Our Wedding After that Thing you Said
Thanks to Violet Bridgerton, the wedding preparations went smoothly and as per the bride and groom's requirements. Invitations were sent with many a disappointed townsperson not invited. Only true friends and family members would be attending. Unlike the two previous Bridgerton siblings, Penelope and Colin had no need to keep up appearances in society or impress Queen Charlotte.
Oddly enough Cressida Cowper was quite vocal in her surprise at not only not being invited to the engagement party but also the wedding. Far more people had been invited to the engagement party than had been invited to the wedding. So, to be overlooked at both made a very clear statement. Unfortunately, Cressida took the statement to be that Penelope was jealous of her. At least until the next edition of Lady Whistledown was distributed.
Dearest Gentle Reader
It has come to this writer's attention that those of the Ton who have not been invited to the upcoming nuptials of Miss Penelope Featherington and Mr Colin Bridgerton, have mistaken this as a sign of jealousy.
Rest assured Miss Cowper, you have nothing that Miss Featherington could feel jealous of. After all, she is marrying the man of her dreams and you are still at the time of writing this column, unwed.
Neither the bride nor the groom felt the need to invite those of you who have questioned why the groom is marrying Miss Featherington at all.
Not to worry those mamas eyeing the marriage market, there are still two Bridgerton males available but not easily pleased.
Yours truly
Lady Whistledown
For the first time since beginning the Lady Whistledown paper Penelope asked Colin to read through it before taking it to the printer. Since some of the content was essentially speaking on his behalf, she felt he had the right to at least see it before anyone else.
The night before their wedding they took a walk in the moonlight. "My mother would be horrified if she knew we were out together."
"Well, it is late." Penelope snuggled closer. "But I think your mama would be more horrified if you were not with me."
"That is true but is there not a rule concerning groom seeing the bride the night before the wedding." Considering how busy they had both been with wedding preparations, he was happy to break it.
"You could close your eyes and I could lead you around." Penelope joked. "Although it is rather dark so I could easily walk you into a tree."
"As long as you promise to kiss me better if I get hurt." Colin kissed the top of her head. "It might give people something different to talk about if I turn up to our wedding with a black eye."
Penelope groaned. "Yes, well I overheard Madam De La Croix being asked if my wedding dress needed to be taken in or let out."
"What was her response?" Colin scoffed at the absurdity of such a question. With the stress Penelope had been under this month caused by the cruelty of others, it would be no wonder if she lost weight or put it on.
"She reminded them that she had an invite to our wedding so regardless I would be stunning." Penelope giggled. "You should have seen their shocked expressions."
Colin sighed as they made their way home. "Only half a day to go until I never have to say goodnight and leave you ever again." And he would take great pleasure in rubbing the fact that any children they might be blessed with would not be arriving in less than nine months after they were wed. Despite coming close on a couple of occasions when a few too many buttons came undone.
"Do you promise?" There was still a small part of her that was worried he would wake up and realise that marrying her was a bad idea. Although with every passing day that part of her got smaller and smaller.
"That is an easy promise to keep because I love you." He kissed the top of her head again. "Are you nervous about tomorrow?" He was just eager to begin his life with her.
"A little, but mainly because I doubt my sisters will behave themselves." And a little because she was scared he wouldn't show for the wedding. Which was ridiculous because it was being held at his family's country home.
"I think our mothers will keep them both under control." He had the feeling that Penelope would only be totally confident and relaxed once they were pronounced man and wife. Until that moment had come, she would be waiting for him to back out of marrying her. Although it was frustrating that she still doubted his feelings for her, he also understood why she had these doubts.
Over the month that they had been engaged, he had witnessed how others behaved towards her. He had only had a small glimpse into this behaviour prior to their engagement. People such as Cressida Cowper, he was well aware how despicable they were towards Penelope. But her own sisters treated her as though the only reason she would receive a marriage proposal was if there were no choice. He felt some guilt that he had not noticed sooner.
"Is Gregory excited to be your best man?" She knew Hyacinth was ecstatic to be her flower girl. However, she was a little miffed that her brother had a more important role than her in the wedding.
Colin chuckled. "He is now that he has gotten over the shock of being asked rather that Benedict. And before you ask, Benedict was relieved not to be asked."
They made it back to the country house. Penelope and her family staying in the cottage at the edge of the property until after the ceremony. Then it would become Colin and Penelope's home until they found something else.
"I shall see you tomorrow." Penelope stopped by the back door and turned to her soon to be husband. "It is not too late for you to change your mind." She was mostly joking.
