Chapter Text
September 3rd 1939
Penelope Featherington sat in shock as the words of Neville Chamberlain echoed around the drawing room of her family's London home. Although they had all been expecting this announcement, hearing the words was still a shock.
"I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received, and that consequently this country is at war with Germany."
For the first time in Penelope’s twenty years on this earth she saw her mother show an emotion other than disdain or frustration. She gripped her father’s shoulder and whispered fervently.
“Thank God we have no sons.”
Her father looked grave and then nodded in agreement. The lack of a male heir to carry on the Featherington name had long been a bone of contention between her parents but today it would seem that both her parents were thankful for their three daughters and did not wish for anything different.
“War?” Penelope looked at her thirteen year old sister whose voice sounded confused.
Penelope knew how Felicity felt. What would it mean for all of them? She knew that even now children were being evacuated from the city, scattered to the four winds across the country to places of safety where the inevitable bombs could not reach them.
She also knew that at thirteen her sister was of an age to be evacuated. The family had a second home deep in the countryside of Kent and Penelope was aware that her parents had already decided that should war be declared, Portia Featherington was to pack up and head out with not only her youngest daughter but also Penelope. Archibald Featheirngton worked in Whitehall doing something Penelope had never even considered asking about. He would therefore have to stay in town and her older sister Prudence had married and moved to America with her husband six months previously.
The problem was Penelope had no intention of being shipped off to the country to sit in safety whilst everyone else was fighting. England was her home and she was determined to do her bit for the war effort. Both she and her best friend Eloise Bridgerton had been discussing this issue for the last few months that war had been looming on the horizon. It would appear that the time to put their plans into action had finally arrived.
“Mama, please may I go over to Eloise’s house?” she asked.
Portia Featherington tutted.“This is a time for family Penelope. I am sure Violet Bridgerton has enough to worry about without you turning up on her doorstep. The poor woman lost her husband due to injuries in the last war and now she has three grown sons that she will be required to sacrifice to this latest folly.”
“But Mama, that is just it, I want to go and console Eloise. She will surely be distressed and her mother will need her to be stoic. I can be her sounding board so that she can be strong in front of her family.” Penelope explained earnestly.
Surprisingly, it was her father who spoke up. “Let the girl go, Portia. The Bridgerton women are going to need all the support they can get. Don’t be too late home Penny, I don’t want you out when it goes dark and the blackout is in force” he smiled encouragingly and motioned for her to leave.
Out of the corner of her eye, Penelope could see her mother swelling in preparation to argue and so she grabbed her gas mask and scuttled quickly out of the door before Portia Featherington could get into her stride.
Elosie had clearly been thinking exactly the same as Penelope and the two girls came together on a street corner about halfway between their two houses. They stood and hugged each other for a few moments, no words possible, both just needing the closeness.
Eventually they broke apart and turned to walk arm in arm towards their favourite spot in Grosvenor Square Gardens. Suddenly the air was rent by a wailing sound that turned Penelope’s stomach.
Eloise gripped her hand and the two girls wheeled around looking for a shelter. Penelope strained her ears. “I can’t hear any planes, and I really hate enclosed spaces.”
Elosie raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying you don’t want to find a shelter?”
“I doubt the Germans had planes already in the air just waiting for that announcement. My guess is someone has hit the alert as a reaction to the news. I say we head for the square. If we hear planes we can always dart into the public shelter on the corner.” Penelope suggested, unsure why she felt so calm.
“OK.” Eloise replied and tucked her arm back through Penelope’s as the girls continued to walk, both lost in their own thoughts.
It was Penelope who broke the silence after a few minutes of strolling. “How is your mother?” she asked tentatively.
Elosie sniffed, “How do you think? Devastated. It has brought father’s death back into sharp focus. She is trying to be strong which is why I came out and left her to Daphne. She still sees me as a child who she needs to protect. She won’t allow her emotions to come forth if I am there. Daph will ensure she has the cry out she definitely needs.”
Penelope squeezed her friend's arm in solidarity.
“What about in your house?” Elosie asked.
Penelope chuckled darkly. “Well for the first time in living memory my parents are glad they have no male offspring, so I suppose every cloud.”
Elosie snorted. They had arrived at their favourite bench under a large Horse Chestnut tree and both girls sank down. The siren had stopped but the all clear had not sounded, however the skies were still absent of planes so the girls felt safe.
