Just a Kiss
Bridgerton
Penelope/Colin
During/After the kiss
When Penelope arrived outside and saw Colin waiting for her, she was surprised.
Rae, her maid, quickly left and Colin informed her that he had bribed her maid to give them a moment alone. She was touched that he'd come to check on her, but when he started blaming Lady Whistledown's column for her public shaming, she could not help the urge she felt to correct him. All of her chances of finding love or a husband were gone, she didn't feel like she had anything to lose and she couldn't let him blame her paper for her own decision to accept his help.
"It is Lady Whistledown's job to report on what everyone is saying. I did not have a choice but to print it." Penelope declared, shaking her head and Colin opened wide eyes.
"What do you mean YOU had to?" he asked her, shocked.
"I guess, with everything that's happen, I don't have much left to lose, I might as well tell you the truth. I am Lady Whistledown." She replied and in her eyes, he could see that she believed she was losing his friendship with this statement.
"But... The things you wrote about Eloise..." he shook his head.
"Eloise was spotted by the Queen's men leaving Anthony and Edwina's failed wedding and she was followed by the Queen's men to the printer I use, where she was seeing, alone and unchaperoned, Mister Theo Sharpe, the printer's apprentice. You and I both warned her several times not to go to him, to stop seeing him, though you thought she only went for the publications. But the only person Eloise listens to is herself, because she believes herself smarter than everyone, she somehow believes that only what she thinks matters. Writing that she was going for his radical lectures was less damning for her than writing that she had spent a lot of time alone with a young man. And it proved to the Queen that Eloise was not Lady Whistledown. The Queen was angry, she thought Eloise had lied to her when she had declared being unable to find Lady Whistledown the previous year. It saved Eloise, and she knows it. I believe the real reason why she's angry with me, is because she has realized that I did it. I did something she could not and I was smarter than her because I managed to hide it and stay in the dark." Penelope explained and she was surprised that Colin wasn't angrier.
"Pen, that's..." He shook his head, in shock.
Pen decided to go further in her explanations. What did she have to lose anyway? Tears in her eyes, she continued speaking:
"I know. You're angry because of what I wrote about Marina. I was her only true friend in this house, you know? And I was one of the first ones to know about her condition. I only wrote about it when you were getting ready to run away with her, not listening to what I was trying to tell you, warn you. I pleaded with her for so long not to use you, or at the very least to tell you the truth, but she mocked my feelings for you and insisted that she was doing what was right for herself and that she was the only one that mattered in this. I could not let you be used this way, not without knowing the truth, especially since she made it clear that she did not love you. Because... How could she not?" Penelope shook her head.
"Your feelings for me?" he asked her.
"Forget it. It does not matter. As I said, I only write what everyone is talking about, it would have been extremely suspicious if I had not written about this as well. Even if it cost me every chance of ever leaving this house one day... It was stupid of me to believe I could get out of here, that I could find someone to spend the rest of my life with... That a foolish girl like me could ever be loved or even happy." Penelope replied, shaking her head sadly.
"You cannot say such things Pen! Do you realize how amazing you are? You are Lady Whistledown, you hold this entire Ton is the palm of your hand!" He exclaimed, amazed by her.
"And yet I'm going to die without having ever been kissed." She shook her head.
"You are not going to die!" he replied, amused.
"We all do eventually. And when it happens, the regret will kill me."
"But you would already be dead." he smiled, trying to add humor into the discussion, just to see her smile once more.
"Would you kiss me?" She asked him, desperate.
"What? Pen..."
"It would not have to mean anything, I would not expect anything from you because of it! Please! Just once...please..." She begged and he could not refuse.
She was so pretty, standing under the moonlight. The only thing he wanted to change was the sadness on her face. How could she believe that nobody would even want to kiss her?
Slowly, Colin came closer and he softly placed his hand on the side of her face. The feeling of her skin alone sent a warm feeling through him and he went even closer. His lips touched hers for a small kiss on her lips. She pulled away and he realized that she was not expecting more. He could have stopped it there but he could not help it. His hand went from her cheek to her chin and he pulled her gently in for a bigger kiss. A deeper one.
How had he lived so far without knowing such feeling? Why hadn't he noticed how perfect she was for him earlier? How had he lived so long without kissing her before, without knowing this incredible feeling?
Eventually, they pulled appart a bit.
"Thank you." Penelope whispered, turning around and going to run away back to her home but before she could go too far Colin grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him, back in his arms and in for a third kiss.
This third kiss was deeper, more passionate and he tried to convey everything he was feeling for her through it. Eventually, they both pulled appart. Not willing to let her leave, he kept her in his arms, his face only inches from hers.
"Colin?" She asked him in a vulnerable voice.
"What if I want it to mean something?" he asked her, not pulling away from her.
"Please, Colin, do not say things that you do not mean." She pleaded.
"But I do mean it! I do not know how I could have been so blind to ignore this for so long... Pen, you truly are the most amazing woman I have ever met. I do want this kiss to mean something. I want it to mean everything." he told her, not sure on how to find the right words to convey how he felt just yet.
"I have loved you for so long, Colin... I do not know how I would survive it if you later realized that you were wrong... Please, just take a few days to think about this, make sure what it is you feel and want... Especially now that you know that I am Lady Whistledown, please." She asked.
"It seems I cannot refuse your pleas." he smiled, taking one step back.
"Good night, Colin." She told him with a smile.
"Pen?"
"Yes?" she turned back towards him.
"Lady Whistledown made a mistake that she should correct in her next issue, about you. It is not you who asked for my help, it is me who has offered it. She should correct it in the next issue." he winked, making her chuckle.
"The next issue won't be for some time, but I will see to it." She smiled.
"Good night Penelope." he smiled, watching her walk home quickly.
.
"Everything alright, Dear?" his mother asked him a few days later.
He had dreamt of kissing Penelope, and more, all night long and had been very awkward to his siblings' interrogations as to why he overslept.
This had been going on for the past few days and of course his mother was worried.
"I'm fine, mother. I... Do you truly believe that friendship is the best foundation for a lasting marriage?" he asked her, decided to sort his thoughts sooner rather than later.
"I do, of course. I know that it is rare to start out as friends and to have romantic feelings develop later, but it is what your father and I had, and what I ultimately wish for all of my children." She smiled.
"Friends, to marriage, with love and happiness? Is it really that simple?" he asked her.
"What is on your mind, Colin? You've been lost in your own head for days now." She asked him with a smile.
"Penelope. I have come to realize that maybe, I might be in love with her. I do not know how long I have loved her without knowing it but it is here now and I cannot ignore it any longer. My heart... My heart screams for her, demands that she be by my side, happy, and my... wife." He explained, making his mother smiled.
"Then you should not waste a moment, and if you are sure of what you feel, talk to her. Ask her if she feels the same, and if she wants the same things you do."
"You would approve?" he asked her with a hopeful smile.
"I believe that Penelope was always meant to join our family, and I would certainly enjoy seeing her free of that mother of hers. I am confident that the two of you would be happy together." Violet smiled.