"Yes, it is." His mother would kill him for starters. The rest of his family would line up to take turns as well. "I can no longer exist without you. I despise saying goodnight to you. When we are apart, I cannot stop counting the seconds until I can see you again."
"I love you so much." Penelope threw her arms around him. Previously she had loved him and thought he was flawless, but now she saw him flaws and all and loved him more for them.
Colin had to remind himself that he was a gentleman and as such could not throw caution to the wind and take Penelope in the garden. Once he had made love to her in a comfortable bed, then they could look at being a bit more adventurous. But she was making it more and more difficult.
Kissing Penelope was like a drug for him. One kiss and it was near to impossible to stop. Tonight, it was even worse. It was not until he felt her cold hands on his skin that he realised just how close he had come to taking her up against the wall of the cottage. Gently grasping her hands, he tugged them out from under his shirt. "I think it is time for me to say goodnight." Although he would much rather finish what they had started. Kissing each hand and then the tip of her cute nose, he took a step back and waited until she was safely inside before heading for his bed.
Sleep did not come easily as Penelope was there tempting him when he closed his eyes. How had he not seen her more clearly sooner? Was she right? Had they both needed to grow up a bit first? At this rate he would be screaming I do the second she walked in the church. He could not even blame her mother's insistence that she wear yellow as he did not care what colour she wore.
It struck him how little he had truly known himself despite what he had told Penelope when he returned from Greece. Had he needed to make so many mistakes in order to realise the person who was right in front of him, was the person who he was meant to spend the rest of his life with. When he looked back on his past actions, he was stunned that Penelope would still speak to him, let alone marry him.
Despite all the wedding preparations, Penelope had encouraged him to submit his manuscript to a publisher and begin working on his follow up one of his travels around Italy. He still had doubts that anyone would read his writing, he appreciated her support and faith in him. Because of her encouragement he viewed the Lady Whistledown papers differently. He could see how intelligent and witty it was in the way it was written. Much like its author.
Penelope. She was full of surprises. Every day he felt as though he learned something new about her. She never ceased to amaze him. Their life together would never be boring, and he could not wait for it to begin. Pounding his pillow, he made another attempt to get some sleep. Tomorrow would be a big busy day and he did not want to fall asleep in the middle of the ceremony.
In the cottage Penelope was also having trouble falling asleep. She could not believe she was getting married tomorrow. Her brain kept going through lists of things for the wedding. Madam De La Croix had finished all the dresses and they were perfect. Everything had been arranged and checked to suit both her and Colin. Yet she still felt uneasy.
She had become used to people overlooking her. Then when she had gotten engaged asking why Colin Bridgerton had proposed to her. She did not like it, but she was used to it. If there was one thing, she was uncertain of, it was why some of their guests were even attending their wedding.
Swinging her legs out of the bed, she headed to the kitchen to get a drink. Tomorrow night she would be a married woman. All she had to do was get through the ceremony. Her mama had given her the talk about what to expect on her wedding night. It left her wondering if her parents had ever loved each other. She and Colin had already been more passionate than anything her mama had mentioned.
"Penelope. Why are you not sleeping? You have a big day tomorrow." Portia Featherington looked as though she desperately needed some sleep herself. "You are not having second thoughts, are you?"
"No. I just could not sleep." Penelope poured herself a glass of milk. "Why are you still awake?"
"Excitement. I never dreamed you would marry a Bridgerton." Portia's excitement faded when she saw Penelope's expression. "Of course, if your heart was with another, I would be excited for you then as well."
"Be honest mama." Penelope was not fooled for a minute. "You did not think I would marry at all. My sisters certainly did not. I suspect that they doubt Colin will even show up to the wedding."
Portia chose her words carefully. "I was worried that you would not marry because of your shyness. I have always felt that Mr Bridgerton had feelings for you, but thought they were as a friend. I can clearly see that he is in love with you." She rolled her eyes. "Your sisters have not been blessed with an abundance of intelligence. Philippa was lucky enough to find someone as dim as she is, but his family was desperate for her dowry. I still hope that Prudence will be as fortunate. But you, my girl. You found someone who loves you and you love in return."
"He does love me." Penelope realised that her mama was correct. "I am very lucky indeed."
"Best that you get some sleep. Madam De La Croix will be here after breakfast to help you, Eloise and Hyacinth get ready." Portia seemed to come to a realisation. "Did you invite Madam De La Croix to the wedding in exchange for a discount on the wedding dresses?"
