Colin – Complete
This was getting aggravating. He and Penelope had announced their engagement and had been asked why by three people today alone. He would have tried to get the wedding moved up even sooner but he didn't want people questioning if he HAD to marry Penelope.
He wanted to be married to Penelope Featherington. She was sweet, pretty and intelligent and he was in love with her. He resented other people for not being able to see all that. If he had heard all of the snide comments, then Penelope had certainly heard them.
Apart from marrying her, there was nothing Colin wanted to do more than protect Penelope from the cruelty of others. She saw so much in him and he wished to live up to the greatness she saw.
Her idea of him writing a travel guide held a great appeal but he was no writer. But she had given him a great deal to think on. Eloise was being surprisingly supportive. Although her self-imposed role as chaperone did help her avoid their mother's match making attempts.
The wedding was to be small and intimate as per Penelope's wishes. The only guests apart from their family on both sides were the Kentingtons. They had extended their stay to be able to attend and also to complete a number of orders that they had received after Lady Whistledown had made mention of them. That and also several sightings of Penelope's engagement ring.
Penelope could not stop gushing over the ring, but she did not enjoy being the centre of attention. Or perhaps it was simply the frequent announcements of 'I can not believe you are getting married."
They were to be married tomorrow. It was going to be a long night. He returned to the family home only to find Penelope in the drawing room with Eloise. "Pen! Is there anything wrong?" He had not expected to see her before the wedding tomorrow. Not that this wasn't a pleasant surprise. Perhaps she had thought he would not be here.
"No, nothing is wrong." He loved the way her face lit up when he walked in the room. "I was just visiting with Eloise."
"And now you are visiting with Colin." Eloise stood and left the room and closed the door behind her.
Colin took the opportunity to passionately kiss his fiancé. It felt as though it had been an age since they had been alone. He kissed his way down her neck enjoying her quiet gasps. Her skin was so soft. He could not get enough of her.
"Colin." He loved that he left her breathless. "Someone might come in." Damn it. She was right. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.
"We will be married tomorrow. I hardly think anyone will be that shocked." But he stopped and sat beside her taking hold of her hand. "What were you and Eloise talking about?"
Penelope sighed. "Eloise is determined to have a career, but is not certain in what capacity. Any suggestions are shot down with reasons and not always good reasons why they do not suit. It can be a little exhausting."
Eloise could be a bit much sometimes. "Do you have everything you need for tomorrow?" Colin would give Penelope the world if it were in his pocession to make her happy.
"I just need you to be at the other end of the isle when I get there." Penelope squeezed his hand. "While I love my ring, you are all I need."
She made his heart soar. She always had. He recalled her words after the scandal with Marina. "When one finds oneself in such an incredible position, and well, one should declare it … assuredly, fervently … loudly." She had been telling him in so many different ways that she loved him.
"I will be there, counting the seconds until you are mine." He hadn't believed you could feel so much love for one person before. How could he have been so blind?
"Colin, I have always been yours. From the day I first knocked you from your horse with my runaway bonnet. There has never been anyone else for me." She had always laid her heart bare for him.
Unable to resist any longer he leaned forward and kissed her again. He needed something to last until she was his wife. The problem was that when he kissed Penelope's soft full lips it was next to impossible to stop. For someone who was inexperienced, Penelope was a quick learner.
"Colin!" His mother's voice put a halt to their kiss going any further. "I did not realise you were here."
"I was just about to walk Pen home." Anything to spend a few more minutes with her before tomorrow.
"Will you be staying for dinner?" His mother clearly did not believe him but was amused just the same. "Kate and Antony will be here shortly."
"Yes, thank you." He was about to ask if Penelope would be joining them, but knew better than to test his mother's sense of tradition. He was not seeing his bride the night before their wedding. He was already pushing his luck. "Are you ready?" He held his hand out to Penelope marvelling at how perfectly his hand fit to his.
"We will see you tomorrow dear." Violet hugged her future daughter in law. Penelope was already part of their family even before saying 'I do'. Somehow his mother had seen Penelope being perfect for him long before he had seen her as anything more than a friend.
Despite Penelope living literally across the street, Colin found the longest route to walk her home. Whatever he had felt for Marina must have been merely a crush because what he felt for Penelope was a thousand times stronger.
She was the very air he breathed, the sun which shone on his face, the light in his darkness. He had come so close to losing her over a throw away comment he didn't mean and certainly never meant her to hear. He just hadn't been ready at the time.
It was difficult to say goodnight but the sooner they did, hopefully the sooner tomorrow would come and their life together could begin.
So the next afternoon he stood beside his brother Gregory as his best man and waited for his bride to appear. He had never been so nervous and excited before. Where was she?
"Relax brother. Are brides not supposed to be late?" Gregory slapped his brother on the back. How did his little brother know this? Before he could question him, Eloise began walking down the isle. Finally. His sister shot him a cheeky grin as she reached him. Then Penelope came into view. She looked beautiful.
Her dress was cream instead of white making her pale skin look luminous. She was walked down the isle by her mother as her cousin Jack was smart enough to stay out of town. He recognised the necklace she was wearing as one of Rose Kentington's. This must have been her something borrowed.
