The Wedding After that Thing You Said

Being courted by Colin Bridgerton wasn't quite what she imagined. He brought her flowers every day that week. One of his sisters accompanied them when he called to take her on a stroll. Francesca was a quiet chaperone who gave them some space. Eloise gave them no space whatsoever and was still holding a bit of resentment, so those strolls were a little tense. He only asked Hyacinth to join them once. Possibly because she chatted incessantly and asked too many questions.

Her Mama was thrilled at this change of heart. Penelope however was baffled by how Colin wouldn't dream of courting her, only to court her. The attention was nice. The kissing left her weak at the knees. The heated looks he gave her sped up her heart rate. But was she willing to put her heart on the line again?

The day of Antony's wedding to Kate Sharma arrived quickly. Largely due to Ladies Violet and Mary haste to avoid the same outcome as Antony's previous attempt at marrying one of the Sharma sisters.

There was the usual salacious gossip that the couple had to marry and that was the real reason for the hastily arranged marriage. Penelope knew this wasn't true. One only had to look at the happy couple to see this. Lady Whistledown printed as much and so the gossips were put in their place.

Printing the Lady Whistledown newsletter had become more stressful now that both Eloise and Colin knew she was Lady Whistledown. She tired not to print anything she overheard in their company to avoid either of them feeling used. Considering how much effort Colin was putting into courting her, she was seldom without him these days. It meant she had to be more creative with both getting the content for the newsletter and printing it.

This wedding wasn't as grand as the one thrown by Queen Charlotte, but certainly more to the couple's tastes. The groom lit up when the bride began her walk down the aisle. It was as though it were only the two of them. They never looked away from each other and spoke their vows clearly and with such certainty.

Penelope only hoped that someday she could have somebody look at her as though she was their entire world. Overcome with emotion she wiped a tear from her face. When she looked back at the stunning couple, she caught Colin watching her, a thoughtful look on his face.

She knew she should be overjoyed that she was being courted and ecstatic that it was Colin who was doing the courting. However, she had had her heart trampled too many times. And she couldn't seem to block out the cruel taunts she had endured over the years from people such as Cressida Cowper.

Even when she and her family had arrived, she had heard Cressida say to her friends (or at least people who didn't have the nerve to say otherwise) "She can not possibly think Colin Bridgerton would court her." She hadn't been able to avoid hearing it as Cressida had practically announced it to the wedding guests.

The season was drawing to a close and once they were no longer across the road from each other, he would forget her and find someone his friends wouldn't whisper behind his back about.

The bride and groom were pronounced man and wife and their respective Mama's released sighs of relief. They walked back down the isle oblivious to anyone other than each other. It would not have surprised Penelope if they missed their own reception all together and disappeared straight to their honeymoon.

"I trust that Lady Whistledown will be reporting glowingly about the wedding." She hadn't heard Eloise walk up behind her.

"I have no doubt, seeing as the wedding was more impressive than the one thrown by Queen Charlotte." Penelope chose her words carefully considering their present company. "After all, this wedding was more about the happy couple and less about anyone else." It really had been a beautiful wedding.

Eloise nodded. "That is true. No peacocks at this reception." She glanced around the church. "Less flowers so not as embarrassing for pollen sufferers as well."

Colin finished his conversation with his mother and made his way over to them unbeknown to Cressida Cowper who was ahead of him. "Eloise Bridgerton. How sweet of you to go along with Penelope's delusion that your brother has any interest in marrying her." Unfortunately, Portia Featherington and Violet Bridgerton had both heard her. Again, it could hardly be avoided since she announced it.

"Well, I was hardly going to propose at my brother's wedding, was I?" Cressida's face was a picture when she realised Colin was behind her. He reached around her to take Penelope's hand. "Eloise, are you coming with us?"

Eloise shot Cressida a smug smile. "I do believe I am." She took hold of her brother's other arm as they started to make their way out of the church. They came to a halt when they heard Lady Violet Bridgerton speak.

"Feel free not to attend the wedding reception Miss Cowper. Your family may keep you company." Violet Bridgerton had no time for petty people and had raised her children to be gracious of people from all walks of life. She signalled to Colin to continue his way out of the church as she and Lady Mary followed.

"You do realise I plan to propose?" Colin looked down at her. "It just did not seem right to do so until after Antony's wedding and at the very least some form of courting you."

She had not realised tis. Actually, everything that had happened in the last week was somewhat of a shock. Especially Lady Violet's dismissal of Cressida Cowper just now.

"How could Pen have realised that when you have made so many statements to the contrary?" Eloise scoffed.

"Such as?" Colin looked astounded at his sister's comment.

"You are Pen. You do not count." Penelope had forgotten that she had told Eloise that. "I would never dream of courting Penelope Featherington, to name two." Eloise scolded her brother. "Now you expect Pen to accept that you are seriously going to propose marriage at some point."