Penelope looked sideways at her friend, who was pale and drawn. Her dark hair heightening her currently palid complexion “Were any of your brother’s visiting at home with you to listen to the broadcast?”
Elosie shook her head and a single tear rolled down her cheek. “Anthony is on a base somewhere on the south coast training pilots, Benedict was square bashing with the regiment he was assigned to last time I heard from him and God only knows where Colin is. The last time he wrote he was in France working for the Navy.”
Penelope felt her heart swoop at the mention of the youngest of Elosie’s three older brothers. Colin was only four years Elosie’s senior with Benedict and Anthony six and eight years older respectively. All three men had always treated Penelope kindly over the years. Dancing with her at the stupid debutant balls that her mother insisted she attended and taking time to talk to her as she stood around at the various social events her family forced her to attend.
Penelope was not unattractive, but she was quite diminutive in stature and probably a little too curvy to be fashionable. Add to that the fact that she found talking to strangers excruciating and when she did pluck up the courage to speak her acerbic sarcasm often seemed to scare people off, and Penelope was just one of life's wall flowers, despite her hair being a most eye catching shade of deep auburn.. People, and men in particular just didn’t seem to see her.
Well the Bridgerton men did see her, probably because she was Eloise's best friend and she appreciated Anthony and Benedict's older brother vibes. Colin however was a different matter. Colin was probably not as classically handsome as Anthony, or as creative and witty as Benedict but to Penelope he was perfect.
Ten years ago in this very garden, on this exact bench, Colin Bridgerton had been Penelope’s knight in shining armour. His actions that day had lit a spark in her , that at the tender age of nine and a half she didn’t really understand but that spark had grown over the years. For at least the last three years now she had loved him with every breath in her body.
On that fateful day ten years ago she had been enjoying time in the park when her sister Prudence had stolen her brand new hair ribbons and tied them in a tree, too high for her to reach. Even then she had been small for her age. Prudence had run off cackling and Penelope had been sitting sobbing on the bench after a fruitless ten minutes of trying to retrieve her precious ribbons. They had been the first thing her dad had ever brought just for her. Jade green and made of beautiful wide satin, he had put them in her hand just that morning and said that having seen them he knew they had to be hers as they would look lovely in her auburn hair.
Fourteen year old Colin had appeared in front of her having come over to where she was to retrieve a wayward football.
Penelope’s face had been buried in her arms when she heard him.
“Hey, are you OK? Do you need me to fetch someone for you?”
Lifting her face, her eyes immediately locked on to his deep green pools peering at her through a messy chestnut fringe and a wave of warmth had spread through her from that spark that had ignited in her heart.
When Colin had gone on to coax her woes out of her, and then not only retrieve her ribbons but introduce her to Elosie who became her very best friend in the whole world, was it any wonder that he had stolen her heart.
Ten years on and she adored Colin though he still had absolutely no idea. Penelope liked to think that no one else knew of her deep seated adoration of Colin either. However, whilst Eloise was certainly in the dark due to the fact that Colin was her brother and therefore disgusting in every way, Penelope did sometimes wonder if Benedict Bridgerton had his suspicions. He was the most emotionally intelligent of the three Bridgerton brothers and there were times when she felt he knew she was carrying a torch for his younger sibling. He never teased her though and never made reference to it when he was with her and for that she was eternally grateful.
“Pen? What do you think?” Elosie’s voice interrupted her musings.
“Think about what?” Penelope replied, forcing her focus back to her best friend.
Eloise rolled her eyes. “I asked if you had broached the subject of not heading out to the country with your mother.”
“No, not yet. You know how much I hate conflict. I am sort of hoping that Mama will be so busy packing and sorting out Felicity that I will be able to slip into the shadows and she will just forget about me all together.” Penelope sighed.
“You are not that invisible Pen. Your mother is going to notice when you don’t go with her. You are just going to have to be brave and tell her that you are staying here with me doing very important WVS work.” Eloise determined.
“The Women's Voluntary Service?” Penelope asked in surprise. “El, If I am braving my Mama’s rath, I want to do more than make tea and sandwiches!”
Elosie nodded vigorously. “As do I. But slowly, slowly catchy monkey.” she said knowingly.
“Pardon! What on earth does that mean?” Penelope said, now thoroughly confused.
