Colin Sees You As You Are

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/49189453.

Rating: Explicit
Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: F/M
Fandoms: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn
Relationships: Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington, Colin Bridgerton & Penelope
Featherington
Characters: Colin Bridgerton, Marina Thompson, Penelope Featherington, Anthony
Bridgerton, Violet Bridgerton, Eloise Bridgerton, Benedict Bridgerton, Portia
Featherington, Archibald Featherington, Prudence Featherington, Philippa
Featherington, George Crane, Phillip Crane, Agatha Danbury
Additional Tags: Eloping, Eavesdropping, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Family
Dynamics, Fix-It of Sorts, Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington Happy
Ending, Endgame Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington, Multiple Endings,
Choose Your Own Ending, POV Colin Bridgerton, Deep Dive Into Season
One, Fluff and Angst, Eventual Smut, ... not in every ending though,
Accidental Voyeurism, Peeping Tom Colin, Voyeurism, Colin Has A Wank,
Playful Colin Bridgerton, Confused Penelope Featherington
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2023-08-07 Updated: 2024-06-12 Words: 113,177 Chapters: 17/?
 Colin Sees You As You Are
by Gah_gah_gah

Summary

🐝**COMPLETED // Adding 3 Multi-Chapter Alternate Endings Now**🐝

What would have happened if Colin had overheard Marina and Penelope the night before he was
set to abscond to Gretna Green with Marina?

🐝🐝🐝
After his engagement dinner the night before, Colin Bridgerton discreetly spent the day getting
things ready to take his betrothed to Gretna Green the next morning. But he soon realised that more
than a few things were not sitting right with him when he finished running around and settled in for
the evening to pack.

Like what had his friend and soon-to-be cousin-in-law intended to say to him before they were
interrupted? What made his fiancée feel that his family was not accepting of her? Why couldn't he
return her declaration of love?

He knew he would not be able to find peace of mind until he got some answers and the clock was
ticking away. There was only one thing for it, he had to pay a late night visit to the home across the
street that housed both his friend and his fiancée.

But when he overheard the two ladies in question having a heated discussion, he was hit with more
questions than answers.

Notes

Quick little idea I could not get out of my head after some events last week.

Special thanks to LadyKatetheGreat for alpha'ing my outline and FeedingDucks for beta'ing my
outline and this chapter!! And everyone who has read some snippets in sprints and helped me
formulate the right tone.

Warning: Chapter 1 may be triggering/rough but this is a Polin HEA, just like Bridgerton itself is
ultimately a Polin HEA, just like the books are. Polin are endgame. Period.

See the end of the work for more notes

 Upon Reflection

Colin Bridgerton was going to have a wife in a matter of days. He thought he had felt excitement
when he proposed, even more so when he announced their engagement to the ton just two days ago,
but now he was truly elated. It was really happening and happening far quicker than he expected.

Though he initially believed a long engagement would be preferable, as it was more romantic, he
was far more pleased to be able to rid his betrothed of her concerns about not being accepted or
wanted by eloping. He and Marina would create a family together where she would always feel
accepted and wanted.

Their engagement dinner the night before had gone as well as he could have hoped, given how
surprised his family had been by their announcement two days prior. He had not expected them to
even accept an invitation to celebrate his pending nuptials, let alone so soon. Then there was the
matter of their hosts, the Featherington’s, who, apart from Penelope, were an interesting bunch and
an evening spent with them could certainly be hit or miss.

Lady Featherington was one of the most notorious busybodies of the ton and Lord Featherington
was only ever engaging if a bet could be placed on something. Their two older daughters, Prudence
and Philippa were not very clever and given far too much praise for their lack of talents.

Penelope Featherignton was different. A very dear friend of his family’s, she had never fit into the
ridiculous and tactless household that she came from. He never quite understood how someone so
clever and kind as Pen could have Portia Featherington as a mother. Then her cousin Marina
arrived for the season and he finally met a family member of hers who was just as warm and
delightful as his friend.

Marina Thompson stole his heart the moment he saw her across the ballroom. It was as if he had
been struck by a thunderbolt from the sky when he first laid eyes on her and he hadn’t looked back
since. Though it had been a short courtship, by the time he proposed he felt he knew her better than
anyone.

Their courtship had been stunted by an illness she sustained just after they met, but it quickly
resumed with her recovery. She was so attentive and sweet whenever they were together and she
was the first person in his life who ever took him seriously. They understood one another, he and
Marina.

What better foundation for marital bliss than knowing the minds of your partner and yourself? And
he was sure their marriage would be a blissful one. Yes, he was very much looking forward to
marrying her and calling her his wife.

Celebrating their engagement together was a much welcomed reprieve from the doom and gloom
he was subjected to in his own home after they announced their engagement. After they arrived
home, his brother, Anthony, had admonished him for upsetting their mother and being green,
spewing vile nonsense about setting his cap at the first young lady he fancied.

His mother was no less forthcoming with her disappointment the next morning, acting as though he
hadn’t been courting Marina since the beginning of the season. As though she were a stranger! So
when she came back from the modiste that same afternoon, informing him that they would be
dining with the Featherington’s the next evening, he was very surprised to say the least.

The dinner itself was more or less fine. Anthony had been odious, as Colin had expected. He
tersely encouraged a longer engagement when Lady Featherington suggested they marry sooner. He
dismissed the idea of speculating on destinations for their honeymoon. He was simply unpleasant.
For all of Pen’s usual grace and charm and wit and cheerfulness, she was giving Anthony a run for
his money with her unpleasant demeanour. Her sweet disposition was nowhere to be found and she
drank much more wine than he had ever known her to indulge in. It was the oddest thing, now that
he thought of it.

Between Anthony and Penelope’s combined dreadfulness, it was a wonder they got through that
part of the evening without dampened spirits. Colin, his mother, and Lady Featherington carried
most of the conversation, always bringing it back to the joyous reason they were all together: his
engagement to Marina.

His mother told his fiancé to call her by her Christian name. She asked Marina about travelling
with him and was quite interested in learning about her hobbies. It was nice to see his mother and
his future wife getting on so well.

Though it wasn’t perfect, the dinner ended up being fairly enjoyable. The festivities after dinner,
however, had not been as successful. In fact, the rest of the night was fraught with issues that he
still could not wrap his mind around.

First, they were all subjected to the horrible singing of an extremely tone deaf Prudence
Featherington. His ears may never recover, truly. Again, he found himself ruminating over how
shocking he found it that Penelope came from that family.

Just as he had finally excused himself from the torturous entertainment before his ears bled, he was
hit with not one but two uncomfortable revelations. His lifelong friend and confidante followed him
into the corridor, expressing concerns that Marina’s heart was with another man.

As if that summoned her, his fiancé soon found them and quickly dismissed Penelope. There was
some sort of tension between the two of them that Colin could not make heads or tails of.

Marina was clearly upset for some reason and all he wished to do in that moment was ease
whatever troubled her, even if he wished Pen did not leave on such an uncomfortable note. She told
him that she didn’t feel accepted by his family or her own and wished they could be married
sooner.

How could he not have offered to take her to Gretna Green after that? He thought she hated the idea
when she did not respond right away but after he began to take it back, she said she loved the idea.
Then she told him that she loved him and for the life of him, he could not say it back. It was quite
the whirlwind of events.

He let those moments of distress in the corridor drive him as he spent much of the day secretly
getting things ready to go to Gretna Green the next morning. He had considered remaining at home
with his family through tea, if only to have the chance to clear things up with Penelope but she had
been quarrelling with Eloise as of late and had not been to tea in some time.

Instead, Colin set out to hire a hack, map out inns along the way, and discreetly meet the jeweller to
procure rings for them. He sent a note along to Marina confirming the time and place to meet the
next morning, and finally went to Whites for a celebratory drink. But then the night rolled around
and he made his way back home.

There he found himself packing the final items into his travel bag. Everything was in order, all that
was left to do was sleep. And yet, he couldn’t keep himself from turning over everything that had
been said and more importantly, everything that had been left unsaid the night before.
 🚩🚩🚩
“Colin? Might I have a word?”

“Pen, of course.”

“It… is a rather delicate matter. I wish I did not have cause to raise it, but I believe you deserve to
know.”

“Is there something on my face? Has it been there all evening? It has, hasn’t it? ...Sorry. Um, go
on.”

“I have wanted to talk to you since the engagement was announced, but we’re always in company.”

“So, this is something about Marina?”

“Her heart belongs to another.”

“What?”

“His name is Sir George Crane. He is a first son, a soldier. They grew up in neighbouring
properties in the country. I am sorry, but I have seen their love letters. I felt you should know before
it was too late.”

“You really are very good. You know that?”

At first, he believed this to be naivety. Pen was young – though he supposed not that young, as she
had debuted that season. It still surprised him when he found her at various society events and he
had to actively remind himself that she was a young lady.

He couldn’t bring himself to think of her courting or marrying some gentleman of the ton. He knew
she was not that much younger than he was but in his mind, she was still the little girl he grew up
with.

The delightful, auburn-haired neighbour who indulged him in speaking about how much he longed
to travel. The one who befriended his mercurial sister one day and never looked back. The one
always dressed in yellow, offering the brightest smiles as if she were sunshine personified.

And she was, of course, still all of those things, just now older and out in society. But regardless of
her age or status on the marriage mart, she was certainly inexperienced in matters of the heart. So
he found her warning to be inconsequential, if well-intentioned. It was sweet but it would not deter
him from marrying Marina.

“Did you think that I would care that she had fond feelings for another before we met? It would be
rich of me, considering I have flirted with half the girls in London at one point.”
“You misunderstand. This was no mere flirtation. Marina loves this man. She loves him still.”

“And yet she is marrying me. Trust me, Pen, do not fret. I know my mind and Marina’s. We
understand each other.”

He was rather proud of how he handled this at the time. He felt mature, less like the boy he’d
always been treated as and more like the man he knew himself to be. The man who would be
husband to the woman in question in a matter of days. So why did it give him such discomfort to
reflect upon, once he had the opportunity to sit with it?

He truly could not fathom his fiancé being some great deceiver, just as he could not fathom Pen
leading him astray. Though if he had been asked just two days prior about their relationship, he
would have said that he could not fathom Marina and Penelope having any sort of tension between
them.

Had the animosity been simmering for longer than he realised? He would have expected Pen to be
as elated as he was when he announced his engagement to Marina in the garden earlier in the week.
He thought nothing of it at the time but she never did congratulate them or cheer along with the
others.

She also had alluded to Marina lying before, during their courtship. About tomatoes of all things,
which was completely trivial. Still, demure and discerning as she was, he never knew Penelope to
say something without purpose.

At the time, he had an inkling of Marina perhaps not being the most honest with him. She was
always offering admirable surprise every time he brought her flowers, which he believed to be
simple flattery, of course. But was there more to it?

Penelope seemed as though she was going to say more to him in the corridor before Marina walked
out and now, he could not stop wondering whatever it could have been. Apart from his own sisters
and mother, they were the two ladies he was closest to in this world and he thought they got on
rather well before. What was going on between them?

🚩🚩🚩
“Is anything wrong? Is it my brother? He… He was odious at dinner. I apologise.”

“I cannot stand it, Colin. My own father does not want me. Even the Featheringtons cannot wait to
be rid of me. Fool that I am, I truly thought that with your family, I might finally find acceptance.
But it is no use. Even your mother is just being polite.”

“That is not true, Marina. I am your family now. We shall make our own family, you and me.”

He was so upset with the idea of his family making Marina feel unwelcome that he hadn’t stopped
to question it. While his family may have been privately against it, they had not shown much of
that to her at all.

Anthony was quite churlish at dinner, sure, but that was not out of the norm. It was rather par for
the course, how Anthony always tended to be in those situations. Marina would have to get used to
his brother’s prickly demeanour.

He had so many responsibilities thrust upon him at such a young age when their father passed away
that he had adopted this cold, ruthless persona. Underneath it all, Anthony just wanted what was
best for their family.

He believed their engagement had been rushed and while it hurt Colin so that he did not give his
blessing or offer his support after their announcement, Anthony attending the dinner itself was a
sign that he was well on his way to accepting their union.

Their mother, too, was much kinder and more engaging than he ever expected her to be after their
discussion that morning. Having been raised by her, he knows when she is “just being polite,” and
that was not how she was acting in the least.

He could not fault Marina for getting the wrong impression from his mother or Anthony, as she
hardly knew them and was not accustomed to their mannerisms. But perhaps that in itself was
cause for worry. Shouldn’t one’s betrothed know the family they are marrying into?

In fact, that was truly a cause for concern. Recalling the mention of her own father got him
thinking… What did he know of her immediate family and her life back home? Did she refrain
from discussing her life in the country because of the first-born gentleman from a neighbouring
property that Penelope spoke of?

In addition to the brief mention of her father not wanting her, Marina had also spoken of her
extended family, the Featherington’s, not accepting her. Which, now that he actually thought of it,
he didn’t quite understand.

The Featherington’s did not seem as though they “could not wait to be rid of her” last night or in
the weeks of their courtship. They smiled and interacted with her more than he had ever seen them
do with Penelope in all their years of friendship. It pained him to admit but if the Featherington’s
were unaccepting of anyone, it was most assuredly Pen.

“It is all I want. It is all I want in all the world. I wish we could be married this very minute. Then
we could be alone together always. I would never have to leave your arms.”

“What if I told you there was a way?”

“Colin, what are…”

“Scotland. Gretna Green. I know it is mad, but we could be married within a matter of days. We
just have to make it to the border. Anthony would be an ogre about it when we first return, of
course, but by then, it would be too late. We would be married. We would be together. …You hate
the idea.”

“I love it. I love you.”

“Allow me a day. I shall arrange everything!”

Then there was the matter of her declaration of love. Marina told him that she loved him after he
proposed running off to Gretna Green to begin their journey together as husband and wife. As
much as he thought he had been feeling the same, he couldn’t bring himself to say it back.

When Anthony was berating him for getting engaged after their announcement in the garden just
two days ago, Colin retorted by saying, “Why does anyone marry, brother? For love.” Though that
perhaps wasn’t the driving factor behind his initial proposal, he truly did believe himself to be in
love with Marina.

But why was he unable to vocalise it to her when she had been brave enough to profess her love to
him? What was stopping him?

🚩🚩🚩
Replaying the conversations in his mind over and over gave him no more clarity than before. It all
led to the same repeating questions… Was this a good idea? Was all of his running around town
that day for naught?

Was their decision to run off to Scotland too rash? Were they simply caught up in the moment?
Were the consequences and repercussions they’d face with his family if they did elope worth it, if
they really only had to wait a couple more months to marry?

One the one hand, absolutely because he never wanted to imagine Marina feeling unwanted or
unaccepted in her home. But on the other hand, waiting may give them more time to resolve all the
concerning matters that had been uncovered in the past 24 hours.

She would have a chance to get to know his family and the same could be said for his family
getting to know his fiancé. He would be able to learn more about her life in the country and perhaps
he could meet her family.

He did not care that she previously had fond feelings for her neighbour, just as he was sure she
would not care that he had flirted with half the girls in London, but it would be nice to talk about
their past dalliances. Though all of that could be done after they were married.

And while his family might be upset for a bit, running off to Gretna Green to elope without telling a
soul would bring scandal upon them, but they’d move past it. Sure, it might take some time but his
family believed in love above all else, so it would stand to reason that they would eventually
embrace his marriage.

Their household was unique in that it was filled with love. His mother and father shared a love like
no other and he intended to have the same kind of marriage. He knew he was lucky to have grown
up in a home with two parents who loved each other dearly. No matter how sickening their displays
of affection seemed to him as a young boy.
His father used to tell him about meeting his mother, how she was his first and foremost his very
best friend, how they teased one another and laughed together constantly. What stuck out in his
memory more than anything, was how his father described knowing she was the one for him. He
said that he could picture his mother in a wedding gown, walking down the aisle toward him, the
image so clear in his mind that he just knew it was their destiny.

He didn’t have that moment with Marina and truthfully, he had tried to force himself to conjure up
the image in his mind more than a few times since he proposed. He was never able to and still
could not. He supposed that was because they were never meant to have that sort of wedding. They
were destined to elope, it seemed.

And while he was happy to begin his life with her, it did sting a bit to grieve the wedding they
would never have. He loved weddings, always had. He loves the promise of loving, protecting,
supporting, and honouring one’s beloved for the rest of their lives. The act of taking vows in front
of the people in the world that the couple holds closest, their family and friends, it’s all the more
meaningful.

When the bride walks down the aisle to the strings of a familiar romantic melody and the entire
church stands to watch her, he loves looking back at the groom, seeing the awe and wonder on his
face. Colin usually teared up at those moments. He had always thought of how he’d feel seeing his
bride striding to meet him at the altar.

He was confident he would cry from the love and joy he’d feel in that moment. It would be such a
beautiful, magical scene that he’d tell his children and grandchildren about for years to come. He
and his wife would live out the rest of forever together in love and it would all have been sealed at
that altar.

He supposed he could still have some of that. He wasn’t sure he’d want to tell his children and
grandchild about running off to Gretna Green to elope without any family or friends even knowing
about it until after the fact. He was sure that he would not want to tell them of his abrupt proposal
when Marina tried to kiss him in an unchaperoned room at his own sister’s wedding breakfast, that
the thought to propose hadn’t been born of some epiphany of their destiny to be together.

But he could tell them of the love they had gone on to share and that would have to be enough. He
and Marina would still take the same vows of love, support, honour and commitment so long as
they both shall live. They would still care for one another and create a loving home for the children
they’d raise together. He felt awful not being able to will himself into believing that would be
enough but the more he thought of it, the more an overwhelming sense of dread overtook his entire
being.

And what of his friendship with Pen? Before last night, he would have thought things would carry
on as usual between them after her cousin became his wife. He even fancied that perhaps their
friendship would be better because they could see each other more. She would be part of his family,
he would be part of hers. They’d be in each other’s lives forever, as he always knew they would.

Their relationship had taken place so naturally over the years and he loathed the thought of losing
that constant in his life. Thankfully, he could never really imagine his life without Penelope in it
because that would be a very sad life indeed. He was actually rather delighted that in marrying
Marina, he would also be sealing a future with Pen in it.

But now, it seemed there was some hostility between his future wife and his little friend. If they
were quarrelling, he’d be obliged to take Marina’s side as her husband. And if that ever led to full
on estrangement between them, it would inevitably extend to him. The thought made him sick.

Just as sick as he felt the evening before with everything that happened in the corridor. While he
was fervent in his resolve to marry Marina and take the loneliness she felt away, he was nervous
about why Pen seemed so against it. And if the engagement itself was troubling her, would running
off to Gretna Green to elope without telling her push her away even further?

Between that and the thoughts that had been plaguing him since then, the soft whispers of doubt,
the questions that lingered, Colin knew what he had to do. He had to speak with Penelope and there
was no time like the present.
 The Truth Always Comes To Light
Chapter Summary

Colin sets off in search of answers and gets far more than he bargained for.

Chapter Notes

Special thanks to FeedingDucks and everyone in the sprints channel who helped me find the
right tone and pacing!!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Eloise mentioned sneaking out to see Pen on occasion. Not to him. Never to him. He had merely
overheard her discussing it a time or two with Benedict. Still, the information he garnered from
unintentionally eavesdropping would be just as useful had it been shared directly with him.

She said she’d throw pebbles at Pen’s window then meet her at the servant entrance round back.
Though he hadn’t ever stepped foot inside Penelope’s bedchamber, of course, he had seen her
waving to El from her window enough times over the years to know where it was and he could
easily find small rocks on his walk across the square.
It seemed simple enough and with the frequency of Eloise’s late night visits, Pen was not likely to
interpret a sudden stream of taps on her window from the pebbles to be anything but a visit from
his sister. He hoped their recent dispute would not affect the likelihood that Penelope would
respond but he could not let the possibility deter him.

So he set out for Featherington House, gathering pebbles on his way over and remaining in the
shadows as much as possible to avoid being seen. He noted that there had been light shining
through her windows, so he took that as a wonderful sign that she was awake and his plan would
work after all.

With this confidence, he began throwing the pebbles he had gathered the moment he arrived. After
the fifth one hit her window without response, he began to worry. He hadn’t so much as seen a
shadow or flicker of the light to indicate any movement. Eventually, he ran out of pebbles.

He contemplated turning back and trying to find sleep once again, but he could not give up now.
Not when he was so close to finding answers to the questions that haunted him. Not when he was
meant to depart for Scotland in a matter of hours. Not when he was meant to be married in a matter
of days. Not with so much uncertainty.

Colin decided to try his luck with the servant door and to his relief… and horror, it was unlocked.
As worrisome as that may have been, he did not have time to dwell on it. His mind had a tendency
to imagine the worst when the matter of safety was in question, so he knew if he allowed himself to
think about it, he’d be sure to spiral out of control.

Pen hadn’t responded to the taps on her window from the pebbles he threw, so she was either asleep
or not in her room at all. Still, he thought it best that he check her bedchamber first.

If she were sleeping, perhaps the pebbles were too light to wake her up. And he was fairly certain
she would forgive him for waking her up once he explained the time constraint he was under and
why he was so troubled.

So he took off in search of Pen, keeping to the shadows as best he could. His perpetual hunger
prepared him well for this. Someone with regular cravings at odd hours did not get to this point in
their lives without learning how to manoeuvre around quietly in the dead of night.

After gently knocking on her door a few times to no avail, he submitted to opening the door
without warrant. He gingerly plodded in, delicately whispering her name as one might to wake
someone. But he found an empty room.

Where could Penelope have been at that time of night?

Good God, if she was sleeping at his house right now and he could’ve saved himself the trip, he’d
be livid! She had not slept over their house for weeks on account of their tiff, he reminded himself.

He heard movement upstairs, so he carefully crept up to a level of the home he’d never ventured
before. And then he caught a glimpse of his fiancé looking as lovely as ever. Part of him wanted to
alert her to his presence and go to her, but he needed to find and speak with Penelope first and
foremost.

He was a gentleman, after all, and he could hold back his desires for a few more days. He never
understood rakes who could not abide by propriety, revelling in the vice of lechery without regard
for a lady’s honour.
He would certainly not dishonour Marina in that way. Hell, he was prepared to wait through a long
engagement to consummate their love. A long, romantic engagement and a big wedding had been
his plan, after all, until the evening before.

The evening which led to many questions he still needed answers to.

He watched Marina enter a room, followed by her saying “Penelope, what are you…? How dare
you!” Huh. He must have heard that incorrectly. He could never imagine Pen doing anything to
warrant such admonishment.

At any rate, it was a wonder he found her amidst all the possible rooms she could have been in. He
quietly padded his way over to hear what they were saying after Marina closed the door. Perhaps it
could give him the answers he sought and he could slip out without anyone ever knowing he was
there at all.

🚩🚩🚩
“Look. Look at the signature on Sir George’s last letter, and this one from many months ago.”

What in God’s name? Penelope! Stop pushing these bloody letters from a man in Marina’s past!
What did she not understand about the fact that Marina was marrying him and no longer had fond
feelings for this “Sir George” fellow?

“So?”

“So, they are not the same. The slant of the lettering, it is all wrong.”

“Penelope, I’m tired. I haven’t…”

“This one. It was in a drawer on the back of Mama’s desk. She or even Mrs. Varley practised
George’s signature, but even they could not get it perfect. That last letter, the one where he broke
your heart… it was a forgery, Marina. George never wrote those things to you. ”

Dear God! Pen was trying to sabotage his engagement. Pen, who had always been so constant and
loyal! He never thought he’d live to see the day where she would forsake him. They were friends,
were they not? What had he done to deserve this from her?

Could this be the result of her rift with Eloise? The two of them were embroiled in an argument so
suddenly Penelope had a vendetta against him? Did he mean so little to her that she would loop him
in with Eloise and disregard the friendship they shared? Had they not remained as familiar as he
imagined over the years?

He always did his best to be a good friend to her. He found her at every ball since her debut at the
beginning of the season. Sure he’d eventually ask about Marina but only after dancing with Pen or
sharing a few barbs with Pen first. He protected her from the repugnant torment from Cressida
Cowper.

He spoke with her everytime he called on Marina. He even entertained her incessant interruptions
the week prior when she accused Marina of hating tomatoes and kept reminding him of his desires
to travel. Has she been trying to send him away so he and Marina would not marry this season?
Was that another form of sabotage?

“He never denied loving you. He never denied your child.”

Child? What child? Pen must be mistaken. What she said, it… it cannot be true.

Though her actions make so much more sense now. If she believed Marina to be with child, she
must have thought she was helping to protect him from some sort of trap. Of course she hadn’t
forsaken him, this was Penelope for God’s sake. What a relief.

Marina would tell her she was mistaken and clear up this confusion, of course. Just as he had to
clear up Pen’s confusion about her cousin’s heart having been with that George fellow and
believing it to be reason for concern the night before.

Though he was sure of what was going to be said and therefore, he did not need to continue his
eavesdropping, he decided to linger there. If only so he might catch Pen on her way out after the
end of their conversation. Then he could finally get some answers to the other questions that led
him to sneak into their home that night.

“Perhaps.”

