran"

"Thank god!" Simon said, at his wife's annoyed look he said, "she won't kill me if I loose".

"Don't be so sure", said John, "next is… Gregory and… Lady Violet"

"Oh no", Gregory finally lamented.

"Next pair is… Lady Danbury and… Benedict"

"I could have done worse" Lady Danbury said.

"The next pair is… Eloise and… Felicity"

"Yes!" Eloise celebrated.

"Now we have… Daphne and… Michael"

"We'll beat them up, no doubt", Michael said, Daphne agreeing.

"Nex pair is… Penelope and… Anthony"

"Ha! You have no chance against us!" Anthony said, pointing at Kate.

"Which of course leaves us with Colin and Harry", John said.

"I trust you, Harry", Colin said.

"I am not sure if you should. I have never play this game", Harry said apologetically.

"Don't worry I'll explain it", Colin said.

The game started going in Alphabetical order, making Anthony and Penelope go first.

"The category is… Transportation", John announced. "Anthony you start giving the clues, Penelope, you guess"

When John indicated for them to tart and show Anthony the card with the first word, everyone knew they had to compete with the pair if they wanted to win.

"You left this house in one", Anthony said.

"A carriage", Penelope answered. John added a point.

"It goes on the sea", Anthony said the second he saw the next word.

"A boat, or a ship", Penelope said.

They kept going like that making 10 points total.

Then it was Benedict and Lady Danbury's turn. It was clear to everyone they were not going to win. Their category was drinks.

"It taste like champagne", Benedict said.

"Benedict, you can't say the word in your cards" John told him.

"Right, sorry, the Lady makes me nervous", he said, Lady Danbury was indeed looking at him as if she would murder him for doing it wrong.

"This one has alcohol too". Benedict said.

"Whiskey" Lady Danbury tried.

"No, that's not it… It tastes like…" Benedict said, "well, not champagne"

"Not champagne?" Lady Danbury yelled at him.

They only made 2 points.

Next turn was for Colin and Harry.

"Your category is… Things you can find in the dining room" John told them. Showing Colin the first word.

"This thing is edible", Colin said.

"Cheese… No, bread… Wait no, it's soup" Harry said.

"It is white" Colin gave him another clue.

"Cheese…, no, clouds… No, no… Ooh, I know… Ghosts" Harry shouted.

"Why would there be a ghost on the dinning room?" Colin asked.

"Maybe the house is haunted", Harry said.

"AND WHY WOULD THERE BE CLOUDS ON A DINNING ROOM?" Colin asked his partner.

"Sorry, I didn't want to tell you but I forgot the category and what you had said as the first clue", Harry admitted.

"Well it's a white edible", Colin said.

"Right", Harry said, "is it eggs?" He asked.

"Yes!" Colin celebrated.

They only made one point that round, but Colin made sure to remember to tell Harry all of his clues together, so he did not forget them.

The game continued for so long, they had ran out of cards.

To no one's surprise, Gregory and Violet ended up losing, having only made 8 points through all the game. Benedict and a deeply annoyed Lady Danbury were second to worst, with only 12 points.

The winning pairs had ended up being Anthony and Penelope, tieing up with Hyacinth and Kate, both pairs with 120 points.

Eloise would had been mad about the results if it hadn't been her the one who made a mistake and couldn't made the point, ending up with 119 points made by her and Felicity.

The rest of the couples did pretty good too. Everyone was surprised to see how well Colin and Harry understood each other. Despite having made only 1 point during their first round, they ended up making 108 points through all the game. A fact that made Lady Danbury want to strangle Benedict.

"I say it is time to go to bed, now, dearest. It's been a long day", Violet said. "And Gregory, dear, forgive me for not knowing how to give clues… Or comprehend them. I get easily distracted by your laughter".

She was at the door of the drawing room, when a footman arrived with a letter addressed to Penelope.

"Who is it from?" Colin asked.

"I do not know. It doesn't seem to be signed", Penelope answered, opening the letter.

She went all pale, her legs no longer being able to support her.

"What is it?" Colin panicked, "what does it say?"