"Why do we not focus on your brother and new sister-in-law for today." She was eager to move the topic of conversation away from herself. "It was a beautiful wedding do you not think?"

"Quite." Eloise was still not a fan of getting married and yet not as opposed to it as she had been at the start of the season. "Do you even think that Kate and Antony even noticed we were there?"

"Not at all." Penelope chuckled. This felt as though it was the first time, she had genuinely smiled all day.

"Penelope." Her Mama joined them. "I take it you are going to the reception with Eloise."

"She is." Eloise answered before Penelope knew what was happening.

"We will see you there then." With that Portia climbed into her carriage with a bewildered Prudence who was still unaware her youngest sister had a suitor.

"That was considerate of your mother." Colin had expected a little more resistance from Lady Featherington.

"You won her over with the flowers." Although Penelope hadn't expected her Mama to excuse her heading off with a single gentleman with only his younger sister in attendance.

"I shall have to keep that in mind." He opened the carriage door and helped Penelope into the carriage. "We will see you there Elle."

"Try not to take too long. People will talk." Eloise disappeared leaving Penelope staring after her.

"Where is your sister going?" Penelope was about to climb back out, but Colin climbed in and banged on the wall to signal the driver to go.

"To ride in with Mother." Colin said it as though it were obvious. "Are you alright? You seemed distressed during the wedding."

"Well, I am having a mild panic attack since you have sent your sister off with your Mama when mine thinks she is chaperoning the two of us. If anyone notices you will have to marry me regardless of if you want to or not." And she didn't want anyone to have to marry her.

"Then it is just as well I want to." He moved to sit beside her. "What did you think I was going to do after courting you all week? I would have proposed a week ago, but I did not think you would say yes after my foolish comment at your mother's ball."

"You are right." Penelope was so confused. "I just thought the season would end and you would move on once we were not living across from each other."

Colin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I could not move on from you even if I wanted to, which I don't." He opened his eyes and looked deep into hers. "I know I am to blame for a lot of why you do not believe me when I say I intend to marry you. But I am not solely to blame, am I."

She could bring herself to look away from his intense gaze. "No. It is not all your fault. But look at me. Why would you want to marry me?"

"I am looking at you and I can not believe it took me so long to really see you. I want to marry you because I am in love with you." He took hold of her hand. "That is not going to change even when we are not living across the street from each other. Mainly because you are all I dream about every night." He couldn't resist any longer. He had been waiting for a moment to be alone with her all day. He brushed her lips with his, but as with every other time he had kissed Penelope, it ignited something within him, and he could not bring himself to stop.

Penelope had always known that kissing Colin would be addictive, but she was positive she would burst into flames any minute. When he started kissing his way down her neck, her knees started to shake making her grateful that she was sitting down. When he nibbled her collar bone, she thought she was going to spontaneously combust. If this was only a taste of what it was like to be loved by Colin Bridgerton, she would not survive the year let alone the end of the season.

The carriage came to a halt before Colin could continue his exploration of her. "I suppose it will be noticed if we miss the reception." He was willing to pay the driver to keep circulating the block.

"I may not be missed by my absence, but you certainly will." Her Mama may actually notice as well. She had taken an interest in what Penelope did now that Colin was paying attention to her. If she was dreaming, she did not want to wake up.

Colin smiled at her before climbing out of the carriage and helped her out only to find Eloise waiting for them. "I gather I should not ask why the two of you are flushed." When Colin only shot his sister a cheeky grin, she rolled her eyes. "I thought not. Come along, the bride and groom will be here shortly." She looped her hand through Penelope's other arm. Anybody who was curious would think the three of them had arrived together.

"Anything we missed so far Elle?" Colin ignored the whispering that had begun when he had walked in holding Penelope's hand.

"Nothing of note. Cressida Cowper is noticeable in her absence as are her Parents. I dare say the two of you walking in here together will make people forget that in a hurry." Eloise shook her head. "I really do not understand why she still rates an invitation to these events."

"Because she is cordial to the right people." Penelope was starting to get uncomfortable with the attention directed their way. When she attempted to pull her hand from his, he tightened his grip.

"Ignore them." He whispered to her which raised a few more eyebrows. "Their opinion does not matter."

"That is easy for someone who is held in high opinions of others to say." Penelope wondered if people would still whisper rudely around her if she were married to Colin, not that she really thought that would happen. She did enjoy the way he courted her though.

"I never thought of it that way." Colin admitted. He guided her over to the rest of his family. She would at least be free of judgement surrounded by his brothers and sisters.

"Penelope. Thank you for joining us." Welcoming as ever. Lady Violet had always been so kind to her. "I am so sorry about that ugliness at the church."