“Marina…”

“Even if you are correct…”

“I am correct. You cannot deny…”

“Even if it is true, George has still not replied to my letters. He has abandoned me, while Colin has
embraced me.”

“I thought you loved him. George.”

“I was a fool. This changes nothing.”

He has embraced her, wholeheartedly. Which is why this mention of a child is so rattling. Why
hadn’t she denied it? Marina was not with child. If she were, she would have told him. She knew
him well enough to know that if she were in such a situation, she need only tell him and he would
marry her.
No, she could not be; his passions were not in vain. She told him she loved him and one does not
lie or deceive their beloved. Especially not about such important matters. Marina loved him and
wanted to spend the rest of their lives together as a family.

She even spoke affectionately of wanting to travel with him and eagerly nodded along to discussion
of a honeymoon the night before. She would not wish to travel or take a honeymoon trip if she
were pregnant.

Just as she would not wish to marry him and build a life together if she were carrying another
man’s child. Certainly not if she did not love him and her heart still beat for this George they spoke
of.

Though, the letters they spoke of appeared to have been exchanged far more recently than he
believed when Penelope mentioned them the evening before. He sincerely did not care if Marina
had fond feelings for another before they met, as he told Pen.

However, if those fond feelings were not a thing of the past and were deeper than the passing fancy
he assumed them to be, then he would indeed have some concerns proceeding with their plans to
marry.

“Why is your bag packed? Tell me you are not going to Gretna Green! Marina!”

Hell and the devil! Was this the reason she wished to be married so soon? The reason for the odd
statements about his and Pen’s families not accepting her and wishing for a shorter engagement?

Perhaps she truly was with child but just found out about her condition. Surely she was planning to
tell him in the morning, to give him the opportunity to choose whether or not to marry her with the
knowledge of her situation before they departed for Scotland.

Although, if she had sent word to George, presumably the father, about the child and concluded his
lack of response indicated that he would not embrace her, then she must have known for some time.

But surely she wouldn’t plan to keep the fact that she is with child from him after he made it so
abundantly clear that he would go great lengths to be with her, despite all reason otherwise. That
kind of deception would be cruel.

“What will you do when Colin realises the child is not his? That day will come. He is not simple.”

Pen did not believe Marina planned to tell him of the child at all. Would she really try to pass
another man’s child off as his? Why had she chosen him, of all her suitors, to deceive in this
manner? Had he been so terrible in some encounter early into their courtship that she thought he
deserved such punishment?

Did Marina hold him in such low esteem that she would lie to him about something so important?
Such low esteem that she would trick him into a fraud of a marriage? Such low esteem that she
thought he would not figure it out?

Maybe he truly was a simpleton; he hadn’t caught on to the fact that his fiancé was with child by
another man and planning to commit such a grave sin against him. His heart paid no heed to mere
logic, he supposed. A right fool indeed.

“What I will do is live safe in the knowledge that my husband is a good and kind man. He would
never turn me out on the street. He will care for us both, come what may.”

There was no denying it now. She was with child and she was indeed planning to marry him
without ever telling him the truth of the matter. Why wouldn’t she have just told him? He would’ve
married her without a second thought. That is how in love he believed himself to be. He could see
now that it was all a lie.

“But what of him? What of Colin?”

Oh Pen. She really was very good and she really did care for him. He could see now she was only
trying to protect him with her warning about Marina loving another man the previous night.

Pen clearly cared for him more than his fiancé ever had and he was frustrated with himself for
dismissing her concerns so flippantly the night before. Having been friends as long as they had, of
course they cared for one another. He would do the same for her if someone were trapping her into
a marriage.

Well actually, he would probably use his fists instead of his words by that point, but the sentiment
would be the same. It seemed like this was not the first discussion where she had attempted to help
Marina see reason with regards to her plan of entrapment. The notion of Pen’s continued efforts
was very much appreciated.

Although, on second thought, while they undoubtedly shared a loyal friendship that would see each
of them protecting one another, he knew Penelope would have spoken up for anyone being
deceived in this way. She had such a pure soul and was so very good at heart.

“You love him.”

“What?”

“No, it makes sense now. Your objections, your meddling. You love Colin Bridgerton.”

“You know not of what you speak.”

Oh good God. Now this was getting ridiculous.

Penelope did not love him in the way Marina was implying, of that he was sure. She was accusing
her of loving him because Pen had actually stood up for him and that was the only explanation
someone like Marina could come up with in the face of such virtue and integrity.

He could see now that Marina had no concept of love or friendship. She was so ready and willing
to weaponize it against him to advance her plans of traping him with false declarations of love. And
all of the fake niceties he’d seen her pay to Pen over the length of their courtship were just that,
fake.

“I believe I know so much more than you, Pen… of Colin, of the world.”

Evidently she knew more of him than he ever knew of her. He could never have imagined his
fiancé having this spiteful, vicious, haughty tone. And to hear it turned on her own cousin? On
Pen? It was rather impossible to ignore now, he never knew Marina at all.

“If I am to be the executioner of this childish infatuation, then so be it. Your love is an unrequited
fantasy. Colin sees you as you are and regards you no differently than he does Eloise, or even little
Hyacinth.”

Penelope was a dear friend and yes, he saw her as an extension of his family but unquestionably not
as either of his menacing sisters. Still, if Marina really believed Pen to be in love with him and she
was spewing such vitriol, she was a cruel woman indeed.

“He sees me as a wife, a woman. And as a woman, I must make these difficult choices for myself
and for my child… even if they hurt your feelings.”

He could hardly see her as a wife now. How could he ever marry her? This woman… this stranger!
Who lied to him constantly. How could he ever trust her?

He hated the thought of leaving a woman with child in such a state, of course. What kind of
gentleman would he be if he allowed that? And yet, he could not betray himself by marrying her.
Maybe if she told him. Definitely if she had told him (and hadn’t lied about so very much). But
now…

Now he could not fathom a life tethered to this woman he did not know, built on a mountain of her
lies. And though a gentleman he may be, he was not the one to impregnate her so why should the
responsibility for her circumstance lie with him?
 🚩🚩🚩
When Pen took her leave, he scrambled to cloak himself in the shadows. She sailed right past him,
likely flustered by the unnecessary acrimony. At the hand of her own kin, no less! He thought it
best to remain in his hidden position for a few moments before following her.

What the devil just happened? Without a shadow of a doubt, that was the last thing he ever
imagined he would discover when he set off for answers earlier. Had he ever witnessed such
bitterness and hostility before?

Even the likes of Cressida Cowper had never been that malevolent, which was saying something, as
Cressida was generally venomous and putrid. He shuddered to think of her behaviour toward Pen at
the Vauxhall Ball.

And yet Marina’s treatment of Pen was worse.

For all of his musings about poor Marina having to get used to his curmudgeon of a brother, he
never imagined her to be even more beastly than Anthony. The irony of it all was not lost on him, it
would have been beautiful if it weren’t directed at him.

The thought of his brother brought up a memory of something Benedict had been telling him at
White’s earlier. He was “friendly,” as he liked to say, with the modiste and had spent the evening
with her when something had rattled her in the day.

She said there had been a pregnant debutant who had been needing adjustments all season to
accommodate her growing stomach. This young lady came in for her trousseau yesterday afternoon
and threatened Genevieve.

His brother laughed telling Colin this bit of the story. He said not to fret, that though the timing was
rather interesting with their engagement and the young Miss’ trousseau procurement, he knew it
obviously wasn’t Marina, as Colin was clearly still green.

Truthfully, he thought nothing of it because of course she wasn’t with child, they hadn’t so much as
kissed yet. Nor did he believe her to be cruel or calculating enough to threaten someone like that.
Except he knew now how wrong that assessment of her character was.

When he thought of her before, he only wished to be near her, to be with her, but perhaps he should
have been thinking about how little he actually knew of her in the first place. Meanwhile, there was
someone he knew very well who was likely very hurt.

Colin knew he needed to go to Penelope to see how she was fairing and discuss everything with
her. She was the only person who could help him make sense of what he overheard and he knew he
could trust her to help him determine what to do about it.

Or rather, how to go about what he wanted to do.

He set about stealthily making his way back down to Pen’s bedchamber. On the way, he determined
that he would not bother knocking, lest he give her the impression that her cruel cousin was at her
door to continue berating her.
He also did not wish to risk alerting anyone else of his presence and chance having to leave without
speaking to Pen. It was one thing before, when he was only there to unburden his own mind.

But now, he was there with a greater purpose. His concerns for himself, the very troubles he sought
her counsel on to begin with, were indeed pressing matters. However, his concern for Penelope’s
welfare was paramount.

Ever so slowly in an effort to remain exceedingly quiet, he turned the doorknob and pushed the
door open enough to poke his head inside. He swiftly scanned the room in search of Penelope.

Once he saw her, he hurried inside, delicately closing the door behind him. He held the knob to
ensure it did not make a sound when the latch slowly clicked into place. He carried out the same
cautionary action with the lock, which he knew was absolutely imperative to employ in such an
improper situation.

As with most situations, actually. Growing up with seven siblings, many of whom were merry
pranksters like himself, he held a very strong appreciation for door locks. Both the kind that kept
his siblings out and the kind that kept them in, on occasion.

He leaned against the door and turned his eyes to the desk, expecting to find a scandalised Pen that
he would swiftly reassure. Instead, he found her writing tempestuously at her desk; she hadn’t
noticed him at all.

He did not know Pen kept a journal but he supposed he wasn’t too surprised at the notion, as she
was very clever. She was far more well-read than any gentleman he knew even. And writing goes
in hand with reading, does it not?

He allowed himself to wait there for a moment and take in his surroundings. Before he could even
note what he saw, he realised that the room smelled like her. Had he consciously known Pen to
have a particular scent? He did not believe so.

And yet, his mind distinctly attributed the lovely aroma of roses with hints of blackcurrants and
berries to his friend. The pleasing fragrance washed over him and every bit of tension in his body
relaxed. It’s funny how the presence of friends can calm one so thoroughly.

Or, reminders of friends, he supposed. Now that he recognised this scent as being so very Pen, he
knew it would provide him soothing even if he were to smell it while travelling thousands of miles
away on a tour through the Mediterranean. How comforting.

As he glanced around the room, he was surprised to find that his own bedchamber had more yellow
in it than hers. He expected far more of the colour she was always dressed in but found the green
accents quite pleasing, nonetheless.

Her room was larger than his and for someone with such a small stature, he found it rather amusing
she had a double bed. His single bed across the square seemed more fitting to her needs and her bed
seemed more fitting to his own.

Regarding the bed, there was a servant's cloak lying out on it. That’s odd, he thought. Why would
such a thing even be in Penelope’s bedchamber in the first place? Let alone lying on her bed. And
at this time of night, when one should be in bed, no less? How very odd indeed.
 He turned back to look upon Pen once more, trying to formulate an explanation for his very
inappropriate presence in her bedchamber at this hour. The robe she had been wearing before was
draped over the back of her chair.

Seeing her hair loose and the nightgown she dawned, as well as her tiny feet free of any stockings
popping out underneath it, he felt his face heat up. He really should not have been there and he felt
awful for forcing such an intimate encounter on her. He could only hope that Pen would forgive
him for doing so.

He could speak with her and get answers about everything else in the morning, as he surely was not
going to Gretna Green with her cousin. But he could not leave without seeing to her well-being
after the cruelty he just witnessed, so he quietly cleared his throat to make his presence known.

“Pen, please forgive me,” he whispered beseechingly.

Pen jumped and whipped her head around with wide, terrified eyes. She gasped when she saw him
but thankfully did not scream. Though there was no question to her shock and horror at the sight of
him, there appeared to be a hint of relief, too.

Her eyes, which had grown impossibly rounder, were rimmed red and her bottom lip was swollen,
presumably from nibbling on it anxiously. He hated that she was experiencing such emotional
turmoil and knowing he had a hand in it by blatantly ignoring her warning.

Perhaps it was the time of night, or the fact that they were in her bedroom alone, or the way her
nightgown was cut in a much more flattering style than she normally wore, or the way her hair fell,
but she looked different.

“Col–Col–” she gasped.

“That would be Colin,” he drawled, walking toward her with his hands up in a disarming manner as
she began frantically tucking the parchment she had been writing on into the desk drawer.

“I apologise, I do not wish to cause you any discomfort but I had to speak with you. It will only
take a moment, I assure you.”

Finally she turned back around, keeping her hands on the now-closed desk drawer behind her. She
nodded with a soft smile, suggesting her initial panic had eased. And seeing this, he let out a breath
he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. She was still his friend Penelope and she’d help him sort out
the mess he found himself in.

Chapter End Notes

Thank you for all of your comments! They're certainly inspired quite a bit of reflection on the
entire storyline of Colin/Marina/Pen.
 Bedchamber of Secrets
Chapter Summary

Colin and Penelope have a chitchat.

Chapter Notes

This chapter got away from me. I'll be releasing a mini chapter at the end of the week that I
had to cut from this. Hope that's okay!

Shoutout as always to the folks in the writer sprints/shares channels. Y'all are some of the
kindest, most encouraging and inspiring people. I'm so very grateful for all of your support
and help in figuring out how to get this one right.

FeedingDucks & LadyKatetheGreat, thank you both for your continued alpha and beta
support!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

“Shall we sit?” Pen offered, motioning her hand toward the seating area across the room. “Or at the
very least move our standing away from the door so our voices do not carry?”

They padded over to the sitting area across the room and each took a seat, settling in for what Colin
knew was going to be a monumental discussion. He felt sick

“I have so much that I wish to speak with you about, I’m not even sure where to start,” he
confessed.

“I usually find the beginning is a good place to start,” she quipped. “Or the end, actually. I’m
always turning to the final chapter first.”
“Ah, not a devotee of mystery, Pen?” he needled.

“Me? No,” she softly tittered. “Though I do not believe you are here to discuss Walter Scott or my
collection of gothic novels.”

“I am not,” Colin shook his head. “Well, one could say I had initially come in search of you to clear
up some mysteries I could not solve on my own. Though I believe I have some of the answers I
sought now.”

“I’m not sure I understand your meaning,” she admitted in her demure manner.

“No. How could you? I have not made myself very clear,” he gibed at his own expense. “If you’ll
just give me a moment, I’ve forgotten where I planned to start.”

Colin found himself utterly unsure of what to say. His thoughts were all over the place. He knew he
wished to speak with Pen about everything; he needed to speak with Pen about everything, but
where to begin? He did not know.

He was shifting his jacket around to find some relief to the intense heat he felt all over and kept
tugging at his cravat to loosen the noose constricting his airways. If he was not already far beyond
the bounds of propriety, he would have taken his jacket and cravat off. But he did not wish for her
to be even more uncomfortable than he was surely already making her.

“Are you quite right, Colin?” she hesitantly queried. “Would you prefer discussing whatever it is in
the daytime?”

“No, no!” he urged. “Well, yes. But no, at least some of what I need to say cannot wait.”

Each time he believed himself to be ready to speak, he’d look over to Pen and find he was entirely
unable to. Saying the words aloud would make the whole bloody situation more real. And Christ,
was that humiliating.

Not to mention, Pen had tried to prevent it and he had not heeded her warning. And now, here he
was, forcing this illicit meeting in her private chambers at god knows what hour at a loss for words
to properly explain himself.

He was well and truly panicking in his own mind, which must have shown on his expression.

“Is it, is it my appearance that is so… disagreeable?” Pen sputtered. “Would you feel more
comfortable if I uh… if I turned around?”

“No! What? God no!” he harshly refuted. “Your appearance? You – I have four sisters, I am
accustomed to seeing young ladies' nightclothes.”

Then Marina’s words came back to him and he rushed to restate that last bit.

“Not that you are akin to a sister of mine, of course! I –” he sighed, “It is not you, Pen. If anything,
your presence is the only thing giving me comfort. The matters I wish to discuss are quite
distressing, is all.”

Her eyes went wide for a moment and then narrowed, assessing him as her head tilted.

“Are you certain that is all?” she asked incredulously. “You appear to be in physical pain.”
“It’s this damned cravat!” he blurted out, before remembering himself. God he was making such a
muck of things. “I apologise, please excuse my language. I feel like I am being choked. And is it
not quite warm in here?”

“Rather cold actually,” she quipped. “Are you feeling unwell?”

Right, he needed to remove his jacket to cool off. Even if she were also feeling warm, it was not as
though they could open a window. Lest their voices carry and expose their clandestine meeting.

Besides, Pen had spent so much time with his family over the years, often seeing him without a
jacket or tailcoat. His brothers, too. Perhaps with only his shirt, waistcoat and cravat, he would not
feel as though he were being suffocated.

“I’m fine,” he insisted as he rid himself of the jacket once and for all.

He momentarily considered removing the cravat as well, but thought better of it and settled for
tugging the wretched thing to loosen it. In all fairness, it was not as if she was wearing anything
remotely formal so removing it would not be so offensive. Still, she was a lady.

“Colin, if your cravat is choking you, do not torture yourself by keeping it on,” she huffed. “I
believe we’re well past the bounds of propriety here so do what you must to feel more comfortable.
I assure you I do not mind.”

“Thank you, Pen,” he said with genuine gratitude for the solace she always provided. “I – I did not
wish to disturb you more than I already have with my presence alone.”

“The only thing troubling me is your discomfort and inability to tell me what is agitating you!” she
petulantly whined. “Please hand me your cravat so we may hasten this along, Colin.”

Penelope reached across the space between their chairs and held her palm up to stress the sincerity
in her directive. Seeing the resolve in her expression, he decided it best to submit to the impropriety
of it all and take the cravat off. He handed it to her and watched as she diligently folded it.

Her focus on the mundane task was mesmerising for a moment or two. The way she precisely
aligned the corners and smoothed out the wrinkles would have made his valet immensely proud.
When she finished, she set the cravat aside, before turning her attention back to him.

“Thank you,” she gave him a knowing, warm smile that one may wear with small children or the
elderly. “Now, tell me what was on your mind when you left your house. Why don’t we start
there?”

“I was left with questions after leaving here last night. I did not have a chance to mull them over
until this evening because I was so distracted by getting things prepared to go to Gretna Green with
Miss Thompson in the morrow,” he blurted out. “Once everything was settled and I was left to my
thoughts as I packed a bag for the trip, it became apparent that I would not find peace without
seeking answers.”

“And you could not do so in the morning because you are to depart early, I suppose?” Pen offered.

“Yes. Well, I am no longer – I am unsure - that is, I do not wish to –” he exhaled a frustrated sigh.
He had much more to explain before getting to that point. “May I continue before we discuss that?”
Her eyes widened as she tersely nodded.

“You told me that I misunderstood your meaning, that Miss Thompson had not simply flirted with
the man you spoke of but she in fact loved him,” he recalled. “And I told you not to fret, that she
and I understood each other.”

“Yes,” Pen wearily confirmed, looking down at her fidgeting hands in her lap.

“It seemed as though you had more to say but then she joined us and made some caustic remark
about moving the party to the corridor,” he recounted. “I sensed something was amiss between the
two of you with the way she eyed you and I attempted to relieve some of the tension with a joke
about your sister’s singing.”

A bubble of laughter escaped Pen, seemingly despite herself. Through her giggles, she gibed, “It’s
quite terrible, is it not?”

“It is.” he snickered in agreement at the memory. It was good to laugh.

Once they each recovered, he cleared his throat and proceeded, “As I was saying, I believe now that
Miss Thompson must have assumed we were speaking of her and was afraid of something being
exposed.”

Pen’s eyes widened at his mention of the fraud she did not yet know he was aware of.

“At the time, I was not certain what it could have been. I did not wish for her to know what we
spoke of, so I used the jest as a way of deflection, you see,” he reasoned. “Then she sent you away
with a withering comment about your mother asking after you. It struck me as odd, this strange
dynamic and newfound hostility. I believed you got on quite well before –”

An indignant scoff cut him off and he turned to see his sweet-natured friend grimacing like his
eldest brother.

“I do not wish to belabour the point, Pen, as this is merely a small portion of my reason for being
here,” Colin divulged. “All to say, I was left wondering what you had planned to say and why on
Earth Miss Thompson would use such a scornful tone with you. It took some reflection to realise
that if the mere engagement troubled you, absconding to Gretna Green to be married would be
significantly upsetting and I needed to know why.”

“A small portion of your reason for being here,” she repeated. “What of the rest?”

“I will spare you the details but other concerns regarding my subsequent conversation with her
arose,” he grumbled. “I believed that speaking with you first might give me a better understanding
of the situation and clear up many of the questions that seemed to linger.”

“Oh. Why –” she cut herself off and began anew, “I understand why you would not have come
during calling hours to discuss such delicate matters in the company of my family, though I could
have slipped out during the day, had you simply sent a note over.”

“I know you could have. I considered waiting to chance seeing you at tea with my family but I
know you and Eloise have not been on great terms as of late –”

“You noticed?” she whispered.

What the devil? How could he not? Did Penelope truly think him that daft? Or think herself so
insignificant that her absence would go unnoticed?

“Of course,” he said matter-of-factly. “You have not been to tea in weeks.”

A storm of emotions passed through her expression at his light chastising.

“That is beside the point,” Colin continued. “It would have taken time to devise some sort of ruse
to speak with you privately. Time which I did not have, as I was determined to take care of
everything for Miss Thompson and myself to marry as soon as possible.”

“And after spending your day doing so, you still decided to come find me?” she asked doubtfully.

“Indeed. I have heard Eloise speaking of her late night visits here. How she would throw pebbles
and meet you at the servants entrance round back. So I did just that; only, you did not come to the
window,” he explained. “By the time I exhausted the pebbles I procured on my walk across the
square, I made a rather rash decision.”

“To break in?” she deadpanned with a wry smile.

Pen’s cheeky side always caught him off guard and despite the very uncomfortable confession he
knew he must make next, he found himself unable to hold back a smile.

“I thought - Pen, I do not wish for you to be upset with me but saying this aloud,” Colin cringed. “It
all sounds very harebrained, indeed.” He sighed before finishing his admission, “I thought if you
had been sleeping, you would have forgiven me for waking you once I explained my predicament.”

Pen’s eyes went wide but rather than giving her a moment to respond, he thought it best to move
beyond his most ungentlemanly behaviour. He had dragged the entire explanation out too long as it
was.

“I used the servant's entrance - Oh right! Pen, you must find a way to speak with your staff about
this! - I was horrified to find it was unlocked. It did, however, allow me to slip inside undetected,”
he shot her the most charming smile he could muster. “But I should not like anyone else to make
use of an unlocked entrance to your house. There could be people who wish to harm you! I do not –
I cannot –”

Colin shook his head in hopes of shaking out the thought of Pen being harmed by some vagrant
wandering through the night or a nefarious character her father consorted with. “Promise me you
will ensure the door remains locked at all times. Especially at night.”

She nodded, fixing her bright blue eyes on his and softly said, “I promise.”

“Good.”

Relief washed over Colin and he let the moment linger to appreciate it thoroughly.

“And you were right of course,” she chirped.

“Pardon me?” he asked. Had she said something beforehand that he missed?

“Had I been sleeping, I would have forgiven you for waking me in your distressed state,” Pen
confirmed with a very sweet smile. “Shall we begin discussing your concerns, then?”
“Hmm?” He was too delighted at the confirmation of his interpretation of their close friendship that
he momentarily forgot the very concerns that brought him there.

“I believe I can speak to the tension between myself and Marina in the corridor and tell you what I
was not able to share,” she explained. “Colin, I do not wish to be the one to tell you this –”

He hastened to cut her off, reaching out to squeeze her hand, as he avowed, “Pen, I know.”

“You know?” she breathed. Panic flashed through her eyes and she deflated in her seat, bringing
her hand back with her.

“After using the unlocked door that you promise to keep locked in the future,” he told her, smirking
pointedly. “I came here.”

“Yes, I am aware, Mr. Bridgerton,” she quipped with a playful eye roll.

“Ah, but you were not in your bedchamber, Pen,” he drawled, raising an eyebrow in her direction
with a smug smirk settling on his face. “Not that time.”

“What?” her wide eyes flitted up to his. “That time?”

“There was no one here. So I thought of where else you might be while I traversed around in the
shadows and followed the sound of movement upstairs,” he recounted. “I saw Miss Thompson
enter a room and heard her say your name. Naturally, I stationed myself outside the door once it
closed.”

“You –”

“I heard everything, Pen,” he gently stated.

“Everything?” she echoed, blushing furiously.

“Everything,” he confirmed. “Her lies. Her deception. Her cruelty.”

“But I did not see you when I left?” she mumbled, staring down at her lap with hunched shoulders.

“No,” he chortled. “I imagine you did not see much at all in such a state. And I’m glad for it, as you
can guess the state I was in at that moment.”

Pen visibly gulped before looking up to meet his gaze with an awkward smile.

“So you see why I could not simply leave after that?” he entreated, breaking the brief silence that
had fallen over them. “Despite having stumbled upon the answers I sought through my undetected
eavesdropping, I had to check on you first. Are you alright, Pen?”

“Am I alright?” she sputtered incredulously. “I should be asking that of you, Colin!”