"I... Tonight is the event at the Stowell's, I will see if she is there, if not, I will go and see her at her house while her mother is at the party." He decided.
"Good luck, Dear." She smiled, kissed his cheek and left him to his thoughts.
.
When Colin and his family arrived at the Stowell's, the Featherington's were already present and Colin easily noticed Penelope, in a corner. He hated seeing her so sad and isolated. Why couldn't these people realize how great of a person she was? Couldn't they tell she was simply amazing?
"Pen!" he greeted her with a smile, ignoring the people looking.
"Colin." She smiled and he could tell that she was going to pretend the kisses never happened, that she was going to give him a way out.
"So, you told me to find you in a few days if I hadn't changed my mind after thinking about it. I have definitely not changed my mind. If anything I am more determined than ever." he told her with a smile and a head tilt, guessing that she wouldn't want a scene.
"Are you sure?" She asked him.
"I have already spoken to my mother about it, if it helps convince you." he smiled, taking a step closer to her.
"People are watching." She whispered.
"I do not care about other people, if things go the way I want, you will agree to marry me and they will see us together all the time." he replied with a large natural smile, making her blush.
"Your friends are staring." She whispered, pointing with her chin to the two Lords he had left behind to check on her at Lady Danbury's ball.
"They're not real friends, I was pretending to be what society expected me to be with them but that is not what I want. I want to be me, and for you to be you. I want us to be... us! They can think whatever they want, I do not care. Now, if you feel the same way as you said the other night, grab my arm and allow me to take you for a turn about the room? Maybe even all the way to the other room where my mother is so we can speak with her?" He wanted to prove to her that he was definitely not ashamed of her and that he was not giving up.
She smiled, nodded and took hold if his arm, trying to ignore all of the people's starring her way. They had to walk past her mother, who only opened her eyes wider but didn't speak. Then in front of Eloise and Cressida Cowper. Eloise's face seemed closed off and Cressida looked angry but they ignored her and reached Violet Bridgerton speaking with Lady Danbury. Benedict was with them, probably to escape the Stowell ladies' attention.
Before they reached his mother, he stopped and turned to Penelope:
"You do feel the same, you did not change your mind?" He asked her.
"When it comes to feelings, it's not the mind that's important, it's the heart, and feelings that are firmly anchored in the heart can rarely be removed that quickly." She replied with a smile.
He smiled back at her and realized that his mother was busy with several of Francesca's suitors, so he guided Pen outside, so they could take a walk together. He asked her first if she didn't mind and she nodded. He was worried about her column, wondering if she had seen or heard enough to make her next issue. She assured him that she did, if not she always had little filler stories prepared on the side.
"So, last season you said that you would never court me, I guess you just made a liar out of yourself?" She smiled, amused.
"Not at all, I won't court you if you agree to marry me, then we're engaged." he replied with a bright smile and fire in his eyes.
"Marry you? Are you seriously proposing?" She asked him, shocked.
"I am. I hope you are agreeing. There is no one else in this world for me but you, I'm sure of it. Please, marry me and be my wife?" He was still smiling, she wondered if there was anyone capable of saying no to that smile.
"Of course, yes!" She exclaimed happily as he took her in his arms.
They shared a kiss before they pulled back and he took both of her hands in his and, a large smile on his face, kissed her hands.
"What is going on here?" Portia exclaimed when she joined them a few minutes later, as they were facing each other and holding hands with large smiles on their faces.
"Lady Featherington, I just proposed to Penelope and she has agreed to marry me and be my wife." Colin informed the mother with a large smile.
"Don't be ridiculous Mister Bridgerton, you do not have to do that. No matter what she said to try and trick you into this, you do not have to do this. We both know that you can find a much better match for yourself. You have no obligations towards Penelope." She replied, shocking and humiliating Penelope who looked down.
"How dare you?" Colin replied angrily, shocking Portia.
"What?" She asked.
"I forbid you from ever speaking to or about Penelope this way! She WILL BE my wife. I love her and will marry her! I happen to think your daughter is the smartest and most amazing woman I have ever met and I do not want to hear you speak about her this way again! Maybe if you opened your eyes you would see your daughter's true worth but even if you cannot do that, you will respect her for she will soon be a Bridgerton." he exclaimed angrily, though Pen could tell that he was trying to contain his voice.
"Colin, it's alright, I'm used to it." Pen replied, making her mother frown, perhaps in realization that she was not being fair.
"If you're both sure that this is what you want, then fine. Do whatever you want. I was actually looking for you Penelope, I'm getting a bit of a headache and I wish to go home and rest. Your sisters are supposed to join us before we go to the Great Balloon exhibition tomorrow and I know they'll only feed this headache with their constant chattering. I'm guessing you will be driven home by Mister Bridgerton and his family?" Portia asked, pretending Colin had not yelled at her minutes ago.
"Yes, I think so." Pen nodded, still trying to get over the feelings brought by Colin's defending of her to her mother.
"That's perfect, we'll announce it to my family once everyone is back at the house and then I'll walk you back home." Colin replied, looking at Penelope in a way that forced Portia to realize that this was, indeed, love.
"Yes, all the way accros the square, the danger I'd be in if you did not walk me back." She joked.
"Alright then, I'll leave you two to your announcements and planning. Penelope, I will see you tomorrow. And please, no matter how independent you like to be, let Mister Bridgerton walk you back home across the square, we never know what could happen." Portia nodded then at Colin and she left them.
"You know, this is the first time that anyone has ever defended me against her. I like it." Pen smiled.
"I would defend you against anything that came to harm you. Always." he smiled before they exchanged a kiss.
"I don't particularly fancy going back to the party, care to ride home with me, wait for my family there?" he offered and she nodded.
"As long as you don't mind me writing Lady Whistledown there, while we wait. This way we might have the time to drop it off before they come back." She asked and he nodded.
Once in the carriage, they started by a simple kiss, unable to stay away from each other, but things quickly grew more passionate until they were interrupted by their carriage stopping in front of the Bridgerton home.
"Do you need anything special from your house or just paper, quill and ink?" he asked her.
"Just that. I usually pay with the money I get from the previous issue. I've got a good system in place by now." She replied, letting him guide her to his study.
Before she could take a seat, Colin hurried to get a small heart shaped box out of his desk drawer and proposed to Penelope a second time, on his knees this time. Of course she agreed and he slipped his ring on her finger.
After yet another kiss, Penelope sat behind Colin's desk and started writing her column while he stood behind her, reading over her shoulder. She described the party, Francesca's success with suitors, though she did add a reminder for the Queen, like a warning, that Francesca sparkled for the Queen because she was not the center of attention, because she was more at ease when in little company. After that she commented on the fact that Cressida Cowper tried to flirt with Lord Debling but apparently failed and that the poor Lord seemed miserable, understandably, at such a party.
"Don't forget to write about us, and the fact that it's me who offered to help you find a husband first. And that I confessed my love for you so that nobody can think it is forced or anything." he reminded her.
"I was getting there." she smiled.
"Sorry, I'm just eager." He nodded.
"So, how do you want me to tell this story?" she asked him when she reached that point.