"What ugliness at the church?" Antony Bridgerton finally tore his gaze from his new bride. It was unsurprising that he had not heard Cressida. His entire focus was on Kate. As it should be.

"Cressida Cowper." That was all Lady Violet needed to say. There was not a Bridgerton who did not have a look of distain on their faces at the mere mention of her name. "I felt the need to uninvite her to the reception."

"Thank you for saving me the trouble Mother." Antony nodded to Penelope. "Your company however is as always a pleasure." That was Antony, with the exception of one or two instances, he always said the right thing.

"You are too kind Lord Bridgerton." There had been many an occasion when one Bridgerton or another had come to her rescue when Cressida Cowper chose to sharpen her tongue on Penelope.

"Not at all. You are practically family." She wasn't certain if he meant in general or because his younger brother was courting her. He turned his attention back to his new wife who beamed back at him.

Colin squeezed her hand. "You see, you are practically family. And as soon as is considered proper I will be proposing so you will be family."

"You are taking for granted that I will accept." Penelope always felt a little bolder when with the Bridgertons. "Did you really think I could be so easily won?"

"Bravo Pen." Of course, Eloise approved. "Colin should not assume every woman will fall at his feet."

"Then I will just have to work harder to ensure that you accept when the time comes, won't I?" Colin took his family's good-natured ribbing in his stride.

"You think that will be an easy task then?" Penelope was still hanging on to enough self-respect to not allow Colin think all he had to do was show a little patience and she would accept his proposal without question. She had waited years for Colin to notice her as something other than a friend.

"Nothing has been so far." Colin was starting to realise he had taken for granted that Penelope would forgive him as she had before. When he hadn't listened to her warning about Marina, she had still defended his actions. When he had told her that she didn't count as a woman because she was his friend, she was exactly that. Of course, even Penelope had her limit.

But he was confused now. Why had she responded so passionately to his kisses and what about what happened in the carriage.

Eloise elbowed him. "She will say yes, you know. Just not in the next five minutes." She looked around them, seeing the curious stares as Penelope already had. "And probably not in front of all these people whispering rudely."

Antony took pity on his younger brother and the guests whispering while staring at Penelope were annoying him as well. "I think my wife and I should enjoy our first dance so that Colin may dance with his future wife. Should she accept his proposal when he has proven himself worthy of her."

"Thank you, brother." Colin knew Antony wasn't putting him down. Society deemed him popular because of his family. He needed to find his purpose so that he felt worthy of Penelope himself.

It was humbling watching the couple so obviously in love, sharing their first dance as man and wife. Colin squeezed Penelope's hand which he refused to let go of. He had known the Cressida Cowper took any opportunity available to berate Penelope, but until today he had not realised how bad it could get for her.

"Penelope." His mother moved to stand on the other side of Penelope. "Please know that not everyone thinks the way the Cowper's do. You are already considered part of our family, regardless of you accepting Colin's proposal or not when he makes it. Lady Danbury is also rather fond of you."

"You are highly thought of amongst my family also." Lady Mary moved up beside Lady Violet. "If Lady Violet had not banned Miss Cowper from the reception, I was about to. There is no excuse for her behaviour."

"You are all very kind." Penelope wasn't so sure that they would all feel that way when they found out that she was Lady Whistledown.

The next dance began to play. "Come on. You granted me the honour of a dance." He led her onto the dance floor. "Why do you not look more reassured?"

"Colin, the season is coming to an end." She glanced around the curious bystanders watching them dance. "No one here would be surprised if next season you had someone more suitable on your arm."

"I don't want anyone else. I know I still need to win back your trust, but it is you I want as my wife. You, who fills my dreams at night. Good Lord, Pen. Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep from pulling you into a dark corner and having my way with you?" The dance came to a finish and another one started. Before Penelope could leave the dance floor, he swept her into the next dance. Colin was making a very clear statement. Penelope Featherington was not a passing fancy to him, and his family was fully supporting him.

"Then what are you going to do next week? You can not expect me to believe that you will just wait around until next season and suddenly propose the next time we are in the same vicinity." Penelope wanted to believe that she actually stood a chance of being Mrs Colin Bridgerton. But she was scared. Dreams didn't come true for her.

"Tell me something." Colin finished their dance and pulled her aside. "If I proposed to you right here, right now. Would you say yes, or would you question why I asked?"

He had a point. "The later." She couldn't deny that she enjoyed his kisses and his attempts to court her, but she couldn't bring herself to believe that he wouldn't find someone else before next season.

"If I wrote to you, would you write back?" He was desperate. If he had to, he would get down on his knees and beg in front of everyone. "Give me a chance to properly court you. I just need time to find my purpose so that I am worthy of you."

"You finding your purpose was never a problem for me. I have no doubt you will find it." After all she had told him often enough. Would responding to any letters he sent her really change anything?

