"Marina! What will you do when Colin realizes the child is not his? That day will come. He is not simple." Penelope pushed.
"What I will do is live safe in the knowledge that my husband is a good and kind man. He would never turn me out on the street. He will care for us both, come what may." Marina stood tall and proud.
"But what of him? What of Colin?" Penelope pleaded.
"You love him." Marina blinked, taken aback.
Penelope paused. Her shoulders dropped. Her impassioned plea to Marina stopped. Her cousin, her friend, her one respite in this house, Marina wouldn't be moved.
"Oh, Penelope. Why didn't you tell me?" Marina sat down on the bed.
'I tried,' Penelope thought. "It doesn't matter. He's in love with you. I just don't want him trapped. You had so many suitors. I didn't think you would choose Colin." Penelope sat down next to Marina on the bed.
"Are you sure this isn't some childhood infatuation?" Marina briefly rested a hand on Penelope's leg.
"Yes," Penelope said fiercely. It may have started as putting Colin on a pedestal. But then he fell in love with Marina. She was blessed to see him in love, and she was cursed to realize that it wasn't with her. But through it all, she saw him mature and settling into himself.
Marina moved her hand to smooth down her hair. "Penelope, I … I don't have many options."
"What if I could offer you a few more?"
"How so?"
"I know who Lady Whistledown is …" Penelope paused. "We could send her some targeted information."
"Penelope, there's no time. Colin will be here at the crack of dawn to take me to Gretna Green. I will start showing soon. How can we beat that? The sun will be setting soon," Marina lamented. She fell back on the bed and rested a hand on her stomach.
Penelope straightened up and threw her shoulders back. "We still have time. I know all the gentlemen in the ton and I can think of six off the top of my head who would want to be your husband. If we can narrow it down to two in the next hour, there's still time for me to get things moving. It is early yet."
Marina sat up again ready to hear more and move forward.
In the last hour of daylight, Marina and Penelope narrowed down the options to two. Several names were tossed out Henry Granville (more interested in men than women), Harry Dankworth (unable to have children), James Debling (no interest in men nor women), Frank Johnson (looking to please his mother with a wife), and more.
"Why hasn't Lady Whistledown reported on any of this information? These are so scandalous." Marina questioned.
"She's not in the business of ruining lives!" Penelope snapped. She then sighed. "Have you made your choice?"
"Harry Dankworth, you're sure he can't have children? How will you get her the information?"
"Yes, it was confirmed from multiple, discrete, sources. I have my ways. The sun is going to set soon." Penelope said.
"Then he's my choice. Will Lady Whistledown write that he is the father?" Marina asked.
"He should have some agency." Penelope put her foot down.
"Think practically, Penelope! There's not enough time for us to talk to him, talk to Lady Whistledown, and get the story published by tomorrow. Besides, what if he says no?" Marina started pacing.
"I'll do my best to convince him, but ultimately if he says no, I'll figure something else out with Lady Whistledown. Have you decided?"
"Harry," Marina whispered.
"Okay, I'll take care of everything. Don't you worry, Marina!" Penelope said as she left the room. Pulling on her plain clothes, Penelope headed for the back way out of the Featherington home as the sunset.
A/N: All four chapters are done! I just need to go through and reread them to make sure it makes sense. We'll stretch the bounds of everything that can happen in a single night - it'll be fine. Next chapter we'll dive into Colin's mindset.