The Ball After That Thing You Said

Penelope and Colin made a good start on what could very well be his first novel, under the watchful eye of his family. When he grew frustrated, Penelope calmly assessed him, worked out the source of his frustration and gently guided him in the right direction.

Dinner was a lively affair. The Bridgertons included Penelope as though she and Colin were already married. It was funny in a strange way that Penelope felt more a part of this family than her own. And also, a little sad.

Colin walked her home and stole a few kisses before leaving her for the evening. He looked forward to the day when he would not have to leave her at the door. She had unknowingly woven herself into his life and now he could not imagine a day, let alone a minute without her. For someone who had been denied so much by her own family, she asked for so little.

"You had better propose soon or we will be celebrating your first-born birthday before your first wedding anniversary." Antony was waiting for him when he returned.

"I want her to know that I mean it when I propose." He didn't know how much longer he would wait though. "Besides Lady Featherington is standing by to scream I have ruined her daughter." Truth be known, if anyone but Antony had caught them earlier, Portia Featherington wouldn't have to say a word.

"Why would she think you do not mean it when you propose? That young woman has always looked at you as though you hung the moon in the night sky." Antony had always liked Penelope. She seemed to be the only member of the Featherington family who didn't embarrass herself by trying to constantly be the centre of attention. In fact, Penelope often apologised for her family's behaviour.

"She overheard a stupid comment I made at the end of last season. Then there are the snide comments that Cressida Cowper and others always choose to make for her to hear. And her own mother has so little faith in her securing a proposal that she has a back up plan which can only backfire as she clearly does not know her own daughter." Colin made up his mind to beat Portia Featherington to the post.

"That explains Prudence's engagement last season, but why would Lady Featheringtons plan back fire?" Not that he wanted his brother to be trapped into a marriage.

"Because Penelope would refuse to marry me if she felt I had no choice. She would rather stay a spinster than be married to someone who did not love her or want to be married to her." It was one of the many things he loved about her. She had principles. Which was probably the reason she was so successful as Lady Whistledown. For the most part she called out those in society who looked down on those who were less fortunate than others or just plain mean.

"You are lucky to have found someone with morals." Antony gave him a knowing smile. He knew only too well how many women there were in society along with their mamas who would be only too eager to lie and trap a man into marriage. "Penelope is a rare woman indeed."

"You have no idea." The more he learned about Penelope, the more he discovered how adept she had become at surviving. Be it in her family or society in general.

"I gather you will be joining us for the Trowbridge Ball." Antony watched his brother, fascinated. His brother was clearly in love.

"It should be an eye opener. I wonder who or what will be hanging from the ceiling this time." Although he doubted, he would be paying attention to anything but Penelope.

"What wasn't hanging from the ceiling at the last ball?" Antony chuckled. "Unfortunately, we would be noticeable in our absence if we did not go."

The week flew by, and Colin was impressed at how Penelope managed to help him with his novel, publish the Lady Whistledown newsletter, go on walks with him and even have dinner with the entire Featherington and Bridgerton families. The evening of the Trowbridge ball came around. Colin could not wait to see Penelope even though they had been in each other's company an hour ago.

He was running through how he was going to propose in his head. Penelope deserved a romantic proposal and what would undoubtably be a weird Trowbridge ball would not be a romantic place to propose. Still, he was eager to start their life together.

About an hour before his family got ready, Colin made his way over to the Featherington residence. He had hoped that she would be ready ahead of time but having four sisters informed him that it was unlikely. Still Penelope continued to surprise him. She was waiting for him and dressed for the ball in emerald, green.

"Just when I thought you could not look more beautiful, you take my breath away." Colin took hold of her hand. "Take a walk with me?"

"Of course. Prudence and Mama will not be ready for hours." Penelope had no wish to listen to Prudence complain for the next hour about the lack of suitable gentlemen to marry, when the real reason that she was lacking in proposals was the non-existent dowry and Prudence's obnoxious behaviour. But perhaps this evening would change that. Although it seemed unlikely.