“Well, I am asking you,” he countered. “Listening to someone be so cruel to you? I was appalled,
Penelope. Truly aghast at her malevolence. Do not tell me you are so accustomed to being
mistreated that you are surprised by my concern.”

Watching the nonplussed reaction to his question was an answer in itself. An answer that pained
him to consider.
“I assure you I am fine,” she stated, plainly lying through her teeth. Of course anyone’s defences
would be up after such a night.

Before he could respond, she piped up again. “Colin?”

“Yes?” he softly replied. He wondered if she was going to retract her untruth and confide in him
how hurt she actually felt.

“What Marina said,” she nervously began, “I–I um –”

He reached out to squeeze her hand and held it tight so she could not pull away again, asking,
“What is it, Pen?”

She cringed and turned to set her gaze upon the tile in front of the fireplace, likely gathering her
thoughts. What could be so distressing? Apart from the obvious, he supposed. Then he recalled
Marina’s recrimination when Penelope stood up to her.

“Oh! I believe I understand. Do not worry, Pen,” he attempted to soothe her with his delicate tone
as he rubbed circles on the back of her hand. “I know you do not love me as she said, though I am
so very grateful that you care for me enough as a friend to try to prevent Marina from carrying out
her deception. I know her accusations were merely a deflection.”

“What can you mean?”

“Accusing you of ‘ meddling’ because you ‘ loved me ’ was just another example of the smoke and
mirrors she deployed to conduct her scheming,” Colin explained . “She did not have a response to
the very reasonable question you posed and decided erroneous allegations were the best way to
skirt having to admit her wrongdoings.”

“Oh,” she cooed.

“You know something, Pen?” he mused. “I pity her in that way. It is clear that she does not
understand love nor friendship.”

“I believe she understands love,” Pen quietly murmured. “She is very much in love with Sir George
Crane.”

“And yet she was planning to marry me!” he spat, dropping her hand to petulantly slump back in
his seat. Then in a softer tone, he pressed on, “Sorry. Were you aware that she said she loved me?
No one who truly knew love would be able to weaponize it so flippantly.”

“I did not know that you exchanged declarations of love. I am –” Pen shook her head as she
ventured to console him, “I am sorry, Colin. That must be terribly difficult to reconcile with.”

“We did not –” he had to clear his throat before fully admitting, “that is to say, I did not say it back.
Perhaps some part of me knew that what we shared was not love? I’m not sure.”

Pen reached across the space between them and lightly patted his knee with another one of her
rueful smiles.

“Regardless, that was one of the crueller parts of her con. The importance my family places on love
is common knowledge in the ton and she used that as a way to pull me further into the delusion of
her trickery. After deliberately trying to sow dissension in my relationship with them, no less!”
Rather than expounding upon the epiphany he just came to about Marina saying his family did not
accept her, Colin was glad to allow a companionable silence to befall the sitting area.

Penelope understood the way he preferred to process through his emotions and new information on
his own before discussing with others. She was always patient with him in that regard where few
others were.

Breaking the silence, she gingerly asked, “And what of friendship?”

“Hmm?”

“You said that you pity her for not understanding friendship,” Pen gently reminded him.

“Ah, yes. Well of course it became apparent tonight how wretchedly she treats those who offer her
kindness,” he began, “I believed the two of you to be friends throughout the season and hearing the
way she spoke to you these past two evenings, I realised that she had been a fraud in that manner,
as well.”

“I do not believe we have been friends since she began trying to trap you and I began trying to stop
her,” she murmured with a forlorn, melancholic tone he never knew Pen to possess.

“You must know I would have done the same for you, yes?” he proclaimed. “I will always look out
for you, Penelope. You are my friend.”

“Your friend,” she repeated. “How good to hear.”

“I understand why you may not believe it so. I hope that in time, I can earn your forgiveness for
dismissing your warning in such a patronising manner,” he exhaled a self-deprecating laugh.
“believing you to be naive when it was I who was the fool all along. I pray it will not have
irreparable damage on our relationship.”

“You were not a fool. You merely believed yourself in love. One should never apologise for that,”
she stressed. “And our friendship is not damaged , Colin! I wholeheartedly accept your apology. In
fact, I should be the one begging for your forgiveness for not finding a way to tell you sooner.”

As much as he wished she had told him sooner, it was not as if she had been the one actually
deceiving him. So he sighed, taking her hand in his to better communicate his sincerity, and said,
“That was not necessarily your responsibility, Pen.”

“Perhaps not. Though I offer my most sincere apology all the same,” she countered. “I should not
wish to keep such a secret from you or your family again; it was agonising.”

“Why did you wait to say something?” he hesitantly queried. “I am not upset with you for it, I only
wish to understand.”

“Well,” she heaved a deep breath, releasing his hand and adjusting her posture. “When she arrived
at the beginning of the season, I found, for the first time I could ever recall, someone in my
household who was kind to me and wished for my company.”

He never understood Pen’s family. How could anyone treat their family that way? Pen especially!
He and his siblings may squabble frequently and it is easy to find oneself lost in the shuffle
oftentimes. But there was always so much love in his home.
“She had a room full of suitors then and she was not particularly interested in pursuing anything
with any one of you,” Penelope continued with an apologetic voice. “I did not know it at the time
but she had been corresponding with George during those days, so there was reason to believe she
needn’t court or marry a gentleman of the ton at all.”

He believed Marina’s indifference in the early days of their courtship to be nothing more than a
consequence of having so many suitors to attend to during the short time that calling hours allowed
for. That was likely still a factor, so he could not fault himself for not seeing the truth then.

“When she was kept from society events with her supposed-illness, my mother told us her
condition was catching, so we were not to see her. I snuck her a piece of cake one night and learned
of her pregnancy. She explained how one becomes – well, no, I am still unsure…” Pen trailed off
with a perplexed expression as if she were doing sums in her head.

Shaking her head, she began again, “Marina showed me her letters and we swooned over the love
story she believed herself to be in with Sir Crane. We believed he would be coming back to her
imminently. From then on, I made sure to sift through the post before anyone else in my household
to ensure his letters got to her.”

Colin could picture it then, a wistful Pen racing down the winding stairs for the post with the
fairytale of a romantic hero writing to his lover in her mind. A gallant knight racing back to save
the heroin on his white horse.

He wondered if this was also part of Marina’s deception or if she had truly believed her Sir George
would come back at that time. Had she preyed upon Pen’s romanticism?

No, she called herself a fool earlier, so something must have changed sometime between then and
now. As angry and hurt as he was feeling, he could not help but feel a pang of sympathy for what
Marina had been suffering through.

“But the letters… they stopped coming. And well,” Pen faltered, “Well, as you heard, I discovered
just today that my mama or our housekeeper forged a letter from him at that time. Presumably to
get Marina to set her efforts elsewhere so she would not be unwed with child, in my parent’s care. I
am quite ashamed of their actions.”

He supposed he should be quite familiar with hearing just how opposite her family were to her in
every way, but it still shocked him each time. How was Penelope, this lovely and kind friend of his,
raised by someone who could do such a thing?

“By the time she was to return to society and set about finding a husband, I did not think you would
continue to be a potential suitor.” Before adding her next words, her face contorted in discomfort
again, “Oh Colin, I hope you do not take this the wrong way.”

With a plea like that, he braced himself for some harsh judgements about his character not being up
to par with other suitors. He often felt like he was viewed as this empty-headed charmer. That was
likely what Pen was trying to convey, he thought.

“I have long admired that you hold such grand dreams of travel and exploration beyond the shores
of England and I thought you wished to accomplish them before settling down,” she reasoned. “I
always believed you would achieve great things outside of our small world here. I still do believe it,
wholeheartedly.”
Oh .

Colin never knew Pen took his dreams so seriously or held him in such high esteem. She truly
cared for him and regarded him in a way that no one else seemed to. She believed him capable of
great things.

The conversation felt too intimate, too important to leave so much space between the two of them.
However, he did not wish to risk the loud noise that dragging a chair could make, so he stood to lift
his chair closer to hers.

She startled momentarily, but recovered quickly and continued on, “You will no doubt be the most
wonderful husband and father the ton has ever seen, at least not since your own father , but you
have a good deal of time and plentiful opportunities to make your mark first.”

Colin inhaled a sharp gasp and scrambled to cover her hand with his own. He did not have the
words to express just how much he was feeling in that moment.

Penelope thought he would be similar to his father when he had a family of his own? That was the
greatest compliment he could imagine receiving. The pendulum of his emotions was taking a
dramatic swing from where it had been as he perched outside of Marina’s door.

“Surely you are not so old that you are in desperate need of a wife,” she needled, reasoning, “I
know you are your own man, a nicer, wittier, more clever and far less rakish one at that , but I
believed you would follow your brothers’ examples by enjoying many years of bachelorhood.”

He could have done without being looped in with his brothers as he so often was by the rest of the
world, but he appreciated how she prefaced it with the nicer, wittier, more clever bits nonetheless.

“Especially because you have been filled with that desire for worldly experiences since returning
from Eton. Perhaps even earlier, actually.”

She was right of course. Colin’s dreams of a grand tour grew immensely during his Eton days. He
must have spoken with Pen about it ad nauseam. It made all the more sense why she had been
incessantly reminding him of how much he longed to travel.

“The point being, you are young and free to do as you wish with your life. I did not believe that
included taking a wife this season,” she concluded. “And I rather hoped that Marina would see this
and set her sights on someone else. Allowing you to follow your passions and allowing Marina to
find someone who wished to marry immediately and lessen the impact of the early delivery.”

It was comforting to know that Pen’s faith in him hadn’t faded with the foolishness he displayed
throughout this bungled courtship and engagement. He only hoped his family would see things
similarly.

“Thank you, Pen. I –” he cut himself off. What could he even say? “That all means a great deal to
me, you know.”

She smiled demurely and tightly nodded before continuing.

“When you continued courting her,” Pen recalled, “I tried to tell myself to set aside the future I
hoped for wi– the future I wished you would have… pursuing your aspirations!”
Huh . He wondered what had her so flustered. They had just discussed that she had imagined he
would travel before settling down, had they not? Why should she be nervous now?

“Marina spoke highly of your character after the Trowbridge ball – how good you are to your
younger siblings, how gallant you were in saving her from dancing with the heinous old Lord in
need of an heir that my mama tried to pawn her off on.”

He remembered that night vividly. It was only a short couple weeks ago after all. Before he swept
Marina away from that man on the dancefloor, he and Pen had a very interesting exchange.

Her barb about Lady Trowbridge and her footman was most unexpected and he would be lying if
he said that side of her did not stir something within him. But then the moment was lost when she
retreated back into herself and he recalled that he was there to ask after Miss Thompson.

He should have remained with Pen and tried to coax more barbs out of her instead.

“It was jarring to hear that her sights were set on you and I will admit that the part of me which
held onto the hope that Sir George would return only grew,” she confessed. “But she seemed to
make you happy and if you loved one another, I would never wish to stand in the way. I was naive,
I suppose. I could not imagine a marriage happening without you learning of the truth ahead of
time.”

“You thought she made me happy?” Colin all but spat at her, before remembering he was speaking
with Pen, not Miss Thompson. Pen hadn’t schemed to trap him into a fraud of a wedding. She was
being honest and vulnerable in explaining her experience to him. Softer now, he asked, “Were you
not present to hear her lies during each of my calls?”

“In truth, I often busied myself with the dog to avoid having to listen to your conversations. I – you
– I –” she stuttered uncomfortably, “It was difficult having to witness you courting someone. And
when I could not turn my attention to other things, I did not recognise the woman you were
conversing with.”

It was difficult having to watch – and just where did that dog go? He hadn’t seen it in the past week
or so. Did it run away? Surely Pen would have said something or acted more distraught. No, they
must have given the dog away. Perhaps to a member of their staff?

“I realised that Marina had no intention of being truthful with you and she was well and truly
attempting to trap you,” she lamented. “I first tried to remind you of your desire to travel and called
out some of her lies so you might not fall victim to her disingenuous scheme.”

Just as he regretted not taking her warning seriously, he regretted not picking up on her subtle hints
of Marina’s lying. He was always quite shrewd but it seemed matters of the heart - as it pertained to
his own heart - went over his head.

“I then tried to reason with my mother that you were not the sort of man they should have been
focusing on. But then I overheard the two of them discussing the merits of trapping you and Marina
told my mama that she planned to,” she cringed and looked away as she awkwardly continued,
“seduce you because waiting to consummate the marriage until after the wedding would give away
that the child was conceived by another.”

If someone were to tell him before this night that he would be secreted away in Pen’s bedchamber
discussing seduction and consummation in the middle of the night, he would have laughed outright.
“By that point, I began begging Marina not to trap you as I continued suggesting other options. I
pointed out many of the young suitors who were courting her at the start of the season. I was also
sure to recommend Lords closer to your brothers’ ages who would likely be delighted to enter into
a marriage that would offer them an heir without being bound by the ties of love and would offer
her child security, title, and wealth, in turn. But she would not entertain the possibility of another
because time was running out.”

Perhaps Miss Thompson did have some affection for him after all. He is not titled, though one
could look past that with the wealth and security he can provide. But it is easy enough to trap a
man, especially a rake, by simply being caught in a room together unchaperoned.

It would have been prudent for Miss Thompson to lure a wealthy, titled, unwed gentleman – such
as Lord Fife or Lord Cho, or even Lord Lumley! – and plan to be “caught” by Lady or Lord
Featherington, forcing them to wed. She needn’t even partake in any physical seduction.

And she was so willing to trap him into this fraud of an engagement and scheme to move up their
nuptials. It would stand to reason that she would be willing to fraud and trap and scheme another
unwed gentleman, no? Except, she dismissed that all together to continue pursuing him?

“At the Duke and Duchess’s wedding breakfast I told her that I’ve known you forever, you’re my
friend and more importantly, you are a good and kind man who did not deserve to be trapped. She
ignored my suggestions and sarcastically asked if she should trap a bad man before she sauntered
off to go uh –” Penelope fidgeted in her seat and a deep blush began travelling down her neck and
chest. She cringed while concluding, “to go conduct her seduction of you.”

“The seduction she attempted did not happen, Pen. At least, I did not fall prey to it,” he began while
he considered the events of that day. “Although I suppose I did in a way? She asked to find some
air and we went to the study during Daphne’s wedding breakfast. She tried to kiss me but I… I
could not do it. I could not kiss her.”

“She seemed so dejected and resigned that proposing seemed like the right way to make her feel
better, to show her that I did desire her. I just respected her honour too much to ruin her with a
kiss.” Colin could not stop the dark laughter that bubbled out of him. “Now I can see that she
wasn’t hurt or sad about my not desiring to kiss her, she was realising that her plan to seduce and
trap me quickly was not going to work. And a kiss would certainly not be ruinous for her.”

Putting the pieces of the puzzle together with all of the revelations of the evening, Colin had a
range of deep emotions warring within him. As if he were physically unable to hold it all in, he felt
the prick of tears in his eyes and he had to ball his trembling fists tight.

“I’m so sorry, Colin,” she took both of his hands in hers and avowed, “You didn’t deserve any of
it.”

Men were not supposed to bare their emotions or show vulnerability but he didn’t have it in him to
fight it. He would never wish to be seen in such a state. Perhaps only by his mother, Benedict,
Daphne, or Francesca.

But Pen’s presence was most welcomed. She had a way of making him feel secure in the assurance
that she would never forsake him. She would still revere him fondly, no matter the circumstance.

“I should have told you sooner. I should have found another way,” Pen choked out, emotion
bleeding through her raspy voice. “You deserved to know who you are marrying and what the
 motivations were behind the rushed engagement.”

“It should never have gotten to a point where you were forced to tell me anything, Pen,” he argued.
“Marina should have come to me with the truth herself long before now.”

Another serene, peaceful silence blanketed the room. Before he could think of what would happen
when he left the safe retreat of his dear friend’s green bedchamber, one question still lingered.

Chapter End Notes

Thank you for all of the comments and kudos! I'm shocked at the warm reception it's gotten so
far.

I was initially going to end this with chapter I plan to release next week and leave it up to you,
dear readers, to use your imagination for whatever ending you want. But I think it will be fun
running through some alternate endings.

I think I might have 3 or 4 alternate endings to this. Inspiration courtesy of Castlefied. (Insert
Colin saying: "It was actually you who inspired me.") Also, big shoutout to penelopecolin
(sexymonk) for letting me ramble on about the potential endings.
 Confessions Made
Chapter Summary

Polin continue their lil gab sesh. (Minichapter)

Chapter Notes

🫣 (I started a new job

Hi! I wanted to get this out asap so I haven't had a chance to edit it.
this week so I'm a little all over the place. Please forgive my chaos.)

Many thanks to the sprinters, FeedingDucks, and LadyKatetheGreat as always. Y'all are just
wonderful.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

“Pen? As I promised before, I am not upset with you,” he began slowly, “But my curiosity is
unrelenting and I must know why you only said Miss Thompson loved another and did not share
that she was with child.”

“Oh right!” she squeaked, yet it still came out a bit breathless.

“Well, I would have if we were able to speak longer in the corridor. But I suppose you wish to
know why I did not lead with her pregnancy?” she clarified.

Colin nodded in confirmation, beseeching her, “If you’ll just humour me, please?”
“I did not wish to bring such a ruinous scandal upon Marina. I thought I could prevent doing so by
revealing a smaller truth,” Penelope explained, “One that could help you see that you were engaged
to a stranger while at the same time that revelation would not completely oust her.”

“That is why you told me she loved Sir George Crane and had been exchanging letters with him?”

“Indeed,” she nodded, “I thought it would be enough for you to reconsider marrying someone who
loved another man and had consistently lied to you throughout your courtship.”

Oof. The sting of regret and shame for his dismal of her the evening prior had reared its ugly head
once again. When she put it like that, how could he not feel abashed by his foolishness?

“And, there was also the matter of you not believing me or Marina claiming I was being
untruthful,” Pen all but whispered, gingerly prodding, “On the notion of merely loving someone
else, you did not believe I knew what I spoke of. A subject I know very well.”

He cringed remembering saying that he knew Marina’s mind. But what did she mean, a subject she
knew very well? He frowned and tilted his head to her, hoping she would elaborate without having
to ask.

“I am all too familiar with affairs of the heart.”

“Wha-who-how?” Colin sputtered. “How are you so familiar with affairs of the heart?”

“Reading!” she blurted out matter-of-factly but there was a hint of something he couldn’t decipher
in her expression. “One can learn a great deal of things by reading, you know.”

He fought to hold the corners of his lips from curling up. Reading? Reading… romance books?
That is how she is supposedly very familiar with matters of the heart? Oh Pen, Pen, Pen. Such an
innocent.

“When things bother me around here, I retreat to the library. So I’m sure you can imagine that I
find myself there fairly often, and this outlet of immersing myself in books to escape my
circumstance has inevitably included many books that featured romances.”

“I don’t have to imagine anything,” he grumbled in disbelief that she spoke to him as if he were a
stranger. “Do you think I’m unaware that you are a voracious reader, Pen?”

A voracious reader of romantic tales, at that! He was well aware of her fondness for such things.
Why does she think herself a mystery to him?

“No, I trust you know me well enough to know of my favourite pastime.” she acquiesced, though
he wondered if she was being completely truthful.

It was becoming more and more apparent that Penelope did not believe their friendship to be as
established as he did, very much to his chagrin. Was his mind simply filled with delusions? Could
he trust his own perception of his relationships?

Of other people even? His estimation of Marina’s character was certainly not rooted in reality. But
no, he knew Pen. Perhaps he could not trust himself on other matters but he knew her and he knew
their friendship.
“As I was saying, I am familiar with matters of the heart. I could speak to your objects or disbelief
about my knowledge of Miss Thompson’s love. However, when it comes to how one becomes with
child, I am not… I do not…”

Pen blushed furiously and cleared her throat before continuing, “I could not have supplied evidence
for I had only been told by Marina and my mama that she was pregnant.”

“You have not ascertained that from your reading materials, then?” he teased.

“No, there are no books in our library or yours that speak to … it,” she said sheepishly, “Eloise and
I have tried our best to find answers. It was quite terrifying for us when my mother told me that
Marina’s condition was catching.”

Colin burst out laughing at the memory of Eloise asking how one becomes with child and the
highly amusing quips he made about visiting a farm and taking his stick out for a round of fencing.

“I apologise, Pen,” he tittered awkwardly. “I am not – please do not think I am laughing at you. I
am merely recalling when Eloise asked how one becomes with child earlier in the season. It must
have been during the same time you speak of.” He leaned toward her and conspiratorially boasted,
“I made some highly amusing jests about it that day.”

“I’m sure you did,” Pen quipped, rolling her eyes. “I’d ask to hear them but I fear I would not grasp
your meaning.”

“No, but if it were up to me, you would not be kept in the dark on such matters,” he sighed. “Sorry.
You were saying?”

“Right. I had actually hoped your mother might have been able to pick up on something that could
have signified Marina was with child. Some idiosyncrasy that a pregnant woman might do,
perhaps?” she considered.“Your mother is very shrewd and I trust she knew she was being
managed but I do not believe she uncovered the reason.”

“I do not believe so, either,” he shook his head in agreement with her assessment. “But I can see
now why you did not begin with that revelation. Thank you for sharing your reasoning with me.”

“I – there is –” Pen choked out. “The only other thing I’ll mention is quite terrible of me, so I
understand if you become upset. But I do not wish to keep things from you.”

While it was nice to hear that she would not keep secrets from him any longer, he was unsure if that
was what he wished for now. Her expression and the tension in the air between them made him
think he had something to fear.

“A small part of me, way in the back of my mind,” she stressed, “believed that if you were only told
of the pregnancy, without knowing about her loving the man who sired her child nor how she had
not been honest with you –”

Pen cringed, looking away for a moment to collect her thoughts. Or perhaps simply to find the
words to soften whatever blow she was about to deal him.

“Well that small part of me believed you might rush to marry Marina in order to save her from her
circumstances without stopping to think through how it would affect you,” she rushed out.
Oh.

“You are so generous, noble, and virtuous, Colin,” she professed. “The kindest man I’ve ever
known. You always put others ahead of yourself. It is all so very admirable,” her hand reached
toward him only to retreat sheepishly.

This was quite the lead up. He was not able to enjoy a speck of the praise she offered while he was
waiting for her to explain her meaning behind the blow she just dealt him.

“But I worry that sometimes you neglect to consider yourself before acting and then you end up
with regrets from making such decisions in haste,” she said with an apologetic undertone before
concluding with, “I hate seeing you put yourself through that for people who wouldn’t think twice
about you if the roles were reversed.”

Right. Only Penelope could so thoroughly read him for filth but still manage to make it sound so
sweet and caring.

“And oh Colin,” she lamented, “it pains me greatly to think of you in that position after having
been isolated from your family.”

“What can you mean?” Why would he be isolated from his family in this scenario?

“You mentioned she had attempted to sow dissension in your relationship with your family?” Pen
gently reminded him, “I imagine Marina knew, as you well know, the tension there would only
heighten if you were to abscond to Gretna Green without their knowledge. And I just loathe to
think of you reconciling with regrets… alone.”

He was not sure how to respond to that. Of course he knew running off to elope would upset his
family. He said as much to Marina when he proposed the idea. To think that she was aware of just
how much his family meant to him and she still attempted to drive a wedge between them.

She still wove her web of lies about his family and the Featheringtons not accepting her, feigned
being unwanted and falsely professed her love to him. All because she knew! She knew it would
stoke the flames of that part of him that wished to be a chivalrous, valiant gentleman.

Above all else, he wished to be like his father. A worthy, honourable man. An affectionate, doting
husband. A wise, loving father. He should not have been surprised at this point in unravelling the
instances of manipulation, which fooled him so beautifully, that shrewd Miss Thompson had sensed
this part of him and was able to prey on it with such ease.

“At any rate, I am glad you know the truth of the matter now,” Pen sighed before continuing with a
shaky voice, “so you’re able to contemplate the situation for what it is and consider how your life
will be affected. Then,” she dipped her head and turned away from him, murmuring, “should you
still uh… wish to marry her, you’ll be going into it with keen awareness. You will not have to
reconcile with having done so in delusion.”

“Thank you, Pen. But no,” he shook his head frantically. “I do not wish to — I feel awful about
leaving her in such a position, though, and God, what of her unborn child?” He rose from his seat,
roughly running a hand through his hair while the other clutched his chest. Now pacing, he griped,
“A gentleman would marry her despite her cruel trickery, no?”
With an expression of pure worry, Pen opened and closed her mouth thrice. Or at least he caught
her doing so thrice as he paced to and fro.

“I cannot do it. I cannot marry her,” he whispered, slumping back into the abandoned chair without
an ounce of poise.

She took both of his hands in hers and her eyes filled with concern and empathy. That look on
anyone else would have come across as pity but he knew that was absolutely not the case with Pen.
He knew the depths of her caring and loyal soul behind those eyes.

He wished she had a settee, rather than the two chairs whose arms kept them apart. It was improper,
but he would have preferred embracing her to simply holding hands. To find comfort and fortitude
in the arms of a friend. The only friend he could be vulnerable with.