"No mama. I invited her because she is a friend who just so happens to have made my wedding dress and Eloise and Hyacinth's dresses." Penelope considered the modist a friend after everything she had done to keep her secret. "I do have friends other than Eloise and Colin."
"Of course, you do." Portia hastily agreed. In truth even if Penelope only had two friends, it was still two more friends than either Prudence or Philippa had.
"Well, I had better get some sleep." She had never had such a long conversation with her mama. "I do not want to scare the groom off by turning up with bags under my eyes."
Portia smiled at her youngest daughter. "It will take more than bags under your eyes to scare that young man off." She watched her head off to bed with a twinge of envy. Her daughter was marrying for love and the man she was marrying was head over heels in love with her. She only wished that she had that option when she was Penelope's age. "Good night."
The next morning Penelope woke with a mixture of nerves and excitement. It was not until Madam De La Croix was helping her get into her wedding dress that it really hit her that the day she never thought would come, was actually here. Eloise and Hyacinth gushed over her dress as well as their own which made Madam De La Croix's day.
Finally, it was time to walk down the isle which had been set up in the Bridgerton's flower garden. Hyacinth led the way, followed by Eloise and then Portia and Penelope. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Colin standing by Gregory facing the Priest. Gregory tapped his brother on the shoulder as soon as he spotted her.
Colin could not remember ever being this nervous. What if Penelope did not show up. Then his brother tapped him on the shoulder. "Your bride has arrived brother." Turning his jaw dropped in amazement when he saw her. She was exquisite. A vision.
The ceremony was a bit of a blur but they both let out a sigh of relief when the priest pronounced them man and wife. Penelope tensed up when the priest asked if anyone had any objections, but the fierce looks from both Violet and Portia ensued everyone held their tongues.
It was not until their first dance as man and wife that Colin managed to have anything close to a private conversation with his wife. "You are stunning. Was the day everything you hoped it would be?" It had been for him. The nerves he had felt were worth it the moment he had seen her walking down the isle towards him. His only regret was that those who had been so cruel to her would not get to see her succeed where so many of them had failed.
"That and more." She had heard one of the guests mention that Cressida Cowper had gotten engaged to old Lord Twombley as she began walking down the aisle. If it had been anyone else, Penelope would have believed it to have been a co-incidence in the timing. But because it was Cressida, she knew the engagement had been announced to pull focus away from their wedding.
The joke was on Cressida though. Word amongst the servants was that the old Lord was broke. And while Penelope and Colin were marrying for love, Cressida was marrying for money which was rumoured to not exist. Every guest at this wedding knew that they were lucky to be invited so Cressida was only ever going to get a passing mention.
"I thought for a moment I might have some competition for you from my little brother." He loved the way she blushed. "It was a huge relief when you said I do."
"It is good to know I have options." She shot her husband a saucy look. "Thank you." She grew serious. "Your family have made this the perfect day."
Colin bowed his head and kissed his tiny wife. He did not care who was watching. It felt as though he had been away from her for years instead of a matter of hours. Now that she was his wife, there was no need to say goodnight to her, to stop kissing her or stop when his hands got a mind of their own and started undoing buttons.
"Perhaps the two of you should cut the cake." His mother's voice reminded him that they were not alone.
They did as his mother suggested before he discreetly checked with Antony that his in-laws had been moved out of their property. They had decided to wait until the season was over before going on their honeymoon. It would be rather obvious who Lady Whistledown was if she stopped writing while they were on their honeymoon.
Heading back to their cottage as soon as was deemed polite, Colin saw that being the centre of attention was beginning to wear Penelope down. Besides, he did not want to share his wife with their guests any longer. He wanted to keep her all to himself.
Checking to ensure they were in fact alone; he thanked his lucky stars that Penelope had not wanted a huge wedding with a lot of guests that they would have still been saying goodbye to. He led her to the master bedroom. "This will be our room unless you prefer one of the others."
It did not surprise him that instead of working out if there was a bigger room in the cottage with more room for her clothes, Penelope glanced out of the window. The view was breath taking, but then so was the view he was currently looking at.
"This is perfect." Penelope had never been given a choice of pretty much anything. So, to be asked for her opinion by her husband made it all the more special. She turned startled to find him looking at her hungrily.
"As fetching as you are in that dress, I think it is time we got you out of it." Colin stepped forward. He just hoped he could maintain enough control to go slow. With every second that passed, it seemed more impossible. He kissed his way down her neck as his hands made short work of her buttons.
