Colin – Purpose
He had always known that Penelope was intelligent, but when had she become so insightful? She had seen the flaws in both Eloise and Benedict's approach to these functions immediately. They did not have to choose between marriage and purpose. They could have both if they wanted it.
Both his brother and sister had a much more pleasant evening than they had thought they would have at the beginning of the evening. Penelope had come to their rescue without a second thought. How had this wonderful woman been overlooked for so long by everyone including himself?
Earlier he had not been able to help himself. She had looked up at him and he had been overcome with the need to kiss her. Although he was fairly certain that Penelope Featherington had never been kissed in her life, she was certainly an eager participant once she got over her surprise.
If he hadn't been raised to be a gentleman he would have been whisking Penelope away to try all manner of firsts for Penelope. He was sorely tempted to gentleman or not, but Penelope deserved more than being groped in a dark corner.
It was amazing how talkative Penelope could be when she was comfortable with the people surrounding her. But equally, she was an excellent listener. He recalled a conversation they had, what seemed like a lifetime ago. He had moaned about his lack of purpose.
"I am certain you will find your purpose one day. Everyone does eventually." She had been so sure of her words that it had been easy for him to believe as well.
"Have you found yours?" He had been genuinely interested. What purpose could this tiny quiet woman have sort out for herself?
"Of course not. But I imagine it to be something both animating and satisfying. The type of venture that speaks not to who I am but rather who I am to be. My purpose will challenge me to be brave and witty. My purpose will propel me far beyond the watchful glare of my mama. My purpose shall set me free."
Colin had been in awe of her. She knew what she wanted out of life and he had never heard her string so many words together. "What could possibly measure up to all that? Your dreams are grander than you let on, Pen." He had been so arrogant to think he knew Penelope so well, but in truth she had so many layers to her. He looked forward to discovering each new layer.
It was a pleasant evening over all and Colin found that he quite enjoyed the company of his siblings, with Penelope as a buffer between them of course. Not for the first time it struck him how well Penelope fit into his family.
He had been hoping to escort her back to her room at the end of the evening, perhaps even steal another kiss. Unfortunately, Portia had appeared claiming she hadn't seen her daughter all day, despite having almost stepped on her twice that evening, and insisted she return to their rooms together. For someone who would stoop to any level to marry her daughters off, Portia Featherington seemed to miss every opportunity when it came to Penelope.
Colin needed both hands to count the number of times that he had either been alone with Penelope without a chaperone or held her hand long after it was deemed polite to do so. Any other mama would have been outraged, not to mention convinced her daughter would be ruined. And yet Portia seemed to be quite content to ignore everything involving Penelope.
Sleep did not come easily as kissing Penelope Featherington kept playing over and over in his head. When at last he fell asleep, his dreams took him farther than a kiss. He had, had a taste of her and now he was starving for more. He dreamed of trailing his lips over every inch of her skin. And Colin had an incredibly active imagination. To the point where he had to take control of his body before he went downstairs for breakfast.
The Kentingtons were talking to Penelope when he reached the bottom of the stairs and were joined by Kate and Antony before Colin started towards them. Rose Kentington looked a lot better than she had the day before. Gerald Kentington wasn't taking his eyes from his wife despite taking part in the conversation.
The Colin saw Penelope spot someone and visibly crumble. Rose sotted this immediately and looked across the room to what had upset Penelope. Her eyebrow arched in disapproval and without a word orchestrated the group to close ranks around Penelope.
Curious as to who could have encouraged such a reaction not only from the Kentingtons but also his brother and sister-in-law, Colin saw Cressida Cowper heading towards the group. As he got closer Benedict and Eloise joined the group helping to form an even stronger bond around Penelope.
Cressida Cowper would have to be incredibly stupid not to realise she was not welcome. Just as he reached Penelope's side, Cressida decided to try her luck. "Mr Bridgerton. I was just about to tell Penelope how that shade of yellow makes her look less shallow than the one she wore last season at her mama's ball." Cressida's smile was sickly sweet and incredibly false.
"Well that's a backhanded complement if I ever heard one." Penelope muttered. She spoke low enough that only their group heard her.
"Have you ever noticed that even the most beautiful person if cruel becomes ugly." Gerald Kentington addressed the group. Clearly he was still offended by Cressida's comment regarding his son as any proud father would be.
"Truer words never spoken Mr Kentington." Antony tugged his wife closer. As one, the entire group turned and glared at Cressida who finally took the hint and went in search of easier prey.
"Perhaps if she did not wear her hair so tight she might be a nicer person." Eloise wondered out loud.
"Then what's her mama's excuse?" Benedict looked down at his sister.