"I -", Penelope couldn't even answer. She had dropped the letter after reading it, Colin being busy helping her take a sit, nodded to Hyacinth to pick it up.

She did, and her expression was terrified as she read out loud "I know it is you".

Chapter Text

Marriage

Colin felt his soul leaving his body. Suddenly there wasn't enough air in the room to breathe.

Violet was at Penelope's side in a blink, second only to Eloise. They were holding one of her hands each.

"Please, stay here with her", Colin said, walking out of the room, all of his brothers plus Harry and Michael walking behind him.

"Brother, we'll handle it", Anthony told him. Colin had no need to communicate his plans for his brothers to know what he was going to do. "You can stay here with her".

"I need to make sure it'll be done by tomorrow", Colin answered, shaking his head no.

"Pardon me, but what will be done by tomorrow?" Michael asked, John seemingly as confused as he was.

"You are new in the family, but you'll get used to them not talking and still knowing what's going on", Simon told him, patting his back.

"But for us not telepathic ones?" Harry tried.

"Well, the wedding of course", Gregory said, as if it was obvious.

"The wedding?" John said, understanding they were about to threaten a vicar shall he dare deny giving them a marriage license for tomorrow.

"Whose?" Harry asked.

"Penelope and Colin's of course", Benedict said, once again as if it was more than obvious.

"God save the poor vicar whose church we are going to", said Michael, looking up.

The gentlemen went to the nearest church to Aubrey Hall, and scared a vicar who had dare to say he worked not at Gretna Green.

"Listen, I understand this may upset you," the vicar was saying, looking at the unusual number of men asking for a single marriage license "but I do not take part in hastened marriages, unless of course there is a really good reason for which it may be necessary".

"Well there is one!" Anthony said, "why else would we need 8 men to get a marriage license?" He was clearly irritated.

"And what is the reason, then?" the vicar asked.

"We cannot tell you", Simon answered, using his duke voice.

"Is the lady with child?" The vicar asked.

"No, she's not", Gregory said, but then he looked at Colin's guilty face and knew that she could very well be. Colin was lucky the rest were too distracted with the vicar to pay him any mind.

"You are in the presence of a Duke, an Earl and a Viscount, if I were you I would not ask too many questions", Benedict said.

It took some time, all eighth men and a bit of money to get the vicar to accept, but they got out of the church with a marriage license for Mr. Colin Bridgerton and Miss Penelope Featherington ready to be made official by the following day.

The women had tried to calm Penelope down, but it was only upon seeing Colin arrive with their marriage license that she let herself believe that everything was indeed going to be alright.

"I am sorry we will not have the grand wedding you deserve. But it will be easier to protect you once we are wed", Colin told her, as he was holding her, trying to calm her down.

"I've only ever wanted you", Penelope said.

"You already have me", he answered her.

"I am sorry to interrupt my loves, but I will need to take Penelope to try on a few dresses for the wedding", Violet said, "we do not have the time to arrange for everything to be done specifically for you, my dear, but I am sure we will be able to find something. And of course we will order for some nightgowns for you, although I am afraid you will have it only after the wedding".

"I do not need -" Penelope started saying, but Violet would accept no protests.

"Please, my girl. I cannot have one of my daughters marry and not take part in it", she said. Penelope couldn't say no after that, so they left Aubrey Hall to go visit a few dress shops not far from there.

It was only after the ladies left to the shops that Gregory turned to Colin and asked.

"So she could be with child?"

"What?" Colin asked him, turning red, which caught Anthony's attention.

"Really Colin, in a carriage?" Benedict asked him. Having assumed it must have been then, since he was sure they hadn't been left alone after they arrived from the Inn.

"It was not in a carriage, she deserved better than that" Colin answered, offended.

"So it was even before the carriage?!" Anthony was furious. "I swear to God if you weren't my brother I would have your head. That's our sister you have disrespected so".

"Anth, I understand the feeling, but please do not phrase things like that again, you made it sound as if they were brother and sister", Gregory said, making a face of disgust.

"I admit I should have control myself until after the wedding, but let me assure you, it was not before the carriage either. No baby would be expected in less than nine months from now" Colin said, thinking that would calm his brother.