Propriety be damned. He needed her support to fight the overwhelming despair that was threatening
to drown him. He stood, keeping her hands in his and giving them a scant tug before she joined
him.

Before he could second-guess his decision, he pulled their joined hands to his hips, twisting his grip
to lay her palms against his body. Her hands stiffened and hovered just close enough that he could
feel the heat coming off of them through his shirt.

He loosely trailed his hands up her arms, holding still once they met the curves of her shoulders.
Waiting a moment for her to meet his gaze and seeing no fear or anger in her eyes, he wrapped his
arms around her.

She fit surprisingly well in his embrace. Rather perfectly, actually. He would think her petite stature
would be a hindrance but it proved to be the opposite. With their bodies pressed against one
another, her head tucked squarely under his chin.

And if he also noted how soft, curvy and lush she was, exactly how he always thought a woman
should be, well... well, he need not chastise himself for that now. He had enough self-reproach to
wrestle with as it were.

“I don’t even know myself anymore, Pen,” he confessed. “In a matter of hours, I have discovered
that I have been playing the part of a fool for weeks and I cannot live up to the standards of the sort
of gentleman I always considered myself to be.”

She shook her head against his chest, her hair tickling his chin. He felt the heat of her breath
through his shirt in the space his waistcoat did not cover, as she argued, “You were not a fool and
you are a gentleman!”

“I’m not,” he whined.

“You are!” Pen maintained with a passionate pledge. This time, she pulled out of his embrace, her
eyes bore into him as she said, “You are. You have been nothing but a gentleman your whole life.”

“And yet a gentleman would grin and bear this fate to ensure Marina and her child were
supported,” he countered, “no matter the suffering she imposed on him.”

Pen shook her head again, sighing heavily before responding. And when she did, it was so soft, so
reverent, he could almost find comfort in it.
“Colin, you should not have to marry someone who treated you so poorly, nor should you have to
bear the responsibilities of someone else’s child, simply because you are a good and kind
gentleman.”

He took her hands in his and squeezed them tightly, smiling warily as he fought to hold in the
frustrated tears that were threatening to spill. Once he let go, he sunk back in his chair and
ruminated over her words.

Come to think of it, George and his family should be caring for Marina and their child. She could
be carrying the rightful heir to their estate. The child should be inheriting the Crane title.

If Anthony had ever compromised a gently bred lady and not taken pains to keep her from
becoming pregnant before fucking off to the continent, he would have ensured Benedict and Colin
knew it was their responsibility to take care of the lady and child.

Thinking aloud, he murmured, “I must find a way to get out of this engagement.”

And preferably in some way that does not leave Marina in a terrible position, despite the fact that
she was attempting to force him into a dreadful future built on deception. Similarly, he would not
wish to bring shame upon Pen’s family, despite her mother’s hand in all of this.

Colin would absolutely not wish to have Penelope ruined by this.

“Then we shall endeavour to do just that,” she said resolutely. “Find a way.”

“I do not know how,” he lamented. “It is practically forbidden for a man to break an engagement –
poor form at the very least. A gentleman is honourbound to follow through once a marriage
proposal is rendered. Women can cry off far more easily, but…”

“But convincing Marina to do so on her own is unlikely,” Pen supplied, completing the sentence he
could not.

“Right. I suppose Anthony could say something to your parents or could refuse to give his blessing
as I am not yet one and twenty,” he considered, “but given Miss Thompson’s resolve and your
mother’s… tenacity, I would not put it past them to push back.”

Pen nodded in agreement, musing, “They could refute the claim that she is with child.”

“Or threaten to spread word in the ton that I ruined her and the child was mine,” he added,
horrifying himself with the thought of such a fate.

“Or threaten to sue for breach of contract, heaven forbid,” she noted. God, Colin hadn’t even
thought of that.

“Even if I somehow were able to cry off with our families staying quiet on the matter, it is not as
though I could avoid being assumed the father, as our engagement was announced so publicly” he
winced at the memory, “and I have been courting her all season.”

Pen sighed while her eyes took on a strange, faraway look, and yet they were narrowed, intense.
She was plotting something. He was sure of it.

“As much power as my family yields in the ton, I’m afraid we could not overcome the inevitable
assumptions,” he continued.
 And those inevitable assumptions would only bring shame to his entire family. His sisters would
pay the price for his notoriety on the marriage mart. He would not only have to live with the shame
and frustration of falsely being accused a libertine, but he’d also bear the guilt of damaging his
sisters’ prospects and putting their futures at risk.

It would be the same if they proceeded with the marriage, in fact. Her child would come far too
early to have been conceived after they made their vows. It would be assumed he took liberties
with her shortly after she arrived in Mayfair. They would not be able to escape the assumptions of
the shrewd busybodies of the ton who devoured gossip.

“No, I do not believe so,” Pen said meekly.

“Also, if Anthony did say something to your parents, it would be presumed the information came
from you, Pen,” he speculated, “and I loathe to think of the kind of trouble you would face in your
home. I cannot allow that to happen.”

“Thank you, Colin,” she simpered, “but you needn’t worry about that.”

“Well I will,” he said dismissively.

They sat in silence for some minutes – Colin couldn’t be sure of how long exactly – each deep in
thought. He was grateful he hadn’t been made to face this alone and was especially grateful it was
Pen who was there with him. She had always been a constant in his life, a loyal friend through and
through, and her presence was exceedingly pacifying.

“I – I believe I may have a solution that would make it clear she was trying to trap you and you did
not sire her child,” Pen hesitantly offered. She then rose from her seat and while walking to her
desk, she continued, “And if we hurry, I think we can resolve the matter by morning.”

“Pen, that's brilliant!” he cheered. Because of course Penelope would have a solution. She’d help
him get out of this and they could go back to how their lives were before her cousin ever came to
Mayfair. Pregnant with another man’s child. “What is it?”

“You’re likely to be upset with me but,” she paused, pulling the papers she had stuffed in the desk
drawer upon his arrival back out. “It might be the only way to get you out of this overnight.”

“I assure you whatever it is could not be more upsetting than having no way out of this,” Colin
insisted.

“Very well,” she heaved a great sigh and seemed to be steeling herself for the words she was about
to say.

Chapter End Notes

The C/M relationship tag is officially heading out now that Colin has definitively stated he
does not intend to stay with her.
V unsure which ending I should begin first. Without context, do any of these stick out?
- LW
- Aubrey Hall
- Lord & Lady F
- Lord F alone

Also, I know most folks here are itching for a Polin HEA but I'm curious what the sentiment is
on Marina. Do we want George to be alive or do we prefer Phillip/Marina endings? Or
something else?
 Identities Revealed
Chapter Summary

Pen introduces Col to Lady Whistledown.

Chapter Notes

Y'all we have officially moved out of the Colin/Marina relationship tag territory with his
declaration last chapter.

🤍
Thank you to all of the sprinters and everyone who has supported and encouraged this story.

Also huge shoutout to LadyKatetheGreat for helping me figure out how to address something
from early on in the show without compromising former chapters.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

“When you let yourself in, I was working on something to expose the truth in a way that ensured
you were made aware of the truth and would not be assumed the father of her child,” Pen began, “I
had hoped it could reach you before you absconded to Scotland so you had the agency to marry her
with all of the facts or to get out of the engagement without risk.”

“Sounds too good to be true,” he said weakly, “What could possibly measure up to all that?”

Handing him the parchment she retrieved from the desk, she heaved a deep breath and announced,
“Colin, I am Lady Whistledown.”

“What?” he gasped, taking the sheets from her but not giving them more than a passing glance
before fixing his gaze back on her eyes. He wasn’t sure what he was hoping to find in them, just
that he couldn’t look away.

“It’s true,” she whispered. “You are the only person I’ve told. The only person who knows of my
identity beyond my father’s solicitor.”

Well, he could add being oblivious to his list of newfound revelations about his own character. It
would be a long time before he trusted his own perception of reality after this night.

He played the fool in Marina’s scheme, he could not live up to the sort of noble gentleman he
formerly believed himself to be in the face of marriage to a deceitful stranger carrying another
man’s child, and he was too self involved to realise his dear friend was none other than the
notorious Lady Whistledown.

Did deception run in the Featherington blood? Was there something within Marina and Pen, not to
mention her mother , that made them target him with their swindling and trickery?

No, that wasn’t fair to loop her in with Marina and Lady Featherington.

She may have held this remarkable secret from him but it was kept from everyone . Unlike Marina
and her mother, Pen’s secret was not intended to trap and exploit him . In this instance, he could see
that the cause did matter more than the truth.

It’s just that he fancied he knew Penelope so well that she couldn’t possibly hold any secrets,
meanwhile she probably held the most of anyone he knew. She must have had knowledge of every
illicit affair and scandal in the ton as they sat there.

Good God to think of all the power she had… Pen!

Tiny, demure, sweet Pen was the woman behind the quill of the most notorious paper in the ton. He
supposed they were lucky to have someone with sense, discernment, and general goodness be the
keeper of their secrets. Still, Colin would never have guessed. Well, not never, per se.

In fact, it made quite a bit of sense come to think of it.

“I suppose I’m not terribly surprised, actually. You have always been rather astute and witty,” he
gushed. “The few times you’ve allowed me to see glimpses of it, your ability to form such clever
barbs on a whim has been quite impressive. And I know you hold severe opinions on society based
on your association with my sister alone.”

The more he spoke, the more he realised how evident it all was. He was sure that had he paid closer
attention to Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, — sure he skimmed through it when his mother or
sisters’ insisted, but he wasn’t a devout reader or patron of hers — had he actually read the words
closely, he could have recognised Pen in them.

The voice she took on when two of them exchanged barbs in crowded ballrooms, that was Lady
Whistledown. Perhaps his barb voice should be Lord Whistledown, he thought amusingly.

“I did not take you as someone who could be so sly, secretive,” … naughty, titillating… “st-stealthy
even,” he coughed, “but I cannot imagine why that never occurred to me.”

“No one truly notices me,” she murmured. “Not at balls or garden parties, not here in my own
home. It is my invisibility that allows me to operate in the shadows as Lady Whistledown."
His heart broke at the way she described being alone, ignored and unnoticed by everyone.

“I notice you,” he protested weakly.

“You do not,” she sighed as she shook her head.

“I do .”

“Colin, it’s fine,” she huffed. “No one —”

“— It’s not fine, Pen! It’s not!” he fretted, “I hate that you’ve been made to feel that way about
yourself.”

“I have spent my entire life as such and Lady Whistledown has given me a chance to put that to
use! Don’t you see?” she exclaimed passionately. “I have used it to my advantage instead of
wallowing in the depths of my despair.”

As much as he loathed to think of any lady being treated so poorly, especially Penelope, he could
not deny how proud he was that she did not let such circumstances control her. Though he wasn’t
particularly thrilled that she was doing something so reckless to achieve that.

“My voice was never heard. Lady Whistledown gave me the most trusted voice in all of London,”
she proudly stated. “My presence was never acknowledged. Lady Whistledown gave me a purpose
for hovering around the outskirts of society.”

“Pen —”

“You do not need to worry about me, Colin. And we do not have time for this,” she reminded him.

“Right,” he sighed heavily.

He did not see how he would get past the surge of anxiety that he felt when he considered her lack
of protection. But he would have to live with the burning sensation of total and utter worry. For
now.

“I would like for us to discuss this further – the way you are treated, in addition to your safety, how
you started Lady Whistledown, and how you keep the operation running – but we can table it for
now. Let’s see what you’ve put together here…”

🪶🪶🪶

Dear Gentle Reader,

All is fair in love and war, but some battles leave no victor, only a trail of broken hearts that makes
us wonder if the price we pay is ever worth the fight.

The ones we love have the power to inflict the greatest scars. For what thing is more fragile… than
the human heart?
But I must tell you, I have learned that a grave fraud is afoot.

What is it?

As if the Featheringtons did not have enough to be dealing with, Miss Marina Thompson is with
child… and she has been from the very first day she arrived in our fair city.

Desperate times may call for desperate measures, but I would wager many will think her actions
beyond the pale. Perhaps she thought it her only option, or perhaps she knows no shame.

But I ask you, can the ends ever justify such wretched means?

Yours Truly,

Lady Whistledown

🪶🪶🪶

“This will absolutely not do, Pen!”

“I know, I know,” she exasperated as she sighed heavily. “I am sorry it paints you as being blind to
the situation but I could not think of a way to make it clear that you were not the father, you did not
know of the pregnancy at all, and convince the ton that you deserved a way out of the engagement.
You were to depart at sunrise; I did not have time to dwell on the verbiage or find some other way
on my own.”

“I see,” he hissed. Taking pains to keep his voice even, he continued, seething, “I’m more
concerned with the fact that you are ruining yourself in the process.”

“Oh that?” she asked flippantly. “Colin, I do not care at all about my potential ruin if it can save
you and your family.”

“I care,” he snapped, “Very much, in fact!”

Penelope simply blinked at him in response.

Exhaling sharply while pinching the bridge of his nose as Anthony would, he asked, “When will
the printers come round to collect this?”

“I must get it to them in two and a half hours,” she stated, adding, “But it takes 15 minutes to get to
Bloomsbury and usually a bit more when factoring in the time it takes to hail a hack each way.“

He would have screamed if not for the fact they were trying to remain unnoticed by the rest of her
household, so he settled for whisper yelling.

“Penelope!” he chided, jumping out of his seat. “You cannot be serious!” Colin knelt in front of her
chair and grabbed her shoulders to ensure he had her full attention, as he growled, “You take hired
hacks by yourself in the middle of the night to Bloomsbury?!”
“I do,” she calmly confirmed, though her eyes were wider than he’d ever seen before.

“I —” he cried, running a hand through his hair while the other tightened its grip on her; he was
trying to find relief from the tight, tingly sensation emanating from his chest. His voice then
cracked with his desperate appeal, “How could you be so careless?”

“You must lower your voice, Colin!” she chided in a hushed, yet frustrated tone.

“Sorry,” he acquiesced with a softer tone. Loosening his grip on her arms and lowering his voice to
repeat his question. “How can you be so careless?”

“I am not careless! And I very much take issue with your assumption, Colin.” Pen griped,
shrugging her shoulders. “I am perfectly attentive to my safety.”

“Penelope —”

“For one,” she continued as if he hadn’t begun speaking, “I do not go as Penelope Featherington of
Mayfair. I don a disguise and use an accent!”

“Oh for the love of God, Pen!! You are a lady,” he fumed, “It does not matter a whit if you have a
disguise or an accent. It is not safe to travel alone, especially at that time of night.”

“I am invisible, remember?” she sarcastically deadpanned.

Not this again. He was too riled up to attempt correcting her erroneous thinking on that matter. And
quite frankly, as worrying as it was that she saw herself as such, it was far more upsetting to think
of her reckless behaviour.

“What if something happened to the hack en route or if someone took you or tried to hurt you?” he
demanded. “I would – we would have no idea to come help you or where to find you. Pen, can’t
you see how bloody reckless you’re being?”

“Well,” she drawled with a smirk beginning to form on her face. He knew the words she was
readying herself to say would not make him feel any better. “I suppose if I am unable to make it
back someday, I can rest easily with the knowledge that you will now know where to look for me.”

Good God, he never imagined he could be so incensed by her. Colin released her arms in fear of his
grip becoming too firm with the anger and frustration coursing through him, but remained kneeling
at her feet so she understood the severity of his concern.

Once again the voice he heard coming out of his mouth sounded more like that of his eldest brother
than his own, as he raged, “That is not amusing, Penelope!”

“Oh hush. It is and you know it,” she said flippantly, before trying to redirect their conversation.
“Come now, we do not have long if we plan to have something printed tonight.”

Her unconcerned tone almost set him off again. She was acting so blasé about the whole affair! But
she was right, even if he was not entirely sure he would like to use Lady Whistledown, they still
only had so many hours until sunrise.

“Trust I will have more to say on this later,” he grumbled, as he made his way back to his chair.
“We are not done discussing the matter of your safety with all of this.“
“Of course,” Pen acquiesced.

“Pen,” he sighed, “I understand why you would have written something like this if you thought I
did not know of the truth and was departing for Gretna Green in a matter of hours. And while I
think the tone and some of the verbiage is merciless, – perhaps brutal, even – I do appreciate your
efforts to do everything you could for me.”

Penelope cringed and shuddered at his use of the terms merciless and brutal. Her eyes held none of
the confidence and defiance from just moments before. He knew she felt the weight of his words
describing her writing, but he hoped she took his gratitude and understanding to heart, too.

“I can assure you that it was not something I enjoyed writing. It hurt trying to find the words that
could put an end to this and spare you from harm,” she stated, her voice cracking in sadness.
“Knowing it would break the hearts of the people closest to us, tempting scandal, shame and
probably ruin for some… well, I am certain I would have cried myself to sleep after dropping it off
at the printers if it came to that.”

He reached out to lay a hand on her arm and in a softer voice than before, he suggested, “Unless or
until we’ve exhausted all other options, I think it’s best we hold off on taking this to Bloomsbury.
And if we do, then you share that burden with me. Yes?”

“Yes,” she breathed, nodding in agreement.

“Before we begin considering every option we can think of,” he began, “could I ask you
something?”

“Anything,” Pen attested and he could see the sincerity in her expression, could hear it in her voice,
could feel it in his bones. He let that promise envelope him with solace as he braced himself for the
uncomfortable conversation he was leading them into. Again.

“You had the means to stop this all along. From the very beginning,” Colin choked out, the
statement becoming more painful with each word spoken aloud. “In fact, I believe you wrote
something at the start of the season about how I would be ‘ awarded this year’s grand prize when I
swept Miss Thompson off her pretty little slippered feet. ’”

“I did,” she whispered, looking very chastised yet composed all the same.

“Pen, why would you have written that if you knew she was with child?” he practically begged.
“And why have you not exposed the truth in your scandal sheet until now?”

“Regarding the early edition about your courtship, I did not know of her condition at that point, nor
her love for George even. I was only told she was ill just the day before this went to print,” she
explained. “The room full of suitors vying for Marina’s attention was the talk of the ton, so I could
not very well avoid writing about it. And as I said before, I did not believe you were seriously
considering marriage but getting to know her – or getting to know the person she pretended to be I
suppose, in hindsight – seemed to make you happy. I will always champion that which provides
you happiness.”

“And after?” Colin prompted.

“Well for many of the same reasons we discussed before as to why I did not say anything to you
directly," she offered. “I considered doing so the night after the Trowbridge Ball when Marina
decided to pursue you. Again when she was constantly lying to you during your courting calls.
Again when I heard Marina plotting to seduce you rather than waiting until the wedding to
consummate the marriage so you thought the baby was yours. Again after I thought she had
seduced you at Daphne's wedding. Again after your public engagement announcement.”

And yet she never did , he thought bitterly.

“But I thought there was more time,” she continued, “More time for Marina to see reason and tell
you the truth or choose someone else. More time for George to come back. More time for you to
realise that you still had much of the world to discover before you wished to tie yourself down.
More time for another solution to come about that would not risk ruining her or my family or you
or your family.”

“Would you…” he paused, unsure if he should proceed. With anyone else, he would feel too
uncomfortable to ask and would force himself to live with the unanswered question. But this was
Pen. He could ask her. “Would you have done the same if it had been one of my brothers?”

“Oh. I cannot be sure,” she pondered, before stating, “I definitely would have asked Miss
Thompson not to trap them and I would have proposed alternatives up until a point. But once an
engagement was announced, I probably would have given up.”

Colin felt a strange sense of satisfaction hearing that.

“Although,” she drawled, vacillating, “I would still be concerned about the adverse effects on your
family’s reputation and your sisters’ prospects. And actually, come to think of it,” she thought
aloud, “the situation may have been too complicated to ignore with the matter of the viscountcy, as
Marina’s child could have become an illegitimate heir.”

He realised then that being untitled and not needing to be so concerned with those matters made
him a better candidate for her scheme. Surely every heir and spare would have done their due
diligence in vetting the woman.

They would have properly looked into her background — her family, her life in the country.
Whereas Colin took her at her word when the topics briefly came up in their courting, not realising
that her word had little-to-no honesty or honour to rest on.

“I would not have considered ruining my family – Marina, my sisters, myself – for Anthony or
Benedict,” she concluded decisively, then jested, “Had it been Gregory, I would have spoken to his
governess far sooner into the season.”

He laughed at that puerile quip despite himself. But he very much wished to hear more about the
first statement. As if reading his mind, which he often found himself wondering if she could, Pen
continued.

“Jests aside, I do not share a friendship with your brothers in the same way as I do with you, Colin.
I care for them of course, as I care for your entire family, but you are the only man I’d ever go to
such lengths for.”

Oh.

“I’d like to think I might have turned to you for help navigating the situation earlier on,” Pen
added, “had they been in her sights.”
“Not Eloise?” Colin.

“Goodness no,” she chortled. “I love El dearly, but she can be rash and indiscreet. I would be – I
have been – apprehensive to share such clandestine, complicated matters.”

“I thought I had a tendency to make rash decisions?” he needled. While he used a playful tone, he
genuinely was perplexed. It did not seem as though she was only attempting to make him feel
better but it did not make sense with her assessment of his character.

“You do when the decisions involve yourself in any capacity. But when you are faced with an issue
that you hold no part in, you are profoundly observant and sagacious. I trust your judgement and
counsel more than…” she trailed off before gasping, “Oh and!”

“And?”

“If it had gotten to the point where I overheard that… discussion…” she blushed, “the one about
not waiting to consummate the wedding and using seduction, I do not believe I could have turned
to anyone else. Certainly not El, because we’d both be lost.”

He tried to stifle his laughter when the memory of his sister asking how a lady becomes with child
came to mind again.

“In hindsight,” Pen reasoned, “that seemed to be the point of no return and your brothers are both
capital R rakes, so they would not be able to resist such attempts, I should think.”

“That is where you’re wrong, Pen,” he all but grumbled, setting his gaze on the floor.

“P-pardon?” she squeaked, looking terrified. She likely thought he was upset with her for calling
his brothers rakes.

“My brothers would not have fallen victim to her seduction,” Colin clarified. “Or rather, they
would have, but they are both very familiar in the ways of preventing pregnancy when having
relations. I am not like them, you know. A rake? I am a gentleman. I have not so much as kissed a
lady before, truth be told."

“Oh,” she said softly, “I have not ki—”

“—You know, Pen?” he enthusiastically said, cutting her off abruptly. He was certain she was going
to try to make him feel better about being green and he could not handle that. Instead, his mind was
focused on the larger concept of their discussion. “I believe you have brought forth a very good
point!”

“I… oh…? I have?”

“Indeed, you have,” he praised. “I’m not sure why I did not think of it before. I must bring this
matter to my family, of course! I shall send word to Anthony and gather the others to discuss our
options posthaste.”

“Oh!” Pen seemed a bit deflated – whatever for, he couldn’t be sure. She meekly assented, “Yes,
I’m sure they will help you determine the best solution.”

“Mmhmm,” he nodded. Heaving a deep sigh, he grumbled, “I do not wish to admit to Anthony that
he was right all along, that I have been such a fool. But I suppose I must.”
“Colin!” she chided, “I will keep reminding you until you do not hold such ridiculous delusions:
you were not a fool!”

He found himself simpering at the passionate display. He was glad to have such a champion in
Penelope. Come to think of it, having her by his side for what will surely be a dreadfully grim
discussion would be most advantageous.

Anthony would be less of a brute in her presence at the very least and everyone would be more apt
to trust her word over his regarding the goings on in the Featherington house.

‘Would you accompany me?” he asked hesitantly, rushing to offer a compelling reason, “If only to
give more credibility to explain this unbelievable situation I find myself in? I know it is asking a lot
from you and it would be very improper, but I do not think I can go on my own.”

“Me? Accompany you? To speak with your family in the middle of the night?” she sputtered.

“Please?” he softly pleaded. “I only wish for you to be there with me to help explain everything, I
promise we need not mention Lady Whistledown. Your secret is safe with me, Pen. Always.”

“Of course, I - yes. If you think I can be of any help, I will of course accompany you,” she
professed. “And as for my secret, I trust you, Colin. But if we must tell your family in order to save
you, then so be it. I must insist I am able to speak with Eloise on the matter first. She will already
have my head for telling you before her.”

“Very well,” he brightly nodded, “it’s settled! You’ll speak with Eloise while I send word to
Anthony and find Benedict, then we shall reconvene in the study.”

“Fantastic,” she beamed back at him, “I shall see you shortly, then!”

“Nonsense, we’ll go together!” he insisted. “I’ll not have you walk across the square this time of
night alone. After our discussion about your safety, I should think you’d expect this.”

“Col-Colin,” she stuttered, “I —”

“— Pen stop,” he huffed. Must she make things so difficult? “We will go together. I will not hear
your protests.”

“It is not that I do not wish to go with you but I cannot leave like this,” she reasoned. “I must
change my attire...”

“Ah!” How ridiculous that he hadn’t realised her meaning. “You require your maid to assist you?”

“No, it is not that; I can dress on my own,” she stammered. “It is only, well, you see, I —” she
glanced over to the armoire, her skin now resembling a ripe tomato. “My sisters and I share a
dressing room… down the hall connected to their bedchambers. And I-I am hesitant to tempt
waking them. I have some morning dresses in my armoire but I do not have a privacy screen here.”

