AMORE ET HONORE
By: tweety-src-clt9
Honoring Friendship
Colin Bridgerton sighed as the scenery from the window of the carriage swiftly pass by. He would be arriving back in London in less than five hours. He needed to let go of his avant-garde lifestyle of traveling to and fro exotic cities and far away lands. It was time to honor his friendship and to do something right.
While on his travels to Prussia, the gravest news came to him through letters from his beloved brothers and his headstrong sister.
As soon as he finished reading the letters, he immediately settled arrangements so he could begin his journey back home.
It had to be done.
He could never let her suffer.
She was too innocent, too sweet, and too pure.
As her friend, he must honor the fact that she saved him once.
And now, it was his turn.
Subconsciously, his palm touched the velvet box concealed in his coat's pocket. Removing the box carefully, he opened it.
There in the middle was an elegant ring with an emerald surrounded by tiny diamonds on a golden band.
He had it engraved, three Latin words that fit the dynamic of their relationship.
Amore et Honore.
Love and Honor.
She who loved him and he who would honor her.
It was the only way.
Sighing sadly for the possible fate of his dearest friend, he closed the box and kept it safe in his coat once again. This time around, he removed envelopes containing three letters that he has read so many times.
August 7th, 1817
Dearest Brother,
I hope this letter finds you well. I write to you bearing the gravest news.
Our dear friend, Ms. Penelope Featherington, would most likely be trapped in an abusive marriage with a duke of age, four and fifty. Furthermore, this duke, according to Basset's men, is a sexual deviant who had already lost two wives prior. I do not wish to disclose the horrid acts this horrifying man is rumored to have done to his previous wives for it is truly a story of nightmares.
Long story short, the new Lord Featherington, that dastardly relation of Penelope, would surely coerce our friend to accept this abominable man.
My dearest brother, Eloise has come to me beseeching and in tears.
We have thought of a solution to save our dearest Penelope, but to do so, we most certainly need your help.
If you are in agreement, we want you to marry Penelope before this duke, along with her head of house, trap her into an abusive relationship that will most certainly kill her spirits.
Dearest brother, please be assured that whatever your decision, I would most certainly respect it.
Should you wish to marry Penelope, please come back to London at once.
However, if you fancy yourself only marrying for the deepest and truest love, then you only need to reply, and you may carry on with your endeavors.
Please, brother. I do hope you will reconsider before you outright deny Eloise, and frankly mine as well, this greatest request.
Sincerely,
Your brother
Anthony
Colin could perfectly remember his jaw clenching and his heart hammering in fury upon reading Anthony's letter. How could such fate befall Penelope? What kind of relation would subject a female under his care to a marriage that will only lead to her doom?
Just the thought of some old perverted man leering and touching a frightened Penelope made him want to hit something.
It was an easy decision.
He would never allow such fate to befall upon her.
Surely, any man of honor who truly was a good friend would do whatever is necessary to save their dearest friend.
When he remembered the content of Benedict's short letter, he was more determined to marry Penelope. He didn't want to read the letter again for his brother's words detailed some gossip about the perverted ways this old duke abused his lovers, according to one of the painters Benedict has worked with. He just couldn't fathom reading the letter again because the words would trigger his nightmares of Penelope being subject to such horrors.
I can do this. For Penelope. He thought as he could feel the carriage bringing him closer and closer to London. He already replied to Anthony's letters and they had a plan. As soon as he would arrive in London, he would quickly freshen up and then he would make his way to the Featherington's to request a private audience with the head of the house. After that, he would formally ask for Penelope's hand and give her the ring he bought for her.
He may not be in love with Penelope, but he truly did care for her.
She was his closest friend after all.
Deep in his heart, he knew that marriage to Penelope would end his dream of finding the one with whom he was truly in love. A love like that of his parents would never be in the cards for him, but he was resigned to that fact.
A marriage of friendship and security for Penelope would be enough.
It had to be. She had to be safe and away from the hands of that lecher.
To pass the time, he opened the attached parchment containing some sort of poem written by Penelope which Eloise had somehow stolen. His meddlesome sister attached the poem to tell him of her evidence that their ginger-haired friend had some romantic sentiments for him. Of course, Eloise was right.
Penelope loved him, or at least she had earnest feelings for him some years ago.
He was hoping that her past (or maybe still current) feelings for him would induce her to accept his hand. Anything that he could use as leverage for her to accept him would do. Anything would be better than marrying that bastard who only lusted after his dearest friend for the most carnal and most deviant pleasures.
July 9th, 1813
I could hardly believe it
When I heard the news today
I had to come and get it straight from you
You said you were leaving
Someone has swept your heart away
From the look upon your face, I see it's true
So tell me all about it
Tell me all the plans you're making
Then tell me one thing more before I go
Tell me how am I supposed to live without you?
Now that I've been loving you so long
How am I supposed to live without you?
And how am I supposed to carry on?