Michael chuckled, which made Colin realize his mistake right as Anthony started yelling.

"YOU DECIDED TO SNEAK AROUND WITH HER AFTER WE HAD ALL GONE TO BED?"

"Well…" Colin didn't really know how to defend himself after that.

"And you were just going to let three weeks pass before you married her?" Anthony was clearly still angry.

"In my defense, I did try to have it sooner, but you said no", Colin was quick to add.

Anthony just rolled his eyes, "Good thing you're marrying her tomorrow", he said. With a hand on Colin's neck.

They hadn't had the chance to see each other again that day, making sure they had everything ready for the wedding and plans were made about how to deal with the news being known by the whole ton at Violet's birthday masquerade.

The morning came and Penelope realized it was the last time she would ever wake up as Penelope Featherington, she would from that day forward be Penelope Bridgerton.

Since the wedding was to take place at 9 am, by 7 the house was pure chaos. Violet and Kate had helped her find a beautiful dress to wear at her wedding. It was a low cut dress, made with a shiny emerald green fabric.

She had also learnt never to underestimate three matchmaking determined ladies, for as impossible as the task appeared to be, Violet, Kate and Daphne had managed to get lilac dresses for all the girls.

Penelope was getting her hair done, being supervised by Hyacinth and Felicity when Eloise came into the room, all ready for the ceremony.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked her dear friend, "we could still be spinsters together if you don't".

Penelope smiled at her, watching her in the mirror. "I am sure, El. I love him".

"I do not understand why", Eloise said, putting her hand on Penelope's shoulder, "but I am glad it's him, so I get to keep you in my life forever".

"I am glad it's him too, I would never want to be apart from you for too long", Penelope said, her hand above Eloise's.

"We are to be sisters for real", Eloise said, fighting hard to keep the tears in.

"I have always thought of you as one", Penelope answered, not succeeding in keeping her own tears in.

"Now that your sister is going to be mine as well," Hyacinth was saying to Felicity, ignoring the two best friends' moment, "we are going to be second sisters".

"Is that even a thing?" Felicity asked her.

"Well, if it's not I am making it a thing", she said.

"Calm down, brother, she will not leave you waiting at the altar all day" Gregory was telling a very anxious Colin as they waited for someone to announce the ceremony was about to start.

Colin had asked Gregory to be his best man, saying he wouldn't have gotten there without his little brother.

"I know. But I can't help but be nervous", Colin answered, "you wouldn't know, you've never gotten married".

"I assure you. No wedding could ever make me as anxious as you are right now", he said.

"Easier said than done", Colin retorted.

"Oh, believe me, I would nev-", but Gregory didn't finished his sentence, for at that moment Hyacinth's face appeared through the door.

"We are ready", she announced.

Everyone took their place, the pianist started playing, and then Eloise walked towards her position by the altar as maid of honor.

Colin was holding his breath, the only people present being his family, he did not feel the need to hide his excitement.

And then, it was as if the world had suddenly changed its axis. It no longer rotated, no other thing existed but her. She looked divine, a sight not even angels could provide, Colin was certain. In her he saw not only his present, but his future. And so, he couldn't help it, he cried.

Penelope was walking down the aisle, she was holding onto her sisters. She had asked both Felicity and Hyacinth to walk with her down the aisle, in the absence of her mother. They had done a lot for her that she thought it only fair for them to be the ones to give her away.

She wasn't sure how she was moving, maybe it was because Hyacinth and Felicity were pulling her forward, maybe it was a magnetic force making her move, she couldn't tell, and she didn't really care, all she wanted was to get to him. When she was near enough to see his face she noticed him crying and as hard as she was trying not to do the same, she felt tears running down her face as well. This was real, she was about to marry the love of her life and, to her surprise, he loved her just as much.

The ceremony went perfect, despite not having had time at all to plan. But of course, being the writer that she was, she had prepared her own wedding vows, what she had not expected, was for Colin to have done the same.

"I am a lucky man to have you as my bride. And I, too, would like to tell you of my wedding vows" Colin said, smiling.