At that moment the single note of the all clear siren rang out across the gardens and both girls smiled.
“I was talking to Colin last time he was home. I wanted to know where he thought we could be most useful should we end up at war, he at least recognises that at twenty nearly twenty one you and I are no longer children.” Elosie sniffed.
“And he said we would be of most use in the WVS making tea?” Penelope huffed. “I am surprised you didn’t hit him.”
Elosie laughed. “I would have, if that had been his only suggestion. No, he said that the branch of the Navy he works for would have need of radio operators if war was declared. He said they would need intelligent women who were quick witted and could speak French. Colin said he thought we would be perfect for the role. But he also said that we would need to ease our mother’s into the idea.”
Penelope felt a fluttering of pleasure at the realisation that Colin thought she was intelligent and quick witted. “Are you sure he was talking about me? He probably just meant you” she asked, unable to stop herself, she had to be sure.
Elosie luckily was too excited to pick up on this. “He definitely meant both of us. He mentioned your name.”
Penelope hid a small smile. “OK well that sounds like a job that would really make a difference to the war effort, but I still don’t see where the WVS comes in, or the monkey for that matter!”
“Initially we get our mothers to let us stay behind to aid the WVS. That is a respectable role that they will be able to understand and will ease them into being separated from us. We will be young ladies who offer moral support and sustenance where needed. What could be more proper.” Eloise explained, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
Understanding then flooded Penelope. “Then after a few months or so, we move on to a job like Colin was talking about.”
“Exactly.” Elosie beamed. “I have three brothers, serving in three different services. I am sure if Colin’s job does not come to fruition, Anthony could find us a role in the WAAF, or Benedict in the ATS.”
“Brilliant.” Penelope gushed. “Oh El, I know that war is a terrible thing and I am not saying I am glad of it, because I really am not. It terrifies me what might happen and how many people will lose their lives. But….. the opportunity to move away from living with my parents without having to get married…..”
Elosie nodded in understanding. “I know Pen, we are finally going to be able to show the world that we are capable young women who do not need a man to look after us. We will be independent.” She looked both excited and scared before smiling mischievously. “Not that we are going to say no if some handsome soldier, sailor or airman wants to take us dancing.” she added, wiggling her eyebrows. “
“Speak for yourself.” Penelope groaned. “I don’t think being in uniform is going to make me any more visible to the opposite sex.”
“Phish. I have told you before, men notice you but you just never seem to notice them, noticing you. You give off a distinct aura of being completely uninterested.” Eloise admonished.
“I am shy, El. I never know what to say.” Penelope protested.
“Not with my brothers you aren’t. Last time Colin was home you spent hours wittering on with him about his travels with the Navy.” Eloise said, and her face took on a puzzled expression. “In fact that is probably why the men in our social circle don’t approach you, they think you are destined to marry one of my ridiculous brothers.”
Penelope squealed in protest. “Elosie Bridgerton, that is the most outrageous statement you have ever made. Your brothers see me as a surrogate sister.”
Eloise eyed Penelope shrewdly. “Well, Anthony and Benedict certainly do. Colin….. I am not so sure about him.”
Penelope really should leave this. Elosie was getting uncomfortably close to the truth but apparently her traitorous mouth did not get the memo.
“What do you mean, you are not sure about Colin?”
Eloise frowned. “I don’t really know. Just a ……. Oh, just ignore me. I am blithering.”
Ignore her? Penelope did not want to ignore her, she wanted to shake her until Eloise was forced to verbalise what she meant by “I am not really sure about Colin.”
“Anyway, never mind my brothers. How are we going to approach our mothers? Individually or do you think we should get them together and hit them as a pair. You know strength in numbers.`` Eloise asked eagerly.
“Oh definitely together.” Penelope agreed, grasping eagerly at the opportunity to not have to do this alone. “We can do some research this week into what the WVS entails and how to join and then I can bring my mother with me to afternoon tea on Friday and we can tackle them together then.”
“Sounds like a plan. Thank you Pen, for doing this with me. I can’t just sit around worrying about my three stupid brothers, I will go mad. As much as they annoy the life out of me, I love all of them and the thought of losing any of them……… I need to keep busy.” Elosie finished softly, her eyes once more sparkling with unshed tears.
