Chapter One:

Colin Bridgerton stood in the yard of the Featherington estate. He was trying to decide what his next move should be. He had been royally screwing up lately, and he was about to lose Pen over it. His mother had been dropping some not-so-subtle hints that Alfred Debling was going to propose soon. Colin had been trying to pretend that he was okay with Penelope finding a husband, and had even been helping her. But, he could no longer deny the feelings he had for his best friend. Penelope was everything he could ask for in a partner. She was kind, smart, beautiful, and the person he loved above all else in the world. With a sigh, Colin knew it was time to make his move. He took a running start, and leapt onto the trellis below Penelope's window. He pulled himself up, as if it were a ladder. He reached her window, and knocked, praying it was her in there and not some poor maid he would surely have given a fright to.

"Colin!" Penelope's voice hissed as she opened the window. "What in the good heaven's are you doing?"

"I need to speak with you, and it cannot wait another moment." Colin said, swinging his leg over the window and entering her bedroom.

"My mama is just down the hallway." She told him with a warning.

Colin didn't care. He moved his body so that he was facing her. Well, he was looking down so he could see her face, but still. He wanted to look her in the eyes for this conversation. He took her hands in his.

"Pen, are you planning on marrying Lord Debling?" Colin asked. She looked at him in shock.

"He has not yet asked." She replied. He shook his head.

"That's not what I'm asking. I want to know, if-when-he asks, will you say yes?" Colin reworded his previous question. She shrugs. "Do you love him?"

"Colin, I am not a delusional little girl anymore. I have long since given up the fantastical idea of marrying for love. I am not that kind of girl. In fact, I am lucky enough that Lord Debling is considering a proposal. I am in my third season, and have had no other prospects. Not that this is shocking, but still. Lord Debling is a perfectly reasonable match for me." Penelope explained, pulling her hands from Colin's, and avoiding his eyes.

"He's just not right for you, Pen!" Colin exclaimed. Penelope was walking away, but Colin put a hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him again. "It's not to late for a love match for either of us, do not marry him. I beg of you."

"Please, do not say things you do not mean." Penelope replied with a hardness he was not used to. He swallowed.

"What if I did have feelings for you?"

"You cannot possibly have feelings for me. In fact, that idea is so preposterous I might have to laugh." She scoffed. He leaned in closer to her, needing her to hear how desperate he was.

"I have spent so long trying to feel less. Trying to be the kind of man society expects me to be. And for a moment, I thought I had succeeded. But these past few weeks have been full of confounding feelings. Feelings like a total inability to stop thinking about you. About that kiss. Feelings like dreaming of you when I'm asleep and in fact preferring sleep because that is where I might find you. A feeling that is like torture but one which I cannot, will not, do not want to give up."

"Colin, we are friends…" She trailed off.

"Yes but we-forgive me, I do not know what I was thinking." He moved away from her, embarrassed that he had laid himself bare in front of her only to reject him. She took his arm and pulled him back.

"But I'd very much like to be more than friends. So much more." She admitted.

That was all he needed. He pulled her into a searing kiss, hoping it took her breath away as much as it did his. He kept kissing her lips, her neck, anywhere he could reach. He pushed her backward until she fell onto her bed with a giggle. He smiled down at her.

"Hello," He said. "My love."

"Colin," She gasped at the words. "I-"

"I just wanted to make sure you knew, in case I hadn't yet made it obvious. I love you, Pen." He told her. He leaned down and began to kiss her again, only for her to push against his chest. "Are you alright? Did I push too far?"

"No, Colin, it's nothing you did. I just need to tell you something before we do anything more scandalous tonight." She said. He looked down at her and gently tucked a stray curl behind her ear. He nodded for her to continue, certain nothing could ruin this moment, until she spoke. "I am Lady Whistledown."

"Penelope what-"

"What is with all the ruckus in-My good lord!" Portia Featherington could not have had worse timing.

POLINPOLINPOLINPOLINPOLIN

Penelope was a little unsure about how exactly she had ended up in her mother's drawing room with Colin Bridgerton, his mother, and his eldest brother. She wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. Her mother had shouted at them, and was still steaming as she explained to Violet and Anthony what she had walked in on.

"Surely there is some explanation to this," Violet tried to reason. "Are you certain they were…"

"He has taken liberties on my daughter, she is ruined!" Portia exclaimed. Penelope felt hot tears prick her eyes. She was mortified. Colin sat across from her, not able to look at her. He probably hated her now. "They must marry."

"Mama, please!" Penelope managed to find her voice again. She would not force Colin to marry her. Now that he knew the truth, she wanted him to make the choice on his own, even if it meant leaving and never seeing her again.

"Penelope, sweetheart, your mother is right. You and Colin must marry." Violet replied, sitting down beside the redhead. She placed a hand on Penelope's thigh. "But, you two have been friends for so long. There is no better love than one built on friendship. And if you have already been compromised I can only hope it was because of love."

"I shall inquire about a special license." Anthony announced. Colin looked up quickly. "We don't need this to turn into another scandal. We can say they've been courting for a while, and simply cannot wait to wed."

"Colin, my sweet boy, we can look through the family jewels when we return home." Violet smiled, looking over at her son, without removing her hand from Penelope.

"You could have married a Lord, Penelope. And you threw it all away for some child love you could never let go of." Portia said with disdain. She turned to look at Colin. "Her dowry is next to nothing."

"I am not marrying Pen for her dowry." Colin snapped.

For a moment, Penelope felt like everything was alright. Colin might forgive her after all. But, she wouldn't allow hope to fool her again. Colin was only agreeing to marry her because they'd been caught. If her mother hadn't walked in, he would have run. He would have gone to another continent before she could think twice.

"A love match is all I could ever hope for, for any of my children." Violet replied, she looked warmly at her future daughter in law. "My sweet Penelope, I have always hoped you'd become a Bridgerton one day. There is no one in all the world that is better suited for my Colin."

"Thank you, Lady Bridgerton." Penelope managed to get out through her tears, not knowing what else to say. Violet hugged her tightly.

Penelope wished more than anything that this engagement had happened under better circumstances. She had dreamed of marrying Colin since she was a girl, but never like this. She also wished they could have a moment alone to talk, but she knew that they would be chaperoned every moment until their wedding day. She sent a look to Colin, silently apologizing to him. He was going to hate her for the rest of their lives, and she couldn't do anything about it.

A/N Just want to see how this does, I have many chapters finished and ready to post if people are interested!