He cleared his throat before starting.

"I had thought love was something simple. That it was a lie that it could make you lose your mind. I had assumed love was not something people were honest about, that they made it sound like this overwhelming feeling that makes you need someone as much as you need air when in truth it was simply desire. But I was wrong. And it was because, when one has always had it, one cannot spot perfection as easily, cannot recognise how blessed they are for having it. I was a fool, because all this time I was looking for something I already had. One cannot be as lucky as to fall for their best friend, but miraculously, I did. And now, I swear in the name of God, I will always love and protect you".

Everyone was teary eyed, even Anthony who always made a point of not showing his siblings how soft he actually was. And so, when the vicar finally declared them husband and wife, no one cheered louder than him.

The author

They had passed the first few days of their married life in an unusual way. At their family country home, preparing for a masquerade while trying to find out who had sent the threatening note. They had not wasted time, though.

By the morning before Violet's birthday masquerade they laid in bed together, holding each other as they had been doing ever since their wedding, not caring it was late enough for someone to have come knocking on their door already.

"I think we can leave on our honeymoon this very same night", Colin said to her, leaving kisses all over her arm.

"Pardon me?" Penelope said. "We just got married a few days ago, we didn't even have time to inform my mother of our engagement. How is it that you have planned a honeymoon that could take place this very night already?" Penelope asked him.

He smirked, "I have my way Mrs. Bridgerton", he left a kiss on one of her breasts before kissing her lips.

"Is that so, Lord Whistledown?" She asked him, in return. "You had planned a trip for you, hadn't you?"

"For your information, my love, I had not", Colin said, sitting up. "I simply cannot wait to see the world with you", he told her, "besides. I would be more relaxed if we were out of here at least until we know who sent that note".

"I do not know", Penelope said, "I have this feeling", she looked at him, who was waiting for her to continue, "I don't think the note was actually threatening me".

"We cannot be sure, tho. So until we managed to find them, I would like for us to be safely far from here", Colin repeated.

"If I accept, know it is only because I cannot wait to see the world with you either". She said, kissing his nose.

"I take that as a yes, Lady Whistledown", Colin said, returning the kiss. "I will tell Henrietta to prepare your things, and Dunwoody will be preparing mine".

"I will not leave without attending the masquerade", Penelope said.

Colin closed his eyes having forgotten about it in his married bliss.

"I would never dream of it", he said, making Penelope giggle.

A few hours later they joined the family for lunch. They were to receive the guest with all of them, and they were expected to start arriving after lunch.

Penelope was nervous, once the first guests started to arrive they would have to be introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Bridgerton. She hadn't even tell her mother yet.

"I think mamma would be way too pleased by having a Bridgerton as a daughter to even question how or when it happened", Felicity was telling her.

"It is not mamma I fear will question the circumstances of our union", Penelope said.

"To hell with whoever has a problem with it" Hyacinth said, earning a scowl from her mother.

"I agree with you, sister", Colin said, "whoever dares to question it will have me to face".

"And me!" Eloise said, "and we all know I'm the best shot in our family".

"No one will be shooting anyone", Violet said, "I am sure a few words at the masquerade could help sort things out".

"Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough", Colin said, as the first carriage appeared in the distance.

To Penelope's relief and surprise, it was the Finches.

"Pippa!" Felicity went to hug her sister whose belly was showing the first signs of pregnancy.

"Are we early?" Al asked, hugging Felicity as well.

"You are on time, Al. You just happen to be the first to arrive", Penelope answered him.

"So how was this time apart from your mother, sisters?" Albion asked Felicity and Penelope.

"Dear, let's greet our guests first. You can talk to Pen and Fel later", Phillipa told him.

"It is a pleasure to have you here, Mr. and Mrs. Finch", Kate said.

"The pleasure is ours, Viscountess", Phillipa answered, awkwardly bowing.

"Please, there is no need for such formalities now, is it?" Kate asked, a smile on her face.

Phillipa missed Kate's intention entirely, so she kept greeting the Bridgertons, until she got to Colin, who was at the end of the line, Penelope in his arm.

