Chapter 1- Where am I?

Featherington House

The first thing Penelope realized as she started waking up was that she was cold. She hadn't felt truly cold since her and Colin married and started sharing a bed. He was like a fire warming her everywhere they touched

The second thing she realized was that her previously mentioned husband was not in bed with her. That caused her to sit up. There hadn't been a morning in their marriage that she did not wake up still curled in his arms.

"Where did he get to?" she murmured as she looked around. That was when she realized the third thing that she realized was that she was back in her old room at Featherington House. It had not been that long ago that she thought she would die living in this room so she was not happy to be waking up here. Especially when she distinctly remembers going to sleep with her husband in their bed in Bloomsbury.

"What is going on here?" Just as she was planning on getting out of bed to try and figure out what was going on Rae walked in.

Rae looked over at her on the bed and said, "Oh Miss I'm glad you're awake. We need to start getting you ready for your presentation to the Queen today."

Just when Penelope decided this must be some prank her new family decided to play on her because of how long she kept her secret she noticed how young Rae looked. Startled, she quickly got out of bed and over to her mirror.

She held in a scream that she knew wanted to be let out because looking in the mirror was a face that had changed so much in 7 years. She looked like a child again.

Looking over at Rae pulling her presentation dress out of her armoire she asked, "What day is it again?"

Rae glanced up and said "it is the 5th of April Miss. Are you feeling sick? You look pale. Or paler than normal for you."

Penelope did feel sick but not anything physical. "And the year?" she asked slowly.

Rae looked even more confused, "1813 of course."

Trying not to show anything on her face she turned away from Rae and said, "of course. I suppose I am more nervous about debuting than I realized."

Inside her mind she was slightly panicking. Was everything that she believed happened to her from this very day a dream. How did she have such a vivid dream spanning over 7 years in one night's rest. She was on the verge of hysterics when her mother came barging in the room.

"Why is she not dressed yet?" she asked loudly. "I cannot have you in here all day! I need you to see to Philippa and Prudence as well!"

"It was my fault mama." Penelope said at once. She did not want Rae getting in trouble. "I was in my head and slowed her down."

"Penelope, how many times have I told you that you need to stop thinking so much? Men don't like women who think." Portia said condescendingly. She then turned back to Rae and said, "Hurry up. We don't have all day?" And with that she walked back out of the room.

"I'm sorry about that." Penelope said softly. Rae shook her head and just started getting her ready for the day.

She thought the last 7 years were a dream right up until the point when Prudence feinted right in front of the Queen. There was no way she could have ever dreamed that it would happen the exact same way. And later that day when her very first Whistledown was distributed she knew for sure it wasn't a dream.

So how did she end up 7 years back in time and in her 17 year old body? Was she the only one that this happened to?

A Town in India

"Didi, wake up." Kate heard as she came into consciousness. It took her a moment to recognize the voice that woke her up since she had not heard it so early in the morning for many years. Once she realized whose voice it was she sat up quickly and yelled. "What are you doing here?"

When she opened her eyes to look at Edwina she noticed a few things. The first was that Edwina looked much younger than the last time she had seen her not even 2 days ago. The second was that Anthony was not in bed with her. That wasn't as much of a surprise because even though Charlotte was almost a year old he still got up in the middle of the night just to go watch her sleep or hold her.

But the third thing that she noticed was the thing that made her the most nervous. She was sleeping in the room that she used to share with Edwina when they lived in India before they moved back to England.

Edwina looked at her a little strangely. "We share this room, Didi. Where else would I be?"
Kate had always been practical. She could play this off. "I'm sorry Bon. I had the strangest dream. I guess I woke up still a little disoriented."

Edwina, still giving her a strange look said, "I understand. I was only waking you up because you slept much later than you usually do and you had told me last night you wanted to get a ride in before starting my lessons today."

"Of course. Well I suppose I will skip my ride and get right into lessons today. I will be out shortly." Kate stated.

Once Edwina left the room Kate collapsed back onto her bed. She couldn't figure out what was going on. There was no way everything that happened to her was a dream. It was too… real. She can remember every touch Anthony ever gave her, every birth of her children, feeling them in her arms for the first time.

