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Chapter 6

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AN: So, I was just thinking about Benedict, in the show he's actually the most charming of them all (which was Colin's role in the books) while Anthony is kind of a crazy simp (I approve, of course).

Again this is canon compliant in some ways but taking liberties in others.

I meant to get this out like a month ago but FF was down, then my internet followed suit.

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Many people were milling about near the hot air balloon and after the initial gawking and perusal of the contraption, it just became a backdrop. Many hoped that they were on better display than the deceptively simple object. Penelope herself wasn't that enthralled by the balloon. It was just large and the best thing about it was that it blocked out some of the sun when they stood on the correct side of it. She angled to be on that side once they made their circle around it but it also blocked out some of the wind, which was picking up speed again.

She breathed in relief when the wind slipped by her. It would muse her hair and maybe take her bonnet with it if it was going to pick up too much, but right now it was very comfortable and welcomed. She missed the subtle sway of the hot air balloon as it too was in the path of the wind.

Eloise was peculiarly still with Cressida and they made their way over to Penelope and Alfred. "I can only imagine where this would take us." Eloise was making a face as she spoke, obviously somehow tethered to Cressida despite her own desires. She latched onto Penelope's arm, dislodging Alfred's but no one brought it up out loud.

Penelope just sent Alfred an apologetic look and he smiled reassuringly back at her. The smile warmed her in a pleasant way. So far he'd shown himself to be a mild-tempered man who didn't get riled by much and could even share amusement with her over the situations. He didn't just tolerate Eloise, but accepted her and even invited her without prompting into their hypothetical future. He just knew she'd be there and he didn't even want to try and dissuade it. He was happy to take a backseat to their friendship. It only made Penelope like him more.

"Can I borrow Penelope for a moment?"

"Certainly." Alfred said though it didn't matter, Eloise was already dragging her away. The women in her life certainly liked to drag her places, she thought with amusement. It was then that she realized that her mother had practically disappeared. She looked around for the woman who gave birth to her and found her on the outskirts, chatting with Lady Cowper.

Eloise didn't take Penelope far, just to the other side of the shaded area, also taking relief from the sun and heat. "I'd be the last to admit it but I really like Lord Debling." Eloise glanced over to him and Cressida before looking once more at Penelope. "He is a savior of the first order."

Penelope's lips twitched as Eloise unwittingly mimicked her own turn of phrase from two years ago. She had mocked Daphne to no end for her diamond status but had obviously enjoyed the words enough to commit them to unconscious memory if not conscious memory. It made Penelope feel good that her discerning friend liked her words.

"I was rather curious why you have been spending time with Cressida."

Eloise made a dramatic sigh and rolled her eyes at Penelope. "Not by choice. Cressida has apparently decided to be my friend since no one else will be hers."

"She tried to destroy you last year."

"I know, strange, isn't it? I guess she's forgotten her hatred for our family." Eloise shrugged. "So now I'm stuck with her. I think she's really just trying to latch onto me so she has a better chance at talking with the better bachelors of the Ton, not because they're interested in me personally, just the family name and have to be polite. They won't approach her otherwise." Penelope realized that with all the drama at the last ball, she hadn't seen much of Eloise and had only seen Cressida during that incident.

"When did it start?" Penelope asked and her suspicions were confirmed. She wasn't sure if Cressida attached herself to Eloise before or after she was rebuked by Colin though.

Penelope would rather talk about more pleasant things so went back to the first part of their conversation. "You really like Lord Debling?"

"He's a nice gentleman and he actually listened to me earlier this morning. He even spoke with Cressida without fear or annoyance but with thoughtfulness when she brought up the Great Auk and when she spoke of her family." Penelope knew that was the species he was trying to protect from extinction. "He seems genuine and a real person, not just someone here to placate and woo and then go off and do horrible things behind closed doors."

"He has clearly stated his intentions of joining the Ton this year." Penelope agreed, looking over her shoulder to where Cressida and Alfred still stood. He lifted turned his head slightly so he was looking at Penelope and smiled at her. She found herself smiling back.

There was a bit of a commotion, the voices registering first as they were raised in alarm. She saw Alfred start moving toward her even as he pressed Cressida away from the vicinity for her own safety. Penelope turned to look at what was happening, the wind started whipping through the enclosure, tents started swaying, the hot air balloon started rocking violently, pulling at the ropes that held it in place.