"Mr. Bridgerton. You may confuse people by holding my sister like that while greeting all the guests" Phillipa said.

"Actually, Phillipa", Colin started, "and I have allowed myself to call you Phillipa because it would actually give people the right idea".

Phillipa just looked at him, not understanding what he had said, but nodding anyway.

"Can I call you Colin, then?" Albion asked, equally as confused as his wife but thrilled at the chance to be associated with a Bridgerton in such a way.

"Of course you may!" Colin said, taking the opportunity to explain to the pair, "We are family, after all".

They went wide eyed with even more confusion.

"I beg your pardon?" Phillipa managed to ask.

"May I present my wife, Mrs. Penelope Bridgerton?" Colin asked as a matter of answer.

"Your wife?" Albion asked.

"Indeed", Colin answered.

"Why didn't you invite us to the wedding, Pen?" Albion asked her.

"It was a rather fast marriage", Penelope said, an apologetic smile on her face.

"Do I need to fight for your honor?" He asked her.

"What a valiant husband I have!" Phillipa exclaimed, heart eyed.

"There would be no need, Al. He's my husband now", Penelope said, looking at Colin.

"Very well", Albion said, "I am happy for you sister".

"Thank you, Al"

"Congratulations are in order I think, for my new brother and sister", Phillipa said.

"Thank you, Pippa", Penelope said.

"Why don't I tell you everything about the wedding while they greet the other guests?" Felicity said, eager to talk about her favorite sister's wedding.

"You better!" Phillipa said, walking along side Felicity to the room that would be hers during her stay at Aubrey Hall.

The rest of the morning was more or less the same. People were curious about Colin and Penelope arm in arm until Colin presented her as his wife. He enjoyed calling her his wife in front of everyone time and time again.

Felicity had been right, Portia was too distracted about learning Penelope's new marital status to even begin to wonder the when and how of things.

"We must throw a ball in your name!" Portia said, "let everyone know my daughter married a Bridgerton no less".

And she spent the rest of the night bragging about it. She was so pleased that she had forgotten to inform Penelope of her new engagement with Mr. Anderson. She had to find out thanks to Prudence, who complained about both her sister and her mother succeeding in the marriage mart before she did.

"I was not expecting that", Colin said, when they heard the news.

It was after dinner that Phillipa pulled Penelope away for a talk.

"If you're trying to give me the talk about the marital bed, I am afraid to tell you that you do not need to, I already know", Penelope said, as she walked with Phillipa in the orangery.

"I was not", Phillipa said, "but you are lucky mamma didn't give you the talk. She told me to lie still and allow my husband his pleasure. Can you believe it?"

Both sisters giggled. "From mamma? I totally can", Pen answered. "But if that wasn't what you wanted to talk about, what was it?"

"Oh!" Phillipa said, looking side to side as if she was going to reveal a big secret. "Did you not receive it, then?"

"Received what?" Penelope asked.

"Well my note of course!" Phillipa said, as if Penelope was the silly one for not knowing.

"Your note?" She asked.

"Yes. My note", Phillipa said.

"I do not believe I did. What was it about?" Penelope asked her.

"I know", Phillipa said.

"You know?"

"Yes. I know"

"What do you know?", Penelope was feeling dizzy, her sister kept going around it.

"I know it's you", she said, simply.

And Penelope finally understood, the note, it had been from Phillipa.

"But how?" She asked.

"I was reading my old diaries", Phillipa said, "I have been thinking a lot about our childhood, you see? With my little one in the way", she patted her belly.

Penelope smiled and signaled for her to continue.

"Well, there was a passage, from when you were around six. We were playing to be Queen Felicity's spies, since she couldn't really play", there was a pause, "and apparently I was mad at you for insisting we needed code names, since no spy would ever use their real name. I just wanted to play so I dedicated a lot of the passage to the event. I wrote about how Prudence and I simply chose the first names that came to us, I was Mrs. Cheese and she was Lady Figaro, but you took your time with it, and then you chose a name I didn't even like", Phillipa said.