Penelope tried to imagine a world where Colin Bridgerton no longer existed, but it felt like a fist was squeezing her heart and she had to stop. Instead she wrapped her friend in a hug. She refused to offer empty words of comfort such as “They will all come through” or “I am sure nothing will happen to them, they are too smart.” That was all rubbish, war was brutal and it snatched people away with no rhyme or reason. Eloise knew that as well as she did, so she just held her friend for a few more minutes before they both rose and headed home.
Once she had bid goodbye to Eloise on the same corner they had met, Penelope allowed herself to think about their conversation regarding Colin and her seeming invisibleness when it came to other men. Was Elosie right? Did she give off I am really not interested in you vibes to anyone who might even think about approaching her?
She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised if she did. The truth was her heart was not free, it belonged to Colin, even if he didn’t know or care; even if he didn’t want it. There was no room for anyone else. She did not want anyone else.
The problem was though, that as friendly as he was to her, she knew deep down that girls like her didn’t marry men like Colin Bridgerton, so unless she planned on being alone for the rest of her life, she probably needed to at least try and get over him.
March 1940
Colin Bridgerton was frustrated to the point of distraction and he felt a real need to hit something. The French man sitting opposite was supposed to be his counterpart in French Intelligence and they were allegedly allies working together. However, this man clearly knew something he didn’t as cooperation seemed to be the last thing on his mind.
Colin’s French was fluent as was his German. His Greek and Italian were not bad either. Colin had a gift for languages and a love of travel. When, five years ago, he had left university and gone off on a tour of Europe his oldest brother had been incandescent at his lack of focus and responsibility. However, when at the beginning of 1939 it had become evident that war was once more hovering on the horizon, Colin's ability to speak multiple languages and his knowledge of a number of European countries had meant he was ideally equipped to take up a role with Naval Intelligence.
Colin was smart enough to not reveal quite how fluent his French was, which was why he was now in a position to recognise that this French Officer did not feel comfortable sharing vital information he had gotten from the Polish Resistance in relation to code breaking.
“The English are untrustworthy dogs and this one is far too cocky and confident for my liking. He is clearly a toff, his family would have lost their heads in Revolutionary France.” his counterpart muttered to the interpreter that Colin didn’t need. The other man looked nervous as it was clear that he had already clocked that Colin probably understood more than he was letting on.
Colin pushed down his desire to punch Pier Roudet and tried to force his face into the charming smile he was renowned for back home.
“I recognise that the relationship between our two countries has not always been cordial. But right now we are facing a common foe as we did twenty six years ago. If we have any chance of triumphing over this massive German war machine we will need to be able to intercept their messages and break codes. We will also need a network of people willing to put their lives on the line. Intelligence will be the key to defeating Hitler, we will need to be one step ahead of him if our countries are to remain sovereign.” he explained carefully.
“You need to share the information you got both from the German Schmidt and the Polish resistance. If we all have that information then we can all be working on cracking the Germans Enigma code machine together. If I am not sufficiently senior then I can try and get my commanding officer to come and speak to you. In the meantime do I have your blessing to set up a group of British operatives who will be able to work undercover in various European countries when the Germans start to expand their invasion plans?”
Colin had delivered this entire speech in flawless French with no trace of an English accent. He tried not to smirk at the look of astonishment on Pier Roudet’s face.
“You speak my language like a native?” the French man spluttered.
“Yes, as well as a number of other languages. It would be people like myself that we would want to come and set up a network. We are very good at what we do, and are prepared to be underhand if necessary. My asking for your permission is merely good manners as I am sure you have worked out.” Colin replied briskly.
An hour later Colin was on the outskirts of Rheims at the entrance to a British RAF base. Bringing his Renult Viva Grande Sport to a halt at the gate and showing his identification to the guard.
“Can I ask what your reason for visiting this base is Lieutenant-Commander, Sir?” the young airman asked.
“Here to meet with Squadron Leader Bridgerton.” Colin replied. He grinned as he saw the younger man peer more closely at his ID. Deciding to negate the need for further questions he added. “He and I are brothers so as I was in the area I decided to pay him a visit. He is not expecting me, but will not turn me away I am sure.” he clarified.
“Oh right, of course Sir, but I still need to phone up to the big house to check.” The airman looked apologetic.
“Of course. Wouldn’t expect anything less.” Colin assured the man. “I am just going to stretch my legs and walk away down the road and back. I will only be gone for ten minutes or so. I have had a long, fruitless meeting with French bureaucracy this afternoon and need some air.”