"When we were in the room we spoke I started telling you how I felt and asked you to go with me outside to speak privately after we were almost interrupted. Then, outside, I got on my knees and told you how much I love you and that you're amazing and that I wanted to marry you. And you said yes." he replied, making her smile.
"You want everyone to know how romantic you are." She smiled and he nodded.
After she was done writing this part, she paused and asked him:
"How would you feel if I teased Benedict about his success with Miss Stowell? I usually wouldn't hesitate but you're standing right behind me so..."
"Oh, please do. He uses any opportunity to make fun of any of us." Colin smiled and so Pen wrote how Benedict Bridgerton seemed to spend a good portion of the evening trying to avoid a certain Miss Stowell, who appeared obsessed with him ever since they shared a dance during the Full Moon Ball.
Then Penelope mentioned that with Colin engaged to the woman he loves, that means that every Bridgerton to find a match so far did so out of love, so was Benedict waiting for love as well? She also wrote a portion where she wondered how formidable of a dancer he must be to have gained the young Miss's affection so quickly and she dared eligible young ladies to try and win his heart.
Pen added a few other details, gossip and anecdotes before she finished it and they were both on their way to Madame Delcroix.
Pen explained to Colin that she usually dropped it off at Madame Delacroix, or had a delivery boy drop it off hidden in a piece of clothing needing repair and that after that Madame Delacroix had it delivered to the printer, unless it was a rush order. They didn't have much time to speak, because the delivery boy for the printer was already present, but Pen did announce their engagement to her friend and she made an appointment for her wedding dress.
.
After that, they went back to the Bridgerton house where they waited for the others to join them. Colin could feel that his bride to be was nervous so he did his best to help her calm down. He understood without even asking that Eloise's reaction was her main worry, but he knew that it would sort itself out eventually. He reminded her that he was always ready to fight her battles for her whenever she needed it.
"You don't want to tell your younger siblings first? They're already home after all." She asked him after a few minutes.
"If I do then they'll just tell our mother the news before me. They'll find out at the same time as the others." Colin shook his head.
"Find out what?" Hyacinth asked.
She and Gregory had walked down the stairs, having heard voices.
"No time like the present. I'm sure they'll be able to contain themselves when your family comes in." Penelope told Colin who nodded.
"I have asked Pen to marry me and she has agreed!" he told them, Penelope's hand still firmly in his and a large smile on his face.
The two younger Bridgerton rushed to hug them both, very happy for them. They celebrated just the 4 of them for a while until the front door opened and Colin reminded them to be quiet.
When his family arrived, Colin brought Penelope closer to him and his mother was the first to noticed them. She didn't need him to speak, she guessed it immediately and rushed to hug them. As their mother was hugging Penelope and Colin, Hyacinth yelled happily to the others:
"Colin and Penelope are engaged! Isn't that great! We're getting a new sister!"
Everyone seemed happy for the new couple, everyone except maybe for Eloise, who just stood back, with her face closed off. After they had all congratulated and hugged the couple, everyone turned to Eloise, who had locked eyes with Penelope but looked angry and devastated instead of being happy for her childhood friend.
"Eloise?" Pen asked in a small voice.
Colin didn't like hearing Penelope speaking in this tone of voice, because it showed how insecure she was all of the sudden.
"Is this why we were friends? Where we even ever real friends or were you just trying to get closer to Colin all along?" Eloise snapped, shocking everyone.
"Eloise!" Violet reprimanded at the same time as Anthony.
"Excuse me? Eloise how can you say that! Of course I was truly your friend! I loved you more than I did my own sisters! Our entire friendship was centered around you! We spoke of exactly what you wanted to speak about, we went where you wanted to go, I was always there for you, whenever you needed me..." Penelope started to say but Eloise cut her off.
"Oh please, don't exaggerate! You know, I do remember that you did meet him first. It makes sense now. You used me to get to him!"
"of course not! Eloise, how can you say that!" Penelope shook her head, sad.
"Enough Eloise! You do not have to mend your friendship with Pen, but she WILL BE my WIFE and you will respect her as such! And you have to admit that Pen is right, you were a very selfish friend. If you hadn't been, you wouldn't have been surprised when you discovered that Pen actually enjoys going to balls and dancing. You would not have assumed that she wanted to be a spinster and avoid balls simply because that's what you want. That's something you decided and imposed on her, just like her mother assumed she'd always be a spinster! Did you even ever truly try to understand her home life? Why being a spinster was never something she wanted, even just a little bit, because it would mean that she'd be at the mercy of her mother and sisters? The only thing that you care about Eloise, is yourself, your ideas, your thoughts." Colin exploded, surprising everyone.
"Colin, calm down, it's alright." Penelope spoke to him in a soft voice.
"No Pen, it's not alright, this situation is hurting you and it's time Eloise opened her eyes, and probably her mind along with it. I will not let her, or anyone else for that matter, make you this sad." He replied softly.
"I know, I remember how you spoke to my mother earlier. I appreciate it, you know it. But my mother is one thing, this is Eloise, your sister. It is different." Pen replied calmly.
"You cannot let them get married!" Eloise declared, looking at her mother, then at Anthony.
Both shook their heads, not understanding Eloise's anger.
"Excuse me?" Pen whispered, shocked that Eloise would got his far.
"Careful Eloise, you're starting to sound more and more like Pen's mother. And that's far from being a compliment." Colin snapped while everyone around them was quietly watching.
Benedict looked like he was enjoying the show he was given, as he always did when his siblings bickered.
"You do not know enough about her!" Eloise snapped back at her brother.
"Eloise! There is absolutely NOTHING you can say to me that would make me change my mind. I know absolutely everything there is to know about Pen and I love her! I will marry her and if you want to be a part of our lives, you will take a good look in the mirror and apologize to my Penelope!" Colin replied angrily.
"Everything, really?" Eloise asked and Pen nodded, looking at her old friend in the eyes.
"Yes Eloise, I know why you argued at her mother's ball last season, Pen told me. Tell me honestly, are you angry because you were so self centered that you didn't know her that well and you just assumed she'd be happy to be your shadow for the rest of your life or because you were forced to realize that Pen was actually much smarter, braver and more clever than you?" Colin asked, speaking with less anger, though his eyes showed his emotions clearly.
"That's... You don't understand a thing..." Eloise shook her head, her voice growing weaker.
"I'm not sure I understand everything you're speaking about here, but Eloise, you have to admit that you tend to try and impose your point of view on people, assuming that you know better than everyone else, always. Penelope is so used to being mocked, belittled and bullied by her own mother and sisters that she let you do it because you weren't mean about it and she grew up not knowing her own worth, and that is Lady Featherington's fault entirely, but you have your faults here too." Francesca spoke quietly, trying to say her part while remaining discrete.
"Pen is my friend, she cannot marry my brother!" Eloise exclaimed.
"Your friend? That's rich." Pen shook her head.
"I thought Cressida Cowper was your new friend, sister." Benedict intervened, figuring that if everything blew up tonight, then, maybe, they'd be able to start anew tomorrow.
