One of the reasons Penelope and Eloise were so close was their shared frustration over society's disdain for women's mind. According to Eloise, members of their sex weren't allowed to pursue higher education so as not to bruise the egos of their male counterparts, who feared — rightfully so! — that women's minds were far superior than their own. Penelope was as upset as her friend that they couldn't attend university, because she knew they would have thrived there, and agreed wholeheartedly that most of the rules imposed on their sex benefited men more than women.
Gentlemen could be rakes, ladies could only be ruined. Unmarried men were bachelors while unmarried women were spinsters.
Men could achieve financial security through many means, while women's only choice was marriage.
Eloise had never hesitated to speak her mind on the subject, but she didn't realize that it was a privilege to do so.
Her astonishment at other's women compliance with society's rules showed the extent to which Eloise had taken for granted the support and protection of her family.
Unlike her, no one listened to Penelope's opinion unless she published it under a pseudonym.
No one except Eloise of course…And Colin.
True to her word, Penelope had never told anyone about his reading preferences — not even Eloise — and had earned the trust of the third Bridgerton son. Polite small talk turned into books recommendations and clever puns, giving Penelope food for thought before bed.
His love for literature had given him a thirst for adventures. Colin's eyes lit up every time he talked about his future travels, and his desire to discover the world. Penelope jested that he ought to start his journey in Greece, where the odyssey of a mythical fellow traveller took place. Colin smiled at the idea and promised her she wouldn't have to wait twenty years for his return, like her namesake.
Penelope had choked on her lemonade.