She needed to figure out how to convince her family to travel to England earlier than scheduled. But she also had to figure out if anyone else came back with her. If she was the only one then how was she going to survive?

And how was she going to break down the walls that Anthony built around his heart. She didn't even know how far back she came. She would have to figure that out before she did anything else.

The one thing she did know was that she would get her life back. She would not lose her husband or her 3 children. So she spent her time getting ready for the day and figuring out what her first steps would be.

She would not be able to discover if anyone else came back until she was on English soil so her first move once she learned the date was to figure out how to get there sooner.

She was Kathani Sharma Bridgerton and she would make sure that she got her life back one way or another.

Hastings House

Reaching over in bed and feeling cool sheets beneath his hand was the first sign that something was wrong to Simon. His wife may be hands-on with their children but with David's bassinet in the room she rarely left him alone in bed long enough for the sheets to cool.

The second sign was that he could feel the sun on his face but didn't hear any of his children making noise.

Once he opened his eyes and took in his surroundings he knew something was very wrong. David's bassinet was no longer in the room. All of the things that made this room his and Daphne's were also missing. It looked like it did before they married. Which made no sense. There was no way that they removed everything in the room while he slept.

He was startled out of his thoughts by a knock on the door. His valet walked in to help get him ready for the day. But this person was someone who left his employment years ago. So he decided to ask what the date was.

His valet looked at him in confusion but stated, "It is the 5th of April 1813, Your Grace."

"Thank you," Simon said, trying to keep a straight face. He did not want to let anyone know of the conflict going on in his mind.

"You told me that you would be going to call on your godmother today after the presentations to the queen."

"Of course. Thank you for the reminder." He said absentmindedly. "I should like to get dressed and break my fast before I make my way over there." Maybe he could figure out what was going on on his way to Danbury's house.

It took him a minute to realize what this day meant… His wife was being presented at court today. He was set to meet her tomorrow night at his godmother's ball.

How was he meant to not pull her close to his body?

Later that day he had one more question to add. How was he meant to pretend that his future sister-in-law was not Lady Whistledown?

Penwood House

Sophie was awoken in a way that she hadn't been in 6 years. "SOPHIE! Where is that insolent girl? Does she expect Cressida to get ready for her presentation to the queen by herself?" She heard her step-mother yelling. Which didn't make any sense. She didn't even live near her step-mother anymore.

When she opened her eyes and looked around she nearly groaned. She was in her old room at Penwood House. Then as everything started to become clear she reached down and touched her belly. Her belly that was round with child last night when she went to bed with her husband. The child that she no longer feels. Tears started to fall as she continued to touch her flat belly.

How was this possible? She knew that she dreamed of getting away from Araminta but she had never had such a detailed dream before. Why would she dream of a Bridgerton saving her from her life when she had never even met one of them before. She of course knew of the Bridgerton family from Araminta and Cressida but there is not much opportunity for bastards to meet viscounts families.

But it had to be a dream. How else would she be back at Penwood House under her step-mothers control. Her dream husband would have never let it happen if that life was real.

So why does she keep touching her belly and seeing her husband's dark eyes and crooked smile.

She was startled out of her thoughts by her door slamming open. Araminta stood in the doorway fuming. "What are you still doing in bed you insolent girl? Cressida needs to be prepared to be presented to the queen today." There were flames in her eyes. "I know that doesn't mean anything to a bastard but it is the most important day of her life. So don't screw it up!" She was practically yelling now. " Now get out of bed and go start getting her ready." As soon as Araminta finished her lecture she turned and walked out of the room.

That made Sophie confident that her life with the Bridgertons was a dream. She needed that type of dream to get through her days with her step-family.

She continued to believe that through the day spent getting Cressida ready for her presentation. All the way until the first Whistledown was delivered.

How had she dreamed up Whistledown? There is no way she could have made that up. Did that mean everything else she dreamed really happened? How was she supposed to get back to that life that she loved? She couldn't survive living with this family again if she knew a better life existed for her!

Little did she know that part of her found family were thinking the same thing as her that very moment.