“Oh. Oh! Yes, of course. I’ll just…” he drawled, looking around to find an answer. “Well I’ll just
adjust my position to face away from you, of course,” he cheerfully concluded. “Go on, get to it!”

“Uh... Alright.”
 This is where we break off into different endings, dear reader.

A Family Whistledown - the original ending to this fic.

Buying Time - the first alternate ending.

Chapter End Notes

It's a shortie this week but this is where the various endings break off. We'll have four.

- A: A Family Whistledown Edition

- B: Buying Time
- C: Castlefied Crack
- D: Dearest...?

Just as a reminder, Lady Whistledown hadn't done much beyond helping Daphne with Nigel
by this point. She wasn't forced to oust Marina or Eloise. So I know this LW reveal may be
lacking in the type of emotion commonly found in fanfiction based on the show but again,
please keep in mind that this is early on and the stakes are lower.

🫶🏻 thank you for reading and coming along on this journey with me 🫶🏻
Also! Please note that this will now be updating on an every other week basis. I need to
construct the various endings and make a dent in my modern au wip.
 A Family Whistledown, Part I
Chapter Summary

Colin & Pen cross the square. Colin finds Benedict in the study as Pen speaks with Eloise in
the garden. As they await Anthony's arrival, Colin confides in Benedict.

Chapter Notes

This is the original ending I had planned. It is intended to clear up the confusion that Pen
exposed Marina because she thought Colin would immediately return her affection and they'd
ride off into the sunset together. That was never the case and it is astonishing that it is even
considered. She never expected him to return her affection. She saved him from a fraud of a
marriage so that he could find love.

Thank you to @LadyKatetheGreat for helping talk through this with me.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

As Penelope made her way across the room to her armoire, Colin adjusted the chair he was in to
face the opposite direction. Without her by his side, he was left with his own thoughts and was
suddenly very aware of his surroundings.

How the fabric felt below his arms, that delightful smell of his dearest friend, the pale remnants of
brandy on his tongue from the drinks he had hours ago, the repeating floral pattern of the wallpaper,
the soft rustling of Pen’s clothing as she changed.

So very much had transpired since the sun set and he still had more to do before he’d be able to
find the peace he initially sought when he crossed the square. While he thought there were perhaps
some small mysteries afoot that he would like to have clarity on before eloping, he could never
have fathomed just how much was kept from him.

Colin felt grateful in that moment that he took the time to reflect and realise that he did not have the
full picture on some of the things that were brought up during the celebration dinner.

He didn’t know what benevolent god had chosen to bestow the opportunity to discover the truth of
things upon him that night, but he was thinking that he needed to be a bit more attentive next time
he went to church.

Otherwise, he would have blindly committed himself to a life built on lies, brought shame upon his
family, and ruined his siblings prospects. It would have altered so many things and hurt the people
he loved the most in this world.

Learning the truth of things would be painful enough but the guilt and shame of what it would do to
his family would eat him alive. And he’d have to process all of that from afar, for surely Anthony
would have no choice but to send them off to live in the country in hopes of lessening the effects of
their scandal.

Colin suspected the cold, practical demeanour Marina displayed with Pen was truer to her nature
than the warm, excitable one she feigned during their courtship. While there was nothing wrong
with being pragmatic here and there, living entirely as such just wasn’t suitable to his playful,
philosophical, idealistic character.

That coldness would certainly make it harder to deal with his contrition and mortification in their
isolation from his family and friends. The weight of that reality would have been utterly soul
crushing. Simply imagining it gave him such unpleasant feelings.

He knew he wouldn’t find peace for quite some time. There was too much to process in one
evening. Too much to process in one season, even. But as he sat there in his friend’s bedchamber,
he could at least be grateful that he discovered the truth before it was too late and he could process
things in his own time.

Startling him out of his torment, Penelope cleared her throat. “Colin?”

Somehow he had the wherewithal to remain facing the wall instead of turning toward her, as he
choked out, “Ye-yes?”

“You may turn around,” she tittered lightly. “I believe I have made myself sufficiently presentable.
We may go whenever you are ready.”

“Ah, yes,” he began, “just a moment.”

Colin stood and made to move his chair back to its initial position so as not to leave evidence of his
so very improper visit. While doing so, he caught the sight of his abandoned jacket and cravat.

He supposed it would be best to put them back on. Should they run into anyone on the way back, it
could be assumed his dishevelled appearance came from compromising activities.

Although, would it not be assumed they were participating in such things regardless? Simply by
being together at that time of night as the unwed lady and unwed gentleman they were? Surely a
missing cravat or jacket would be the least of their troubles.
At any rate, if he wanted to remain an unwed gentleman, he needed to get home to speak with his
family. There was no sense in wasting time with imagined, hypothetical scenarios. He righted the
chair and grabbed his discarded clothing at once.

When Colin began walking toward the door, he was startled to see Penelope swishing past him.
Had he set the chairs and table back incorrectly? Did it matter? He did not believe her to be the
type to fret over such things.

She strode to the small table and picked up the loose parchment that he had cast aside earlier. “In
case we need it,” Pen explained, holding her latest Whistledown draft.

She folded the sheets into thirds vertically and halved them horizontally, forming a small square.
He wasn’t sure where he thought she planned to put them but he never would have guessed she’d
tuck them into her dress.

“Penelope!” he whisper-yelled in astonishment as she began slotting the parchment against her
chest. “What the devil are you doing?”

Good heavens! What was she thinking? They were on their way to discuss everything with his
family. With his brothers. The very ones they had agreed not twenty minutes prior were rakes of
the highest order.

He loathed to think of them watching her reach down her dress to obtain the evidence of her claim
to be the woman behind Lady Whistledown. He ought not see it himself and he was her friend. And
a gentleman! Though he supposed that point was up for debate.

“I… I believe we may need it,” she hesitantly mumbled with a dumbfounded expression, her
fingers lingering on the infernal thing.

“And that is where you choose to keep it? Are you mad?” he jeered, striding toward her with his
hand outstretched in frustration. “Hand me the draft! I shall ensure its safekeeping in a far less
scandalous manner.”

“Do not look at me like that, Colin” she scoffed, taking the parchment out to give to him. “Where
else should I keep it? It’s not my fault that ladies are not afforded pockets.”

“As Eloise would no doubt remind me…” he sighed. “Are you prepared to speak with her?”

“I believe so,” Pen said breathily. “As prepared as one can be to confess their sins to the vicar. I’m
a bit terrified of what my penance will be but I know it must be done.”

Her weak attempt at a jest about reconciliation gave away her true apprehension. But he understood
why she was resolved to speak with Eloise before explaining everything she knew about Marina
and possibly admitting to being Lady Whistledown, too.

He knew that his sister was oftentimes not the easiest person to apologise to but she was her best
friend. Despite their recent quarrel, she loved Penelope. It might take time but she would forgive
her for keeping these secrets from her.

As a fierce proponent of women’s rights and a steadfast critic of the social rituals of the ton, surely
she would be proud to call Lady Whistledown a friend. Eventually. That is, if she gives Penelope
the chance to explain her reasoning behind her secrets.
Perhaps if he joined, Eloise would be more inclined to allow Pen the chance to do so. Especially
where it pertained to Marina’s scheming and pregnancy.

“I could accompany you,” he offered. “Instead of parting, we could simply go to Eloise together.”

“No, no. Thank you, but there is no need, truly. I will be fine,” she insisted as she walked to the
edge of the bed, picking up her servant's cloak. “And you must get word to Anthony and
Benedict.”

“Very well,” he acquiesced. Colin unlocked the door slowly so as not to make too much noise. With
his hand on the doorknob, he turned his head to find Pen and whispered, “Shall we?”

Draping the cloak over her arm as he had done so with his jacket, Penelope confirmed she was
ready to depart with a determined nod and they set off for his house.

Departing her bedchamber, the one that offered him salvation upon discovering the trickery and
fraud that he had fallen prey to, gave Colin such mixed emotions. He wished he could remain there
longer but he knew it was imperative that they speak to his family.

They slowly and quietly made their way to the back stairs and left through the servant’s entrance.
His nerves briefly began to surface but the moment his lungs filled with the cool night air in the
garden, he felt a renewed sense of determination.

Seeing the relief upon her face — probably due to the fact that their escape had gone undetected –
he took Penelope’s hand in his. They shared a smile that ignited a delightful warmth throughout his
body. The kind one feels when they’re at ease. When they’re home.

As they neared the Bridgerton garden gate, he asked Penelope once more if she was sure she did
not wish for him to join her. She declined his offer again, reassuring him that she could handle it on
her own.

Before she walked through the gate, she wished him luck in summoning his brothers and promised
she and Eloise would meet him in Anthony’s study when they were able. With that, they went their
separate ways.

📜📜📜
Colin entered the study with the intention of drafting short missives to pass along with the footmen
he planned to send in search of his brothers. However, upon entering the room, he found at least
one of those notes would not have to be written after all.

Benedict seemed surprised to see him, probably expecting to find their eldest brother at the door
rather than Colin, but he quickly recovered and replaced his startled expression with a grin. He
grabbed a second glass off the shelf and began pouring brandy in each.

“And where have you been this evening, brother?” he asked with a teasing lilt.

He considered trying to summarise the evening's events but that would inevitably come in time. So
instead, he opted to deflect.
“Is Anthony here?”

Handing him a glass, Benedict gave him an inquisitive once-over. With his eyebrows furrowed and
his head tilted, he could not be more obvious but somehow he kept his questions to himself.

“He is not. I imagine he’s settled into his own lodgings for the night,” he began. “There’s no need
to fret about him catching you coming back from visiting your intended at such a scandalous hour.”

God if only he knew...

Colin bit down harshly, tightening his jaw to relieve the misdirected anger he felt at his brother’s
teasing. His good-natured humour was usually the sort that Colin would welcome but not this night.

“A jest Colin!” he all but shouted through a short bout of tittering. “I know you are the gentleman
among us. I assume you were on one of those aimless walks you like to take on occasion.”

“I was not,” he growled back.

And thank God he wasn’t. He had considered going for a walk to clear his mind rather than going
to speak with Penelope. What a terrible decision that would have been.

“Where —”

“—I must send for Anthony and then I will tell you everything,” he said urgently. “Please,
Benedict, just allow me to do this first.”

His brother nodded, albeit with a curious glint in his eyes, acquiescing to his plea. Colin then made
quick work of drafting a short note to their eldest brother and brought it to the awaiting footman
who was to ride in search of Anthony.

Once he returned, Colin immediately found his glass of brandy. He finished it off in one swig and
then refilled it, knowing he’d need more to get him through the conversation.

“Right,” he declared with relief as he sat on the settee across from Benedict.

“Colin,” his brother hesitantly began, “would this have anything to do with the bag that is packed in
your bedchamber?”

“Yes, I — hold on, how do you know about that?”

“I went looking for you when I returned earlier,” Benedict admitted. “Brother, tell me you are not
planning on absconding to Gretna Green with Miss Thompson…”

“I am not,” he spat. But he had been before. That was the purpose of the packed bag, of course.
“Anymore.”

“I see,” Benedict murmured, nodding his head as if he were doing sums in his mind. “I suppose
there must be a reason beyond the small matter of breaking Mother’s heart and provoking the ire of
everyone else?”

“There is,” he uncomfortably confirmed. “It is a long story I intend to share with you and Anthony.
Perhaps mother, too. And I suppose Eloise, depending on how her discussion with Pen goes.”
Benedict clapped his hands together and jauntily concluded, “Oh this shall be a most diverting
evening indeed!”

“I’m so very happy that my misery can provide you entertainment.”

His brother seemed to sober, understanding that Colin’s sarcastic grumbles often came with great
distress and barely masked his temper. He gently asked, “Do you wish to speak of other matters
until Anthony arrives or would you like to tell me about it?”

“No, I would rather tell you before I lose my nerve so you may help me tell Anthony,” Colin began.
"In short, Penelope attempted to warn me of Miss Thompson’s insincerity during the engagement
dinner her parents hosted. She was unable to finish telling me of her deceit, before Marina appeared
and dismissed her.”

Benedict's eyes widened but he remained silent, allowing Colin to continue.

“Then Marina lied about the Featheringtons not wanting her and our family being unwelcoming
toward her,” he continued. “She knew I would be greatly concerned and she put the idea of eloping
in my mind with talk of wishing to start our family sooner.”

Before Benedict could get a word in, he added, “Then… then! She had the audacity to tell me she
loved me! Who falsely professes their love for someone? How could she do such a thing to me?”

He knew Ben did not have the answers to such questions but it felt good getting the painful
thoughts out regardless.

“I spent the day arranging for us to leave for Gretna Green tomorrow. But I could not get Pen’s
unsaid words out of my mind. Nor could I ignore the feeling that something was wrong. So I…”
Colin cleared his throat. This would be uncomfortable to share. “Well, I crossed the square to meet
with Pen in the garden the way Eloise has spoken about.”

“You went to speak with Pen…elope? Not... not Miss Thompson?” Benedict stammered as if it
were the most puzzling part of the tale thus far.

“Yes,” Colin said matter-of-factly, utterly perplexed by his reaction. “I was desperate to find peace
before the night ended and I knew she’d be able to provide answers to my questions.”

“Ah, of course,” Ben mumbled.

He thought he detected some sarcasm to his brother’s tone but he had no time to dwell on it so he
nodded instead.

“Only, she did not respond to the pebbles I threw at her window,” he continued explaining, “The
imminence of my departure loomed overhead so I could not turn back. I let myself in the servant’s
entrance and snuck in to find Pen’s bedchamber empty. I —”

Benedict’s eyes widened again as he cried, “Hell and the devil, brother!”

“SHHH!” he angrily shushed. It was the middle of the night. They need not wake the entire
household! At least not until they had a solution. Ben quickly apologised and waved his hand to
allow Colin to continue.
“As I was saying,” he pointedly stated, “I found her on the floor above hers when I saw Marina
entering a room and heard her say Pen’s name. And I decided to wait and listen outside the door.
What I heard wa—”

“—You cannot be serious!”

“I am perfectly serious,” Colin replied calmly. If he kept interrupting, they’d never get through the
story before the others found them in the study.

“I’m not sure you should tell Anthony any of this,” Benedict chortled.

“Well, I must,” he firmly stated. “Because Benedict… I discovered that Miss Thompson is with
child,” Colin seethed in white hot anger, “and she was attempting to deceive me into a fraud of a
marriage, to pass her child off as mine. Penelope has tried to stop her for weeks but she could not
be persuaded.”

“You are sure you’re not the father, Col?”

“Of course I’m sure!” Colin snapped. “We have not so much as kissed!”

He could feel his cheeks and ears burning after he all but confirmed just how green he was.
Benedict did not seem to notice, nor did he seem to care. His mind was clearly elsewhere as he
stared off into the distance.

“It must have been her!” he exclaimed, startling Colin with his outburst. “The one who threatened
Ge– the modiste. It must have been Miss Thompson.”

“Yes, that thought occurred to me, as well,” Colin nodded in solidarity. “And I am quite sure that it
was her.”

Benedict nodded with a horrified look on his face.

“God you should have heard the way she spoke to Pen! It was so vile and cruel, brother. I cannot…
I… It was awful,” he lamented. It still made him sick to think about. “I went back to check on her
after — Pen, that is — and we discussed everything.”

Before he had the chance to explain what “everything” entailed, he caught a flash of a strange
expression on his brother’s face. It quickly morphed into a panicked sort of surprise and then
softened. So many emotions in such short fashion, he almost felt bad bringing this mess to his
brother.

“Colin,” his brother hesitantly said, “that… that was very kind of you but I strongly encourage you
to reconsider sharing that part. Penelope would be ruined if it got out.”

“Right,” he whispered as he considered the irreversible effect such a thing would have on his
dearest friend. He could not allow that to happen. “I should advise her that we will need to avoid
telling anyone else that bit.”

“Where are you going?” Benedict asked when Colin stood up, “Back to the Featheringtons?”

“No, of course not,” he tittered, “Penelope is here. She is speaking with Eloise in the garden.”
“Do you mean to say you brought her back with you?” Benedict asked merrily with an expression
full of amusement.

“Well, yes,” he admitted sheepishly, not understanding what his brother was thinking nor what he
meant to imply. He sat back down before explaining, “I—she has been most supportive and…
informative. I thought it would be prudent to bring her along so she may provide context and assist
me in answering all of the questions Anthony is sure to have.”

“And you said she tried to warn you?”

“She did. She told me that Marina loved another man, that she had seen their love letters,” he
explained. “But I assured her that it did not matter to me that Miss Thompson had fond feelings for
another in the past. She never got the chance to tell me the rest.”

“And Penelope has been trying to stop her for weeks?”

“She has,” he nodded. “Penelope is a very good friend.”

Ben tilted his head and surveyed him with a curious expression. After half a minute or so, he
seemed to let go of whatever he had been thinking and found his drink again.

“Now that you are aware of the reason for my being here,” Colin began, “do you believe I should
wake Mother? Or is it best to discuss these matters with Anthony first.”

“I don’t know Col,” he drawled. “You wish to find a way out of having to marry Miss Thompson?”

“Most ardently,” Colin declared.

“Perhaps it is best to speak with Anthony first then,” Benedict suggested. “Mother will likely be
pleased at the conclusion but to bring such matters to her without a solution would cause great
distress, I should think.”

“You believe Mother will be pleased?” he asked incredulously. “About my failed engagement?”

“In a way, yes,” Ben confirmed gently. “She has expressed her concerns to you, has she not?”

“She only said that she was surprised and that she had not seen me ‘so solemn and serious’ before,”
Colin recalled, “You believe she did not like Miss Thompson?”

“I believe she did not know Miss Thompson,” Ben clarified. “I dare say none of us knew Miss
Thompson.”

“I cannot argue with you on that,” Colin rasped.

“She only wishes for your happiness, brother,” his brother added, “That is all any of us wish for.
And having so little interaction with Miss Thompson, well… it was rather difficult to know
whether or not you would find happiness with her.”

“Right.”

Colin and Benedict sat in companionable silence for some time before returning to the their
discussion of his adventures traipsing about the Featherington home as they awaited Anthony's
arrival.
 📜📜📜
“Ah Benedict!” the viscount chirped. “I suppose you were summoned as well?”

His humour dissipated almost instantaneously as he turned about to find him. “Colin,” he said
sharply with a curt nod when their eyes met.

“Brother,” Colin returned in the same tone. “Thank you for coming. I require your assistance with
a… a grave… tribulation I find myself in.”

“Grave trib–” he cut himself off with a sigh. ”Allow me to get myself a drink, then.”

“Not to worry, I have one for you here,” Benedict said as he finished pouring a glass of brandy for
their eldest brother. Crossing the room to hand it to him, he said, “Prepare yourself for something
very dreadful indeed, brother.”

Taking the glass from their brother, Anthony murmured a quick “thank you.” Then turning to
Colin, he shook his head slightly and lifted his hand, impatiently saying, “Well?”

Colin wanted to wait until Pen came back before getting into everything with Anthony. What on
earth was taking her so long? Surely it could not only be the simple matter of confessing her secrets
to Eloise. Did she not understand that now was not the time to dally and gab about other matters?

“Are you going to enlighten me as to the reason I am here?” Anthony asked. “Evidently you’ve
already informed Benedict of the grave tribulations you wish to discuss.”

“I think it’s best we wait for Eloise to bring Penelope around before we begin.”

“So we are to wait until morning, then?” Anthony griped, heaving an exaggerated sigh. “Colin, —”

“—We do not have to wait until morning. They're just outside.”

“—Oh but that is the best part, Anthony!” Benedict chirped. “He has brought Penelope back here
for this very occasion.”

“Brought her back? Penelope Featherington?” Anthony sputtered. He pinched the bridge of his
nose and sighed in his usual exasperated manner. Again. “Why on earth would you bring her here
at this time of night?”

“I thought it best that she come along to assist me in informing you of… of the situation,” he
explained, adding, “and she agreed with me!” He did not want it to seem that he kidnapped her or
forced her to join him against her will.

“And just where were you when you decided this?” Anthony probed accusingly.

“Pray tell, Col, why are your ears reddening?” Benedict teased, “Are you perhaps recalling —”

“—Tell me you did not! Colin you are engaged! To marry her cousin!” Anthony fumed. “You have
compromised Penelope Featherington? That is why she is to join us? That is why you dragged me
 out at this Godforsaken hour?”

“No! That is certainly not why I have called you here,” he adamantly protested. “I would never
dream of compromising Penelope Featherington!”

“Oh!” a tiny voice squeaked from the doorway behind him.

Chapter End Notes

Thank you for all of your thoughtful comments! 🤍 One or two more chapters here and then
we'll move on to the alternative endings B, C, and D.
 A Family Whistledown, Part II
Chapter Summary

Super short, tiny update of Colin and Pen discussing what she overheard him saying to his
brothers.

Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Rushing to meet her at the door and dragging her to a spot well past earshot of his nosy brothers, he
solemnly apologised, "Pen, I am sorry you heard that in such a manner! I only meant —”

"You do not need to apologise,” she softly attested.

“No I do,” he said urgently, “I hurt your feelings and —”

“— Colin, stop. There truly is no need. Of course I know that you would never compromise me,”
she insisted. Then, with an amused, almost teasing lilt, she continued, “You, who resisted being
seduced by someone as beautiful as Marina? The woman you had been courting at the time, no
less! To then go and compromise a girl like me when you're engaged to said beautiful woman? I
can assure you I hold no false assumptions there."
"It seems that you hold a few, actually,” he grumbled.

📜📜📜
‘A girl like me.’

Why had she said that in such a contrasting manner to how she spoke of Marina being a beautiful
woman? He was fairly positive they were but a year or two apart, although he could not trust
anything he believed to be true of Miss Thompson. Still, she could not have been so much older
than Pen.

He could admit that before that evening, he had thought of her as the little girl he grew up with.
Well no, that was not entirely true. In his mind, Penelope lived in this special area where she was
never placed in any trivial category he’d unconsciously sort others into. She was not a child, but not
yet a woman either.

She was Pen. His younger sister’s best friend. His own very dear friend.

Even so, he watched her presentation at the beginning of the season in her lovely cream and sage
gown. While she had a glimmer of childlike wonder in her eyes as she took in the ornately
decorated hall, her not-so-childish figure was very much on display then. And of course, he knew
that a lady had to be of a certain age to be presented.

Then, as the season went on, he was always pleasantly surprised to find her at the balls that he also
knew she was only able to attend by being out in society. Though her mama dressed her in lurid
gowns that hid everything her presentation gown and the nightgown he found her in earlier had
revealed, he still felt her womanly curves when they danced.

It was surprising just how much the dresses she wore hid her figure. Sure, she was shorter than the
average adult, but her assets were more womanly than most ladies of the ton. Yet it was impossible
to tell in her frocks.

Seeing her in that simple nightgown without any bows or flowers or superfluous embellishments of
any kind was enough to rid him of any lingering thoughts of her being a child. It was undeniably
evident how womanly her figure was, but there was more to it. Now that he allowed himself to
consider it, the frock did not even have to cling to the curvaceous form to serve as such a reminder.

The simplicity of it – along with the lack of hair styling and brightly coloured, gaudy jewellery –
allowed her natural beauty to shine through. Gone were the tight poodle-like curls, large feathers,
and ridiculous bows.

Her hair had luscious waves that looked so soft and feminine. Her milky peaches and cream
complexion, fiery red hair, and cerulean blue eyes were not competing with loud necklaces or odd
broaches.
All those frilly accessories and curls hid her facial beauty shockingly well. He would never
understand why her mother insisted on concealing her through all of that unnecessarily garish
styling. But Pen must know that without all that nonsense, she was a lovely woman.

And that was just her outward appearance!

The fact that she ran the Whistledown operation entirely on her own, fooling the ton and wielding
so much power was also evidence of her maturity and adult mind. She was incredibly clever and
resourceful. More so than most gentlemen he knew, even. Surely she must know that, right?

How could she not? How—whyever did she think of herself as a child? In a flurry, the vitriol
Marina spewed at Pen began replaying in his mind.

‘If I am to be the executioner of this childish infatuation, then so be it.’

‘Colin sees you as you are and regards you no differently than he does Eloise, or even little
Hyacinth .’

‘He sees me as a wife, a woman . And as a woman, I must make these difficult choices for myself
and for my child… even if they hurt your feelings.’

Damnation! Was it not enough to make him feel as though he was nothing but a naive child to be
preyed upon? She had to make Penelope question her worth, too?

And oh god, what’s worse was his own contribution to that absurd notion by treating her as a child
the evening prior. He already felt awful for the patronising way he handled her warning of Marina’s
fraud.

Knowing now that he had a hand in the way she felt about herself… well, he felt even more
wretched than the moment he realised just how wrong he was to doubt her as he overheard her
dreadful conversation with Miss Thompson.

📜📜📜
He felt his eyebrows furrowing as his frustration mounted. While he was ruminating upon the
rather upsetting frame of mind he now knew his friend to be in, she was misinterpreting his
vexation.

