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“Mama, need I remind you that Elliot is my son,” Penelope said between laughs as she entered Featherington House’s drawing room. “Not yours.”
“I refuse to voice an apology for taking care of the future Lord Featherington,” Portia spoke as she held Elliot close to her chest, instantly smiling when the baby cooed. “I would spend time with my granddaughters as well but none of them are here, so Elliot get his dear grandma all for himself.”
“And I’m sure Elliot’s grateful for your attentions, but we must get going already if we want to be on time for our picnic with the rest of the Bridgertons,” Penelope walked closer to her son and mother, gently tapping the baby’s nose and eliciting a laugh from him. “Are you sure you do not want to join us?”
“I already wrote to Philippa and promised I would visit her later today,” Portia explained. “Perhaps another day.”
“As you wish,” Penelope shrugged. “Say hello to my sister, her husband and precious Philomena from all of us. Rae will come with Elliot’s winter clothes in a minute, make sure he’s ready as soon as possible.”
During Penelope and Colin’s last visit to Bridgerton House with Elliot, Violet suggested all of them to visit their usual promenading spot at the park but to make a picnic instead of simply walking like they usually did. With the arrival of autumn, many trees’ leaves had turned orange or brown and continued to fall, making it a beautiful spot for spending a calm and joyful family afternoon.
With Daphne and Simon in Clyvedon, Sophie and Benedict in Our Cottage, Francesca in Scotland and Gregory in Eaton, Bridgerton House had grown rather quiet. In Bridgerton’s House standards, quiet meant that there weren’t as many siblings arguing over the pettiest things like how many macarons they somehow managed to steal from the kitchen and which colour they were.
Anthony and Kate had officially established in Bridgerton House with their son Edmund, Eloise was surprisingly less combative than usual – though she still had either a protest or an opinion on many of the things happened under the roof she lived in. Hyacinth still maintained the choice she made during the ton’s last season to postpone her debut. And of course, Violet was there as well.
“You would not be in such a hurry of you and your beloved husband would not have taken such a long nap,” Portia’s lips made a popping sound while pronouncing that last letter. “Your mother is many things but a fool is not one of them.”
“Colin would not wake up,” Penelope looked away, feelings her cheeks growing warm.
“Of course,” Portia responded with a playful eye-roll. “I will be expecting another grandchild soon at this rate, I assume.”
“Mama,” Penelope warned out of embarrassment more than anything else.
“Fine, fine,” Portia turned her attention back to Elliot just before someone else entered the room. “Rae, fantastic timing. Bring Elliot’s clothes here. Penelope, before you go,” she called. “I heard in the market earlier today that Benedict Bridgerton’s wife is with child, is that true?”
“Her name’s Sophie,” Penelope reminded her. “And yes, it is her third month with child already if I recall correctly. They decided to have the child in their country home so they will not be joining us in any family reunion for the time being.”
“Another cousin for Elliot,” Portia’s lips curved into a delighted smile. “You hear that, little one?”
Once Elliot was ready, Penelope and Colin liberated Rae from her duties for the rest of the day and got inside the carriage – one of their favourite places to be. With his son in his arms, Colin allowed him to play with the collar of his shirt just to keep him entertained. Penelope would never get tired of that tender sight, her husband looking at their child with his quite characteristic soft gaze.
“Keep him as busy as you can until we reach our destination or he will cry desperately out of hunger,” Penelope spoke as she moved a few strands of hair out of her forehead, ones that couldn’t stay in place due to the carriage’s movement. “And he can be quite loud.”
Colin blinked. “You have just fed him, have you not?”
“Indeed, but I fear our son has inherited your voracious appetite, so no amount of feeding satisfies him,” Penelope sighed. “He may look the most like me but giving his size and inability to have a full stomach for long, no one can say he inherited nothing from his father.”
“I cannot deny you that truth,” Colin spoke while proudly looking at Elliot, who still toyed with the collar of his shirt, which he had messed up. “Look at your little teeth, Elliot,” he fondly stroked his son’s hair with his unoccupied hand. “You will be able to eat as many cookies as your Papa sooner than you think.”
“The refreshments table will grow legs and start running the moment it sees you both coming if his hunger turns out to be as menacing as yours,” Penelope commented with a small giggle.
“Do not listen to your Mama,” Colin spoke to Elliot in a whisper. “I promise you and I will have all the refreshments we want.”
All Penelope could do was laugh. “I’m sure you will,” she paused. “We will get there soon, let me fix your cravat and give Elliot to me before he messes it up again.”
Once they arrived at the park, a beautiful sight of orange and brown trees welcomed them. The rest of the family were already waiting for them at the spot they agree on meeting, having placed a blue and white picnic blanket on the floor and taking refreshments out of a basket. Anthony was entertaining his son through flattery while Kate and Violet seemed amused by the sight.
“Pen, Colin!” Eloise was the first one who noticed the couple and their baby walking towards them in the distance. “About time, I have been waiting for–”
“For ten minutes, Eloise,” Violet interrupted. “Do not scold your brother and friend.”
With Elliot in his arms, Colin gently took his son’s small hand and raised it. “And nephew,” he kissed the baby’s hair before putting his hand down again. “Say hello to your auntie Eloise.”
“Please do not make me hold him,” Eloise begged. “I’m still not good at it.”
“I will not,” Colin spoke as he moved to sit on the blanket between his mother and eldest brother. “Because Elliot is about to play with his adorable cousin.”