The sky darkened and she felt rain pelt her cheeks. The weather had changed quickly and without her notice. She had been too busy focusing on other things. One of the ropes pulled free from the ground, whipping it around, at the mercy of the wind's prerogative. She heard her name called from several directions, she didn't know where to go, back would be into the path of the balloon, forward would be walking into the balloon, but going off to the side would put her in the path of the ropes still in the ground but losing the battle with every thrash of the balloon and it's basket, which were at odds with each other.

She was not a fast mover and Eloise's hand on her arm pulled her out of her indecision. She tugged Penelope in the safest path available to them and took off at a run, Penelope was a step behind her but she tripped over her long skirt and a failed hole for one of the ropes that was never filled in again. As she went down, Eloise's hand slipped from her arm and she was several steps away before she noticed. She turned to go back to Penelope but Penelope shouted at her to continue to safety. "Go!" She was pushing herself up onto her feet when a body collided with hers and knocking her back onto the ground, covering her with his larger one. She was about to protest when she realized why he did so. One of the other ropes had pulled free and was lashing around above their heads. It was dangerous to sit up, much less continue the run to safety.

"Penelope!" There was a harsh cry and she realized she'd heard it a couple of times already, or a form of it, sometimes it was just Pen. "You have to move!" The voice called out again before she heard a groan of effort. There were a few other voices that joined in, and she heard her name being shouted by Benedict as well.

The body on top of her was Alfred's and he caught on to why Colin shouted that. And as he moved off of her, to pull her with him in the direction he was rolling, she caught on as well as the base of the basket was heading directly for them.

They rolled with the momentum he caused and it gave them enough space and clearance to move into a crouch and run bowed over until they were out range of the ropes. A few held to the ground, tied correctly. Penelope watched the scene even as Eloise wrapped her arms around her waist and held on tightly. They were being herald back farther for their safety. Many were being sent home but even the carriages were rocking dangerously and most decided to wait out the sudden storm under tents. Servants were quickly putting up side paneling to protect the occupants from the lashing rain.

Colin's eyes were on Penelope even as he was on the front line holding the rope closest to where he'd been before all this started. He only looked away and focused completely on the balloon once he was reassured she was reasonably out of danger. If he and his brother hadn't been holding onto the rope, they wouldn't have had the opportunity to get out of the way. He'd saved her just as much as Alfred had.

Other men joined in to help wrangle the wayward balloon. Eventually the men were able to secure it once more to the ground, better this time than before; more appropriate to the elements currently facing them. By then Penelope had been corralled into one of the closer tents, hands she couldn't claim to know who they belonged to, guided her in. Eloise still at her side, she didn't think her friend was going to let go any time soon. Alfred was right there with them, checking on her, making sure she was ok and she gave appropriate enough responses that Alfred felt comfortable with leaving her with Eloise, certain the two would take care of each other for now.

Penelope was shivering despite the heat coming from Eloise, who was also shaking. Neither moved though from the spot they'd been guided to. Penelope was still able to watch the happenings outside her eyes fastened on the actions around her, unable to do anything just then but take it in. The servants were a little reluctant to get that close to the action but the farther walls had been erected and blocked out most of the rain.

Alfred had taken charge of putting up the rest of the walls. He corralled the servants and convinced them to help him and he secured some of the sides himself. Penelope's mother slipped into their tent and after checking on her daughter, started looking for blankets and passing them out. She was trying have their family appear worthy of someone like Lord Debling and trying to match his actions but in a way a woman could. She wrapped one around Penelope and Eloise when she started to get low and patted Penelope's head. None of today had been intentional but her mother found an opportunity to shine.

Penelope's view of the outside world was finally blocked and she started to come back to herself. She squeezed Eloise at her side, trying to calm and reassure her friend beyond just being the pole she clung to. Eloise was starting to calm down and breath normally again.

Excited chatter was starting to die down to just murmurs as the danger wasn't quite as apparent now that they also couldn't see it. The tents still rattled and they could still hear the rain pelt against the fabric keeping them dry and warmer than they would be otherwise.

Colin charged into their tent and went straight for Lord Debling. The tent's opening panel flapped in his wake. "What were you thinking, allowing her to stand so close to the balloon in this weather? It was foolish and reckless and could have ended up far worse!" Colin's body was vibrating with his anger coursing through every part of him. His fists were clenched tight and white at his sides, holding back from reaching out or worse.