When all that I've been living for is gone
I'm too proud for crying
Didn't come here to break down
It's just a dream of mine that is coming to an end
And how can I blame you
When I build my world around
The hope that one day
We'd be so much more than friends
And I don't wanna know the price I'm gonna pay for dreaming
When even now it's more than I can take
Tell me how am I supposed to live without you?
Now that I've been loving you so long
How am I supposed to live without you?
And how am I supposed to carry on?
When all that I've been living for is gone
- The Wallflower among the Ton
When he read the poem, most especially with the date on top, he knew that this was about him and his engagement to Marina. Penelope wrote it on the day of their engagement if he was not mistaken. It was too long ago that he could barely remember.
He had once been blinded by a pretty face and fancied himself in love despite not knowing anything about Marina. And then, she was only out to trick him because of her pregnancy. Of course, he understood how society was so unfair to ladies, especially to pregnant unmarried women. They would be subject to the worst judgements by the ton. It just hurt his pride at the end of that debacle that he was so stupid to have been easily deceived by Marina's flirty smiles.
Looking back, despite claiming that he still would have married Marina if she only admitted the truth to him, he was grateful that the engagement failed. He knew that he could never be happy with Marina. She would long for another man, someone who already owned her heart, while he would be trapped in bitterness of being stuck in responsibility and a loveless marriage.
He knew that Penelope tried her very best to help him out during his time of need. And so, he was here now. Ready to repay her for her kindness and loyalty.
Besides, despite him not being in love with her, he could at least enjoy Pen's company and her wit. Really, he could be content with her as a life partner. As his dearest friend.
August 6th, 1817
Dearest Colin,
I beg of you. Please spare my dearest friend the cruelest fate. Please marry, Penelope. Please save her from being tied to a man who is over thirty years her senior. I so despise the way his eyes look at her as if she were a piece of meat he so wants to devour. I could never forgive myself if I don't do anything to save Penelope from such a fate.
If I were only a man, I would have asked for Penelope's hand immediately.
Please, Colin.
Please have mercy on Penelope.
I can barely write for my heart aches. I am certain Anthony will provide more details in his letter.
I will only add that I do believe Penelope is in love with you since I found this poem of sorts she has written years ago. I am not certain if it helps, but if she does hold you in some regard, maybe a marriage between you two will lead to a lifetime of contentment.
I beg of you, Colin.
Please marry our dearest Pen.
Your sister,
Eloise
If only this carriage could go any faster, he thought as he feared that the longer he was away from London, the higher the chances of Penelope enduring a lifetime of suffering.
As soon as the carriage halted in front of the Bridgerton's London home, Colin immediately asked the butler to inform Anthony of his presence. In less than ten minutes, he was inside his brother's study. The young viscount's visage was tense and stressed. Clearly, Anthony was unsettled until it was certain that Penelope was to join their family.
"Anthony," Colin greeted his brother with a strained smile. He too was very uneasy. He would only rest until his ring was on Penelope's finger.
"Colin, I trust your travels were well," Anthony nodded politely and he only acknowledged it with a nod of his own.
"Do you have any – "
"When you go to the Featherington's after a quick change, take this envelope to the Lord Featherington. It contains a promise that you would not be accepting Penelope's dowry just to increase the chance of his acceptance of you as her husband. Per Basset's man, the gold-digging baronet would do anything for money. So, if you won't take Penelope's dowry – "
"Then he can use the money for something else," Colin continued and Anthony nodded.
"Go and change, Colin. I will only tell Eloise that you've arrived. I do hope that your proposal will be so easily accepted," Anthony clapped him on the back.
"I do hope so too, brother."
"Here. Grab a quick drink," Anthony handed him a glass filled with brandy.
"For Penelope, the next Mrs. Bridgerton," Colin said before gulping the liquid.
"Yes, for my future sister-in-law," Anthony tried to smirk, but Colin could see the tension in his eyes.
Colin understood. Anthony cared about Penelope like a little sister. Also, since Kate, the Viscountess Bridgerton, was very fond of the ginger-haired girl, Anthony wanted to keep Pen safe all the more. The viscountess will be most upset if she would discover the horrible fate to befall upon sweet innocent Penelope should their plan fail.
With a firm handshake, Colin left Anthony's study so he could quickly change, gather his gifts, and ask for her hand. As he was moving with haste as he righted himself, he could only think about the ring on his coat's pocket.
Amore et honore.
For love and honor.
Colin Bridgerton must not fail in his mission.
He must secure Penelope's hand.
There's no other way.
As a Bridgerton, Penelope will be safe, cared for, and content.
He would make sure of that.
A/N: Penelope's poem is based on the lyrics of the song, "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" by Michael Bolton.
I hope you will enjoy this Marriage of Convenience AU for our beloved Polin. This fic is at T-Rating for now, once we get more chapters in, it will surely go up.
I'm a new writer to the Polin fandom so I'm excited to hear your thoughts on my writing.
Attention to all my HP Fandom Readers: I'm taking a break from HP for awhile. Sorry.