For a moment no one spoke before they all burst out laughing. "Careful, mother may have sat her at our table for breakfast." Colin could not think of anything worse or more likely to give them all indigestion.
"I do not believe your mama is capable of child abuse." Penelope just looked relieved that Cressida had gone.
"You may be correct." Rose watched Violet direct the Cowper's to the table closest to the door and farthest away of anyone of note. Obviously the Cowper's hadn't been invited because their presence was wanted or necessary. Simply because it was the polite thing to do. Even the Queen had steered her nephew away from Cressida.
Breakfast was enjoyable and filled with pleasant conversation. Cressida Cowper was all but forgotten. After breakfast Rose wanted to take a walk through the gardens since she had not seen much the day before.
Colin thought it might be a good way to spend some time with Penelope and after what had happened the day before, he wanted to be sure that he was on hand to go for help if Rose had a relapse. Unfortunately Eloise decided to join them also. His sister had taken a shine to Marcus and also wanted to avoid whomever their mother had lined up for her to meet.
"So is a rose your favourite flower?" Eloise asked out of the blue. "I only ask as our youngest sister is named after our mama's favourite flower. That and it begins with H."
"Actually I prefer Irises." Rose seemed at ease with any questions thrown her way. "I believe I am named after a great aunt." This seemed to give her an idea. "Penelope, what is your favourite flower?"
Penelope sighed. "If you had asked me when I was little I would have said sunflowers. They seemed such a happy flower. But then my mama kept dressing me in various shades of yellow and now I can not stand the sight of anything that colour. Tulips are now my favourite."
"Any particular colour? Or just any colour apart from yellow?" Rose was looking for details. To an outsider it would just seem an average conversation, but Colin knew enough about this interesting woman to know there was a specific reason for her questions.
"I quite like the ones that are the same purple of irises, but any colour really." Penelope was watching Marcus with Eloise and so did not notice the look pass between Rose and Gerald.
"Did you always want to be a wife and mother?" Eloise blurted out. There were times when Colin could happily throttle his sister. "I mean, was there nothing else you wanted for yourself?"
Rose thought about the question for a moment. "I never really thought about it that way. I knew Gerald would be my husband. But becoming a mother? I was delighted when I found out I was pregnant with Marcus, but being a wife and mother was not a plan I set for myself any more than designing jewellery was. I just did not fight any of these things when they happened."
"You design jewellery?" No wonder Rose had agreed to help him pick out a ring for Penelope.
"Rose designs the jewellery and I make it." Gerald smiled proudly at his wife. "She designed her pendant. It is one of our best sellers."
Looking closer at Rose's necklace Colin could see it was an amethyst iris on a simple gold chain. Simple but elegant.
"So you have marriage, a child and a career?" Rose Kentington must have seemed like a magical unicorn to Eloise.
"Yes." Rose smiled at the younger woman. "With the right person by your side you can have it all."
Eloise nodded. Rose had given her alot to think about as Penelope had the night before. "Interesting."
"Why don't we sit for a moment?" Colin noticed Rose was beginning to look a little weary. But that could be from Eloise's questions as much as anything else.
Rose and down on a nearby bench. She reached in the bag her husband was carrying and pulled out a book and pastels for Marcus and a sketch book and charcoal for herself.
Eloise and Penelope sat on the grass with Marcus while he drew. Colin was curious to see what Rose was doing. It seemed that with just a few sweeps of her hand she had a rough drawing of a ring. The stones resembling a tulip.
Gerald glanced at the drawing and nodded. "Amethyst?" He looked over at Colin for confirmation.
"Perfect." After kissing Penelope yesterday, he wanted to marry her sooner rather than later and he preferred to have a ring to place on her finger when he asked.
"When is your birthday Penelope?" Rose began sketching something else.
"April 8th. Why?" Penelope looked away from Marcus for a moment.
"So your birth stone is a diamond and your birth flower is a daisy or a sweet pea." She quickly sketched a bracelet with sweet peas around it. "Gerald made my engagement ring from turquoise in the shape of a poinsettia. My birth stone and flower. I do prefer Amethyst though."
'Why don't we head back." Gerald put away his wife's drawing supplies. "If you are intending to take part in the ball this evening I would feel better if you got some rest before hand." He helped her to her feet.
"We could watch Marcus for you, if you would like." Eloise offered eagerly.
Colin was hoping to spend some time alone with Penelope. Now it appeared that they would be chaperoned by Eloise and Marcus. Still, at least he had an engagement ring picked out even if he had yet to propose or the ring had yet to be made. For now he had a purpose. The rest he would figure out with Penelope.