The airman grinned. “Understood. I should be able to let you in by then.”
Colin nodded his thanks and set off. He was not really sure what had prompted him to come and visit Anthony, an hour's drive was not exactly in the area but something had driven him to do so. He had never been as close to his oldest brother as he felt he should have been. When their father had died Anthony had taken on that tricky mix of part brother, part parent to Colin and Colin had not made it easy. Resenting his oldest brother's interference in his life choices.
However, it was over nine months since he had seen any of his family and he missed them. Anthony, he knew, had been home at Christmas and after the day he had had, the opportunity to see his brother and get news of his family straight from the horse's mouth rather than through letters had proved a pull he couldn’t ignore. His mother was a bland, if regular, correspondent, and Daphne very irregular as she had her hands full with three children under the age of four. Elosie’s letters were more satisfying but tended to be full of impatient enquiries into when she and Pen could leave their roles in the WVS behind and start doing the role of radio operators that he had mentioned.
He looked up and realised that he had walked a little further than he expected and so turned to head back. Today would be a good time to talk to Anthony about Eloise and Pen and their desire to do more. He was hopeful that his oldest brother would see as he did that trying to prevent the two girls from having more of an involved role in war work was futile. His sister was doggedly determined when she got an idea in her head and often her friend Pen was the only one she would listen to. On this occasion though Pen was just as resolute that she wanted to be useful. Therefore the best course of action was to find them both a situation that gave them a sense of purpose but kept them together and safe. Well as safe as anyone was in a country at war. Bombs had not yet started to fall on British homes but Colin was a realist and he knew it was only a matter of time.
As he strode back towards the gates of the airfield he once more thanked his lucky stars that he had come across Penelope Featherington that day in the park. Pen had been a good friend to Elosie, she helped to keep his head strong sister at least vaguely on the rails and her support and been instrumental in helping Eloise deal with the grief that hit her when their wonderful father had dropped dead suddenly one day in the garden a year after the girls met. They later discovered that a piece of shrapnel that Edmund Bridgerton had picked up in a shell attack just outside Epre in the last war had been silently working its way towards his heart for 12 years.
“Colin? What the hell are you doing here?”
Anthony’s voice pulled him from his memories and he couldn’t help the grin that spread over his features at the sight of his brother’s incredulous face. He jogged the last few steps and allowed himself to be enveloped in the warm embrace that was Squadron Leader Anthony Bridgerton.
He stepped back smiling. “I was in the area and had time so I thought I would come and hopefully steal some of your Malt Whiskey. Red wine just does not hit the spot and I have had a hell of a day.”
Anthony snorted. “ You are in luck. Mother sent me a parcel the other day so my stocks are fully replenished. Have you eaten?”
Anthony had walked to the gate and so climbed into Colin’s car in order to direct him down the drive of the Chateaux that had been commandeered by the RAF.
“Not since breakfast, so I am starving. I could eat a scabby horse.” Colin complained.
“Be careful what you wish for. This is France, at least horses are not slugs in a shell.” Anthony shivered theatrically.
Colin laughed. “Honestly Ant, you really need to broaden your palate. There is more to life than fish and chips.”
They parked the car in what had been the stables and made their way into the large house. Once settled in the library which had become Anthony’s office they faced each other with a glass of whiskey in hand.
“So why are you really here? Are you in trouble?” Anthony asked, eyeing his younger brother shrewdly.
Colin felt himself bristle. “Why do you always assume the worst? I work for Naval Intelligence, a Lieutenant-Commander no less and you still have no faith in me.”
Anthony looked slightly regretful. “I am sorry. It is a defence mechanism I developed after dad died. Trying to parent you Ben and Eloise was no joke. Daphne was the only sensible one amonst you. I protect myself by having low expectations, that way I can’t be disappointed.”
“Wanting to travel was a goal, Anthony and an art degree is useful. Neither was a pointless waste of time.” he sighed, throwing his brother's harsh words from years ago back at him. “My travels gave me the experiences which now mean I have the skills to be bloody good at my job, and Ben is working with the war office assigned to the army as an official war artist.”
Anthony held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I know and I can admit I was wrong when I have to. So I am sorry. You and Benedict are both doing brilliantly. As I told our mother, with a Bridgerton in each branch of the armed forces Hitler doesn’t stand a chance.”