“Come on Eloise, you make it so easy for me to gain the title of Elliot’s favourite aunt,” Hyacinth mentioned after chewing down one of the biscuits, laughing when she noticed both Colin and Elliot eyeing the food on the blanket. “With Daphne, Francesca and Penelope’s sisters not being here, you are all the competition I have.”
Once placed between their fathers, Elliot and Edmund did the same thing they often did whenever they saw each other: stare as if the other boy was the first baby they had seen in their lives. While the children played with the little toys their parents gave them, a couple of brown leaves fell next to them. While Edmund looked at it with curious eyes, Elliot immediately tried to eat it.
“Stop right there, little fella,” Colin quickly took the leaf before Elliot’s little mouth could engulf it.
Anthony snorted. “Mother always said you also tried to eat everything when you were a little kid.”
Colin rolled his eyes. “Not everything, I’m sure.”
“Yes, everything,” Violet confirmed with a loud laugh. “Ask Ms. Wilson, she could not take her eyes off you for a single second.”
“I suppose I enjoyed being unpredictable,” Colin’s lips turned into a cheeky grin. “And that is just a small part of my charm.”
“Of course it is, dearest,” Violet fondly stroked her son’s hair. “Colin, how about you and Penelope go promenading for a while?”
“What about Elliot?” Penelope quickly asked before Colin could. “Are you sure you do not mind watching over him?”
“Spending time with my grandson is always a pleasure,” Violet assured. “I know first-hand about how much time and energy takes to be first time parents who are involved with their child, so a little time on your own will do you some good.”
“She insists on looking after Edmund quite often so Anthony and I can have time for ourselves as well,” Kate then joined the conversation. “Do not feel like you are being negligent when your son is being tended to so attentively by his loving grandma Violet.”
“What do you think, Pen?” Colin searched for his wife’s eyes first thing.
“I think we can indeed use that moment for ourselves,” Penelope acceded. “Thank you, Violet.”
“Thank you, mother,” Colin repeated the thanks while standing up and offering a hand to his wife.
“Do not worry,” Hyacinth interjected the moment Elliot was handed to Violet and sat next to her mother and nephew. “I will make sure Elliot mother does not spoil him too much,” she assured with a grin. “So I can spoil him instead, look at that adorable chubby face.”
Leaving Elliot with the Bridgertons, Penelope and Colin walked arm in arm, catching the attention of many. They were already used to it after Penelope revealed her identity and Lady Whistledown, so that wasn’t a surprise. Giving that very same identity had been snatched by someone else, the looks recently got more common, almost seeming like people wanting to see her reaction.
“Do not pay them any mind, my love,” Colin whispered. “Believe me we will find out who that fake Whistledown is and make them pay for stealing your name.”
“I’m as determined as you,” Penelope agreed, a frown on her face before she came up with an idea she was quite delighted about. “Do you know where can go to avoid these many eyes on us?”
Colin raised his brows, already curious. “Please enlighten me.”
With a cheeky smile, Penelope guided Colin along the park until they reached a place with which both of them were quite familiar: a willow tree. Or as they fondly called it: their willow tree. One in which they had spoken again for the first time after their very first kiss. The kiss that had changed everything for Colin – the realisation of the feelings he didn’t even know he possessed.
“Are you enlightened yet?” Penelope teased.
“How could I not?” Colin quickly leant down to kiss his wife’s lips. “I cannot believe how awkward I was in that encounter after our first kiss.”
“I’m very sure that was the case for both of us,” Penelope let out a giggle. “I almost felt like I forgot how to speak after somehow finding the courage to ask for a kiss, I felt terrible back then.”
“Your courage is one of the main reasons why we are here now, Pen,” Colin took his wife’s hands in his, bringing them to his mouth and kissing them one by one. “It was because you were brave that night that I finally realised how deeply I love you,” he spoke softly. “I’m positive that I would have eventually come to that realisation, but I would have despised myself for taking even long–”
“Colin,” Penelope interrupted him. “What did we say? No more looking down upon ourselves.”
“You’re right,” Colin nodded, looking up at the tree’s branches. “The orange and yellow leaves remind me of the dresses you used to wear, you know. It almost feels as if everything in this willow tree is specifically designed to make our memories evoke what we have been through.”
“Sounds poetic,” Penelope’s gaze went up as well. “Almost everyone’s eyes were on us that day for something which had to do with Whistledown. Well, at least today the reason is not being under scrutiny for you helping me to court someone else.”
“Do not remind me,” Colin huffed. “It sounds ridiculous now, helping the woman I wanted to be my wife to marry someone else. What was I even thinking?”
“I was quite angry at you back then, but what you did was quite romantic now that I look at it from another perspective,” Penelope spoke as her thumbs stroke the back of Colin’s hands. “Following my carriage and declaring your love to me like a true romantic hero,” she teased, her tone playful yet terribly lovesick. In the best of ways.
“You have no idea of how in distress and desperate your romantic hero was back then,” Colin let go of Penelope’s hands showered her face with kisses before pulling her closer with a hug. “I love you so much, Pen,” he whispered. “In case you did not remember.”
“How could I forget when you remind it to me every single day?” Penelope hugged his neck and moved away just the enough to be able to raise her head and kiss him. “Remember, that is what we do. Encouraging each other to be brave every day, like we were back then.”
It was almost ironic that the willow tree had gone from many shades of green to orange and yellow, the opposite direction of Penelope’s wardrobe transition. In some way, that reminded her that in the end, she was still herself at the end of the day. With her flaws, bad life choices and desire to have a voice, love and freedom. And she got all of them while still being herself.