"Yes Eloise, let's speak about that new friend of yours. You cannot possibly tell me that while you were making this friendship, you were not thinking of the many times Cressida has bullied and mocked Pen. Look me in the eyes and tell me that you did not become friends with Cressida Cowper with the sole purpose of hurting Pen!" Colin asked, placing himself in front of Eloise, though he was still holding on to Penelope's hand.
Pen was still trying to calm Colin down.
"I cannot! I... Fine, do whatever you want. I'm going to bed!" Eloise exclaimed, leaving up the stairs angrily.
"I'm so sorry, this is all my fault..." Penelope apologized, looking at Lady Bridgerton.
"No Penelope dear, I think it's mine. Eloise has always had a very self centered mind but when you two became friends, I thought it would go away, that she'd learn to take others into consideration more. I will have a talk with her, help her open her eyes. You did nothing wrong dear and I am very happy for the two of you. You are very welcome in this family." Violet replied, hugging Pen one last time before she followed Eloise.
"I should go home before you have to start arguing with more of your family because of me." Penelope told Colin softly.
"Don't be ridiculous, stay a while longer, we shall all share a celebratory drink before you go home to your mother." Anthony exclaimed and Kate took Pen with her to the drawing room where they asked for what they'd need to celebrate.
"So, how are you going to announce it?" Hyacinth asked, sticking to Penelope's side.
"I figured we'd let Lady Whistledown do it. It will probably be in tomorrow's issue, I was not exactly discrete when I took Pen away from the party and proposed to her, and even if it's not, there's the Great Balloon exhibition. People will see us and know that Pen is to be my wife." Colin replied before Penelope could even open her mouth.
"He's so excited about this, it's adorable." Benedict commented to Francesca who nodded and smiled.
"Do you have an idea as to when you wish to get married?" Kate asked the couple.
"I don't want to have to wait too long. 3 weeks is the longest I am willing to wait." Colin replied, making Pen blush and his brothers chuckle.
"As long as my mother doesn't try to stand in the way." Pen nodded.
"What do you mean?" Colin asked her with a frown.
"Have you already forgotten her reaction to our engagement? All the ways she so eagerly told you you could 'get out of it' because 'You can do much better' and that I obviously tricked you into proposing?" Penelope reminded him, making everyone frown.
"She did not say that?" Kate exclaimed, shocked.
"She did, but I think I put her back in her place quite effectively." Colin smiled before he added to Pen "Do not think about this too much, Pen. She will accept it or be put back in her place again. Soon, you shall be a Bridgerton."
She smiled and managed to enjoy the rest of the evening with them.
.
The next morning, Varley is the first person, with the exception of her maid, that she saw after she got out of her room.
"Miss Penelope, I saw your engagement in Lady Whistledown, I'm very happy for you, congratulations." Varley told her sincerely, with a kind smile on her face and it brought a large smile on the young woman's face.
"Thank you Varley. Where is my mother?"
"In the drawing room. Your sisters are already there with their husbands. The plan is for all of you to ride to the Balloon exhibition together."
"How... How did they take the news? What should I expect?" Penelope asked nervously.
"Your mother warned them to be kind, or at least not mean. She reminded them that your future husband and his family have a lot of influence and could bring them trouble if they upset you." Varley replied with a kind smile.
"Thank you, Varley." Pen nodded before she walked in the drawing room.
There, her mother simply nodded her way and her sisters did the same, not even acknowledging the engagement. The warmest response she received came from her two brothers in law, who offered sincere and warm congratulations, along with wishes for happiness.
The ride to the exhibition was silent, but Pen ignored it. She had given up on being loved by her family a long time ago. Soon, she'd have a new family, one that already loved her.
When they arrived, she parted from her family silently and was quickly joined by Colin, who kissed her hand and offered her his arm before she could even truly greet his family.
"I didn't even have time to greet them, Colin!" She chuckled.
"You'll have the time later, I missed you and I want to spend time with you right now. Plus, with what was written about him in Lady Whistledown this morning, Benedict was afraid of coming out of the house. He's probably going to run somewhere to hide." He replied with a smile she could not resist.
"How are things with Eloise?" Pen asked in a small voice.
"I believe things will be easier today, our mother stayed with Eloise until very early this morning, and she apologized to me, promised to apologize to you later." he smiled.
"Then why did you pull me away before she could speak with me?" Pen asked, surprised.
"Because she has hurt you and I do not wish to make things too easy on her." he smiled, making her chuckle.
"It is strange to finally have someone to defend me and watch out for my best interest." Penelope smiled.
The two of them stopped at the sweets tent and bought a couple of cream cakes before they went to check the other tents and talk with some of the people they knew.
.
"There the two of you are! Why did you leave so fast? I wanted to speak with Pen!" Eloise exclaimed, joining them just as they finished their cakes.
"Because I wanted to have her all to myself, obviously. She is my wife to be." Colin replied with a big smile, making Penelope blush.
"Pen, can we talk? Alone? please?" Eloise asked softly and Pen nodded.
"Fine, I shall go and take a closer look at the balloon. I will not be far if you need me." Colin smiled before he dropped a kiss on Pen's hand.
"Pen, Colin was right, I was selfish, and the main reason I was angry after the entire Whistledown thing is because I realized that you were smarter than me, more clever, and I got jealous. If you forgive me, I promise I will try my best to do better, to be more attentive." Eloise pleaded as they walked a bit further.
"Of course I forgive you, Eloise. And you were always truly my friend. I did not become your friend to get closer to your brother." Pen replied softly.
"I know that now. I guess I needed for someone to tell me the facts before I saw them." Eloise frowned.
"It's alright. Oh look, Cressida. She seems upset. Probably because we're together." Penelope smiled.
"I know that she never acted kindly towards you, but there is good in her, I saw it." Eloise replied.
"How about I give her a chance, then? Let's go see her together and see how she reacts. If she does or say anything that proves you wrong I'll simply join Colin." Pen smiled.
"Thank you!" Eloise smiled and they walked to join Cressida.
They all greeted each other politely.
"I see that the two of you have reconciled." Cressida commented, obviously afraid of being left alone.
"Yes, Colin announced their engagement yesterday after the Stowell party and I did not react very nicely. Things blew up and Colin got extremely defensive." Eloise stated.
"Though he was calmer with you than he was earlier when he blew up on my mother. Now that is something I enjoyed watching, I felt like in a fairytale story when the knight defeats the dragon before he gets the lady." Pen smiled softly, looking around to see Colin watching her from the other side of the Balloon.
"Anyway, he and everyone else helped me see that I was wrong." Eloise added.
"I see." Cressida replied simply, probably afraid of losing her only friend.
Penelope saw the vulnerability in Cressida and decided to truly try to give her a chance to open up and be nice.
"Seriously, how overprotective does he need to be? Doesn't he have anyone else to speak with that he feels the need to keep on watching you?" Eloise rolled her eyes when she noticed her brother watching Pen from afar.
"It's obvious that he loves her, I think it's rather sweet. We are not all fortunate enough to have a love match." Cressida replied sadly.