They made their way to the park in a comfortable silence. Normally he felt so calm in her presence but seeing as they were free of family members and gossiping bystanders, Colin decided this was the moment. He had never been so nervous. Would she feel as though he was rushing her? Had he courted her long enough? Would she insist on a long engagement?

These questions and many more raced through his head as he dropped to one knee. "Pen, you have been a loyal and constant friend when I needed one the most. My dance partner at the most tedious of balls. My conscious even when I did not listen to you. But most importantly the love of my life, filling every hour, waking and not with your presence. Would you do me the immense honour of becoming my wife."

This was not what she had expected. It was beautiful, but he had not given any indication that he would be proposing today. She had seen him just this morning and it had been the same as the previous two mornings. She was so overcome that she burst into tears.

"Do you not wish to marry me?" Had he asked too soon? He supposed he could have waited a little longer, but he hadn't seen the point of that. After all, he had told her on a few occasions that he would be asking her to marry him. She knew he had the ring.

"Of course, I will marry you, but are you sure?" Penelope finally managed to regain some composure to be able to answer him.

Colin breathed a sigh of relief and took the ring out of his pocket to place on her finger. "Yes, I am sure. I would marry you tonight if I thought that was at all possible."

"I do not think either of our mamas will agree to that." Penelope wiped her tears away. "Speaking of mamas, I suppose you will need to inform mine that you have proposed." She wasn't sure if she should apologize now for whatever her family's reaction would be or wait for the over-the-top response.

"Why don't we wait until after the ball. It may be a relief after spending the evening not responding offensively at whatever Lady Trowbridge has decorated the room with." He knew his family had been expecting the proposal all week. Pen's family was a different matter though.

"That is probably a good idea." If her mama found out ahead of the ball, she would be telling anyone at the ball who would listen and even those who wouldn't about the engagement, as though it were her who had become engaged. "But do you not think someone will notice the ring?"

"I was hoping the likes of Cressida Cowper and Lord Fyfe would notice enough to leave you alone." He kissed her forehead. "Unfortunately, they are both so self-involved that they probably will be the last to notice."

"Perhaps it would be best if we let mama know before the ball then. She will not take it well if she finds out from someone else." Penelope certainly would not hear the last of it, if that was the case.

She was right. "Let us speak to your mother then." He took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm. "Do you think we could get away with a quick wedding or did you want a big wedding?" He doubted Penelope would want a big flashy wedding as she did not like to be the centre of attention.

Penelope giggled. "My mama will plan a wedding as quickly as possible in case you change your mind." She became very serious suddenly. "My mama will try to hide the fact that money is tight but as long as you are at the altar, that is all I need. And there is still Prudence's dowry to find, should she become engaged."

"Then we will speak to my mother and see that we get the wedding we want." God, he loved this woman so much. She was giving him so much and yet she wasn't claiming any credit or asking for any attention.

"Both of our mamas discussing our wedding. That is a conversation I would love to be a fly on the wall for." Penelope realised that they had not discussed what part Lady Whistledown would play in their future together. She had been intending to use some of the money she had earned from her papers to pay for her wedding dress if she ever got married. Although she had no idea how she was going to explain it to her mama.

"Perhaps Lady Whistledown could make our wedding announcement for us." He had no idea if Penelope intended to continue with publishing as Lady Whistledown, but in order to protect her reputation it might be a good idea to continue at least until they had been married for a while. She was such a talented writer that he would like to see her publish something she could take full credit for.

"You would not mind that?" This was unexpected. "What if I keep writing the Lady Whistledown papers?"

"You would avoid suspicion if you did. After all you have offended Queen Charlotte on a number of occasions. If Lady Whistledown stopped writing once we are married, it may alert a few people to who she is." The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. At the end of the day, he just wanted her to be happy.

"That is true." She looked up to see their home in sight. "Could we let your family know first?" With the Bridgertons she could be certain of their reaction. But her own family she was less sure.