Penelope felt her knees go weak. His kisses caused the most incredible sensations to echo through her body and pool between her legs. From what little she knew about her martial duties (and it was not from her mama), this was only the beginning. She was already in danger of spontaneously combusting. How on earth would she survive more.
He swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bed, no longer surprised that she had managed to undo his jacket, vest and tie. Although Penelope, herself seemed unaware she had done so. He had expected to have to talk her through their first time together, but Penelope appeared to be managing well on instinct. "Tell me to stop if you need me to." He started to slip her dress down her incredible body.
All she could think was that she hoped he never stopped, gasping as he traced her breast with his lips. "Don't you dare stop." She tugged his shirt out of his trousers and ran her hands over his back, smiling as she heard his sharp intake of breath.
Moving away just long enough to shrug off his jacket and vest, he went back to worshipping her body with his lips. He loved her curves and those little sighs she made from every one of his kisses. Although clearly not experienced Penelope's instinct was working in both of their favours.
Her petite hands were reading his body as though it were braille. Her touch igniting his skin with every caress. Every inch of her body that he uncovered more arousing than the next. Helping her out of her wedding dress which had become bunched around her waist, he found that she had saved him the trouble of undoing the buttons on his shirt.
Shaking his head in disbelief that he had been so focused on removing his wife from her dress that he had not noticed she was undoing the buttons on his shirt; he removed it. Stripping her stockings down her surprisingly long legs he marvelled at the exquisite body which had been hidden under her garments. Her corset and bloomers followed her stockings to the floor.
"Good Lord you're beautiful." He hastily removed his trousers mostly because it was becoming painful to wear them any longer. Keeping his eyes on her face, he ran his hands up her legs. He could see from her flushed face and short pants that she was as aroused as he was. Her back arching as he slipped a finger inside her was just further proof. She was ready for him but so tight.
Moving between her legs he had to remind himself to go slow. He focused on every detail of her expression and prayed that he would be able to stop if she needed him to. Inching into her, he stopped to allow her to get used to the sensation and relax around him. Her breaths becoming more erratic with every inch of him. "This may hurt a little, but it is only because you are not used to it. I will be as gentle as I can." She clenched around him so suddenly that he almost lost all control. "I need you to relax." He would definitely hurt her if she didn't relax.
This was already overwhelming for her, and so much more than her mama had prepared her for. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. Colin would do everything to avoid hurting her if he could. She knew that.
He remained perfectly still until he felt her relax. As he captured her lips with his, he surged forward. Holding still he waited for her to adjust to him. "Are you alright?" They were both breathing heavily.
"Yes." She felt something building within but was not certain what. "It is not over, is it?" Having no experience, she could not be certain, but somehow, she knew there was more to this.
"No." Colin chuckled but then groaned as it vibrated through both of them. He moved slowly and cautiously, hoping like hell that he would not need to stop because he was not sure that he could. Gradually increasing his pace, he felt Penelope's hand grip his shoulders a little tighter. He was not sure how much longer he could hold on when he felt her begin to quiver around him. She gasped before she clenched around him crying out his name. He was not far behind her.
Rolling to his side and taking her with him so that he did not crush her, he struggled to catch his breath.
"Do all mamas avoid telling their daughters that it is like this, or just mine?" Penelope could not be sure, but if the young ladies knew what making love could be like, there would be a lot more children born out of wedlock. At least she had found out where babies came from before getting married.
"Going by the stupid grin that Daphne always seemed to have on her face after she married Simon, I would say it is all mothers." In their mother's defence, it was probably an embarrassing discussion to have, and their experiences may not have been the same as his and Penelope's.
"It does explain a lot." Such as how Marina had become pregnant out of wedlock. "Should I have done more?" Although she had done more than just lay there which was the instruction she had received from her mama.
"You were perfect." Colin had been expecting to have to talk his new wife through every step, but she appeared to have natural instincts. "Are you alright?" She at least did not appear opposed to ever doing it again.
"Still trying to catch my breath, but yes." Penelope was still playing catch up with everything that had happened today. She had gotten married, made love with her new husband, who happened to be the only man she had ever loved and who was still inside her getting harder by the second. "Again?"
Colin smiled as he rolled onto his back taking her with him. "Let's try something different." There were all manner of positions that he wanted to try with her.
The next morning, they were supposed to join their families for breakfast, but they were otherwise indisposed. Truth be told Penelope was happy not to spend another breakfast with her sisters. So far, she was enjoying married life and was not interested in anyone ruining it.
