For as long as she could remember, Penelope had always been fascinated by other people's eyes, and in particular the color of their irises. She loved to study their shades, and used to entertain herself finding the closest thing with a similar color. Eloise's grey eyes reminded her of the soft fur of a Russian blue cat. Cressida's eyes were as blue and as cold as a frozen lake. Penelope used to envy her rival for the attention those eyes brought her with the gentlemen of the ton.
Now, although she had ardently prefered blue eyes as a child, no look could ever match Colin Bridgerton's playful green eyes.
Every time his cat-like gaze landed on her, Penelope could hardly breath.
With the third Bridgerton son, Penelope became greedier. It was no longer enough for her to associate Colin's magnificent irises with the first green object that came to mind (none ever did, for the hue of his eyes changed with the light); she wanted to be able to read him as easily as she read her books. « Eyes were windows to the soul », and no soul interested her more than Colin's.
So Penelope did what she did best : she observed him.
And Colin's eyes, for all his smiles and his jokes, showed a certain sadness.