Penelope didn't have to hear it to know what it was, she had had fantasies about traveling the world with a fake name, and in all her fantasies that name always was…

"Lady Whistledown", Phillipa voiced her thoughts. "So I knew", she said, proud of herself.

"You cannot tell anyone, Phillipa", Penelope told her, "if I was found out -", but Phillipa interrupted her.

"Of course not! I haven't even told Al, and I tell Al everything. Well, except for this one thing", she said.

"Really?" Penelope asked.

"Really. I know I'm not the best of sisters, but I do love you, Pen, you are my baby sister". She said.

"I love you too, Pippa", Pen said.

They hugged, until Phillipa pulled apart and said.

"Well, now tell me, how was your wedding night? I was terrified at mine".

They talked for a while, sharing laughs, something they had so rarely done as young unmarried ladies that it felt as if they had just won a new friend. They would have talked all night if their husbands hadn't gone looking for them.

"I think it's time we go to bed", Penelope said.

"Indeed", Phillipa answered, winking indiscreetly at Penelope, causing her to laugh once more.

"Oh, so you do not plan to go to sleep then?" Colin asked to her ear, a playful tone on his lips.

"Not if I have any say in it", Penelope answered, teasingly.

The two made their way to their bedchamber in haste.

In the heat of the moment Penelope almost forgot to tell him she had found the author of the note.

With a sleepy voice, she hugged him tightly and said "By the way, it was Phillipa".

"What was Phillipa?" Colin asked with an equally sleepy voice.

"The note. It was hers", Penelope said.

"What?" Colin was suddenly very awake.

"She found out, but do not worry, she will not tell anyone, not even Al", she told him.

But Colin wasn't worried his new sister would talk, he was worried because people were finding her out. And that could not be a good sign, not at all.

Chapter Text

Friends

The night wasn't long enough for the newlyweds to properly rest. They had to wake up early in the morning to take breakfast with the rest of the family and guests.

"Good morning, love" Colin said, when he saw Penelope awakening. He hadn't really slept all night, terrified about how to keep Penelope's secret safe.

"What time is it?" Penelope asked, confused, normally she woke up first, Colin not being an early riser.

"Early" he said, "but we should hurry to go get breakfast, we don't want to arrive when people are already there"

"Why not?" she asked while she got up

"That means less food for us to choose from", he said, hurrying to get ready.

That was not only untrue, but dramatic, even for her husband.

They made their way to the breakfast table and met only Hyacinth, who didn't like to be second for anything, making it a point to always be there for breakfast before Colin.

"Good morning, sister" she greeted Penelope "Lord Whistledown" she nodded to her brother.

Penelope giggled, but to the ladies surprised, Colin got angry.

"Can't you keep your mouth shut, sister?" he admonished.

Hyacinth had never seen Colin truly angry with her, he had been crossed with her a thousand times, but never truly offended by something she had done, and so, she actually apologized, a first for her.

"I am sorry, brother, didn't mean to offend you", she said, seriously.

He breathed out, before saying "I wasn't offended. You can call me that whenever we are alone, I actually love it", at this, he squeezed Penelope's hand.

"Then why did you get angry?" Penelope asked him, confused.

"Don't you see it can be dangerous?" he said, frustrated "anyone could have heard".

"I didn't think of it", Hyacinth accepted, still not over the feeling of Colin being crossed with her, "but it was only us here and no one heard, so can we please return to our happy moods?" she asked hopeful.

"Very well, then" Colin said.

People started arriving around fifteen minutes after Colin and Penelope, and once Anthony took his seat on the table, they all started “real” breakfast, as Colin called it, not considering the biscuits and tea he had been served before the arrival of the rest of the people a proper breakfast.

Much to Colin's annoyance, Michael Santis was seated beside Penelope. And so, he spent the whole meal looking over at him, just to make sure he would not try anything with his wife.

It was due to his observation that day that Colin realized he had been a fool, too blind to see what was so clearly in front of him once again. Because the entirety of the time Michael was staring at Francesca, entrapped by her every move, enamored by the sound of her laugh, completely bewitched by her. There was no doubt about it, Michael Santis was in love. With his sister.