Penelope moved toward Colin and Alfred, Eloise clung on, not quite ready to release Penelope despite being in a better head space. "The weather changed suddenly." Eloise started to speak.

"There were signs, someone as seasoned as Lord Debling with travel should have noted it!" Colin cut her off, still so angry but not turning his gaze away from Lord Debling, clearly sending that accusation straight at him.

Penelope stuck up for all of them. "We walked off to that spot on our own. I was talking with Eloise, Lord Debling was not part of the decision making. If you need to shout at anyone, it should be me. I was the reason your sister was so close to the balloon." Colin's shoulders crept up toward his ears, holding himself back from turning to her, steeling himself against whatever he wanted to say or do.

Eloise made a sound and shook her head, finally releasing Penelope but not going far, only to wrap her arm around Penelope's, squaring off with her brother. She'd never been afraid of him, never afraid to argue with him or call him out.

"That's untrue, I was the one who dragged you away from where Lord Debling and Miss Cowper were standing. If we had just stayed with them we wouldn't have been in it's path and I shouldn't have left you! I wish I'd gone back to your side."

"That would have been foolish, you would have only gotten hurt. I would have if it weren't for Lord Debling knocking me back down again, I would have been hit by one of those ropes. He couldn't have gotten to both of us and kept up both safe. It was better for you to stay back."

"I still shouldn't have dragged you so far away, we could have been safer if we hadn't left their side."

"How were we to know?" Penelope soothed and tried to calm Eloise again. Eloise was shaking again, she was reliving the moments again, having watched everything from a distance.

"It was my fault." Eloise said again, but this time her eyes weren't on Penelope but clashing firmly against Colin's who had finally turned toward them, fire burning wildly in his eyes. Penelope had never seen such an emotion in his eyes and it was directed now at his sister, she wondered if it had also been that way as he looked at Alfred.

Benedict came in far slower and stood behind the enraged Colin, placing himself between Colin and Alfred. He wasn't completely relaxed, concern clear on his features. Penelope noted his actions and he caught her eye, nodding to her even as his eyes swept over her and Eloise making sure they appeared visibly unharmed, making sure there weren't any obvious injuries. Most of his unease slipped out of him then but he still remained poised for action if Colin suddenly attempted to act out on his anger.

Alfred hadn't said anything in his own defense but he spoke now, which caused Benedict to wince and widen his stance ever so slightly. If Penelope hadn't been watching the drama unfold so carefully, she would have missed it. "I do not think it wise to shout at Miss Featherington for actions out of her control. I would much rather you never shout at Miss Featherington." Alfred wisely had not moved, though he looked ready to, either to fight or move to Penelope's side. He looked at her now and smiled reassuringly and just then she knew he would always defend her. Her stomach flipped with that knowledge and she swallowed hard, offering him a small smile back. She caught Benedict frowning in response to everything that just happened while Colin's body just vibrated even harder, even angrier.

In truth, Colin had not shouted at Penelope, he'd shouted at Alfred and Eloise, but hadn't said a word or looked at Penelope once since coming into the tent. He seemed to be purposefully avoiding looking at her and she didn't understand why.

"Your quick actions are to be praised." Someone Penelope didn't recognize said, brave enough to enter into this conversation. "It would have gone much worse had you not slowed the balloon's path." Penelope realized all eyes were on them, even her mother was poised, waiting to step in if the right cue was give. It was only as Penelope looked away from the main drama that she now knew the face of the woman who had spoken, it was the blond from earlier. She was quite brave indeed and Penelope wasn't sure if the comment was directed toward Colin or Benedict.

Her eyes returned to Colin, as they always did. Different emotions ticked over his face and then he schooled his features and gave a terse nod, gritting out the appropriate response. "Everyone has remained uninjured, that is something we can be grateful for."

Penelope felt for him, he was concerned about his sister and was just in the path of danger, holding it off for the rest of them. He looked absolutely miserable, his hair was plastered to his head and his clothes hanging sadly on his frame, lost all of it's structure as water dripped down his neck and into the collar of his shirt, forcing it's way to find the one dry spot on his body or move other droplets out of the way, forcing those in its way to join the puddle on the floor.

"The two of you are soaked!" Penelope realized with a start and pulled her blanket off to offer to Colin and Benedict, pushing it at the closer of the two.

