Chapter Two:

Colin returned home with his mother and Anthony a bit later. The Featheringtons would be coming over for dinner where they would announce the engagement to the two families. He had bid a goodbye to his betrothed, but wished desperately for a moment alone with her. Everything had happened so fast. One moment, they were kissing, and he was imagining dropping to one knee and begging her to marry him. The next, she was announcing her secret identity, and her mother caught them. Penelope had looked mortified, and also afraid. He was certain he could name the doubts running through her mind.

Lady Whistledown's identity had been something Colin had thought about since the Marina scandal. When Lady Whistledown announced her pregnancy, Colin had wondered who could possibly have known. He had been angry at the gossiper at first, but then he realized what his fate would have been without her society papers. And, because of Lady Whistledown, Daphne had been saved from a horrific marriage. Truthfully, Colin had been a little impressed by the writer, and he knew whoever was behind it had been witty, talented, and powerful. After exchanging letters with Pen for so many years, he wondered how he hadn't connected the dots.

Colin's thoughts went to his sister. Eloise must have found out Penelope's secret, and that had to be why the pair were not speaking. That was one piece of the puzzle Colin had yet to figure out. Why had Penelope almost ruined her closest friend last season? Colin knew there had to be a reason, Penelope was not malicious. He knew that in the very depth of his soul.

"Brother, the license has been secured." Anthony announced, entering the study where Colin was sitting. He was deep in thought, and hadn't realized how much time had passed. Anthony poured two glasses of scotch.

"Thank you for taking care of it." Colin replied. Anthony sat across from him and handed him one of the glasses. "Anthony, I know we don't agree on everything. And, I know I have given you some premature gray hairs, but despite that, I respect you. I value your input even when I do not express it well."

"Colin, if this is about Penelope, I am not angry with you. Do I wish you had gone about this in a more respectful manner? Yes, of course. I am the head of the Bridgerton family, I cannot condone you sneaking into an unwed woman's window. That aside, Penelope Featherington is your dearest friend. I think you have been blind to your feelings toward her, and this season finally made you see what has been in front of you for so long. We all adore Penelope, and have waited for this day to come. Again, I do believe we imagined it differently, but that does not make it any less special." Anthony said. Colin nodded.

"Kate has softened you, dear brother." Colin smiled, raising a glass. Anthony chuckled.

"You'll understand soon enough just what happens when you allow yourself to succumb to loving another person without any reservations or restraints."

"Anthony, Penelope told me something about herself just before her mother came into the room. Truthfully, this information made me consider whether or not I truly know her. I am afraid this thing she disclosed will come between us." Colin said, taking a small sip of the scotch.

"I do not know what Penelope told you, but I do know she must have felt it was important for you to know. She has loved you from afar since she was a girl, surely you know that." Anthony looked shocked when Colin shook his head. Did everyone else know this? Had he truly been that blind? "Colin, she was heartbroken when you almost married her cousin, anyone could see that. And then you went and made those comments about never dreaming of courting her. Now, this season, you agree to help her find a husband, but in turn, you actually end up doing heaven knows what in her bedroom. This was probably very confusing for her, and she might have decided to lay everything out for you so you could choose to leave before things got too serious."

"That didn't work out so well." Colin replied.

"Do you love her?"

"More than I ever thought possible." Colin admitted.

"Then you'll work it out." Anthony said.

Colin hoped his brother was right. He vowed to find a way to get Penelope alone so they could have a proper conversation. He would not allow their wedding to be tainted by this, not when just last night he had seen their whole future in his mind. He would not lose that now.

POLINPOLINPOLINPOLINPOLIN

Penelope's heart was beating so fast she feared it would pop out of her corset, through her dress, and run off through the Bridgerton home. She had been nervous to see Colin, but even more nervous for the reactions everyone would have. She knew Colin's two youngest siblings would be overjoyed. Francesca would be quiet, but would approve surely. Benedict and Daphne would be happy for them. The only one Penelope needed to worry about was Eloise, and she knew her former best friend would not take the news well. She was also dreading hearing her own sisters mock her when they heard the news.

"Welcome, everyone, please come in." Violet ushered the family inside, taking Penelope's arm in her own and squeezing it tightly. Penelope had always loved the matriarch of the Bridgerton family, and had dreamed of having a mother as caring and loving as Violet.

The Featherington family followed behind as Violet led them to the dining room. The Bridgerton family was already seated at the table. Violet led Penelope to the seat next to Colin. He gave her a small nod as she sat down beside him. To Penelope's surprise, her fiance placed his hand on hers briefly under the table. He squeezed it quickly, in a reassuring manner that helped calm her nerves significantly.