"If that is what you want." He would rather get his audience with Portia Featherington over with, but he could sense his future wife needed the reassurance from his own family before facing her own.

When they got inside, Violet Bridgerton was organizing the younger children who were not attending the ball. Hyacinth complaining loudly that she missed out on everything.

"Then we got back here just in time." Colin announced over the chaos. "I have news you will not miss out on. I have asked Penelope to marry me." He was met with dead silence and blank stares from his entire family and a few servants. He held up Penelope's hand baring the ring. "She said yes." His family erupted into enthusiastic congratulations and raced forward to embrace the couple.

"I will call on your mother tomorrow to start organizing everything." Violet kissed her cheek. "Perhaps you had better get a list of what you want before I meet with your mother."

"Thank you. I would prefer something small, but it will be Colin's wedding as well." Penelope would have the big flashy wedding if it meant that much to Colin.

"I am certain that we can find something that will suit the both of you." Violet squeezed her hand reassuringly and stepped aside to allow the rest of her family offer their congratulations.

When Colin managed to free Penelope from his family he glanced at the clock. "We need to tell your mother before she leaves for the ball." Best to get this over with. Penelope looked as though she was walking to her doom.

Yet when they got to the Featherington residence, it became obvious that nobody had noticed Penelope's absence. In fact, Portia seemed amazed when they both walked in the front door. Normally Colin would ask a male relative for Penelope's hand. And in the absence of a male relative, her mother. But now he simply wanted to remove her from this household. "Penelope will be travelling to the Trowbridge Ball with my family."

"Very well." Portia Featherington waved them off as though they were a fly buzzing around her. "Prudence! We will be late!"

"Also, I have asked Penelope to marry me, and she has said yes." Without waiting for a response, he led Penelope back to the door. "My mother will call on you tomorrow to discuss our wedding plans." He held the door open for Penelope.

"She has no dowry." Prudence had walked in to catch the tail end of Colin's announcement. It was clear that she was not happy that her younger sister was engaged when she had no prospects.

"Then it is just as well that I am marrying her because I am in love with her and not for the money." Colin glared so furiously at Prudence that she took a step backwards. At least now Pen's family would not question where the money had come from for her wedding dress. They would assume Colin had paid for it. Turning back to his soon to be wife, he smiled at her. "I believe we have a ball to attend."

His family was a little surprised to see them both return so quickly but covered it well. Antony insisted that Colin and Penelope travel with he and Kate without questioning the change in plans. Colin didn't let go of Penelope's hand once at the ball, but it was loud and clear to everyone that Colin Bridgerton was claiming Penelope Featherington as his.

It was after dancing with Penelope twice that Colin spotted Cressida Cowper talking to a sour Prudence Featherington. "That is impossible." Cressida had not learned her lesson from last season it seemed. And Prudence was too vain and self-centred to realise that in insulting Penelope, Cressida was also insulting her. "He will not marry her."

Raising Penelope's hand to his lips, he made sure the engagement ring was visible for all to see. "Ignore them all." He kissed her hand. It gave him a great sense of pleasure to see the colour drain from Cressida's face when she spotted the ring.

Lady Danbury nodded her approval as she approached. "I see congratulations are in order Miss Featherington. It took you long enough Mr Bridgerton."

"I just wanted Miss Featherington to be certain before asking, Lady Danbury." No one would dare question Penelope on how she had managed to secure a proposal from a Bridgerton when Lady Danbury had shown her approval. Everyone knew she was a friend of the Queen's.

"Smart man." Lady Danbury moved on to talk to Violet Bridgerton.

"I do not think I will ever get used to people staring and whispering near me." She was positive that they were trying to work out if she had trapped Colin into marriage as her cousin Marina had attempted to do.

"They do not matter." He barely noticed that anyone else was in the room. What he did notice was that his future sister-in-law couldn't seem to manage an ounce of happiness for her sister. Portia Featherington on the other hand was doing exactly what they had thought she would do. To anyone new to the Ton, it would have appeared that she was the one who had just become engaged.

