Colin – Oblivious
Well, last night had turned out quite well. He had defended the Featherington women against their devious Cousin Jack, who he had been assured had left town during the night. He'd danced with Penelope, brought in some new Customers for Will at his Club and Anthony had gotten engaged. This time to the Sister he couldn't take his eyes off of instead of the merely suitable Sister.
It appeared that not everyone had enjoyed their night though. Eloise was uncharacterably quiet. Benedict wasn't drawing, which was unusual these days and the maids looked hesitant at handing over the latest edition of Lady Whistledown's gazette. What could possibly have been written about them now?
He reached out for the paper. Normally he didn't care to read it but given the strange behaviour in the room it might give a clue to what was going on.
Gentle Reader
You thought I was silenced. But you thought wrong and if there is one thing you should know by now, it is that this Author can not keep quiet for long.
It appears that fireworks were lighting up more than the night sky last evening at the Featherington Ball with Viscount Bridgerton becoming engaged to none other than Miss Edwina Sharma's Sister Kate. This Author suspects that the couple's Mamas will push for a speedy walk down the isle least the couple argue their way out of the engagement.
Colin couldn't see what was so concerning about that. Everyone knew that Kate and Antony were always debating something. Then he saw the next paragraph.
Not everyone enjoyed the evening. It appears as though Mr Colin Bridgerton announced that he would never court Miss Penelope Featherington in anyone's wildest fantasies, despite having shared a dance with the lady earlier in the evening. It appears that the Dowager Viscountess may have even more difficulty getting this member of her offspring down the isle.
"What is it Colin?" Eloise who was usually the first to want to read Lady Whistledown's sheet had been noticeably annoyed at its arrival this morning.
"I said something stupid last evening and it appears the wrong person heard it." He hadn't even really meant it. He just wanted to keep the others away from Penelope. She was going through enough at the moment. "Do you think there's any chance that Pen won't see this?" The thought of Penelope being hurt or looking at him in any other way than the usual adoring expression she usually did was unbearable.
"Congratulations Brother." Eloise shook her head. "Not only does the whole Ton know you would never court Penelope, but now neither will anyone else. And no, there's no chance that Penelope does not know about this."
He hadn't thought about it that way when he had said it. "I'm an idiot. She must despise me and especially after she had tried to warn me about Marina last session."
"What?" Great now Eloise was interested. "What do you mean she tried to warn you about Marina?"
"Not that it matters now, but Pen tried to warn me that Marina's intentions towards me were not as true as mine were for her. That she loved someone else. I thought she was just overly concerned and dismissed it."
"And then Lady Whistledown wrote about it." Eloise seemed deep in thought over this.
"Marina and I were going to run away and get married so that we didn't have to wait. I suppose that I should thank Lady Whistledown for saving me more humiliation than I ended up with." Then the true Irony hit him. "But then if I had only listened to Pen, there wouldn't have been any humiliation on my part at all."
"I suppose not. What are you going to do?" Eloise almost seemed to be considering her next move as well.
"Apologise. Do you think she'll even speak to me?" Losing her friendship was unbearable to even consider. He had looked forward to her letters whilst abroad. She had somehow become a constant in his life without him realising it.
"She adores you Colin." Eloise screwed her nose up. "Although I have no idea why." She chuckled when he playfully shoved her. "She'll forgive you. You will just have to work for that forgiveness."
"So what you're saying is, she won't make it easy for me." Not that he would blame her if she never spoke to him again.
"Why should she? We ladies have more to us than being a decoration on your arm Brother." Now there was the Eloise he knew and loved.
"I realise that." But when had Penelope started being more to him than his annoying Sister's quiet friend?