She was writing her new Lady Whistledown using Colin's back as her desk as they realised it might raise a few eyebrows if nothing was published about their wedding. Also, nobody would notice if she disappeared to drop off her manuscript.
"I could get used to this. Would you be my desk when I write my next novel?" Colin had found out just before the wedding that his first novel would be published, and the publishers were interested in a second novel.
Penelope chuckled. "I can't lie on my front and still breathe." She finished writing and gave it a quick proofread.
"What if I used your stomach?" Colin took the quill and parchment out of her hands and put them aside. "Would you be my desk then?" He kissed his wife's neck and started working his way down her body. He could not get enough of her.
"Ahhh…" She could not concentrate when he kissed her. "Yes." She was not sure what she was saying yes to. The next thing she knew, she was screaming yes for a whole other reason.
It was late afternoon before she dropped her next edition of Lady Whistledown off to the printers. Colin waited outside the printer so her cover would not be blown. He was surprised to hear her speaking with an Irish accent. No wonder she had gotten away with being Lady Whistledown for so long. His wife was amazing. His wife. That would take some getting used to. But it sounded so right.
Penelope joined him and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. "What shall we do with the rest of our first day as a married couple?"
Colin grinned at her. "Why don't we go home?" He was not ready to share his wife with the Ton. He wanted it to be just the two of them a little longer.
"Home?" She liked the sound of that. "What are we waiting for?" If it had not been for bringing her next edition to the printer, she would have stayed in bed with her husband.
The newlyweds were not seen for the rest of the week. There was a ball to attend the following week. Colin waited for his wife to finish getting ready. If he had his way, they would not be going. "Could you help me do up my necklace?" He looked up at the sound of his wife's voice. She took his breath away dressed in lavender. Wordlessly he moved behind her to do the catch on her necklace.
"Thank you." Penelope was both nervous and excited about attending this ball. This would be their first ball as man and wife, but also, she would not be spending the majority of this ball waiting for someone to ask her to dance.
"Do we really have to attend?" He kissed his wife's neck. He had enjoyed it just being the two of them with the servants making themselves scarce. "We are newlyweds, nobody would question our absence."
"We have already confirmed we will be there." Although she was certain her husband could convince her to stay home. "We do not have to stay for long."
"Promise." He realised that attending this ball would be a new experience for Penelope. Especially since it would put a number of people in their place as Penelope was clearly not dying or (to the best of their knowledge) pregnant.
"Oh yes." Penelope would prefer for it to remain just the two of them. However, she needed more information for the next issue of Lady Whistledown. Also, it would mean they could have a brief catch up with their families. And in her case, it would be in surroundings where her sisters would be more likely to make fools of themselves than her.
Colin groaned. "Fine. But I do not want to share you with the outside world." Although he felt a lot of pride that she was his wife.
When they arrived Cressida Cowper was holding court gloating about her engagement which made Penelope chuckle. It was a struggle to keep a straight face when Cressida was announcing her plans to re-decorate the Twombley mansion.
"What is so amusing?" Colin had the feeling he was missing something.
Penelope glanced around the ballroom before taking hold of her husband's hand and leading him over to another part of the ballroom. She grabbed a glass from a passing server and discreetly nodded to the two footmen chatting behind them.
"She thinks she can re-decorate the entire mansion. The Twombley butler told me that they had to let the upstairs maid go last week because they could not afford her. That is the third staff member he's let go this month."
"So, he is marrying the Cowper woman for her dowry. No surprise there. Twombley always gambles away more than he makes." His friend shook his head. "Do you think she will find out before or after the wedding?"
Colin's jaw dropped. "Is this how you have been getting the material?" He whispered to his wife.
"Well, nobody was asking me to dance so I just listened." Penelope shrugged. "Eloise was not out in society at the time, so I had no one to talk to. Of course, when Eloise was out in society the following season, she inadvertently made it more difficult to get to the printers."
"So, if I had come to my senses sooner, would you have even started your writing?" He was cautious about his wording in case they were overheard.
"Possibly." She had never thought about it that way. "I needed a way to vent though. I am not brave in person, but I am when I write."
"You are braver than you give yourself credit for." Colin had learned even in the week that they had been married, that Penelope would stand up for herself when pushed too far. He heard a waltz start up, so escorted his wife to the dancefloor. Yet again he had gotten a new insight into his wife who he had thought he knew everything about.
They did a couple rounds of the ballroom and danced another dance before heading home. Life was good and people such as Cressida Cowper had become easier to ignore because they were happy.