"Is something wrong, Cressida?" Penelope asked her kindly, noticing her pain.
"My mother has informed me that if I do not find a match of my own choice soon, in the next week or so, my father would sign a marriage contract for me to Lord Greer." Cressida replied.
"Lord Greer? Even if we look past his age, which is thrice yours, he is perhaps the worst possible match for you! He hates parties, he hates people and colors and music... How can a father do this to his own daughter? Even my mother would not be this cruel!" Penelope exclaimed and Cressida smiled softly at her, finally showing her kind side.
"My father always wanted a son, but he had me instead. Now all he wants is to be rid of me so that he does not have to look at me every day and be reminded that he failed in having the son he always wanted." She shook her head.
"Surely there is someone better that we can find for you before then." Eloise shook her head.
"That is why I tried to speak with Lord Debling last night, but it did not go very well." Cressida shook her head.
"To be fair, it was not the best setting. The Stowell family is a hunting family, and Lord Debling does not eat any meat. He had to have been uncomfortable. You should try again, but try not to pretend you have the same hobbies as him, show him that you have your own hobbies but that you are interested in learning more about his if he wishes to speak about them. He will leave his wife for at least 3 whole years once he is married, he needs a wife who he can trust to hold the Estate and that will be comfortable on her own, without him." Penelope replied.
"How do you know that?" Cressida asked, confused.
"Trust Pen, she's a good observer of people." Eloise nodded.
"He is coming this way. I shall leave you to it and join Colin." Penelope smiled.
"Penelope wait!" Cressida called back and Penelope turned back and joined her again.
"Thank you, for everything. And I truly am sorry for everything I have said or done to you in the past." Cressida added.
"Let us burry the hatchet then." Pen smiled and Cressida smiled back before she turned to join Lord Debling.
Pen turned around to go find Colin when she heard his voice calling out her name.
She turned around and realized that the balloon had detached and was coming her way. Colin was holding on to one of the ropes on his own before he was joined by Benedict, Mister Mondrich and a couple of others.
Penelope could not move, her eyes on Colin alone and Eloise grabbed her and made her move out of the way while Lord Debling made sure Cressida was out of the way as well.
As soon as the balloon was stable once more, Colin ran to her, eager to ensure that she was indeed alright and that she had not been injured.
"I'm fine." She reassured him.
"Not that you have asked, brother, but I am fine as well." Eloise declared before she went to join Cressida who was silently asking her for support.
"Are you alright? Is Eloise?" Benedict asked as he finally joined them.
"Yes, we're both fine, thanks to you two." Pen smiled.
"On guard Benedict, here comes a pack you young ladies for you." Colin teased his brother.
"You did not see me!" benedict exclaimed before he ran away eagerly, making Pen chuckle.
"Come, we should go see Mother and reassure her. I know she will worry about you, and she would be happy to know that you and Eloise have made up." Colin said softly and Pen took his arm and let him guide her to the Queen's stand, where his mother came to hug them both.
Lady Danbury had come down as well, to check on them and congratulate them on their great match. She truly seemed happy for them.
"Is it strange that Lady Danbury seems happier for us than my own mother?" Pen asked Colin as they walked around the place.
"I think she likes you. Earlier I heard her telling my mother that she had seen this coming and she was watching, waiting for us to come together on our own, without interference." Colin replied.
"That's sweet." Pen smiled brightly.
.
Later, Pen found herself at the Innovations ball and though she had arrived with her mother, Colin quickly found her and her mother left to join her sisters.
"You look beautiful tonight, Pen." He whispered and she blushed.
"Thank you, Mister Bridgerton." She replied with a small smile.
"Soon I will be able to call you Bridgerton too. I cannot wait for this day." he smiled grew as he said it and it made Pen chuckle.
"Eloise said that you offered an olive branch to Cressida, tried to help her win over Lord Debling?" He asked her.
"I gave her a chance, because Eloise assured me that there was good in her. Cressida did end up apologizing for her past actions towards me. I think she's just desperate to leave her father's house, not that I blame her. I already thought him quite unfriendly and cold but after learning that he is willing to marry his only daughter to Lord Greer... He cannot be a good man." Pen shook her head.
"Let's hope things go well for her then. Personally I will not concern myself with her. The only one that matters tonight for me, is you." He replied with a charming smile.
"I love you, Colin. I hope you know that." Pen couldn't help but tell him.
"And I love you. Now, may I have this dance?" he asked her and she agreed.
After their dance, Colin brought Pen with him to speak with Will and Alice Mondrich. After spending a little time with them, Penelope understood why the Mondrich's were close friends of the Bridgerton brothers. They were good people, nice and with pure hearts. She frowned a bit when the subject of Will's bar was brought by Alice, who apparently thought he needed to close it in order to be fully accepted.
"There might be another solution, one that would not involve closing it. According to Colin, it's a fine establishment. Maybe you can simply hire someone to run it for you, but keep a distant eye on everything. It would still be yours, but you would not be working." Penelope suggested.
"That would be my wish, but at the moment, I'm losing a lot of clients and I do not know why or how to solve it. The bar does not have the founds to hire anybody else at the moment." Will Mondrich shook his head.
"That might be because White's is stealing them back." Colin explained.
"We will see how it all turns out, I guess." Will shook his head before they parted way.
"Colin, what is the difference between White's and Mondrich's?" Pen asked him once they were alone.
"Why?" he asked her, surprised.
"Because I want to help him gain clients again. Lady Whistledown has that power. Just last year I helped Madame Delacroix gain her clients back from the new Modiste with only one sentence. But in order to push people there, I need to know and understand the difference between the two places to play with words." Penelope explained.
"Well, Mondrich is an honorable man who will always have his friend's backs. He was the one to warn me that your cousin Jack was up to no good. He accepts everyone, even people who are not noble. You can meet interesting people you would not meet at White's with him, men that are not necessarily noble but are still good people to know." Colin started.
"Sounds quite nice. Now I know that White's was where my father went, and that it's probably where he gambled away everything but that is all I know."
"That's pretty much it. White's, despite its clean name, is full of gambling, treachery and, often at night, prostitutes." Colin replied.
"Well then, it should be easy enough to guide men back to Mondrich's gentleman's club. I'll add it in tomorrow's issue. I'll compare the two bars and state honestly that no true gentleman would go to White's when a place like Mondrich's exists and that married woman should want their husbands at Mister Mondrich's bar instead of White's. I'll give a few exemples of the debaucheries White's offers and soon, tables will turn." Penelope stated with a big smile.
"You truly are amazing, you know that?" Colin replied before he asked her to dance once more.
.
The next morning, Colin eagerly took the latest issue of Lady Whistledown.
"Go straight to the second page. Lady Whistledown exposes her thoughts on our gentlemen's clubs." Benedict, who had read it first, told him.
"Really? What does she have to say?" Colin asked with a smile.
"She exposes Whites for its debaucheries and being, as she calls it "home of the ton's biggest rakes" and praises Mondrich's for being a safe and clean place run by a man of honor that we can trust. She adds that it's very noble of him to wait until he manages to find someone as trustworthy and noble of heart as he is to replace him before he leaves the bar completely. Then she speaks to the ladies of the ton, saying that no woman should want her sons or husband going to Whites while they could be reassured that no form of debauchery safe from a few drinks would ever happen at Mondrich's." Benedict explained.