Placing her gloved hand on his forearm, she quietly vowed, “Do not worry, your secret regarding
Marina’s failed attempt at seducing you is safe with me. I promise you that it will stay between us.”

Before responding, Colin heaved a deep sigh.

“That is not what worries me, Pen. I worry that you hold criminally low opinions of yourself,” he
explained, “Utter delusions! You are lovely. And besides, I already told Benedict of that situation
 and I am planning to share it with Anthony, as well.”

“Oh?”

“Mmhmm,” he nodded before quickly adding, “And speaking of sharing things with Anthony,
Benedict believes that we should not mention my visit to your bedchamber in our retelling. He is
— we are concerned for your honour and should not like to see you ruined over such an innocent
conversation between friends.”

“How are we — uh, I mean thank you,” Pen spluttered. “But um, what shall we say instead?
Because we will have to share details of what was discussed, will we not?”

“We could say that we simply spoke in your garden?” he suggested. “What do you think? It is still
somewhat scandalous, I know, but I believe it could avoid immediate ruin if someone were to find
out.”

“I believe you are right,” she said with a sheepish smile.

“So we are in agreement, then?” he asked. At her nod of confirmation, he took her arm, saying,
”Shall we?”

With that, they began walking back toward the settee in the study. But something about the way
their arms linked reminded him of the dances they shared and that miraculously led to him
remembering what he absolutely needed to say before they were back in earshot of his brothers.

“Oh, I forgot!” he urgently whispered as he pulled them to a stop and turned to face her. ”One more
thing, Pen. You really mustn’t refer to yourself as a girl anymore. You are most certainly a woman
and it’s high time you leave that childish term behind. Yes?”

Her eyes shone with something he couldn’t quite decipher but the moment he registered that a
smile began to slowly form on her face, he felt himself exhale a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been
holding.

Chapter End Notes

So sorry for such an incredibly short update here - I was in a wedding this past weekend and
severely overestimated the time I thought I'd have to write leading up to it.

Much more to come on the actual resolution here but wanted to get *something* out to y'all.
Will likely update out of schedule to get you the rest of this sooner than two weeks from now.
 A Family Whistledown, Part III
Chapter Summary

Eloise, Penelope, Anthony, Benedict, and Colin find a way to get Colin out of his engagement.

Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Seeing Anthony’s face upon their return to the study completely sobered Colin from the brief
delight he felt at the way he stunned Pen into silence when he urged her to see herself as a woman.
It was clear that Ben had begun to tell Anthony about the detestable fraud Colin unveiled that
evening.

There was no sense in avoiding it or attempting to prolong it with the usual pleasantries they may
exchange with Pen as she joined their family for tea or stopped by their tent while promenading in
Hyde Park.

Doing so would only be performative and delay the inevitable. And so, as he took his seat on the
settee with Penelope that was facing his brothers, he began to recount his last 26 hours or so
without preamble.
Starting with the moment he excused himself from listening to Prudence Featherington’s wretched
rendition of whatever song she was trying to sing, he took Anthony through everything as best he
could.

Throughout the retelling, he was overwhelmed with emotions that came in four distinct waves: one
of shock, disbelief and confusion, one of anger, outrage, and resentment, one of shame, humiliation,
and panic, and finally, one of grief, regret, and deep anguish. He felt as though he were drowning.

Recovery from this nightmare would not find him for quite some time. He knew that, of course.
There was no guide on how one could quickly process and move past being lied to, manipulated,
and used in the manner Marina had subjected him to without remorse. He would have to find a way
to deal with it on his own.

It was unimaginable that he could ever trust himself or his instincts again, that he wouldn’t feel
weighed down with such shame for his naïveté and such regret for the way he conducted himself.
But Pen’s encouragement throughout the evening gave him hope that with time, he might find a
way back to who he was before Marina.

Still, Colin was surprised just how many feelings he could cycle through over and over in such a
short period of time. Though they were all unpleasant to be sure, he wished his mind and heart
would settle on one emotion he could attempt to work through instead of being thrust into a new
state every few minutes.

Pen seemed to pick up on it thankfully and would subtly offer him small smiles and nods of
encouragement when he faltered under Anthony’s glares or the crushing pressure of intense
emotions. Benedict helped, as well, answering their brother’s questions and expanding on certain
elements Colin rushed through in his retelling.

When they reached the end of their explanation, when all was truly said and done to inform
Anthony of the reason they were all sat in his study at such an hour, Colin felt hollow. It wasn’t a
serene or peaceful sort of emptiness by any stretch, but it was a welcomed reprieve from the flood
of emotions he had been battling.

Though that feeling of nothingness was fleeting at best. At some point nearing the end of the story,
Penelope stood and walked away. It was jarring how cold the vacated space beside him felt. He was
more than a bit taken aback by her departure.

Why could she not wait for him to be finished before she took her leave? Did she not realise how
much he needed her support as the only other person in the room who witnessed Marina’s
scheming and deceit first-hand?

He would have rushed after her if it weren’t for his brother, crying out, “For Christ’s sake, Colin!
You fool!”

“Brother!” Benedict scolded Anthony’s outburst.

They began a heated exchange that Colin could not bear to listen to, yet at the same time, he could
not bring himself to leave. As grateful as he was for the way Benedict defended him, he knew there
was merit to what Anthony was saying.

Shame, humiliation and panic returned tenfold and he was paralyzed. Considering the
consequences their family would suffer for his foolishness, he deserved Anthony’s vitriol and
wrath.

To his great surprise, moments later, he realised Pen had not left. She had only crossed the room to
procure refreshments as she returned to the settee with a refilled glass of brandy and two biscuits
for him, along with a cup of tea for herself.

She had brought a plate of biscuits with her when she entered the study initially. She and Eloise
must have snuck into the kitchen after their conversation in the garden. But somewhere between
apologising for the words she overheard and rushing to explain everything to his eldest brother, he
had forgotten about them.

The warmth that spread through his being at her sweet gesture was almost enough to rid him of
those terrible feelings that had reemerged with his brother’s declaration. He knew it would be
improper to pull her into an embrace like the one they shared in her bedchamber but if his brothers
had not been there, he would have done so without hesitation.

After handing him the brandy and biscuits, she set her tea down on the table beside the settee. She
was paying close attention to the heated exchange between his brothers. Her pursed lips, narrowed
eyes, and clenched fists, albeit rather tiny clenched fists , suggested she found it quite detestable.

“Thank you, Pen,” he whispered, glad for the distraction it may offer her.

Her fists unclenched and she turned to him with a coy smile, “Of course.”

Before she could direct her attention back to his brothers, he confessed, “I actually thought you
left.”

She looked astonished, drawing back almost as if she were wounded. It was then that he realised he
said the exact wrong thing. Yes, it distracted her from his brothers’ conversation that had seemed to
distress her before. But it only did so because what he said upset her more.

“I apologise,” he said hastily, rushing to remedy his misstep. “I did not mean to offend you. I only
thoug—”

“—stop, stop! It is all right, Colin,” she assured, soothingly placing her hand on his knee. “You
have nothing to apologise for. I should have said something to let you know I would be back
momentarily.”

Before he could respond, she began anew.

“It’s just…” she hesitated, biting her lip as she seemed to consider how to phrase her thoughts.
“Well surely you must know that I would not leave you in a time like this? Especially not after you
asked for my presence here.”

Benedict must have given up trying to reason with Anthony, as the next thing Colin knew, his
eldest brother was up from his seat, pacing to and fro.

“I told you! I told you that you were being foolish! I told you that you were too young to select a
wife! I told you that the match was unsuitable! You should never have made an offer for that
miserable girl in the first place!” Anthony ranted and raged as he continued pacing. “I knew it! I
knew she was—”
Penelope let out an indecorous scoffing sort of exhale that stopped his brother in his tracks.

“I’m sorry,” Anthony jeered, snapping his head in Pen’s direction. “Did you have something to say,
Miss Featherington?”

“N-no,” she stuttered, shaking her head.

Colin discreetly shifted closer to her on the settee to place his hand beside hers in a gesture he
hoped would provide some comfort to make up for his odious brother.

And then something strange happened. She changed.

Penelope straightened her back, took a deep breath, and confidently said, “Actually. I do have
something to say.”

Oh! This was Whistledown.

They were no longer in the presence of Penelope Featherington, the coy young lady one could
always find by herself along the walls of crowded ballrooms. No, they were bearing witness to
Penelope Featherington, the sharp-witted writer who held the ton in the palm of her hand with
every pamphlet published.

“Well?” Anthony impatiently prodded after merely a moment. “What is it then?”

“Y-you flatter yourself, my Lord.”

Colin couldn’t stop himself from gasping at the bold declaration his ordinarily shy friend just made.
He attempted to cover it with a cough but it was no use at that point.

Anthony’s eyebrows shot up and reeling from Pen’s daring statement, he huffed, “Pardon me?”

“While you may have been against the match for other reasons,” Pen began, “you cannot expect us
to believe you knew of her deception and did nothing to stop it.”

She raised her eyebrows in a way that dared him to dispute her and yet she kept the most innocent
looking smile on her face somehow.

“I—” Anthony began to respond before Pen cut him off to continue her reprimanding.

“—In fact, you were playing the supportive head of the household by attending a dinner
celebrating the couple’s engagement just last night” she scolded. “You truly mean to say that you
endured an evening with my family while you knew Marina was attempting to trap Colin because
she was pregnant with another man’s unborn child?”

Anthony scoffed and furrowed his brow in utter disbelief, side-eying Pen something fierce.

Colin was both impressed and in awe of her, yet nervous and fearful of what Anthony might do or
say in retaliation for such a tongue lashing. He shifted even closer to her and placed his hand atop
hers, intending to convey his gratitude.

“I daresay Miss Penelope has a point, brother,” Benedict snickered. “A few points, at that.”
“Yes, I—” Anthony began sheepishly, resembling every bit a young boy caught in his wrongdoing.
“You are right, Miss Featherington. I apologise for exaggerating my knowledge of Miss
Thompson’s deceit.”

“I believe it is Colin who deserves your apologies, my Lord.”

📜📜📜
“Miss Penelope,” Anthony said, interrupting the conversation she and Eloise had been having since
his sister finally graced them with her presence after taking time to process everything Pen told her
in the garden.

Colin loathed the way she plopped herself down on the other side of Pen and immediately began
babbling on about how she had so very many ideas for their “project.” Whistledown. Of course she
was referring to Whistledown. He would have to remember to speak with Penelope another time
about how to manage Eloise’s input.

Once Anthony had their attention, he cleared his throat before proceeding with his question. “You
say she arrived to the ton already having been with child. Do you know how far along she is? ”

“No, I am not sure,” Pen admitted sheepishly, “I—I know she last saw Sir George Crane before she
arrived and had been writing to him in Spain when she joined us. So presumably he left for the
battlefield before she left for London? But I cannot be sure, no.”

“And your household knew she was pregnant upon her arrival?” he needled.

“Anthony, good God,” Colin angrily groaned. He hated the accusatory tone his brother used.

“No, of course not! It was not until over a month after, just before the Vauxhall Ball, that my mama
discovered her situation,” she explained. “She told me that Marina was ill and would not be
attending the ball with us. Then the next day, she said my sisters and I were not to see Marina
because…” she trailed off.

He could see the blush forming across her features and as he recalled what she told him earlier
about how little she knows of marital relations and the way women come to be with child, he knew
how uncomfortable she was. He brushed his pinky against hers to offer some support that his
siblings would not see and Pen seemed to take comfort from it.

“Because her condition was catching ,” she concluded.

Benedict snorted, covering his mouth and turning away to hide his laughter. As if Pen didn’t feel
even shame from her lack of understanding about marital relations and pregnancy. Eloise, too, for
that matter. Though Colin still found the memory of her outburst over it earlier in the season rather
humorous.

“Ah, she must have missed her courses then…” Anthony surmised, mumbling to himself.

“Pardon?” Eloise interjected. “How would you know that? Is that how one learns they are with
child? Missed courses?”
“Hush you!” Anthony spat. “That is highly improper.”

“And the rest of this discussion is not?” she asked.

“Eloise,” their eldest brother groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose, “not now!”

“Penelope?” Benedict hummed.

Colin was not at all comfortable with the way his brother dropped formalities and chose to ignore
propriety when speaking to Pen in such a familiar manner.

“Are you quite sure she was indeed with child at that point?” he continued. “Vauxhall was quite
some time ago. Daphne hadn’t even begun courting the Duke yet.”

“Actually brother, I believe that is exactly when they had begun their courtship. The Prince had not
even arrived in London for at least another fortnight. So Daphne’s short courtship with him hadn’t
taken place yet.” Colin noted.

“Yes, I believe Nigel Berbrooke still thought he was to marry the Duchess then,” Penelope said
with a mischievous smirk directed at Anthony. “But also, yes, I am sure. I visited Marina then and
she told me herself that she had conceived her child through love with a soldier from a
neighbouring property with whom she had been writing. Oh, and…”

Pen seemed to be doing sums in her head as she trailed off once again.

“And…?” Eloise nudged her in a way he was sure she believed to be encouraging.

“And the week leading up to the Duke and Duchess' nuptials, just a few days prior actually, my
Mama gave Miss Thompson an ultimatum: get Colin to propose by that upcoming Saturday or stop
pursuing him and marry one of the old Lords that had unofficially offered for her,” Pen recalled.
“She said that Marina was six months away from motherhood, seven if she was lucky.”

All three brothers spoke in unison as Eloise simply bristled at her revelation.

“That is being rather generous, is it not?” Benedict considered, appearing to also have been doing
sums in his mind.

“Daphne’s wedding was her deadline…?” Colin mumbled. “The attempted seduction…”

Pen’s hand found his and she smiled sympathetically.

“They wed three weeks ago!” Anthony bellowed. “So by the time you’d make it to Gretna Green to
elope and consummate the marriage, she’d likely be less than five months away from motherhood
by Lady Featherington’s estimation. Six at best. And if the babe came early… there would be no
way of explaining a healthy babe born four months and some weeks after you wed the girl.”

“Just imagine if she had twins!” Eloise jested under her breath. “They’d arrive even sooner!”

“There’d be no hiding it upon their return in the first place.” Benedict remarked. “Say they only
spent one night in Gretna Green, travel time would dictate that they’d return a week later. So two
weeks from tomorrow at best? And Genev—Madame Delacroix has already had trouble covering
her growing belly. That was what led to Miss Thompson’s vile threat.”
“She threatened Madame Delacroix?” Eloise gasped. “The modiste?”

“She did,” Ben confirmed with a nod. “I suppose it was a desperate attempt to ensure her secret
stayed hidden so it is perhaps not completely untenable.”

“She is already showing?” Anthony barked. “My God, Colin! How could you be so blind?”

“I —“ Colin started to respond but was swiftly cut off.

“Lord Bridgerton!” Pen scolded fiercely. “I should not have to remind you again that you dined
with her just yesterday and you did not deduce that she was with child. Nor did your Mother for
that matter. Are you suggesting that Colin should be able to detect a lady’s hidden pregnancy when
even a woman with eight children of her own could not?”

“No, Miss Featherington. I suppose —“ Anthony paused, seeming to consider his next words with
caution. “Well actually, it is not as though Mother has spent so much time in her company as Colin
has through their courtship, however intermittent it may have been due to her extended leave from
society and the weeks that followed her re-entry where they did not interact. It would stand to
reason that he should have picked up on her changing physique more easily than Mother could
have.”

“And yet we just discussed the fact that Marina has been with child since she arrived in the ton,”
Pen countered. “So Colin has only ever known her in her pregnant form.”

“That does not signify!” Anthony objected with an almost delirious, frustrated chortle, “a woman—
the child grows as the pregnancy progresses.”

“Let us all agree that the modiste is simply very good at what she does,” Benedict quipped. “Her
talents hid Miss Thompson’s secret so well that it was a mystery to everyone.”

“Sure,” Anthony said, rolling his eyes in amusement, “let us do that, brother.”

“Benedict, what did you mean when you said that Lady Featherington’s estimation was being
generous?”

“I meant that if Miss Thompson was indeed corresponding with her soldier and knew he was on the
front lines in Spain by the time Penelope spoke with her, just days after Vauxhall,” he began
explaining, raising his eyebrows to Pen to confirm the timing he laid out, “It is very unlikely that
the child was conceived just before her arrival.”

Eloise and Penelope cocked their heads to the side in sync.

“Considering the amount of time their letters would take both to and from foreign lands, let along
the front lines of an active war, and given that she’d need to inform him of her new address in
Mayfair upon her arrival for him to even send post to her at the Featherington’s,” Benedict
reasoned, “I would wager he departed for Spain at least a fortnight ahead of her departure for
London. Enough time that he would have been able to send word to her of his station so she may
write back to him.”

Everyone nodded, seeming to contemplate the timeline of events he suggested.

“It does not matter,” Benedict began, directing his statement toward Anthony, “she was with child
when she arrived and she is attempting to trap our brother. What are we to do?”

“Right,” Anthony said curtly, though his remark was drowned out by their sister.

“It does not matter,” Eloise agreed, before going off on a tirade where she bemoaned the issues of
the fairer sex and why Marina should not have had to resort to entrapment.

“While I agree with you that women are made to suffer for men’s misdeeds far too often,” Pen
offered, “we must focus on the issue at hand, El. Forcing Colin to suffer through a loveless
marriage based on lies wherein he must raise another man’s child is not right, either.”

As Eloise considered her words, Pen pressed on.

“And that matter has a pressing time constraint that the larger issue of the way in which women are
treated in our society does not. Women will still be treated as the lesser sex tomorrow, but if we do
not work to find a way for Colin to get out of his engagement before sunrise, Marina will know
something is afoot.”

“There is no guarantee how she will react to our elopement plans being soiled,” Colin added.

“Or what she will do,” Anthony agreed. “We have the upper hand now but the clock continues to
tick away as we speak. Colin, Miss Featherington, what did you have in mind?”

📜📜📜
The five of them discussed possible ways they could get him out of the engagement but the
conversation went much of the way his conversation with Pen had gone earlier. Only, instead of
Colin and Pen going back and forth as they had before, Anthony was quick to offer the reasons
every solution presented would not work.

Marina and the Featheringtons could refute the claim that she is with child.

They could threaten to spread word in the ton that he ruined her and the child was Colin’s.

They could threaten to sue for breach of contract.

Colin would be assumed the father regardless, as their engagement was announced so publicly and
the baby would be arriving so soon.

Eventually, Benedict suggested, “We could tell Miss Thompson and the Featheringtons that we are
prepared to send missives about their deception to every printer in London to ensure it reaches
Lady Whistledown. Surely they would remedy the situation before they allowed that to happen.
No?”

“You might be onto something, brother,” Anthony said approvingly. “Though I am not thrilled that
it would leave so much out of our control, the ton devours every bit of Whistledown’s on-dit and it
may be the only thing that could keep this family from shame. A threat like that could not be
ignored and even if it were, we could go through with it.”
Colin turned to see what Penelope was thinking only to find Eloise doing the same. Pen’s eyes were
pleading and she nodded earnestly as she whispered, “I believe it is the only way, Colin. Please let
us make use of it before it is too late.”

He desperately wished to avoid this. To avoid using Lady Whistledown. To avoid ruining Pen with
her own paper just to save him from marrying her cousin. His expression must have given away his
thoughts at that moment.

Pen placed her hand on Eloise’s arm and his sister seemed to know exactly what she meant. She
kept their brothers busy debating the merits of their plan while he and Pen discussed his worries.

“Colin?” Pen whispered, “What is the matter?”

“I fervently wish there was a way to avoid ruining your family,” he admitted. “Well, I suppose I
wish to avoid ruining you and your sisters, more precisely.”

“Colin, do not worry for us. Prudence does not have any suitors, Mr. Finch will not be deterred
from courting and eventually marrying Philippa,” she noted. “Theirs is a love match, you see. And
I certainly do not have any suitors.”

He found himself momentarily caught up ruminating over why that was and became increasingly
more upset. Pen may have been shy but she was a fantastic conversationalist with a sharp wit once
she was comfortable. She was also quite lovely and would make a fine wife for any gentleman. A
wonderful mother to their children, as well.

Were all of the men in London blind or just stupid?

He hastily responded, “No, you have been too busy building your empire to give any gentlemen the
chance to court you.”

As much as he offered that in jest to ease the rising tension, there was some truth to it. He counted
himself lucky to have even secured a few dances with her throughout the season, now knowing of
her Whistledown activities during balls.

She offered a placating smile and continued her assurance, “The ton has a fickle memory for those
caught in the crossfire of scandals, so my sisters and I will be well-recovered by next season. Truly
Colin, ruining us will pose little consequence compared to the fate you and your family shall face
otherwise.”

She was right. Again.

So despite wishing there was another way, he announced, “We do not have to pretend that we might
send something to all the printers in London in hopes of eventually reaching Lady Whistledown.
We could simply have Lady Whistledown herself print something in her scandal sheet for
tomorrow’s edition.”

“Colin, be serious,” Anthony groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s the least you can do
getting us into all of this nonsense in the first place. The Queen of England does not know who is
behind Lady Whistledown, yet you expect me to believe that you do?”

“Yes,” he confidently chirped back with a growing smirk he could not stop.
“We all do, in fact,” Eloise added.

“Well?!” Anthony practically yelled. “Do tell us.”

Together, Eloise, Penelope, and Colin broke the news to his brothers.

📜📜📜
They evaluated the draft Pen had been working on before he entered her bedchamber.
Acknowledging that it painted Colin as being completely unaware of the scheme, she offered to
draft another version after giving each of his siblings the opportunity to read what she had written
before.

Dear Gentle Reader,

All is fair in love and war, but some battles leave no victor, only a trail of broken hearts that makes
us wonder if the price we pay is ever worth the fight.

The ones we love have the power to inflict the greatest scars. For what thing is more fragile… than
the human heart?

But I must tell you, I have learned that a grave fraud is afoot.

What is it?

As if the Featheringtons did not have enough to be dealing with, Miss Marina Thompson is with
child… and she has been from the very first day she arrived in our fair city.

Desperate times may call for desperate measures, but I would wager many will think her actions
beyond the pale. Perhaps she thought it her only option, or perhaps she knows no shame.

But I ask you, can the ends ever justify such wretched means?

Yours Truly,

Lady Whistledown

📜📜📜
Then Eloise, Penelope, and Anthony worked on two new drafts while he and Benedict bit their
tongues. Their first draft was far too long. Eloise and Anthony each added far too much and he
suspected Pen added in some of the obvious flattery to make up for the insulting way his siblings
questioned why Miss Thompson would even target him.

Dear Gentle Reader,

All is fair in love and war. but some battles leave no victor, only a trail of broken hearts that makes
us wonder if the price we pay is ever worth the fight.

The ones we love have the power to inflict the greatest scars. For what thing is more fragile… than
the human heart?

But I must tell you, I have learned that a grave fraud is afoot.

What is it?

As if the Featheringtons did not have enough to be dealing with, Miss Marina Thompson is with
child… and she has been from the very first day she arrived in our fair city.

It seems the discerning Mr. Colin Bridgerton had believed something was amiss and discreetly
employed investigators to look into the background of the young miss before they said their “I
Do’s.”

The findings made their way to this author shortly before being delivered to Mr. Bridgerton himself.
It is reported that she wrote to a Sir George Crane of their lovechild. He is said to be fighting on
the front lines in Spain with Wellington.

Without response to her latest letter, she evidently set her sights on trapping Mr. Bridgerton and
attempting to pass off the unborn child as his. In doing so, Miss Thompson would have the
Bridgertons shoulder the responsibility of her misdeeds and potentially rob the heir to the Crane
estate of his claim.

Desperate times may call for desperate measures, but I would wager many will think her actions
beyond the pale. Perhaps she thought it her only option, or perhaps she knows no shame. But I ask
you, can the ends ever justify such wretched means?

Though it is rather ridiculous that the only way women in our society can change their
circumstances is through marriage, this author would remind Miss Thompson and any of those in
on her scheme that there were many options available.

Options that seem to have been left wholly unexplored or dismissed in favour of trapping Mr.
Bridgerton and subjecting the Bridgerton family to unearned shame and notoriety. Did the
remaining unwed Bridgerton ladies commit sins against Miss Thompson so harsh that they should
be punished and pay for her sins?

It seems unfathomable but of course we all know that by tricking Mr. Bridgerton into marriage and
making it seem that he was the one to impregnate her so early on in their courtship, Miss
Thompson would severely damage the young Bridgerton ladies’ prospects.

And if entrapment was justified in her mind, why target Mr. Bridgerton? He is handsome to be sure
and one of the kindest, most charming bachelors this author has ever seen, but he is not titled, nor
 has he seen much of the world outside of Mayfair, Kent and the classrooms of Eton and Oxford.

It is clear to this author why she might avoid the ageing Lords that were surely presented to her
throughout the season. But why not trap a young Lord? Perhaps one of the many young suitors
lining up to court her throughout the early part of the season?

We certainly have no shortage of wealthy, titled bachelors in our midst who would most definitely
find it hard to resist any slight form of temptation. Making it quite easy to get them in a private
room or a secluded area in a darkened garden.