After retiring with the gentlemen to get a drink, Colin approached Michael. He had come to the conclusion that he was no threat to him and that, in his place, he was sure he would need a friend, and so he decided he was going to be that friend.

"Mr. Santis" Colin said.

"Mr. Bridgerton" Michael said, not sure what Colin's intention was.

"I want to apologize"

"Whatever for?" Michael asked.

"I was ready to kill you that night, for one" Colin admitted, for the first time feeling a bit of shame at this.

"You thought I was stealing the love of your life away. I understand" he said, as if it was of no importance whatsoever.

"Thank you" Colin said, sincerely, "but also because I haven't been nice to you, not since you came back. We used to be good friends and I was hoping we could resume that, start over again if you allow it"

"I would be honored, Colin" Michael said. "Honestly man I have been dying for an opportunity to tease you about how long it took you to finally admit your feelings to yourself" he said, patting Colin in the back.

"Was I that obvious since your arrival, then?" he asked.

"Since my arrival?" Michael jokingly asked. "Man, I have known you were in love with the beautiful redhead since our days at Eaton" he laughed.

Colin was astonished, "but… I… How?"

"You talked about her more than you talked about your family, always telling us «Penelope would have enjoyed this lesson» after you had learnt about something you thought she would find interesting" Michael rolled his eyes.

"I suppose my heart got there way before my mind could catch up" Colin smiled.

The two spent the rest of the evening before getting ready for the masquerade rebuilding their friendship, Colin considered it stronger than ever.

The masquerade

Penelope felt beautiful in her costume for Violet's birthday masquerade. Colin had insisted on them matching and since he was to be dressed as a pirate, she decided she was going as a Siren of the seas.

She wasn't really sure of it when she had seen how he had make sure there was more skin exposed than was proper, but no one would judge since it was a masquerade. Her hair had been styled in a beautiful way too, her features were highlighted by her coiffeur and the beautiful family jewels Violet had insisted she wore made her look like a true princess of the sea.

When she met Colin, right before going to the ballroom, she knew he thought her beautiful, the expression on his face unmistakable, it was as if he had never truly see, until that moment.

For a second he feared he would cry just like he did on his wedding, but he composed himself before taking his wife's hand in his and planting a kiss on her palm.

"You look like a goddess, my love" he said, his voice carrying so much sincerity that no one hearing it would have even considered to doubt it.

But he wasn't the only one who had lost the ability to form coherent thoughts, she too was transfixed by the sight of him in his pirate attire. So much so that she couldn't help but touch the exposed skin of his chest once she was close enough to do so.

"I think we better go down now, before we ruin our attires completely" he said, smirking.

"I am so glad we are leaving to our honeymoon first thing in the morning", she told him, a smile on her face.

He smiled at her, before rushing down so they could be presented in the ballroom as Mr. and Mrs. Bridgerton.

People were still surprised by the new status Penelope held as the wife of a Bridgerton, and for the first time, they took the time to actually look at her.

Colin felt so proud of the woman walking on his arm. It was about time people notice how beautiful his wife truly was, he wished people knew how utterly brilliant and kind and amazing she was as well, but for now, them noticing her beauty was enough, they had all been too quick to discard her before.

"You must do me the honor, darling, of taking you to the floor for your first dance tonight", he said.

And they did, as the music played they twirled on the dance floor, feeling like they were the only people in the entire world.

The kids had found a way to sneak into the ball. Since it was a masquerade and they could be easily disguised, they hadn't been recognised by anyone. Hyacinth and Felicity both wearing wigs and masks that covered almost all of their faces.

They had danced with Gregory once each, until he declared he would go ask Penelope for a dance.

"My Lady, would you do me the honor?" Gregory asked Penelope, taking the opportunity now that Colin was dancing with Francesca.

"Gregory?" She asked, whispering so as not to attract attention.

"I am glad you know me just by my voice", he said.

"Of course I would. And I would be delighted to dance with you, sir", she said. And so, Gregory waited by her side for the current dance to end.

He wasn't expecting Michael to approach them too.