"That should help our friend fill his club again." Colin smiled.
"True. Now, don't you look happy today." Benedict added, looking at his brother.
"Why wouldn't I be? I am engaged to be married to the woman I love, who happens to love me back. My family happens to love her too and I just know that she will love our future house. I am planning on showing it to her today." Colin smiled even brighter.
"I envy you, brother. You seem to have found a true happiness." Benedict smiled.
"I have realized that my purpose in life will be to ensure Penelope's safety, happiness and well being and nothing could make me happier. I feel like the luckiest man on Earth." He replied, hiding that this meant protecting her from those who would try to discover her secret identity.
"I am happy for you, Brother, truly." Benedict smiled before he left the room.
Colin took his time to read the full issue before he got ready to leave. At some point, Eloise joined him with her own copy of Lady Whistledown and they both read Pen's hard work in silence.
Later, as Colin and Penelope rode in his carriage to their future house, they discussed the next social events they would attend together and they planned a few promenades together. Colin wanted everyone to see him with Penelope and it made her happy to have, for once, someone in her life who did not try to hide her.
"I read Lady Whistledown this morning. It was very well done. I'm sure Mondrich is happy right now." Colin complimented her shortly before the carriage stopped.
"I could tell that he is a good man. He deserves it." She smiled.
"I do not think Whites would agree with me though, they probably hated your article because most of the 'rakes' do not want to be identified as rakes. They would stop going there just to not be branded as such." He replied.
"I know, that's why I wrote it this way." She smiled and he could not help it, he kissed her.
.
The house was beautiful, Penelope loved it. She loved the colors, and she could see herself living happily there. And finally, he showed her their bedroom suite.
In order to get to their bedroom, their walked through what seemed to be set up as a study. There was a desk in a corner, a lounging chair and a mirror.
"I was thinking that we could add another desk for you in here too, so that we can write together. But if you'd rather have your own space, I completely understand." Colin explained.
"No, I actually love this idea. The two of us writing in here together. It is a nice thought." She smiled before she added :"I have spent two years writing all alone, mostly at night in the darkness of the night, hidden away. This should be a very nice change." she smiled.
"I'm glad you like it. Actually, I wanted to publish the journal of my travels, and I was wondering if you'd mind helping me editing it." he asked her nervously.
"I would love that. Mainly because it means that I will finally get the chance to read it." She replied with a smile.
He chuckled happily and showed her their bedroom. While most of the rooms were still covered in sheets, the bedroom was already set.
"Yellow sheets? Really?" She asked with a chuckle.
"They made me think of you. You don't mind, do you?" he asked and she shook her head.
"I guess a little yellow should be fine."
"Pen, there is something I have been meaning to ask you." Colin asked her suddenly.
"What is it? Colin, you look so serious." She replied, worried.
"I know that you are independent, I understand that you like your freedom and that you have been doing this whole Lady Whistledown thing on your own and I love you for it but I worry. I worry that something is going to happen to you while you bring it to the Printer or to Madame Delacroix. I understand that you need to hide now, because you are living with your mother, but... I guess my question is more of a request. I would like to accompany you when you do have to bring it yourself, let it be to your printer or to the Modiste. When we are married, we can take a walk together and bring it together, and if you have to bring it yourself before the wedding, maybe you could send your maid to get me so that I can accompany you?"
Pen could tell that he was nervous. She smiled softly.
"It is very new to me to know that there is someone who worries for me. I also understand that in order for a marriage to work well, compromises have to be made. I think that your request is completely acceptable. It would even be nice to go for walks together." She replied with a smile.
"I love you, Pen. I do not know what I did to deserve your love and your smiles, but I will forever be grateful to have them." he told her with a bright smile before he kissed her.
"Also..." She started but stopped.
"What is it?" he asked, worried that there was something wrong.
"There is something I would really like your help with." She stated.
"What is it?"
His answer made her smile. he was so eager to help her; She was lucky.
"I would like to find a way for the people of the ton to be able to contact me, Lady Whistledown I mean. I cannot make the address of my printer known because they would stalk his shop to find me. I need to find a way to give them access to me, without being able to find or identify me. And maybe, we could, together, make Lady Whistledown evolve. A bit less gossip, try to shift things softly to push more rights for women, publish some of their letters, or answers to their letters..." she suggested.
"I think this is a great idea and I would love to help you do it. If we both think about it, surely we can find a solution." he smiled, happy to be included.
"And here my mother told me that a married woman does not have dreams, she has a husband and she must abandon her dreams to pursue her husband's dreams." Pen shook her head.
"When has your mother ever been right? We shall have a true partnership. Once we are married and you are my wife, we will work together. You shall help me to publish my journal and I shall help you with anything you need for your column." he promised her, holding both of her hands and looking her in the eyes.
"I guess this will make you Lord Whistledown." She smiled and he laughed, happy.
He could not help it, he kissed her again. He was too happy to be able to contain himself any longer. The kissing evolved and they were enjoying themselves greatly when the new servants arrived.
"About my Lady Whistledown Money, I will put it in one of my chests, hidden and ask them not to open it. We will see what to do with it later." Pen declared and he nodded.
"How much is that by now?" he asked, curious.
"I have not counted recently but last time I checked it was a little over 10 000 pounds." She replied and he looked shocked.
"Well, it obviously pays well to have your talent." He smiled, impressed.
"True, and it was comforting to know that if things went too far, I could always use this money to go and live somewhere in peace, away from my family." She replied and he frowned.
"Just hearing this possibility makes me angry. Let's not think of this ever again." He shook his head.
"It was a safety solution, now I do not need it because you have rescued me." She declared, laughter in her eyes.
"Nice save." he chuckled along with her.
They ended up leaving the house and he went with her back to her mother's house, where he was expected for tea. There, they were greeted by her mother, her two sisters and their husbands.
"Ah, finally. Mama demanded we waited for you before we started." Prudence complained.
"Sorry, I know that we are late, but Colin was showing me our house." Penelope replied.
"And we lost track of time discussing how we wanted things to be." Colin replied.
"How did it go? I know that it can be stressful to find common ground." Portia asked, obviously making an effort.
"It was quite easy actually, we agreed on most things and easily compromised on the rest." Pen replied with a happy smile.
"The privilege of having a love match. That's nice." Portia smiled.
"Anyway, Mister Dankworth, Mister Finch, we do not know each other enough and yet we are about to be brothers in law. Maybe you would like to join me, my brothers and my good friend Mister Mondrich at Mondrich's bar for my stag night? We will have the place to ourselves. Obviously the night before the wedding." Colin offered with a sincere smile.
Portia seemed happy at Colin's effort to get closer to his future brothers in law, meaning that they would stay close to the family.
"That would be very nice. Thank you." Mister Finch nodded happily, mirrored by Mister Dankworth.