"Your faith in me got me through last season before I ruined everything." She had patiently listened to him complain that his brothers had purpose and he had not. She had been so supportive. "Please give me one more chance. I swear I will not let you down again." He didn't care who heard him. He wanted this woman as his wife, and he would stop at nothing to wind her back. He was cursing himself at not realising what a gift Penelope was sooner.

Penelope had never seen Colin like this before, at least not around her. "Please do not make me regret this." Part of her felt stupid for giving him another chance and part of her felt guilty that Colin was bending over backwards to prove he was worthy of her. All he had to do was be himself and not the version he showed his so-called friends.

Colin let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I won't make you regret this." He would write everyday to prove she was the only woman for him and the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

"Are you going to travel?" She couldn't imagine him sitting around until next season. He would be bored out of his mind.

"I was thinking of going to Italy." He would stay at his mother's country home if that was what it took to reassure Penelope.

"You should. Perhaps that is where your purpose lies." She knew he had a way of writing that made you feel as though you were travelling with him.

"What do you mean?" Colin couldn't believe Penelope actually wanted him to travel, let alone she though that was where his purpose lay.

"When you write about your travels, it is as though the reader is right there with you. You are a wonderful writer." She glanced around to make sure nobody was watching or listening.

"That is high praise coming from you." But she had also given him something to think on. "You think that I can utilize that in some way?"

"You could publish them." Penelope noticed they were gathering a lot of attention. Then she realised that Colin had not let go of her hand yet. "You do not have to prove to the room that you are courting me. It is none of their business."

Colin smiled at that. "I am not trying to prove anything to anyone but you. So, you really think I could publish my letters about my travels?"

"I really do. Maybe not in letter form but as a travel guide. You could have a book published about each country you visited." She could picture it so clearly in her head.

Chuckling, Colin could not believe the faith Penelope always seemed to have in him. "Who would read them?"

Penelope gave him the first genuine smile since the Featherington ball. "Everyone. You have no idea how much joy your letters gave me when you travelled to Greece. For someone who has never travelled, it was an adventure reading about your travels."

"Thank you. You have given me a lot to think about." For the first time in a long time, he felt as though he was close to finding his purpose.

Lord Fyfe chose that moment to approach them. "Miss Featherington. Might I have the next dance?"

"Is there not a closet you could be groping a young lady with less morals in?" Penelope had no idea what had come over her. She was never this bold.

Colin felt his jaw drop and Lord Fyfe had the decency to look embarrassed. This was a side of Penelope; Colin hadn't seen before and he had to admit he liked it. He was about to claim that he already had Penelope's next dance when his brother Benedict walked up to them.

"I believe Miss Featherington has already granted me the next dance." Benedict held his hand out to Penelope who gratefully accepted it and followed him to the dancefloor.

Penelope couldn't remember when she had ever danced so much. Once Benedict had danced with her, then Gregory asked for a dance. It appeared that the Bridgertons were determined to make sure that her dance card would be full.

Yet another season came to an end, but this time Penelope had been briefly courted. And by the look of Prudence's sour expression, it was not brief enough. While the mere idea of Colin Bridgerton intending to propose filled Portia Featherington with high hopes that the troubled times that had burdened the Featheringtons were coming to an end, Prudence could not see beyond what presently affected her. The idea of her younger and incredibly unpopular sister marrying before her was outrageous.

Finishing the season in a slightly better position than it had started gave Penelope a sense of hope. She would see what next season would bring. If Colin had lost interest by then, perhaps there would be interest from other parties.

The bride and groom left on their honeymoon. Colin dropped by to see her before leaving for Italy. Her Mama made herself scarce and they found themselves alone. "Enjoy your trip." She knew she would be able to experience the splendour of Italy through his letters.

"I am certain I will. Although I will be wishing that you were beside me the entire time." Colin took hold of her hand.

"But I will be. Through your letters." Penelope had enjoyed Greece that way the previous year. She would miss him despite telling her heart to stop betraying her.

Colin knew it would not be enough but at least she would be responding to his letters. He only had enough time to say goodbye and he was going to make it one to last him until he saw her again. Tugging on her hand, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her as though his life depended on it. God, she was so responsive. He could not wait until she was his wife. They were both out of breath when he finally took a step back. "I wish you were going with me."

"Perhaps one day we will go there together." That was a dream she would not allow herself to have until she found out where they stood next season.

"It is one of many places I want to take you." Time to go. "I could stay in England."

"You need to travel. You would be bored and resent me for it." Penelope would rather be without him than have him resent her.

She was correct, he knew that. He gave her another brief kiss. "I will see you next season." He walked away before he could change his mind and stay. He needed to prove to her that he would still want to marry her next season and not go looking for someone better.

Penelope let out a breath she wasn't aware she had been holding. It was going to be a long wait until next season.