"Would you dance with me, Pen?" He asked, completely ignoring Gregory's presence, clearly thinking he was a random man.

"I will, but not next one, I have already promised my next dance to this gentleman here", she pointed at Gregory.

"And is your husband ok with that?" Michael asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I do not see why he wouldn't" Penelope answered, simply.

But before anyone could say anything else, Hyacinth appeared as if out of tin air and demanded Michael to dance with her.

"Miss Hyacinth?" Michael asked, Penelope already knowing the young lady by her side was no other than her sister Felicity.

"The one and only", Hyacinth replied.

"Wouldn't that be improper?" Michael directed his question more to Penelope than to the rest.

"I suppose it would if you did not know her, but thanks to John, we are all now relations of sorts, so I do not think it improper", she said.

"Then it will be my honor, miss", he said to Hyacinth.

The dance ended and Colin made his way to his wife, who was surrounded by Michael and three people he did not recognised.

"Good evening, ladies", he greeted Hyacinth and Felicity, who almost laughed at his formality. "Mr. Santis" he nodded to Michael, "and…"

"No need for such formalities, brother", Gregory said, rolling his eyes.

"Greg?" he was surprised.

"The one and only" he mimicked Hyacinth.

"If mother knows you sneaked in here…" Colin said.

"But you won't tell her", it was Hyacinth, he realized, one of the ladies, the other no doubt being Felicity.

"I would never" he said playfully.

"Would you dance with me then, Colin?" Felicity asked him, "Hyacinth will be dancing with Michael and Gregory will be dancing with Pen and I don't want to be the only one not dancing" she announced, and then "please", she pleaded.

"Of course I will, what are brothers for if not dancing with their little sisters?" He said, playfully.

"You are my favorite brother" Felicity declared.

"There wasn't much competition, though" Michael joked.

"For you information, Al is great brother", Penelope felt the need to defend him.

The rest of the night was not really eventful apart from Benedict spending all night with a mysterious lady in silver. And so, the newlyweds left as planned, first thing in the morning.

The past eight months had been pure bliss, getting to know the world with the person that was home was the best feeling in the world, at least it was for Colin Bridgerton.

The only thing that could cloud their happiness during their honeymoon was the day they received a letter addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Bridgerton. From Lady Crane. She was not only offering her congratulations for the nuptials, but letting them know that she didn't have much time left to live due to an infection she got after accidentally cutting herself with a letter opener. They couldn't even say goodbye.

They were on their way to England, having decided that they needed to actually see their new country home before having to go back to London for the start of the season. They wouldn't stay long there, and since they had promised before leaving, would receive Gregory, Hyacinth and Felicity for two weeks before going to London.

As of present, he was worried, because his wife had been feeling under the water ever since they boarded the ship.

If she had been the same during their way to the continent, he would have assumed ships made her sick. But she hadn't. And so, he was trying to convince himself that ships made her sick and that the ship on their way to the continent had been the exception, due to her eagerness to know the world.

But when he looked at her, her coming back from the washing room where she had already been ten times just this morning, he knew that was not the case.

"Just wait a little more, Pen. Once we are in England I will call for the best doctor there is to check on you, you are going to be ok", he said as he stroked her hair.

"I know I'll be alright, Colin. There is no need to worry" Penelope said, smiling softly at him.

"You have been sick since we boarded, and you were not sick the first time you traveled by ship, so don't try to tell me it's just the sea making you nauseated" Colin told her.

"It is not the ship, nor the sea that's making me sick", she admitted.

"Do you know what is it, then?" he asked her.

"I have a suspicion", she told him, studying him carefully.

"What is it?" He asked, clearly not getting what she meant.

"Colin… I didn't want to tell you anything until later, they always say to wait until the third time to be sure, but…" she looked at him, nervous.

"But what?" he was becoming nervous too, not understanding what she was saying.

"Colin I haven't bled in two months now, I think…" but she didn't get to finish, he finally understood.

"Are you sure?" his voice wasn't scared, as she feared it would, it was hopeful.

"I am", she said, allowing herself to admit it for the first time.

He was truly the happiest person alive, the happiest in the whole universe.