"It is good that you are going to Mondrich's bar and not White's. Have you seen what Lady Whistledown wrote about it?" Philippa commented, obviously disgusted at the idea of anyone going to White's.
"I know, my brothers and I have been members of Mondrich's ever since it opened. He is a good man, with honor and a good heart." Colin replied.
"According to what I heard while promenading earlier, White might not have many members left unless they open themselves to a wider population. Only the older members of the ton are left." Mister Dankworth commented.
"And if they do open to a wider population, they would lose their exclusivity. We will see I guess. My family and I shall remain loyal to Mondrich's." Colin replied.
"Anyway, Penelope, when will you go to Madame Delacroix for your dress? Unless you shall like to try another Modiste?" Portia asked her.
"I have an appointment with madame Delacroix tomorrow morning actually, before the opening of the Library. She has reserved a good portion of her morning for me and has started working on ideas she had. And I absolutely will not go to another Modiste. I'm loyal to Madame Delacroix. She knows what she is doing and she knows me well by now." Penelope replied.
"Even Lady Whistledown says that Madame Delacroix is the best in London, mama, you cannot deny it." Prudence replied, making Pen smile.
Later, as Colin was about to leave, Pen walked him to the door.
"That was quite normal. I see that they are trying." He smiled.
"I am as surprised as you are, but it is a rather nice surprise." She smiled back, happy.
"I shall see you tomorrow at the Library, Pen. I shall think of you every minute until then." he added before he kissed her and left.
.
The next morning, Penelope was nervous, afraid of making the wrong decision about her dress and, when she came down, her sisters were already there. It got her out of her own mind for a moment.
"I did not know you were coming this morning." She told her sisters with a smile.
"Your fiancé invited our husbands to spend time with him and his brothers before the library opening, so we came here." Prudence replied.
"They are across the square, it's easier than to ride back and forth." Philippa added.
"Well, the Bridgerton's value family and they are close to each other. Your husbands will be his family through marriage, so he wants to get to know them. Maybe... Would you two like to join me at Madame Delacroix? Maybe help me decide on a wedding dress?" Penelope offered, surprising her sisters and making her mother smile.
"That would be nice! I would love to come!" Philippa exclaimed.
"Me too." Prudence nodded.
"I shall stay here, I still have much planning to do for the wedding breakfast but I am glad you girls are finally getting along." Portia smiled and the three sisters stood to leave together.
"Mama, do remember that we do not wish for anything too extravagant or big, please?" Penelope reminded her mother.
Just the previous night she had noticed her mother's guest list being as large as a ball's guest list and she had reminded her that she did not know half the people invited.
"I took note of your wishes, do not worry. Now, do you want me to invite Cressida Cowper? I know that you never really got along but I saw her on your list? If you invited her because I used to be close to her mother we can take her off the list." Portia asked.
"Eloise assured me that there was good in Cressida, I gave her a chance. We're not the best of friends, but we get along." Pen nodded.
"I saw in Lady Whistledown that she is being courted by Lord Debling. They spoke a lot and danced together at the last ball." Prudence commented.
"And I do hope for her it works and he does propose, otherwise her father will force her to marry Lord Greer." Pen shook her head and Portia frowned.
"Alright, you girls go on your way, I shall see you later in time for the library opening." Their mother smiled, watching her three daughters leaving together.
.
Penelope did not know what to expect when she invited her sisters to come with her for her dress, but she was having a good time and they had decided quite easily on the design of the dress and on the different fabrics. Spending this happy time with her sisters made her mourn for what could have been but she waved it off. They had plenty of time to rectify their relationship.
Once they were done, before they joined their mother, since they still had time, they went to a nearby tea shop for some tea and snacks. It was a nice moment together and even though it was new to them, they promised to try and do it regularly. They were getting to know each other, finally, and discovering that they in fact did not hate each others.
"But what will we do when we have the babies?" Philippa asked.
"You do not have to stay isolated and locked away because you have a baby. We shall continue. Sometimes we will take our children with us, and sometimes we will leave them with our husbands, or with mama." Penelope replied.
"That's a nice idea. I quite enjoyed this. We definitely should do this at least once a month, an outing just the three of us." Prudence nodded.
"And maybe once in a while we shall allow our husbands to join us." Philippa added.
"Only when we go shopping and need someone to carry our purchases." Penelope joked, making her sisters laugh with her.
When they finally made it home, Prudence and Philippa's husband were there and it was time for them to go to the Library opening. Portia had feared that her daughters would come back bickering but they came back smiling, closer than before, and she liked it. Maybe, if she had been nicer to Penelope from the start, then they would have grown up as close as the Bridgerton children had grown.
Once they got to the library, Penelope noticed that the Cowper's were present, but not the Bridgerton's yet.
She started looking at the books, impressed to see such a collection, when she spotted a book about the North West Passage. She took it and went to Cressida.
"Penelope, it is nice to see you." Cressida greeted her kindly, and Pen smiled back at her.
"You too. Here, I have found this book on the shelf over there. It is about the North West Passage, where Lord Debling is going to travel with his expedition team. You can look at it and, when he arrives, use it to start conversation." Pen suggested with a smile.
"This is a great idea! Thank you! You know, Eloise was right, you are a good friend to have, and you do know what you are talking about. At the ball, I followed your advice and we spoke all evening. We even danced!" Cressida seemed happy.
"I know, I saw you. I do hope it works out well for you, Cressida, and I hope you will be able to come to my wedding, accompanied by Lord Debling as your fiancé." Penelope replied, speaking the last part in a whisper.
"I will be happy to attend, even without him. Oh, your own fiancé just arrived and already his eyes are on you. He truly is in love." Cressida smiled.
"He worries too much about everything. What danger could I be in here? I doubt the books will take a life of their own to attack me." Penelope joked, making Cressida laugh along.
"Thanks again for the book." Cressida stated as she opened it.
"Oh, and Lord Debling just arrived. I shall let you look at the book." Pen replied quickly before she left Cressida and was joined by Colin and Lady Bridgerton.
"What was that with Cressida Cowper? She was not bothering you I hope? Why was she laughing?" Colin asked and Pen chuckled.
"She was laughing because you arrived, looking at me with great worry and concern as though I was in great danger and I joked about the books taking a life of their own to attack me being the only danger around. Have I told you lately that you might be a bit overprotective? Everything is fine, do not worry. She was nice, and I was helping her catch Lord Debling's attention by handing her a book about the travel he is about to leave on. This should help her get his attention. I do hope she gets a proposal soon, I hate the thought of her father forcing her on his aged friend." Penelope replied.
Colin nodded with a smile.
"Anyway, Penelope, I hear that you have reasoned with your mother about the size of the guest list?" Violet asked with an amused smile.
"I did. There was way too many people on it, many of them we did not know. I reminded her that it was a wedding, not a grand ball, and that we were fine with a small wedding. I mean, my sisters got a small ceremony in the drawing room. I would be fine with that." Penelope replied.
"I believe that your mother is trying to make up for the pain she has caused you in the past with her neglect." Lady Bridgerton explained.