Dinner was served, and despite the curiosity lingering in the air about the presence of the Featheringtons, no one dared to ask. They chatted amongst themselves as they ate the cornish hen and sides that had been prepared for them.

"Any chance we can sneak a private moment later?" Colin whispered while the others were distracted. Penelope looked up in surprise. "I'd like to finish our conversation from last night."

"Oh, I see." Penelope gulped. Colin squeezed her leg.

"It's going to be alright, Pen. I-"

"Attention everyone," Violet stood, clinking her champagne glass. "I want to thank Portia for coming to dinner with her daughters tonight. I know it was a little, well, sudden. But, we agreed that it would be best for us all to be together so that we could make an announcement."

"Do they have another cousin coming to visit who might try and fool another one of the Bridgerton brothers?" Eloise asked dryly, not loud enough for Violet or Portia to hear, but Penelope knew the comment was meant for her ears anyway.

"Colin?" Violet looked to her son, prompting him to take over. Colin nodded and stood up as his mother took her seat once again.

"Uhm, hello everyone, it's nice to have us all together. I know that this season has been full of talk about Penelope and myself. I had agreed to help her find a husband, and gave her lessons on how to win a man's heart. What I didn't expect was for that man to be me." Colin looked down at Penelope with a smile. Her heart skipped a beat for a moment as he continued to speak. "You see, Pen has been my dearest friend for years, but I was blind to the fact that she was more than that. She was the light when everything was dark, the music when there was silence, she was a dance in which I did not know the steps too, but desperately wanted to learn. And somehow, in the middle of all of this, she became the most important person in my life. I knew I could not stand by and watch her marry another. So, it is with my greatest delight to tell you all that Penelope and I are engaged. We will be married in a fortnight."

Everyone began to talk at once. Some were congratulating them, some were commenting on the short engagement. Others were talking about winning money in a bet that had apparently been placed in regards to Penelope and Colin's inevitable engagement. Penelope could only stare at Colin through the tears in her eyes. She knew he would not have said those words in front of their families if he hadn't meant them. Despite knowing her secret, he still cared for her. Colin reached for her hand, and placed a kiss on it. She wanted to tell him how much his words meant to her, but before she could, she saw Eloise darting from the table. Colin went to follow, but Penelope stopped him.

"Let me." She requested. He nodded.

Penelope quickly followed Colin's sister from the dining room and up the stairs. Eloise went to her bedroom, but left the door open. She must have known Penelope would come after her. Penelope entered the room and shut the door quietly behind her. She waited, knowing that it was best to let Eloise speak first.

"You are a con artist, truly. First, you manage to nearly ruin multiple members of my family. Then, you actually convince Colin that you love him." Eloise spit out. She stepped closer to Penelope. "You are an insipid wallflower, and I cannot believe I will be forced to see you all the time. In my own home, no less."

"Eloise, please, just hear me out." Penelope begged. Eloise shook her head.

"No, I will not listen to any more of your lies. I should tell everyone who you really are. Surely Colin wouldn't marry you once he knew. How could he love someone capable of saying such vile things about people she claimed to love?" Eloise asked. She was angry, and she had a right to be, but Penelope couldn't let Eloise continue on like this.

"I do love Colin, El. I have loved him for as long as I have known him." The redhead replied. Eloise gasped and Penelope realized this might not have been the best time to come forward about this.

"You trapped my brother! You vicious little wench! That's why the wedding is so soon, you trapped him. I bet Colin didn't even ask you to marry him, did he? How did you do it, huh? How did you set my brother up to be tied to you for the rest of his life? How did you convince him to pretend he loves you in front of our entire family? He could never love you, not if he knew the truth. So what did you do, Penelope? Force him into your bed and-"

"Eloise, that is enough!" The door to the bedroom opened and Colin came in, his face red with anger. Penelope was shaking, and could not stop the tears from rolling down her face. Colin's arms came around Penelope quickly, holding her tightly against him as if to shield her from the words his sister was spewing. "Do not speak another word to her unless it is one that comes with an apology."

"Colin, you don't understand. If you knew the truth about who she really is, you wouldn't feel this way about her." Eloise replied, trying to reason with her sibling.

"I do know her." Colin said, looking Eloise in the eye so she would understand. "Every single part. And, I still love her as much as I did yesterday, and the day before, and the day before. It changes nothing for me. My love for her is not so easily pushed aside, as yours appears to be. Come now, Pen, we don't need anyone ruining our engagement announcement."

A/N I have never written Polin before, so I hope you are enjoying it!