Colin laughed. “I bet that went down well.”
“Earned me a fifteen minute lecture on not being an arrogant idiot and the reality and dangers of war.” Anthony confessed.
“Sounds painful.” Colin comisseratted.
“It was, she was furious and that was without her realising how much trouble Britain really is in. I have a horrible feeling that before the end of the year most of central Europe will have fallen. France is not ready to repel an invasion from what I can see, certainly not in the air.”
“I know what you mean, everything I am hearing is pointing to invasions of Belgium and France sooner rather than later. The Germans are well armed, fast and ruthless.” Colin shrugged helplessly unsure of how to carry on.
“I agree brother and the French are being bloody ostriches and burying their heads in the sand.” Anthony grumbled.
“Have you heard from Benedict? Do you know where he is?” Colin asked.
“Not for a few weeks. He is attached to the British Expeditionary Forces that are on the border between Belgium and France. I just worry that he will become so engrossed in sketching what he sees that should it all go to hell in a hand cart he won’t shift his arse and get out of there.” Anthony muttered, worry radiating off him.
“Ben might be an artist, but he is not an idiot and he is a crack shot. If necessary he has the skills to protect himself. He did actually get given a rifle, didn't he?” Colin asked.
Anthony shook his head. “Not sure. I know he did some training but I made sure to give him a hunting rifle and dad’s old hand gun. I just hope he bloody packed them and didn’t leave them out in order to fit in more sketching pads or pencils.”
Colin could tell his brother was stressed. He had always taken his job as head of the family seriously since their father had died. He felt bad bringing up Eloise as her antics had caused Anthony more trouble than the rest of them put together over the years..
“Have you heard from El recently?” he asked, trying to sound casual so as not to arouse Anthony’s fears. He didn’t pull it off. .
“No. Why? Oh God is that why you are here? What has she done this time?” Anthony had leapt out of his chair and was running his hands frantically through his hair.
“Deep breaths Ant, she was fine last I heard. Stop panicking. It can't be good for your blood pressure. I just wanted to run something past you.” Colin placated.
“Stop panicking!! This is Eloise, it was not you that had to go and pull her out of those Anti facist protests in 1937. She was seventeen and getting swept up in a mob. Anything could have happened. If it had not been for Penelope tipping me off……..” Anthony trailed off panting hard. “You ask Ben. It was a bloody nightmare.”
Colin winced. He had not been around to dig his sister out of that particular hole as he had been travelling in Italy. It must have been bad if Pen had gone to Anthony. He knew she liked both his brothers but was in awe of Anthony as he was the eldest and quickest to fly off the handle.
Anthony was now pacing. “I assume you are aware that El and Pen have refused to go to the country where it is safe and instead have stayed in London and joined the WVS. It would be quite funny imagining our little sister knitting socks if it wasn’t for the fact that she is doing it in a city that is likely to be bombed to smitherines in the next few months.”
Anthony couldn’t have set Colin up better if he had been trying to.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Elosie is pestering me about wanting to join one of the forces. The WVS is not really fulfilling her or Pen from what she says.”
Anthony’s eyes bugged out of his head. “She can pester all she wants. Hell will freeze over before my little sister joins the ATC and becomes an army officer's ground sheet.”
Grimacing at the images that created Colin tried to interrupt, but Anthony was in full flow now swelling like one of the barge balloons that were currently hovering over his home city.
“And if you think the women in the air force are treated with any more respect, you are a naive idiot. Honestly the way some of the pilots and ground crew used to talk about what they got up to with the WAAF’s on my last base. It would make even you blush.”
Colin was starting to feel slightly unnerved.
“I was actually thinking of them coming to work with my department in the Navy.” he started to explain.
“Oh yes because sailors are so much more trustworthy.” Anthony ranted. “What was it I heard the other day? ‘Up with the lark but to bed with a WREN’”
“Anthony, Eloise is going to be twenty one in a few months. Then she is not going to need your permission. Plus she has been handling lecherous men in society for a few years now. She is more than capable of taking care of herself. If she doesn’t keep them away with her sarcastic put downs she can always fall back on her right hook. It took Benedict’s eye a week to recover when he insulted her intelligence that time.” Colin was trying to lighten the mood.
Anthony scowled and shot back. “Penelope Featherington won’t though will she?”