"Well, it's working. I mean, this morning I invited my sisters to come with me to get my wedding dress and we even went for tea after. They're not so bad when they're not being mean or bullies. We have even decided to do this once a month, an outing just the three of us." Penelope smiled.
"Their husbands are not that bad, but they are terrified of Lady Featherington and when they heard of the way I spoke to her, they were impressed. I do believe that I have won them over." Colin commented.
"Won them over? I see them looking at you now. You're their new hero." Penelope joked, making her husband to be smile.
Violet left them and they were joined by Eloise, who did not wish to interrupt Cressida's courtship. The three of them started looking at the books, commenting on the titles, the ones they had read, those they wished to read and other things. Much later, Cressida joined them, a large smile on her face.
"What is going on? Did it go well?" Penelope asked.
"It did go extremely well, Penelope and it is entirely thanks to you and your advices! He has asked my father for permission to propose and they will sort through everything tomorrow. Since he leaves soon, he will ask for a special licence because, well he'd like for a child to be on the way before he leaves." Cressida explained.
"Your father will not prevent it?" Eloise asked, worried.
"No, as long as I leave the house, he does not care who I marry. Of course I might have to have a diet of vegetables when he is home, out of respect, but he says that he does not mind me eating some meat when he is away. I know that it will not be love, nothing even close to what the two of you share, but it's closer to happiness than I was when my father wanted to marry me to Lord Greer." Cressida explained and the relief on her face was visible.
"We are very happy for you Cressida." Pen replied and Eloise nodded.
"If we have a special licence, the wedding will be small, probably in his home, but... Will you come? It would not have happened without your help." Cressida asked, looking at Eloise and Penelope.
"Of course we will come." Eloise replied as Pen nodded.
Cressida then turned back, her mother was calling her.
"Of course you can bring your Mister Bridgerton, Penelope." the tall blond added before she hurried to her mother, who seemed pleased, just like her father.
"Your Mister Bridgerton, I quite like that." Colin smiled before he dropped a quick kiss on her hands.
"Penelope, you mother left earlier with your sisters. They were bored and she was tired. I told her that you would ride home with Colin and Eloise." Lady Bridgerton informed Pen who nodded with a smile.
"Right, I will be stuck in a carriage with the two of you making loving eyes at each other. Perfect." Eloise complained.
"Of course not. You shall be stuck in a carriage with you best friend and your favorite brother who happens to be engaged to your best friend." Penelope replied with a smile, making Colin chuckle happily.
.
The time separating Penelope and Colin from their wedding passed rather quickly and soon, they were the day before the wedding.
A few days ago, Colin, Penelope and Eloise had attended Cressida's wedding to Lord Debling and they were glad to know that she'd be safe and away from her father. It had been a small affair and even though Lord Debling did not get along with his own family, they seemed to accept Cressida easily enough. She'd finally have the supporting family she wanted.
The night before his wedding, Colin went to Mondrich's bar with Anthony and Benedict. There, John Sterling, Francesca's fiancé joined them and, soon, Misters Finch and Dankworth joined the group.
"You know, the night before my wedding, the second one, I drank a whole bottle of whisky, and it was deeply celebratory." Anthony whispered when he saw that Colin was taking his sweet time drinking one glass.
"I wish to keep a clear head. I remember how I felt the day of your first wedding when I was hungover. I will not feel like this for my wedding to the love of my life." Colin replied.
"I personally got drunk the day after my wedding with Prudence, because I realized the Mother in Law I would be stuck with." Mister Dankworth commented, making them all laugh.
"Thankfully Mister Bridgerton saved us and managed to tame her." Mister Finch added and everyone laughed even more while Colin blushed.
"So, what is your bride doing tonight?" Mondrich asked Colin.
"Well, her sisters were tired, but I believe that Eloise and Francesca were planning on surprising her." Colin replied.
"I know that Kate planned on joining them, for a while at least." Anthony nodded.
Indeed, Penelope was in her bedroom, reading a book in front of the window when she was surprised by Rae telling her that she had visitors before allowing Eloise, Francesca and Kate inside.
They had brought some sweets with them and the group spent the evening talking and laughing happily.
.
The next day, Penelope did not feel as nervous as she expected to be when she got ready.
"You look very beautiful, Miss." Varley declared once Penelope was dressed and ready.
"Thank you, Varley." She smiled.
"Are you nervous, Penelope? Do you have questions? Worries?" her mother asked her on the way to the church.
"No, I'm fine, mama. Thank you." She shook her head calmly.
When they arrived, everyone was already present, sitting happily. Eloise was waiting for them behind the curtains separating them from the aisle.
"Everyone is here, we're ready when you are." Eloise smiled.
"I'm ready." Pen smiled and so Eloise smiled and went to take her seat, sign that it was time to start.
Penelope was not used to being the center of attention but she didn't mind on this particular day. The only one she could see was Colin anyway, as he waited for her with a large smile on his face.
Quickly, they heard the words they had been waiting for ever since he proposed.
They were married.
Mister and Misses Bridgerton.
The wedding breakfast organized by Lady Featherington was grand, and Penelope found herself separated from Colin as they greeted guests and were pulled from one guest to the other.
"Misses Bridgerton." Cressida greeted Penelope with a soft smile.
"Lady Debling, nice to see you here." Pen replied with a smile, knowing Cressida enough to know that she'd enjoy hearing herself called Lady.
"It was a very sweet ceremony." Cressida complimented.
"Thank you. How are you?" And Cressida understood that Penelope was asking her if she enjoyed married life, if she was happy.
"I am still adjusting to this new life, but I am doing fine, I think. And in a few months I will have to adjust yet again when he leaves, but I shall be fine. Now, I should leave you to your other guests. I should find my husband. He went to find something to eat." Lady Debling smiled.
"Then I believe he might be over there, that's where my mother placed the meat less options." Pen smiled.
After greeting Cressida, Penelope looked around the room and finally located her husband. Smiling, she joined him and they managed to remain together for the rest of the party. When the time to say goodbye to their family came before they went home to enjoy their honeymoon, Penelope realized that, in her entire life, she had not been hugged as often as she was during this moment.
"Come on, you do know that we are living in town, do you not? It's a 10 minute carriage ride away! Stop acting as though we were leaving the country." Colin protested, trying to get his wife back.
"You're just jealous because they're all perfectly fine letting you go without a hug while they all go for seconds of Pen's hugs." Hyacinth joked.
"Careful Hyacinth or he'll keep Penelope all to himself and we won't see her for months." Eloise joked.
"I kind of like this idea." Colin whispered in Pen's ear, making her blush and chuckle.
"Do not worry, we will see you all for Francesca and John's wedding at the very least." Penelope reassured them before she went into her husband's carriage.
Much later, as they laid together in the bed after much needed alone time, snuggling as close to each other as they could, Penelope could not help but smile back at her husband. They were happy, together and married.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked her, bringing her even closer to him.
"I was thinking about how happy I am. And I was thinking about our future, which looks very bright to me." She replied softly.
"Then we're thinking the same thing." He replied before he kissed her deeply.
I hope you liked this one.
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Lorelei Candice Black