"That is sweet of you to say." Unfortunately, in society these people did matter. It was ironic really. Most of these people ignored her but hung on Lady Whistledown's every word. She glanced down at her ring. "It is a beautiful ring." It was perfect for her.

"It's nothing compared to it's wearer." Colin wished this ball was over so he could be alone with her. For a moment he wondered if she was having second thoughts. But then she looked up at him and he got lost in her sparkling blue eyes. How had he looked at her all of these years and not known he was in love with her?

"I wonder if our host has a curfew." Lord Trowbridge was all of three years old and still bore a startling resemblance to the footman. "He already looks to be falling asleep."

Colin chuckled. "Do you think it would be noticed if we snuck him out of her and tucked him into bed?" The poor child looked ready to drop.

"His mama certainly would not." Lady Trowbridge was too busy socialising to notice the toddler was asleep on his feet. Penelope silently swore to herself that no child of hers would be sacrificed for an opportunity to social climb. "Let's at least get the child to a chair." She led Colin over to the child since he wouldn't release her hand.

Ignoring the stares of others, they guided the young Earl to a sofa so that he could lay down and sleep. Penelope tucked a cushion under the boy's head. "Do you think he will be alright like that? I do not want him to roll in his sleep and fall off."

"I am certain he will be fine." Colin felt as though his heart would burst with pride. She would be a wonderful mother.

"Miss, I will watch the Earl." The footman they were speaking of earlier joined them. "He will be quite safe. He is a rather sound sleeper." He took his place at the end of the sofa.

"Let us know if you require a break." Penelope kept her voice low so that only the three of them could hear. She was even more certain that he was the child's father now.

A waltz stared up so Colin led her back onto the dance floor. He wanted to be able to hold her close and at the moment this was the best he could do without causing a scandal. She was always a pleasure to dance with even though the difference in height could make some dances a little tricky.

The only time he let go of her hand was when he left her with Eloise to fetch her some lemonade. When he returned, Penelope and Eloise were surrounded by many an eligible gentleman. Although gentleman was a stretch as he foolishly thought that because he had done everything but loudly announce to the room he had asked Penelope to marry him, that they were there for his sister. He could not have been more wrong.

"Surely Mr Bridgerton can spare you for one dance." Morris Tilby shot Penelope what he thought passed for a charming smile. Unfortunately he was so narcissistic that he couldn't see the repulsed look on Pen's face.

"Why would my brother share his fiancé with the likes of you." Eloise had never made him more proud to be her brother than in that moment.

"You can not seriously marry the first man who asks you." Myles Castles took a step closer to Penelope than was polite. "We have so much more to offer you than Bridgerton." His gaze slid down Penelope's frame.

Just when Colin was about to start throwing punches he heard Penelope speak up. "Such as?" He saw her straighten and glared at Castles. "The only reason any of you are even over here is because you are curious at what Colin Bridgerton finds so appealing about me." She spotted Colin watching the scene with great interest. "Perhaps you should ask him"

The crowd turned to face him just as Antony, Benedict and his brother in law, the duke of Hastings stepped up behind him for support. "There is very little I do not find appealing about you." He held his hand out to his petite bride to be. "Fortunately your desire for a small wedding should be simple to fulfil seeing as the guest list appears to be getting shorter by the minute." He tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. "Are you coming with us Elle?"

"Of course I am." Eloise tucked her hand around his other arm. "This must be someone other than family who is suitable to associate with at this ball."

"There is Lord Trowbridge." Penelope smirked as she glanced over at the sleeping toddler. "But I do not wish to disturb him."

"That is probably for the best." Eloise sniffed in distain. "If he were awake I might be expected to dance with him."

"He might be an excellent dancer Elle." Colin chuckled "You might get a crick in your back though."

The three of them share a laugh. Although they silently agreed that the end of the evening could not come soon enough. There were a few people who were kind enough to congratulate Colin and Penelope on their engagement but most were rudely whispering behind their backs.