Colin stilled. “Penelope won’t what?”
“Be able to handle all the attention that she is bound to get. She is not used to fending off amourous men, is she?” Anthony folded his arms and raised his eyebrows.
It was now Colin’s turn to scowl. “I am sure Pen is just as capable as Eloise. She is a smart girl, she keeps El in line.”
Anthony snorted. “Not quite the same though is it. I mean the only men she has ever really had to deal with are you, me and Benedict. And Ben and I think of her as a little sister.”
“As do I.” Colin shot back.
“If you say so.” Anthony retorted.
“And what is that supposed to mean?” Colin exclaimed angrily.
“Whatever you think it means.” Anthony huffed.
Colin was baffled.
“Oh for God sake. Whatever I meant, my point still stands; Penelope would be exposed to a lot of men, who would happily take advantage of her. If you can honestly tell me you are happy with that. Then fine, I agree let them both join the forces.”
Colin chose not to identify the hot feeling that roiled in his stomach at the thought of Penelope Featherington as an officer’s ground sheet and tried to keep his voice relaxed.
“The role I have in mind is totally hush, hush. You cannot speak a word of what I am about to tell you to anyone, not even mum or Ben or……”
“I get it.” Anthony interrupted. “My lips are sealed. Go on, tell me what you are thinking.”
“They would be working with me for Naval Intelligence in the first instance and then maybe for a new unit that is being talked about. It would not be working on naval bases as such and their contact would be with a small number of people in a secret location out in the countryside somewhere. There would be an equal balance of the sexes at the facility. Possibly even more women.”
Anthony had sat back down. Always a good sign. “I am listening.” he said simply.
Colin sat forward. “I have spent the last few months not only trying to negotiate with the French to share intelligence going forward but also setting up a network of what will be known as ‘Leave Behinds’ should Germany manage to invade Belgium and France. These people will gather evidence and then transmit information back via radio across to Britain. Giving us eyes and ears on the ground in occupied Europe”
“You are not suggesting we bring the girls out here?” Anthony baulked.
“No of course not you idiot. I am suggesting they work as radio operators in Britain picking up the messages and decoding them,, as well as transmitting information back out to the operatives.” Colin explained. “They are both intelligent girls, El is a whizz at puzzles and Pen is a great listener and meticulous about recording details. Some of the things she notices about people are amazing. Plus they would both beable to work in both French and English.”
Anthony’s frown finally started to lift. “Do you know what little brother that is not the most stupid idea I have ever heard.”
“Errr ………thanks. I think.” Colin replied sarcastically.
“No seriously. If you are sure this place where they will be working is not in London, then you have my blessing to try and make it happen. Do you want me to tell El that I approve?” Anthony asked, actually smiling.
“NO, absolutely not. If she thinks you want her to do this she will dig her heels in and refuse. Our sister needs to be very carefully manipulated in situations like this. She likes to feel she is being rebellious and reckless.” Colin grinned.
Anthony laughed at that. “Colin Bridgerton, now I can see why you are working for intelligence. You are not just a pretty face. If you can manage to hoodwink El then the Gestapo will be child’s play”
“Ok thanks. Again I think?” Colin grimaced. “As soon as I am back home I will set the girls up with interviews. You just need to posture around pretending you think it is a terrible idea. Eloise will be so worried that you will throw a spanner in the works, that she hopefully won’t notice that I have secured a job that means she will be making a contribution but she will be doing it safe and sound out in the country.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Anthony agreed. “When are you heading home?”
“If everything goes to plan; the end of June, beginning of July.” Colin stood up and his brother did the same “Thanks for the whiskey. It was great to see you.”
The two brothers embraced each other and Colin couldn’t help wondering when he would see Anthony again. “Just make sure that when the Germans invade you get out sooner rather than later. No playing the bloody hero big brother.”
Anthony nodded solemnly. “You too Colin. This stuff you are involved in sounds dangerous. At least if I get caught I will be treated as a prisoner of war. The work you do is liable to get you put up against a wall and shot as a spy.” his worried frown was back. “It’s a good job mum has no idea what you actually do. The worry would paralyse her.”
Colin once more attempted to lighten the mood and so he winked as he opened the door to leave. “Well that’s OK, I had no intention of getting caught anyway.”
He could hear his brother chuckling darkly as he headed away from the office.