And any matchmaking mama could tell you that simply being found alone in a room with an
eligible gentleman would be enough to get a ring on an unwed young lady’s finger. A rather
scandalous way to become engaged, to be sure. But undeniably effective and relatively easy to
orchestrate, as well.

A marriage of convenience may not be the love story every young miss dreams of, but it is nothing
to snub. There are plenty of such arrangements all throughout Mayfair and St. James, though one
will not likely find any Bridgerton in one.

It is well known that the late Viscount Edmund Bridgerton and his wife, Viscountess Violet
Bridgerton, were a true match and it is said that she wishes the same kind of marriage for each of
their children. And with the kind heart Mr. Colin Bridgerton possesses, it is unfathomable that he
should be trapped in a loveless union.

One also wonders about the honourable option, which seems so unthinkable to outright ignore, of
bringing the matter to the Crane family directly while Sir George is preoccupied on the battlefield.
The family would surely wish to care for their own flesh and blood, yet it seems they are completely
unaware in Sir George’s absence and Miss Thompson’s silence.

At any rate, with so many options paid no heed to for unknown reasons, I believe I speak for the ton
when I say that Mr. Bridgerton deserves better. This author commends him for following his
intuition and doing his due diligence before he was shackled to a lying stranger for the rest of his
life.

On a final note, I will add this:

There have been whispers as of late of her attitude and her mistreatment of tradespeople. However,
this author is always hesitant to print anything without compelling evidence. A quick word of
advice? Take this as a reminder, dear readers, that I do not print without cause and your
misbehaviour is precisely what keeps my publisher busy.

Though it is absurd that women in our society are judged by their dancing skills and comportment
rather than their candour, their character, and their true accomplishments, Miss Thompson had
been given the honour of being named this season’s incomparable by this very author. Something I
now regret deeply.

No, she was not named the diamond; and Her Grace Daphne Basset, the Duchess of Hastings, was
most deserving of that honour both in the so-called accomplishments our society places on
pedestals and in the altruistic, kind, poised manner she carries herself.

But one would hope that, with all of the preferential treatment and special attention an unofficial
jewel receives, their demeanour would not reflect that of an unkind young lady with illusory
 superiority to those around her.

Though this report certainly serves as further confirmation of Miss Thompson’s true character and
gives more credibility to those rumours, one could argue that she has found herself in a very
stressful situation and deserves grace for her brazen behaviour. I shall leave that up to you to
decide.

Yours Truly,

Lady Whistledown

📜📜📜
Their second draft was still rather long but it included every point they hoped to make without such
obvious flattery for him or preference for their family.

Dear Gentle Reader,

All is fair in love and war. but some battles leave no victor, only a trail of broken hearts that makes
us wonder if the price we pay is ever worth the fight.

The ones we love have the power to inflict the greatest scars. For what thing is more fragile… than
the human heart?

But I must tell you, I have learned that a grave fraud is afoot.

What is it?

As if the Featheringtons did not have enough to be dealing with, Miss Marina Thompson is with
child… and she has been from the very first day she arrived in our fair city.

It seems the discerning Mr. Colin Bridgerton had believed something was amiss and discreetly
employed investigators to look into the background of the young miss before they said their “I
Do’s.”

The findings made their way to this author shortly before being delivered to Mr. Bridgerton himself.
It is reported that she wrote to a soldier from a neighbouring property to that of her father’s with
news of their lovechild.

He is said to be fighting on the front lines in Spain with Wellington. Without response to her latest
letter, she evidently set her sights on trapping Mr. Bridgerton and attempted to pass off the unborn
child as his.

In doing so, Miss Thompson would have the Bridgerton family shoulder the responsibility of her
actions, subjecting them to unearned shame and notoriety.
 Desperate times may call for desperate measures, but I would wager many will think her actions
beyond the pale. Perhaps she thought it her only option, or perhaps she knows no shame. But I ask
you, can the ends ever justify such wretched means?

Though it is rather ridiculous that the only way women in our society can change their
circumstances is through marriage, this author would remind Miss Thompson and any of those in
on her scheme that there were many options available.

I believe I speak for the ton when I say that Mr. Bridgerton deserves better. This author commends
him for following his intuition and doing his due diligence before he was shackled to a woman who
would commit such a fraud against him for the rest of his life.

One could argue that Miss Thompson found herself in a very stressful situation and deserves grace
for her brazen behaviour. I shall leave that up to you to decide.

Yours Truly,

Lady Whistledown

By the time Eloise completed reading it aloud for the room, they did not have time to draft another.
That draft would have to do if they wished to send something to the printers that the paperboys
could deliver by sunrise. And that is exactly what happened. Their loyal footman, John, rode off
into the night with their draft in hand, reaching the print shop just before it closed.

📜📜📜
The next morning, Colin began planning his Grand Tour. Penelope kept reminding him of how
much he longed to travel and it was high time he set sail in chase of those dreams. Perhaps the
Greek Isles would give him clarity and rid him of the terrible feelings and thoughts that plagued his
mind?

While he felt sorry for the situation Miss Thompson found herself in, he could not regret breaking
off their engagement. The way she spoke of her scheme to Penelope as he listened in the corridor
replayed in his mind whenever he began to feel guilt over everything and he was able to put that
feeling aside.

Though he wished to establish a correspondence with Penelope properly, he refused to cross the
square to enter the Featherington estate, so he would have to forgo garnering her parents’ approval.
She would be happy to hear of all that he experienced abroad and that is all that mattered to him.

And honestly, had her parents not just attempted to commit a grave sin against him with their
compliance in Miss Thompson’s scheming? Could they truly deny his wishes to simply correspond
with his lifelong friend who shockingly happens to be their daughter after that? He did not believe
so.
Within a week, he boarded a ship out England and began writing his first letter to Penelope once he
settled into his quarters for the journey. As he watched the sun setting on the horizon that evening,
he felt a freedom like no other and was never more grateful that he had followed his intuition that
fateful night.

Visual Aid: Season 1 timeline. I did my best to condense the timeline as much as possible even
though I firmly believe there was more time between Vauxhall and Trowbridge based on everything
that takes place in Daphne's storyline.
Chapter End Notes

Thank you as always for reading along. I hope you're enjoying it!

Epilogue for this ending is next. (Don't forget, there are multiple endings! This was the
original one that stayed true to the intention behind this fic. The next ending will have the
Marina/Portia showdown. The one after that will have an immediate (chaotic) Polin HEA.
Then the last one is Natasha Bedingfield (still unwritten).)
 A Family Whistledown, Epilogue
Chapter Notes

this. 😊
A quick reminder before diving into the epilogue - I have 3 alternate endings coming up after
Hope you enjoy this one and stay for the others!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Colin had never experienced waking up so peacefully. He wondered if this was how it would be
every morning and felt a delicious warmth spreading through him at the thought. While he knew he
could not remain there much longer, as the sky was already beginning to brighten with the colours
of dawn fast approaching, he took a moment to enjoy the serenity of it all.

He hadn’t seen much of the room the night before, as he was rather preoccupied from the moment
he stumbled through the door. He was so intent on getting out of his clothing and getting onto the
bed that he didn’t bother lighting a candle. He couldn’t even recall the fire that had evidently been
burning throughout the night.

As he glanced about the room, his eyes caught on the set of chairs that held a prominent place in his
memories. Penelope had been so encouraging and patient with him that fateful evening. When
everything he thought he knew turned out to be a lie and his world was tipped on its axis, her
presence alone gave him solace.

It was so clear in hindsight. Penelope was always meant to be his and he was always meant to be
hers. She was his North Star at night and his sunshine in the day. When the darkness of that
tumultuous time overwhelmed him and he all but lost himself, she was the beacon of light that
guided him home. When he found delight in the world again, she beamed with so much warmth, he
hardly believed it possible.

He knew that he had made the right decision at the time. That he needed the time he spent away
from the ton to clear his mind and learn to trust himself again. But a part of him still deeply
regretted that he didn’t understand his heart sooner. He vowed to spend the rest of their lives
making up for it.

🤍🤍🤍
“So that is it then…” Colin murmured, staring at a loose thread in the rug.

Pen’s pinky finger softly grazed his hand in a gesture that was rather comforting but was still sure
to go unnoticed by his siblings.

“Well, there is still the matter of telling Mother,” Benedict stated. “Or perhaps waiting for her to
find out when she reads Whistledown tomorrow, I suppose.”

“We cannot very well keep this from her,” Anthony sighed. “I shall remain here tonight and tell her
in the morning.”

“What do you intend to reveal?” Colin cautiously asked, hoping his brother would understand his
meaning. Penelope clearly had, as he felt her shift uncomfortably on the settee.

“I believe we must share the details of Miss Thompson’s deceit before she learns of it some other
way,” Anthony stated. “As for how you discovered the truth and how we all dealt with it, well… I
will leave that up to you to decide.”

“Are there locusts in the streets?” Colin quipped, “Blood in the Thames? Are the end of days upon
us already?”

“Hush, you.”

“Apologies, that took me by surprise. It was uncharacteristically considerate of you is all,” he

explained amusingly. “Thank you, Anthony.”

He turned to find Pen writhing her hands in her lap with her head tucked down. As he was about to
attempt to pull her out of her anxious stupor with a gentle nudge, he watched his sister roughly
grab Pen’s hands.

“Shall I walk you home, Pen?” Colin suggested.

“You will do no such thing!” Anthony barked.

“I most certainly will,” Colin insisted, “She may live across the square but it is unquestionably
unsafe for a lady to walk alone at this hour.”

“I will be fine ,” Pen hissed, rolling her eyes petulantly.

“Colin, you are not to go near the Featherington’s until this is all settled,” Anthony ordered.
“Understood?”

“I have no desire to,” Colin responded matter-of-factly, “beyond ensuring Pen’s safe return, which
I absolutely must insist on.”

“Miss Featherington,” Anthony sighed, “why don’t you stay in Eloise’s room tonight and I will
escort you home in the morning? I would like to have a word with your father anyway.” Turning to
Colin, he put on a saccharine smile and said, “There, that should settle it, no?”

“No, Pen must return home before her absence is noticed!” Colin fretted. “If I cannot escort her
back at once, either you or Benedict will have to.”

“And why is that?” Anthony groaned, once again pinching that bridge of his nose. It was a wonder
his nose hadn’t permanently deformed already.

“Because, you dunderhead,” Eloise drawled, her tone laced with annoyance and arrogance, “if
anyone realises she is here, it will be assumed that she was the one to reveal the truth of their
scheme to Colin.”

“Precisely,” he agreed. They were not often on the same side of arguments but when it came to
Pen, they each wanted what was best for her and would fight to protect her.

“Did we not just spend a better part of the last hour drafting a column wherein Lady Whistledown
explains how Colin uncovered the fraud himself ?” Benedict chortled, seemingly finding the
entire situation greatly amusing.

“—We did…” Colin began but trailed off when Eloise barreled forward with a louder response.
“—Yes, but if we would like that to be believed, we must not give them reason to consider an
alternative,” Eloise reasoned. “What are they to think, hmm? That it was just some odd
coincidence that Penelope left her home after having gone to bed and found her way here , the very
same night that Lady Whistledown happened to intercept Colin’s investigation findings?”

“It is not as though they’d have any evidence to support their assumption,” Anthony said in a weak
attempt to dismiss their argument.

“Anthony, please,” Colin choked out a plea with more desperation than he realised. “They treat
her poorly enough already.”

Pen gasped. Well, scoffed would be the better term for the indignant sound she made.

“He is not wrong,” Eloise agreed.

“Thank you for your concern,” she gritted through her teeth, turning to Eloise first, then him in
admonishment. Straightening her posture, she then spoke directly to the Viscount, “But it is not so
bad. Though I do wish to return tonight, Lord Bridgerton. I can cross the square on my own. Truly,
I will be fine.”

“Pen…” Colin whispered in anguish.

“I find myself in need of some fresh air with all this excitement tonight so I will walk across the
square with you,” Benedict suggested. “Not as your escort, of course. Simply think of me as an
acquaintance with a fondness for a nice nighttime stroll.”

“You will wait until John returns,” Anthony instructed Benedict, before nodding to Eloise and
Colin, “And you two, say your goodbyes now. Then it’s off to bed.”

Colin decided it was best to allow Eloise to speak with Penelope first, if only so she would leave
and he would not run the risk of her interrupting his time with Pen. His sister was surprisingly
hasty with her goodbye and did not hover in the study afterward, much to his delight.

Benedict and Anthony had moved to the other side of the room, each refilling their drinks and
speaking in hushed tones. They were likely trading stories of their nefarious evening pursuits, Colin
thought. Whatever it was they were discussing, he was glad for it. With their attention firmly held
elsewhere and Eloise’s departure, he and Pen could speak freely.

“Pen, forgive me,” he entreated, taking her hands in his. “I did not mean to upset you with my
statement regarding your family’s treatment of you before. I only wished to help.”

“I see,” she muttered, adding, “It is truly nothing to worry about, Colin. Please put it out of your
mind.”

He could tell she would not acquiesce to his concerns and he did not wish to talk in circles with the
limited time they had remaining. Still, he would not agree to putting it out of his mind. She deserved
to be treated better and removed from the bosom of her ridiculous family. Best to change the course
of their discussion, he thought.

“Thank you,” he began, “For everything. I shudder to think of where I would be without you.”
“Oh,” she cooed. He did not have the presence of mind to ruminate over why that little sound made
him feel so good. “You do not need to thank me.”

“I do, Pen,” he insisted. “You are the very best friend I could ask for.”

It hit him then that in his shock over Pen being Lady Whistledown, his anger over the way she felt
about herself and the way she put her safety at risk, and his horror over the way her draft would
see her ruin, he missed something so vital.

If he hadn’t discovered the truth of Miss Thompson’s scheme that evening, she would have risked
her own safety and ruined herself in an effort to give him agency in deciding whether or not to
marry Marina with all of the facts brought to light. Penelope would have given him the freedom of
choice that Marina was so intent on keeping from him.

“I only wish I could do something…” he trailed off, unsure of how to say ‘something to return the
favour, something for you' in a more elegant way. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Penelope
did not understand his meaning.

“Do you suppose you might travel?” she asked with a wide grin that faltered as she continued,
“Now that you are…”

“Freed from a life filled with misery of the acutest kind?” he quipped, flashing her the most
charming smile he could muster. “Perhaps it is a good time to start my grand tour. The season is
winding down, I could use the remaining weeks to plan it all out and leave the morning after the
last ball. Sooner if I can.”

“ A grand tour ,” she repeated breathily. Whyever did she seem so distraught?

“Well, perhaps not a grand tour,” he corrected and observed her smile return as he further
explained, “I should like to be here for Eloise’s presentation. But I will endeavour to spend the
offseason exploring the Mediterranean.”

“Oh! That sounds wonderful, Colin,” she chirped. “I greatly look forward to hearing all about
your travels when you return.”

“Would you be amenable to corresponding?” he proposed with a bit of bashfulness. “With me, I
mean. During my travels.”

Pen seemed astonished at the notion. “You wish to exchange letters?”

“If it’s not too much to ask,” he nodded with an impish grin. “I should very much like to hear of
how you are getting on and any mischief you get into in my absence. And…” Colin took a deep,
steadying breath, unsure of how she might take his next words. “I am sure that during my time
away, I will find myself turning over the events of this season, fighting the plaguing thoughts and
the doubts that linger, as I am wont to do. I know that it is a lot to ask, but I am hoping I can rely on
your friendship during this time.”

“I—of course, Colin. It is not too much to ask at all,” Penelope affirmed earnestly. “Where do you
suppose you’ll go first?”

“I believe I’ll begin in Greece,” he replied, glad for the change in focus of their conversation.
“There is so much I wish to see and do there.”
 🤍🤍🤍
He realised he loved her through their letters. It amazed him that, for as long as they had known
each other, and as close as their friendship had always been, it took him sailing away to far off
lands to discover that there was no other person in the world that he could be so vulnerable with.

Penelope truly saw him and miraculously seemed to hold him in high esteem despite all of his
faults and flaws that had been laid bare to her.

In the very first set of letters he received, his brother shared the news of Lord Featherington’s
untimely death. Colin had initially decided to save Pen’s letter for last, knowing it would likely be
the most interesting but after reading that harrowing line from Anthony’s letter, he frantically found
hers and tore it open.

Her letter explained the way in which she learned of her father’s demise and how she had been
faring with her new reality. He remembered the dark months that followed his own father’s passing
all too well. He wished there was something he could do to support her through her grief but he felt
helpless being so far away.

Penelope went on to say that her family would be spending the mourning period in the country and
she was glad for the change in scenery. If he were unaware of the way her mother and sisters
treated her, he would have been relieved to hear of such plans.

Grieving the loss of a loved one was difficult enough, to do so under the microscope of the ton’s
ever-present judgement was unthinkable. However, he was acutely familiar with the mistreatment
of Pen by the very people she’d be sequestered with.

In his letters back home, he first offered his deepest condolences to Penelope, then asked his
mother to extend an invitation for her to join his family at Aubrey Hall for a fortnight or perhaps a
month, and finally, he asked Anthony for periodic reports of her well-being while he was away.

Due to his position, his brother had many connections and it was not uncommon for people in
varying locations and stations to conduct services for him. Surely it would be an easy task for
Anthony.

Colin also considered having him send flowers from their family but it would be impolite to send
them to Pen alone and he only wished to send them to her. If, and hopefully when, she visited his
family at Aubrey Hall, he would be sure to instruct them to have a very large arrangement waiting
for her upon her arrival.

He wondered if she might stay in his bedchamber instead of taking up a room in the guest wing
with it being empty while he was away. He imagined her walking in to find the flowers he sent and
the lovely smile that would grow when she read the card that would confirm they were indeed
meant for her.

His reveries were cut short when he remembered that Daphne would be in Clyvedon with her new
husband so Penelope would likely be placed in her bedchamber. The disappointment he felt in that
puzzled him exceedingly.
He theorised it must have been that he desperately wished to be of service in supporting Pen
through such a difficult time. Lending one’s bedchamber for an extended visit was surely an act of
service. He delighted in the thought of something of his providing her comfort in her time of need.
But getting her to Aubrey Hall would have to be enough.

A few weeks later, Eloise sent a long missive informing him what all had happened to Miss
Thompson since he last saw her. Penelope had included a short note in her initial letter that Marina
had left London and was to be married.

She offered to provide a lengthier report if he would like but did not want to share more than he
wished to know. Eloise was not so considerate as to give him a choice in the matter, but he was
glad for it nonetheless.

While Miss Thompson had committed a grave sin against him and she had spewed such vitriol at
Penelope, he did not wish for her to suffer a terrible life; and he had departed in such haste that he
was not aware of what became of her beyond her ruin and the end of their engagement, of course.

According to El, the brother of the man Marina had relations with before he went to war, a Sir
Phillip Crane happened to be in London when the Whistledown sheet exposing her scheme had
been published.

The man was unaware of Marina’s whereabouts but he had found a letter intended for her in his
brother’s belongings that had been given to his family after George’s death on the battlefield. The
letter had allegedly indicated that he wanted to run away with her and raise their child. Phillip
offered his hand as a way to honour his late brother’s wishes.

An array of mixed emotions began to surface as he continued to read Eloise’s letter. There was an
obvious level of sadness and sympathy for Marina with the news of Sir George Crane’s passing.

The guilt he held onto about having to expose her in such a public manner, having to use Lady
Whistledown, had certainly lessened when Eloise explained that ruining Marina in the eyes of the
ton was far less calamitous or punishing for her than it would have been for other young ladies.

Marina’s disdain for society was something El had long admired about her. She constantly made
haughty remarks about the vapid rituals and silly concerns of those in good society and she often
made it abundantly clear that she thought herself above it all.

Eloise included that she quite agreed with Miss Thompson on those matters and was not at all
looking forward to her debut. He made a note to remind her that Penelope would be with her in
every crowded ballroom when she did.

At any rate, Miss Thompson no longer needed society as means to find a husband. Colin felt much
of the guilt and remorse for how they left things lessening with the knowledge that she was settled.
With a most honourable gentleman it seemed. Marina landed in a better place than he could ever
have offered her.

Sir Phillip Crane knew the truth of her situation prior to their union. He would not be shocked to
find her child born so soon after and he would not feel betrayed by the woman he married because
she did not need to deceive him in the way she did Colin. He would raise a child he actually shared
blood with.
In marrying Miss Thompson, Phillip gave her the very title and household she would have
managed if she had married the man she loved. And her child would not only live and grow on the
very property their father had but they would be raised by a man who knew him intimately, his own
brother.

The rejection and inferiority Colin expected to feel, in hearing the woman he thought himself in
love with had married another man, never came. He was merely pleased with the fact that he was
not the one marrying her.

He may have found it more challenging to recover from being made to play the fool in her scheme,
had he not witnessed Marina’s cruelty that night he snuck into the Featherington’s.

To reconcile the girl he thought he knew with someone who could lie and scheme and commit such
fraud without discovering it himself would have been a most disconcerting ordeal. However, he had
the feeling that something was not right and he followed his intuition until he uncovered the truth.

A month later, when Penelope updated him about Marina's well-being after she heard the news of
the twins' arrival in early November, he felt nothing. He wished her the best and was happy to hear
there were no complications with the birth, but that was all.

Pen shared that Marina was content with her babies and her household. And that was all well and
good, but the thing that he found the most interesting and most delightful when reading Penelope’s
letter was the fact that he felt nary a pain of regret, rejection, or guilt. He felt no longing or
disappointment whatsoever.

It was as though he were reading about a former acquaintance of his from Eton or a distant cousin.
Recognising that gave him such satisfaction that he was well on his way to putting that part of his
life behind him. He could once again look to the future. A future that looked more and more like a
certain friend of his back home.

The more he saw on his voyage abroad, the more he was reminded of everything he admired about
her. Seeing the glimmering waves kissing the shore reminded him of her cerulean blue eyes.
Watching the sunset from his exploration along the slopes of Mount Olympus summoned visions of
her auburn curls.

Anything and everything yellow caught his eye as he browsed market stalls for gifts to send home
to his family. He felt the familiar quiver of excitement that he always had when he would spot Pen
across a ballroom in one of her signature yellow gowns for the first time on a given evening.

He found himself contemplating the proprieties of sending her gifts on more than one occasion. So
he was not surprised that he was reminded of her when he passed by quills, ink pots, books, and
journals. What surprised him greatly was how affecting jewellery became in this way.

He could not pass a single necklace or ring without stopping to think about what it might look like
on her. Would the colour compliment her eyes? Would the jewels be tantalisingly distracting sitting
on her décolleté, drawing attention to her ample bosom? Would they sparkle atop her alabaster skin
in the moonlight?

Her letters provided him with encouragement but it was the little reminders of her that prevented
him from ever getting too lonely. She was never far from his thoughts even across such a
tremendous distance.
A month prior to his planned departure, a family from Britain took up residence next to the
boarding house. He befriended the young couple straight away, delighting in their company after
months of only consorting with fellow travellers and tour guides.

But as they spent more time together, Colin quickly found himself feeling as though he were
missing something. Someone, rather. The man had travelled to Greece some years prior and was so
clearly taking great enjoyment in showing his wife all of the sights and wonders he recalled from
his tour.

He realised there was only one woman in the world that he wished to share his life with in such a
manner. He attempted to share it with her in his writing but he knew it was no substitute for the real
thing. And oh, how Penelope would enjoy experiencing it all first hand.

The veil that had blinded him to his own feelings for so long was well and truly lifted when he first
met the couple’s children during a visit to the shoreline. Their peels of laughter and relentless
questions made him yearn for the day he would become a father to his own children.

And when he thought about raising a family one day, there was no trace of doubt; he so ardently
longed for Penelope to be the mother of his children. Their daughters and sons would be the
luckiest children on Earth to have such a kind, brilliant, witty, gentle, patient, understanding,
beautiful mother.

He bid his friends farewell at once and hastily set off for the boarding house. If he did not have
plans to leave the very next week, he would have gone straight to the docks to book passage on the
next available ship to England. Instead, he rushed back and made quick work of his ink and quill.

He wrote a short letter to Penelope, asking if she would allow him to court her upon his return. He
told her that he would have much more to say on the matter in person, but their correspondence had
shown him just how much he treasured her presence in his life and he asked that she give him the
opportunity to show her that he could be worthy of her.

He was still young and finding his way in the world without a purpose to guide him, sure. But he
was determined to discover his raison d'être and become the man that Penelope thought him to be.
He could only hope that she might be able to feel more than mere friendly affection for him
because he was sure that he could never go back.

When he found a letter from her waiting for him in Gibraltar, where the ship ported half-way along
the journey back, he was cautiously hopeful. Penelope wrote that she would be delighted to be
courted by him and she greatly looked forward to his return.

He could not have been more thrilled. He contemplated sending something back to her but he
would probably arrive before the letter did, so he chose to write his thoughts in a journal to bring
back to her.

And so, upon his return to Mayfair, Colin Bridgerton began courting Penelope Featherington, his
best friend, the love of his life and his future wife. Near-future, if he had any say in the matter.