He was so proud of the way Penelope had stood up to Myles Castles. She surprised him every day with a new part of herself he hadn't known about. Life with her would never be boring. "So, did you want to be married in the country or here in town?" Whatever she wanted was fine with him as long as she said I do.

"A country wedding sounds lovely but I had not really thought about it." Penelope realised that these were decisions she was going to have to make. Sure, she had dreamed of becoming Mrs Colin Bridgerton, but she never thought it would happen so had not considered any details of the wedding.

"Mama will help you with the details. After all, she has had the practise with Daphne and Antony." Eloise steered her brother and Penelope in another direction when she spotted her mama leading a gentleman in her direction.

Penelope knew that if Violet Bridgerton had anything to say about it, the wedding would be perfect and everything Penelope could wish for. She looked over to where her mama was holding court. She did not want Portia left out of organizing this wedding. But unlike her two older sisters, she did not want the same things as her mama.

Almost as though she felt Penelope watching her, Portia looked over at Penelope. Her biggest concern over getting married apart from Colin waking up tomorrow morning and realising he had made a big mistake, was her mama throwing a wedding they could not afford, to keep up with the Bridgertons. Phillipa's wedding had been small and largely unnoticed by the Ton which suited both the bridge and groom's families as neither was financially flush.

While Prudence may be able to ignore their family's financial woes, Penelope could not. Just as she was about to step forward to speak with her mama there was a shriek followed by what had to have been a hundred birds of every conceivable colour flying into the room.

Apparently, fireworks weren't good enough for Lady Trowbridge. Instead, she had the day room full of different breeds of birds, which presumably were to be let loose at some point. Just not when various acrobats were performing from the ceiling.

"Well, that is different." Colin pulled Penelope and Eloise closer so that he could better shield them from the feathered projectiles. "I wonder who let them loose."

Penelope could take a guess considering her sister was peering into the ballroom from near the day room. "I believe the evening is about to come to an end." She glanced up as a few birds came close to colliding with the performers who were wisely halting their performances.

"I do believe you are correct." Colin removed his jacket and held it over the three of them. "Let's not have anything flying at our engagement party. Then your sister will not be tempted to set it off." He had noticed Penelope glaring in her sister's direction and took a guess at why.

"You would still want to marry me after this?" Penelope held onto Colin as he guided them out of the room under his jacket. "I would not blame you if you ran a mile from me and my family." Right now she wanted to run a mile from her family.

"I am in love with you, not your family." Colin helped both Penelope and Eloise into the carriage before joining them. "I do not scare off that easily." He had only just got her to agree to marry him.

Had he just said he was in love with her and in front of his sister. She knew he loved her but she thought after every thing they had been through over the past few years, that he loved her as a friend. But he was what she had dreamed of since the day they had first met.

She had realised something this evening. When she and Eloise were surrounded by gentlemen, not one of them made her doubt accepting Colin's proposal. None of them made her heart flutter like he did. The second she had walked away from them she forgot about them.

Eloise shook her head at the two of them. "The two of you are hopeless. You have ruined each other for anyone else." She groaned. "You are going to be worse than Kate and Antony once you are married."

"What can you possibly mean?" Colin grinned cheekily at his sister. "Pen and I do not bicker like they do." Although when Penelope had been mad at him, he could feel the chill from miles away.

"That is not what I mean and you know it." Eloise chuckled at her brother. "You look at each other as though you are each others favourite dessert."

"You had better hope mother is too busy planning our wedding to be able to look for suitors for you." Colin teased his sister.

"So I will have a brief reprieve." Eloise shrugged his comment off. She glanced out the window of the carriage as it pulled up to their home. "I take it you will be escorting Pen home."

"I will." Colin was planning to take his time saying goodnight to his fiancé. He could tell she was still frightened that he would change his mind. Though he didn't know what else he could possibly do to chase away those fears, they were justified and probably enhanced by those close to her.

"Then I will say goodnight here." Eloise climbed out of the carriage and headed inside leaving Colin to walk Penelope across the road.