Colin took it from Penelope's hands and wrapped it back around her shoulders, finally looking at her. "You have had a fright, you need it the most of all of us." His voice was gentle and firm, his eyes were still a sea of emotions, worse now that he was so close and his fingers still trembled against her as he kept the blanket around her, not letting her fight him on this issue. She wanted to tell him that they both had a fright and he seemed affected more than she had been, instead she kept the words to herself, not wanting to rile him up again, didn't want to make this worse for him. Still, she worried about his health and wanted to give him the blanket, keep him warm and dry him off a little.

Penelope looked down at where the hands rested on her shoulders and caught sight of her hem, she looked a mess, grass stains, mud and water were splattered up the entire length of her. No wonder Colin pushed back the blanket, he was protecting her from being completely embarrassed. "Thank you." And Colin's hands fell away.

Tension broke from the room and Portia took that as a cue to start searching for more blankets and sent a servant to another tent, who brought back about 10 more and she passed them out to the three men still in front of her daughter and Eloise. Slowly Eloise put more space between her and Penelope, reassured that her friend wasn't going to suddenly collapse or be squashed by an errant balloon.

Cressida bumbled over to them once the moment eased and she tipped into Lord Debling. "Oh dear, I must have twisted my ankle."

"Let's find you a seat." Lord Debling nodded to the others before helping Cressida move away from the group and find a quiet corner to tend to her ankle. His eyes lingered on Penelope and she gave a half-hearted smile, they both understood. He called for a female servant to join him. Eloise joined them out of curiosity.

Now that Colin had looked at her, he hadn't looked away once, even while thanking Portia for the blanket or acknowledging Lord Debling's departure with his sister. Even Benedict moved away, now that the situation deescalated to chat with the blond that had helped do so; and they were left relatively alone. Colin looked like he was going to reach out but then restrained himself from doing so. "Are you certain you are all right?" His voice was modulated, his body controlled and his eyes never left her face, looking for any flinch of pain to cross her features as she mentally checked herself over.

"I am." She knew that much, she'd been asked often enough in the last hour to know it to be true. Nothing, surprisingly, hurt at all, at least not physically. She hated that he was keeping himself so far away from her, especially with how closed off he was being. This was not normal Colin behavior. "I am sorry about giving you a scare over your sister's safety."

"My sister is not a delicate flower, as she likes to point out, I had no fear of her survival. You are who concerned me the most." Colin did reach out now and placed it on Penelope's shoulder once more, his wall crumbling and she could see all his emotions so clearly once more. "When I saw you go down-" He shook his head. "Are you certain you did not twist an ankle yourself or hurt yourself in other ways? Are you sure the rope did not hit you?" His hand started rubbing her arm and shoulder in unconscious attempts to warm her. "You were also soaked to the bone and on the ground. We should get you home and changed into something warm and dry-"

"Colin." She caught his hand in hers and looked up into his eyes, trying to stop the panic that was beginning to take him over before it got too far out of hand. His concern warmed her more than the blanket had. "I am all right and will be all right. Thank you for saving me."

"I wasn't the one who saved you, though I wish I had been the one at your side." Colinclenched her hand tightly.

"You saved it in a different way." She reminded him. "If you hadn't caught the balloon, it wouldn't have mattered if I was alone or with someone else. You saved both of our lives, maybe even more lives with your quick actions and warnings." She realized it as she said it, Alfred would have also been injured. She wondered if he had been hit by the rope and she started to turn her head so she could find him to ask but Colin stilled her with a finger on her chin and tipped her head back so he could look at her face.

"There was only one thought on my mind when I saw the ropes begin to go." His eyes were seeking and she was captured. Her lips parted slightly and her breathing became more difficult. His attention was solely focused on her and he was bending slightly, she could hear his own breath change. The noise of the world around them disappeared and it was just the two of them.

He was going to kiss her, he would take her into his arms and tell her how much seeing her in danger had made him realize his true feelings, how scared he was to lose her because his love was deeper than he'd realized.

She made a sound and pulled away. This was neither the time nor place and she was just hurting herself with these wild fantasies. She was misinterpreting his intent and would only make a fool of herself, he would never do such a thing with her, much less in such a public space. "I must go, my mother-." She didn't finish her sentence, she didn't even know what she was going to say, just that she had to make some kind of attempt at an excuse.

She turned and nearly walked into a bemused Benedict, in much better spirits now for some reason, which was directly opposed to her sudden change of emotions. She skirted past him and sought out her mother as she said she would, calling herself all sorts of soft-headed.