For a moment he wished their guest list had been larger so that all the naysayers could see how glorious she looked. But this was perfect. Only the right people needed to be here to witness this. He was the luckiest man alive. This was the woman who would be his wife.
The ceremony was thankfully short and it was time to kiss the bride. And just like that he was married. All those times he had fought even the idea of being married and yet here he was wed to the perfect woman for him who had been right in front of him all along.
Penelope looked a little relieved that the ceremony was over. Now there was the reception which would have more people in attendance but now he could freely hold her hand without judgement or scandal. But honestly it had never stopped him before. He had married his best friend who he had fallen in love with.
Although the food was superb and being able to dance with Penelope was amazing, but he could tell that his wife was finding being the centre of attention weary. As soon as was deemed polite he excused himself and his new bride.
They had yet to choose where they would honeymoon but for now they would spend their wedding night in the house that would be their home. In truth he was a little nervous. Probably not as much as Penelope but still, he had desperately wanted to make love to her since he had first proposed.
He could feel her shaking as he led her to their bedroom. Their marriage was a partnership and he needed his wife to enjoy herself as much as he had no doubt he would. Hopefully he would be able to take it as slow as she needed him to.
"If you need me to stop, just tell me." They had all the time in the world. But his wife surprised him once more by grabbing him and kissing him passionately. She had already pushed his jacket off his shoulders before he registered what was happening. He took her lead and started unbuttoning her dress while kissing his way down her neck.
Where had his shy, quiet wife gone? He was still making his way through the buttons on her wedding dress and she already had his shirt undone. Slowing down was not possible when her hands found his bare skin. It took every ounce of control he had not to rip the dress from her body. Judging from the gasps and sighs coming from her, Penelope had no desire to slow down either.
When he finally got through her dress and tackled the corset he couldn't believe the incredible body she had been covering up. His imagination had not done her curves justice. "My God you're beautiful."
"You do not have to say that to save my feelings." Penelope looked up at him through her lashes.
"Pen, I am not just saying that because I think it is what you want to hear." He pulled his wife tightly against him so she could feel his arousal. "I'm barely holding on to my control here."
But hold on to his control he did. He kissed very inch of her curvaceous body until she was begging him for more. Only then did he slowly enter her body watching for any sign that he needed to stop. The slow burn as they moved burst into an inferno as they learned what aroused each other into an explosive climax.
"I had no idea it would be like that." Penelope was as out of breath as he was. Her skin flushed. Her every move instinctive.
"Nor did I." He had known she would be a quick learner, but she knew when to follow her instincts. No wonder Lady Whistledown had been so successful. Perhaps he ought to consider her idea on writing a novel more carefully. Right now he didn't want to think about anything but making love to his wife again.
It was almost a month later before he thought of it again. He had written journals while he had been away. Perhaps with a little editing they could be published. He felt a little nervous showing them to Penelope but he trusted her opinion about all others.
"Morning Wife." He kissed her as he sat down at the breakfast table.
Penelope beamed at him. "Morning Husband." She noticed he had brought something to the table with him. "What do you have there?"
Colin had meant to show her the journal last night, but she had begun getting changed for bed and he forgot about everything but making love to his wife. Then he thought of showing her when he woke, but Penelope had already gotten up. That his wife was an early riser took some getting used to. "It is one of the journals I kept while I was travelling."
He had never been so nervous about someone's opinion before. "One of the journals? How many journals are there?"
"I wrote a separate journal for each different country." He knew his wife wouldn't judge him and it had been her suggestion. "I have been thinking about your idea and thought perhaps these journals could be somewhere to begin."
"Colin that's a wonderful idea." Penelope's excitement gave him the confidence boost he needed. "Could I read some of it?"
"I was hoping you would say that." He handed her the journal and then waited with baited breath while his wife read the first few pages.
"This is wonderful. You could have an entire series of novels." Penelope turned to the next page and continued reading.
"Do you think people will want to read them? I mean other than family members?" Had he actually found his purpose thanks to his wife?
"Colin! You are a wonderful writer. Of course people will want to read it. After breakfast we can go and speak to a couple of publishers." He had hoped she would be supportive, but she had done even more than he had expected.
"Have I told you today how much I love you?" So this is how it felt. Even if nobody published his journals his life was now complete with Penelope at his side.
Dearest Gentle Reader
As this season comes to a close it has come to this Author's attention that the newlywed Mr and Mrs Colin Bridgerton are to become Authors themselves. Mr Bridgerton is to have a novel on his travels published and Mrs Bridgerton is also to have a novel published entitled 'The Wallflower'.
The Kentingtons who extended their stay to attend the Bridgerton wedding have confirmed they will return next season. Orders for their services will be completed from their residence in the meantime.
For now I will bid you farewell.
Yours truly
Lady Whistledown
Author's Note: Thank you for all the kind reviews. I have another Polin series started and other stories for other shows that I am halfway through but I wanted to connect the show back up with the book as I enjoy both.