"How long do you think we have before your mother and sister return?" Colin wanted a moment to be able to enjoy being engaged to Penelope without any interference from others.

"It depends if anyone else noticed that Prudence let all those birds out." Penelope almost felt sorry for her sister. If she persisted in this sort of behaviour, no suitor would come calling. At least if Penelope had ended up a spinster, she still had a career.

Colin was considering his options when the Featherington carriage pulled up and Portia Featherington all but pushed Prudence out of the carriage. "I have never been so embarrassed in my life. The young Earl Trowbridge was better behaved than you and he is only three." She noticed Colin standing at their front door with his arms around Penelope. "Mr Bridgerton. Thank you for bringing Penelope home."

"It was my pleasure." It would be an even bigger pleasure to not have to bring her back here and home would be a place that she could be herself and with him.

Prudence was clearly sulking. It was a toss up as to the reason being over Penelope being engaged or having been caught over her childish behaviour. "Are you with child as Marina was?" Obviously she didn't consider that Colin was marrying her sister because he loved her.

A look crossed Penelope's face which Colin had never seen before. Penelope had just been pushed a step too far. "No Prudence. I am not. I do not need to stoop to that low a level. I would rather end up a spinster than try to trap someone into marrying me." Even Portia felt the dagger of that last comment.

It was apparent on Prudence's face that she was not used to her sister firing her spiteful comments back at her. "I was joking. You are so sensitive."

"If only you were funny." Penelope's tone was pure ice. She turned to Colin. "Do you mind accompanying me? I feel the need to get some fresh air."

"It is getting rather late Penelope." Portia was stunned by her usually shy and quiet daughter. When Penelope glared at her mother Portia relented realising that even she had limits. "Try not to be too long then." She hustled Prudence inside.

"Shall we?" Colin gently guided Pen up the road. He could feel the fury coming off of her which made him wonder how many other people had made the same assumption as Prudence.

"Why would you want to marry me after witnessing that?" Her insecurities far outweighed her hopes and dreams that Colin felt even an ounce of the over whelming love she felt for him.

"Because I am in love with you and not your family as I have already told you." He had not truly realised until tonight how strong she had been all of these years to carry the burden of barbs, snide and cruel remarks and mocking of others with such grace. He had known it was bad, but not to the extent that he had seen this night. "No wonder Lady Whistledown is so cutting at times."

"I never meant for your family to get caught up in it but to not include them would have had people thinking Lady Whistledown was one of you. Eloise was so determined to find out who Lady Whistledown was that she drew the attention of the Queen. If I could have found another way to stop the Queen I would have taken it." As Lady Whistledown she could often say the things she longed to say but couldn't risk doing so in case it brought shame on her family.

Colin stopped and watched her for a moment. "Do you want to marry me?" It would kill him if she said no.

"Of course I do. I have loved you for what feels like forever. But I would hate to be an embarrassment to you or your family." Penelope just didn't see how this could work. Any further doubts vanished from her mind when he stepped forward and kissed her as though his very life depended on it.

He pulled away when he ran out of air. "You had me worried for a moment. Do not let other's inability to see how intelligent and beautiful you are stop you from having what you want." He was relieved that she still wanted to marry him. "I should take you home." Even though it was the last thing he wanted to do.

Penelope grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket. "Not yet." Then much to his surprise, she kissed him. There in the middle of the street Penelope Featherington kissed Colin Bridgerton.

Dearest Gentle Reader

The highlight of the Trowbridge ball last evening was not the various varieties of birds flying around the ball room. Even after Prudence Featherington left the door open to the day room allowing the feathered inhabitants to fly into the ballroom. Luckily none of the acrobats performing from the ceiling were injured, just distracted.

This writer has been reliably informed that Mr Colin Bridgerton has proposed to Miss Penelope Featherington. News that has increased Miss Featherington's popularity tenfold, but alas gentlemen, the lady in question only has eyes for her future husband.

Young Earl Trowbridge managed to sleep through most of the ball, escaping birds and all.

Yours truly

Lady Whistledown.