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Penelope Featherington stood frozen in her spot by the window as her mama’s words echoed through her ear’s. She looked over at her sisters before looking back at her mother.
“W-what?” Pen stutters out.
“You heard me, Penelope. You shall be married in 2 weeks time.” Portia says.
“Why me? Why not Prudence or-or Philippa?” Pen asks.
“Because they are not going to be spinsters like you will be. You have no say in this, Penelope. It is final.” Portia tells her, making Prudence and Philippa giggle. Portia rolls her eyes at her youngest before leaving the room with her 2 oldest daughters in tow. Portia Featherington has promised Pen to Lord Morrow.
Lord Richard Morrow was known to be a horrid man. Man after his own needs and does not care for anyone else's. Pen has heard whispers about him abusing his female staff. Beating them, raping them. He is so cruel that even brothels turn him away. Pen will surely be killed by this man. Pen ran out of the house and into the garden. She paced around as tears welled up in her eyes. Pen fell to her knees and leaned up onto the stone bench as she cried.
Pen did not realize the sun was setting until she heard footsteps coming. She looks up to see Colin Bridgerton standing there.
“C-Colin? W-What are you doing here?” Pen quickly wiped away her tears.
“I have come to check on you. You did not come to Bridgerton house for tea like you promised. Is everything alright?” Colin asks as he sits down next to her on the ground. Pen shakes her head no. “What can I do? How can I help you?”
“You cannot help me, Colin. My mother…Oh, Colin, it is awful!” She began to cry.
“What is it? Let me help you.” Colin grabs onto her hands.
“My mama has promised me to Lord Morrow.” Pen tells him.
“Lord Morrow? How-Why-He-Pen, Lord Morrow is a vile and cruel man! Your mother-how could she possibly-” Colin’s anger grew.
“She said it has to be me. That my sisters are not going to be spinsters as I shall be if I do not marry. She is going to sign the contract by this weeks end.” Pen feels a tear escape her eye. “I will have to marry him in a fortnight.”
Colin was quiet. Pen can see his mind racing with ideas.
“Not unless you marry me first.” Colin grins.
“What?” Pen looks at him stunned.
“I shall arrange for us to go to Gretna Green and if we are stopped, I shall have to compromise you.” Colin rambled off, mostly to himself.
“Colin, why-you-but-”
“Pen, we have known each other for most of our lives. Mama says to marry the one who is your dearest friend. You, Penelope Anne Featherington, are my dearest friend. Our marriage will have a strong foundation. Can you imagine? We shall never be bored, we can talk until the sun rises if we wish to, we will not need a chaperone, tonight being an exception. You will be free, out of your mother’s clutches. I shall take care of you. I rather like the thought of that. We can travel together! We will go wherever you wish to go. As far as you wish. I shall make it happen.” Colin says.
“I have never seen you so serious.” Pen says. “But what of Marina?”
“What of Marina?” Colin gave her a confused look.
“Are you not courting her? Why would you want to do this for me over having Marina, who is so…beautiful?” Her small voice broke something in Colin.
“I danced with her once, but I am not courting her, nor do I wish to be.” Colin says. “Why would I want her, when I want you? My favorite dance partner. My best friend. My Pen.”
“Colin-”
“You are so beautiful, Pen.” Colin says, softly as he tucks a strand of her red hair behind her ear. “Have I ever told you that?”
“No…no one has ever told me that.” Pen says, quietly.
“Then I vow to tell you every day.” Colin promised her.
“Oh, Colin.”
“Marry me.” Colin says.
“But-I have to tell you something. You may change your mind on how you see me, and you possibly will take back everything you say.”
“You can tell me anything.”
“I-Colin, I have spent my entire life cast out into the shadows with no voice. No one truly notices me. Not even Eloise. I’m invisible to the ton. You…You know my love for writing, yes? We wrote to each other while you were away at Eton.” Pen reminds him, making him nod. “I..After my debut, at my first ball I wanted to come over for tea and tell Eloise all about it, but she did not want to hear it. I instead wrote it all down. I wrote barbs in there and made it my own. I was foolish and left it out. My-My father's solicitor found it and loved it. He urged me to publish it. I did. Under a penname.”
“Are you saying you are…”
“I am Lady Whistledown.” Colin grins.
“Of course it’s you. You are the smartest and wittiest woman I know.” Colin gently touches her cheek. “I am in awe of you. You never gave me an answer.”
“An answer?”
“For God's sake, Penelope Featherington, are you going to marry me or not?” Colin grins at her. Pen grins back, leaning in.
“Yes.”