Much to his surprise, his family was extremely supportive of the match.

They each claimed to have known all along that he and Pen were made for one another. Well, each
of them except for Eloise, who seemed to be as oblivious as he was. Funny how those closest to
Pen were blind to it. They simply could not see the forest for the trees, he supposed, or however the
phrase went.

He had truly been looking forward to the first ball of the season, as he would be able to properly
show her off on his arm, dance multiple sets with her, and spend hours on end enjoying her
company. As it should have been since her debut. However, it being Eloise’s first ball after
debuting, Pen’s attention was scarcely focused on him.

The night was not all bad though, for they did indeed share their first kiss.

Once Eloise left with Benedict, Colin snuck Pen away to a dark corner of the lovely gardens under
a clear night sky with endless constellations overhead. It was glorious. The perfect moment to
profess their love for one another both physically and through spoken confessions and promises.

He then proposed just over a week later, when they enjoyed themselves a bit too much for an
unwed couple during a carriage ride back from a Whistledown drop off. He did not regret one
moment of it, however ungentlemanly he may have conducted himself. After ensuring that she
made it inside safely, he ran home, intent on sharing the good news.

While he awaited the return of his mother and Anthony, who, along with Eloise and Benedict, had
not yet arrived home from the ball that evening, he paced the halls like a madman. Gregory and
Hyacinth finally made their presence known when their arguing over the reason for his peculiar
state grew into a shouting match.

“Pen and I are getting married! Well, I asked her to marry me tonight.”

“And she said yes?” Hyacinth excitedly asked. “That is wonderful!”

“Ye—?” he began to say but cut himself off when he realised she had not actually said the word,
she merely kissed him in response to his proposal. But they had already professed their love for one
another so he took the kiss as confirmation. As a promise. A vow. “It was implied.”

Gregory let out a bark of laughter while Hyacinth needled, “She did not say yes?”

“This may come as a shock to you since we’ve only been courting for a fortnight, but Pen and I —
we’ve very much in love,” he said wistfully, recalling each one of their kisses and the way he felt
when she told him she had loved him for years.

“Almost as shocking as witnessing a blue sky,” Hyacinth jested dismissively.

“Or green grass!” added Greg.

All he could do was scoff and petulantly send them off to bed. “Are you not meant to be asleep by
now?”

Anthony, Ben and their mother were no more surprised.

He asked her mother and the newly arrived Lord Featherington for permission to marry Penelope
the next morning and brought her to a celebratory tea with his family that afternoon. There they
picked out her ring from the family collection together.

He wasn’t sure how he could ever be expected to wait a torturous month to marry her. The only
thing stopping him from carting her up to Gretna Green ( besides the fact that Pen loathed the idea,
thanks to the debacle with her cousin ) was the fact that their house in Bloomsbury was not yet
ready for them.

But the way she looked at the very next ball took his breath away, rendering him senseless. He
prided himself on being a gentleman but all the rules of propriety that had been browbeaten into
him as a young boy seemed to have completely left his mind.

Colin was absolutely in awe of how perfect his wife-to-be was. How he ever got so lucky as to love
and be loved by her, he was not entirely sure. After dancing more sets than propriety deemed
appropriate, he took her by the hand and led her to the empty library.

He couldn't find it in him to hold out any longer when Pen told him that she had thoroughly
enjoyed their tryst in the carriage and wished to explore their passions again. So after they dropped
Whistledown off together, he accompanied her inside to share in their first night of a magnificent
lifetime of love making.

Falling asleep in the arms of one's beloved was heavenly, more gratifying than he ever dreamed it
could be. Waking up holding Penelope close to him with one arm draped over her hips and the
other laid under her body, his hand filled with her exquisite breast… it was simply sublime.

🤍🤍🤍
“I am sure you will have plentiful opportunities for adventure in Greece,” she agreed with a lovely
smile. “I shall live vicariously through all of your exhilarating tales during the offseason.”

“I will do my best not to bore you,” he said in jest. Though, if he were being honest, the notion did
worry him. He would be writing to the woman behind Lady Whistledown, after all, and his writing
was certainly not as witty or brilliant as hers.

While his panic began to build, he noticed that she had cocked her head to the side for a moment
with an appraising look on her face. He wondered if she had the same realisation that his letters
likely would bore her.

“You could never bore me, Colin,” she said dismissively, as if it were too nonsensical to spend a
fleeting moment considering. “And besides, I will be spending the offseason in the country, as I
always do. I will be glad for the change of scenery, yes, but the most lively diversion I shall
encounter will be listening to my sisters discuss their confusion over the vicar’s easily
comprehensible sermons. I rather think I will be the one boring you .”

“Bored? By Lady Whistledown herself?” he jested with a dubious tone. “I daresay that is not
possible.”

“Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Bridgerton,” Pen quipped, her tongue as sharp as ever.

“Oh! That reminds me. One last thing before you go,” he said urgently. “I know this is not the time
nor the place to continue our earlier discussion, but I… Well, I cannot help but worry about your
safety regarding Whistledown. I know my brother feels the same, given his reaction when we told
him. While I am away, please allow my family to help you with your operation.”
“I do not plan to publish anything after the season ends,” she replied after considering his plea,
adding “until the new season begins.”

Hmmph, clever girl, he thought.

“And in the remaining weeks of the season?” he needled, unwilling to allow her to avoid the stretch
of time that worried him the most.

Gossip pamphlets had never been printed much during the offseason, so he hadn’t even considered
that possibility, and he planned to be back for the new season in the spring. Colin was confident in
his ability to help her then. It was in fact the remainder of the season that troubled him so.

He could not very well see to her protection while he was meant to remain far away from her home
and her family. His every move would be watched with rapt attention by the entire ton with the
news of his broken engagement and the last thing Pen needed to ensure her safety in regard to
Whistledown was just that, attention.

“Well, I —”

“—Please, Pen! I will ensure Anthony knows he is only to help get your drafts to the printer
securely and he shall not, under any circumstances whatsoever, impose on other aspects,” he
offered, nearly begging, “Just until the end of the season.”

“I will consider it,” she acquiesced and he knew he won. Relief washed over him in a way that felt
like finding water in the desert after days of wandering in despair.

“Good,” he sighed, “that is all I ask.”

After a moment or two of silence, relief in his case and likely regret in hers, Pen cleared her throat
with a tiny cough.

“Colin,” she began softly, “you did nothing to deserve any of this and I am truly sorry I—”

“—Pen, stop,” he interjected. “We’ve been over this, you have nothing to apologise for.”

“No, please Colin. Let me finish.”

It was a statement, but the way her wide, glistening eyes searched his told him that she was waiting
for an answer. He nodded in confirmation, of course. How could he do anything else when she
looked at him like that?

“I want you to hear the words said out loud before you go off on your tour and parse through your
memories of the season on your own,” she explained. “I know you will try to find reason in them
but please, you must hear me when I say there is none to be found. You are a good man and you
did nothing wrong , nothing deserving of such wretched circumstances, nothing warranting such
mistreatment. I know you must come to that conclusion on your own but I wished to remind you one
last time.”

“Pen,” he croaked out, feeling very grateful for her friendship.

To hell with propriety and its damnable rules. He drew Pen into his arms and nestled his head into
her soft curls that cascaded down her back. She stilled momentarily before wrapping her arms
around him and laying her palms on his back as she sank into his embrace.
 “I am certain you will find a way to trust yourself again,” she whispered.

“Colin! Miss Featherington!” Anthony called out in admonishment from across the room. “We
have not yet made it out of one scandal, could you please refrain from bringing another about?”

Much to his chagrin, he knew his brother was right. If anyone else happened upon them, it would
only bring more scandal to their families. He released Pen from his hold and let his hands trail
down her arms to give her hands one final squeeze in gratitude and adoration.

“Good luck on your tour,” she said, her voice laced with emotion.

“Thank you,” he whispered, hastily standing as he caught his brothers stalking toward them. “Do
not forget, I shall write to you.” Bending to bring her hand to his lips, he finally said farewell to his
dearest friend. “Goodbye, Penelope.”

🤍🤍🤍
Pen’s eyes fluttered open as a beam of golden light settled upon her face. “Colin,” she sighed with
the sweetest smile he’d ever seen.

“Good morning, love,” he cooed, straining his neck so he could place a soft, reverent kiss upon her
lips. As she laid her head down on his chest, he grinned like mad. “So I’ve been thinking… what
would it take to change the month-long wait until we wed to a fortnight?”

Chapter End Notes

Thank you for all of the comments and kudos! I'm still so shocked at the warm reception this
has gotten.

As you know by now, this was story was intended to clear up the confusion that Pen exposed
Marina because she thought Colin would immediately return her affection and they'd ride off
into the sunset together. She never expected him to return her affection. She saved him from a
fraud of a marriage so that he could find love. Without the distraction of Marina and the haze
of dealing with the aftereffects of her manipulation, Colin would likely have begun to piece
the puzzle together sooner but the way he needed to process things in the show is completely
valid. It really upsets me that so much of this storyline was never explored or explained to the
audience better. There’s so much nuance that is lost to casual viewers because of this. I hope
this exploration has served its purpose.

Now! Onto the alternate endings! These are meant to be fun and not at all taken as plausible
alternatives to what happened in the show.
P.S. I've added a timeline to the previous chapter that covers season 1.
 Buying Time, Part I
Chapter Notes

Well folks, we've made it to the first of our alternate endings! This will be the longest ending -
probably 6 or 7 chapters worth. Tbd. This picks up just after chapter 5!

***TW: Peeping Tom // Accidental Voyeurism***

🤍🤍
for your support but we are no longer in PG territory and it is inappropriate for your eyes. 🤍
Friends and family, this is where I think it's best to stop reading along. Endless thanks and love

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Previously:

‘Would you accompany me?” he asked hesitantly, rushing to offer a compelling reason, “If only to
give more credibility to explain this unbelievable situation I find myself in? I know it is asking a lot
from you and it would be very improper, but I do not think I can go on my own.”

“Me? Accompany you? To speak with your family in the middle of the night?” she sputtered.

“Please?” he softly pleaded. “I only wish for you to be there with me to help explain everything, I
promise we need not mention Lady Whistledown. Your secret is safe with me, Pen. Always.”
“Of course, I - yes. If you think I can be of any help, I will of course accompany you,” she
professed. “And as for my secret, I trust you, Colin. But if we must tell your family in order to save
you, then so be it. I must insist I am able to speak with Eloise on the matter first. She will already
have my head for telling you before her.”

“Very well,” he brightly nodded, “it’s settled! You’ll speak with Eloise while I send word to
Anthony and find Benedict, then we shall reconvene in the study.”

“Fantastic,” she beamed back at him, “I shall see you shortly, then!”

“Nonsense, we’ll go together!” he insisted. “I’ll not have you walk across the square this time of
night alone. After our discussion about your safety, I should think you’d expect this.”

“Col-Colin,” she stuttered, “I —”

“— Pen stop,” he huffed. Must she make things so difficult? “We will go together. I will not hear
your protests.”

“It is not that I do not wish to go with you but I cannot leave like this,” she reasoned. “I must
change my attire...”

“Ah!” How ridiculous that he hadn’t realised her meaning. “You require your maid to assist you?”

“No, it is not that; I can dress on my own,” she stammered. “It is only, well, you see, I —” she
glanced over to the armoire, her skin now resembling a ripe tomato. “My sisters and I share a
dressing room… down the hall connected to their bedchambers. And I-I am hesitant to tempt
waking them. I have some morning dresses in my armoire but I do not have a privacy screen here.”

“Oh. Oh! Yes, of course. I’ll just…” he drawled, looking around to find an answer. “Well I’ll just
adjust my position to face away from you, of course,” he cheerfully concluded. “Go on, get to it!”

“Uh... Alright.”

🕰️🕰️🕰️
As Penelope made her way across the room to her armoire, Colin adjusted the chair he was in to
face the opposite direction. Without her by his side, he was left with his own thoughts and was
suddenly very aware of his surroundings.

How the fabric felt below his arms, that delightful smell of his dearest friend, the pale remnants of
brandy on his tongue from the drinks he had hours ago, the repeating floral pattern of the wallpaper,
the soft rustling of Pen’s clothing.

The soft rustling of Pen undressing, rather… a swish followed by a muffled thud of what could
only be her nightgown hitting the floor. Meaning if he turned around — no, no! He tried to stop
himself from entertaining any further thoughts on that. Pen deserved better.
And yet, he felt a familiar buzzing excitement coursing through his veins. The kind he would get as
a child when he and one or two of his siblings were unable to stifle their giggles during church
services.

The vicar would be going on and on from the altar, his parents would shoot them reprimanding
looks from the end of the pew, other churchgoers would turn to glare at them… but nothing could
stop them.

There was never a reason for it, really. The laughter just bubbled up and they were not able to so
much as look at one another without bursting. It was wrong . Inappropriate. And intoxicating.

Much like thinking of Penelope’s disrobed form just a couple strides away from him.

Musing over her shape was not exactly foreign to Colin. For years she’d crept into his fantasies
when he let his thoughts wander as he took himself in hand. He’d usually give himself a fierce
scolding to banish the images hastily but they always found their way back eventually.

It was surprising just how much the dresses she wore hid her figure, now that he allowed himself to
consider it. The neckline of her nightgown and the way it clung to her breasts already gave him a
much better idea of what was underneath it than her unshapely frocks.

Not that he hadn’t indulged in the delectable sight of her cleavage that his height afforded him
when they danced together or stood next to one another or sat next to one another. Perhaps his eyes
drifted there more often than he realised. A habit that would only increase after this night. How
could it not?

The last time he found himself in such a state over her form was just months prior, during her
presentation. When Pen walked through the doors, everything and everyone in that hall faded away.
As he watched her make her way down the aisle, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her if the fires of
hell were licking his toes.

The cream and sage coloured gown she wore displayed her womanly figure in a way that had him
reciting Latin conjugations in order to keep the pangs of desire shooting to his manhood at bay. He
shuddered to imagine what Anthony would have done to him if he had not been able to control
himself.

Colin sincerely doubted Latin conjugations could save him that night, however. Penelope’s
nightgown nipped at her waist and revealed more of her than he could recall ever seeing before.
The way her ample bosom was only further magnified by it had him weak with desire like he’d
never known.

That nipped waistline also confirmed something he knew from all of the dances they shared, all
those times his palms rested on her soft, lush body: There was a goddess-like, hourglass curve to
her figure with her large breasts, small waist, and hips that flared to accommodate what he
imagined was a perfectly plump derrière begging to be kneaded.

Good God he deserved a medal for his herculean effort keeping his head from turning to catch a
glimpse of the secret Aphrodite behind him. Every part of him felt like it had been set on fire as he
struggled to maintain some kind of composure.

He shifted in his seat to find some relief but what he found was anything but relieving. In the
mirrored surface of the window across from him, aided by the darkness of night, Pen’s reflection
beckoned him like a siren.

Oh fuck.

For all of his musings of her curvaceous form before, he never dreamed Pen looked like that.
Marina was wrong about many things. But her greatest incorrect estimation was that Colin did not
see Penelope as a woman. She was so, so very wrong. Pen was perfect. Christ, he had to know how
on earth she had hidden all of that under her dresses!

In a perverse sort of way, he was revelling in the fact that he never felt or thought about Marina like
this once and here he was burning for Pen just one floor below her. Especially after her smug
delivery of those imbecilic comments spewed at Penelope.

There she was in nothing but a chemise and short stays, putting her stocking on. The chemise fell to
her hip as she lifted her leg on the edge of the bed, bending forward to slip her tiny foot into the
stocking and slowly drag it higher and higher up her leg before settling on her creamy thigh.

Could she tell he was watching her? Was she putting on a show for him? It felt like time had
slowed down as she dragged the infernal fabric up her leg, tying it off with a yellow ribbon just to
tantalise him, he was sure of it. He longed to tug that sweet little bow loose.

When she switched legs to repeat the sultry motion again, she shifted to where she was now facing
the mirrored window. This time, he was not able to admire her leg because the way she bent
forward had him on the brink of death. Her breasts looked as if they may fall out of her stays at any
moment. And if they did, he’d be there to catch them.

His fingers itched to massage them, his mouth watered at the thought of latching onto them,
lavishing them with his tongue. He’d worship them the way they were put in this world to be. And
fuck , when the particularly naughty fantasy of thrusting his cock between her heaving breasts
appeared in his mind’s eye, Colin’s life as he knew it was over.

He desperately needed to get out of there before his primal urges took over.

It was not as though he could do much to properly relieve himself whilst sat in Pen’s bedchamber,
despite her seductive movements behind him. Still, he could only palm himself over his breeches so
much before it became painful. He knew he had to wait but oh god , he needed that sweet release.

He would simply have to keep his jacket in front of himself to hide the evidence of his arousal and
take himself in hand the minute they parted. It would be a rather quick affair at that point; but he’d
find release long before she’d return from speaking with his sister in the garden. He just needed to
hold his composure for a short while more, he told himself.

It took everything in him but he knew perfectly well that if he did not tear his hand away from his
breeches and his eyes away from her reflection at that very moment, he might lose what very little
control over himself remained.

With his eyes shut tight and his hands gripping the arms of the chair as if his life depended on it, he
unsuccessfully tried to compose himself through slow, methodical breathing. Pen, unknowingly of
course, was absolutely no help in the matter. Especially not when she cleared her throat with a little
“ahem,” and called out his name.
He could not decipher whether the sound was in his head, brought about by the wildly impure
dreams playing out in his lecherous mind, or if it was really her. Either way, his breeches became
even more constricted than they had been before and his hand moved to stroke the bulge once
more, as his measured breathing continued.

“Colin?” her voice rang out again; it was a bit louder and more urgent than before. Somehow, he
knew it was real this time.

Before he could respond, his cock twitched and he felt it beginning to leak, marking his breeches
with a wet stain that would leave no doubt as to what he was doing. As the stain grew with the hot
liquid that seeped out of him continuing to spread, he let out a strangled, “Ye-yes, Pen?”

Fucking hell!

Penelope deserved so much better than having a libertine conducting such acts to the sound of her
voice. ( And the mental images of her that came about from accidentally watching her dress, of
course .) In her bedchamber no less! The very bedchamber she welcomed him into when he was in
duress earlier that evening.

“You may turn around,” she tittered lightly. “I believe I have made myself sufficiently presentable.
We may go whenever you are ready.”

“Ah, yes,” he began, “just a moment.”

Colin stood and made to grab his abandoned jacket as he needed it to provide cover for his
predicament. While doing so, he caught the sight of his abandoned cravat and the Whistledown
draft.

He really ought to have put his cravat back on at the very least, given he would be using his jacket
to conceal his erection. Should they run into anyone on the way back, it could be assumed his
dishevelled appearance came from compromising activities.

Although, would it not be assumed they were participating in such things regardless? Simply by
being together at that time of night as the unwed lady and unwed gentleman they were? Surely a
missing cravat would be the least of their troubles.

He’d be lying if he said the idea did not intrigue him… to be caught in a compromising position
with Pen. It would be one way of getting out of marrying Miss Thompson.

Anthony would insist they marry. He knew that Colin had not compromised Marina and his family
liked Penelope far more than her cousin. Once they learned the truth of her fraud, they’d like her
even less.

But no. Despite how much he’d prefer marrying Pen, he could not do that to her. She deserved so
much more. She deserved wooing and romancing, not to be assumed ruined and forced into a
marriage of convenience, a marriage with someone like him.

Beyond that, he did not trust that her cousin and mother wouldn’t scheme and lie to force him to
wed Marina regardless of being caught in a compromising position with Pen.

They could hold her pregnancy over him and threaten to spread word that the baby is his, tainting
his name and disparaging his marriage to Pen. Though she would know the truth, it would kill him
to see her hurt by the horrible things would say.

At any rate, if he wanted to remain an unwed gentleman and keep Pen an uncompromised woman,
he needed to get home to speak with his family. There was no sense in wasting time with imagined,
hypothetical scenarios.

He folded his cravat and tucked it into his jacket pocket, then righted the chair back to its initial
position so as not to leave evidence of his so very improper visit and grabbed the discarded
parchment at once.

“You should put this away in a locked drawer,” he advised, handing her the Whistledown draft.

She accepted it graciously then folded the sheets into thirds vertically and halved them horizontally,
forming a small square. He wasn’t sure where he thought she planned to put them but he never
would have guessed she’d tuck them into her dress.

“Penelope!” he whisper-yelled in astonishment as she began slotting the parchment against her
chest. “What the devil are you doing?”

“In case we need it,” Pen reasoned, looking up at him with an innocent expression.

Good heavens! What was she thinking? If he did not know any better, he would assume she knew
exactly how tantalising that was for him. For most men, he would wager.

And they were on their way to discuss everything with his family. With his brothers . The very ones
they had agreed not twenty minutes prior were rakes of the highest order. He loathed to think of
them watching her reach down her dress to obtain the evidence of her claim to be the woman
behind Lady Whistledown.

“I… I believe we may need it,” she hesitantly mumbled with a dumbfounded expression, her
fingers lingering on the infernal thing.

“And that is where you choose to keep it? Are you mad?” he jeered, striding toward her with his
hand outstretched in a delicious mixture of burning desire and frustration. “Hand me the draft! I
shall ensure its safekeeping in a far less scandalous manner.”

He’d much rather have taken it out of her dress himself or better yet, taken her out of the dress and
forgotten all about the draft and the situation written about in said draft. But alas, he knew that was
impossible and they needed to leave imminently to keep him from having to marry her wretched
cousin.

“Do not look at me like that, Colin” she scoffed, taking the parchment out to give to him. It seemed
she was only picking up on his frustration. Good. “Where else should I keep it? It’s not my fault
that ladies are not afforded pockets.”

He should have said something flip or droll about his interest in ladies fashion but broaching that
subject was dangerous. The problem was that he certainly had formed some opinions on ladies
fashion that night.

Specifically that the lady standing in front of him wore far too many clothes for his liking.
Everything beyond her naughty little white stockings was superfluous in his mind. He imagined her
spread out on his bed for him with only her stockings and that innocent expression—no. No. No.
He had to think of something else. Had to say something else.

“Ladies are not afforded pockets…? As Eloise would no doubt remind me,” he sighed in relief.
That was a topic that would keep his predicament at bay. “Are you prepared to speak with her?”

“I believe so,” Pen said breathily. “As prepared as one can be to confess their sins to the vicar. I’m
a bit terrified of what my penance will be but I know it must be done.”

Her weak attempt at a jest about reconciliation had him imagining all sorts of lewd things. How she
would get on her knees to pray, to do… other things . How she’d confess her sinful deeds and
naughty habits, begging for forgiveness and seeking atonement.

Christ .

Was this what desire was meant to be? Was this obsessive behaviour with the incessant fantasies
and endless stream of lecherous thoughts what men ought to feel for the woman they intend to
wed? He never felt that or had any thoughts remotely similar about Marina.

‘Focus Colin!’ he chastised himself internally. Pen’s joke about confession had to do with his sister.
Right.

It gave away her true apprehension. He understood why she was resolved to speak with Eloise
before explaining everything she knew about Marina and possibly admitting to being Lady
Whistledown, too.

He knew that his sister was oftentimes not the easiest person to apologise to but she was her best
friend. Despite their recent quarrel, she loved Penelope. It might take time but she would forgive
her for keeping these secrets from her.

As a fierce proponent of women’s rights and a steadfast critic of the social rituals of the ton, surely
she would be proud to call Lady Whistledown a friend. Eventually . That is, if she gives Penelope
the chance to explain her reasoning behind her secrets.

Though he really ought to go relieve himself and change his pants while they speak in the garden,
perhaps if he joined her instead, Eloise would be more inclined to allow Pen the chance to do so.
Especially where it pertained to Marina’s scheming and pregnancy.

“I could accompany you,” he offered. “Instead of parting, we could simply go to Eloise together.”

“No, no. Thank you, but there is no need, truly. I will be fine,” she insisted as she walked to the
edge of the bed, picking up her servant's cloak. “And you must get word to Anthony and
Benedict.”

“Very well,” he acquiesced quickly. It was really for the best that he took care of his stiffened
appendage and sent for his brothers while she spoke with his sister.

Colin unlocked the door slowly so as not to make too much noise. With his hand on the doorknob,
he turned his head to find Pen and whispered, “Shall we?”

Draping the cloak over her arm as he had done so with his jacket, Penelope confirmed she was
ready to depart with a determined nod and they set off for his house.
Departing her bedchamber, the one that offered him salvation upon discovering the trickery and
fraud that he had fallen prey to, gave Colin such mixed emotions. He wished he could remain there
longer but he knew it was imperative that they speak to his family and he did not trust himself to
keep his and Pen’s honour intact if they did not leave.

They slowly and quietly made their way to the back stairs and left through the servant’s entrance.
His nerves briefly began to surface but the moment his lungs filled with the cool night air in the
garden, he felt a renewed sense of determination.

Seeing the relief upon her face — probably due to the fact that their escape had gone undetected —
he took Penelope’s hand in his. They shared a smile that ignited a delightful warmth throughout his
body. Not the shameful kind he had been feeling but the kind one feels when they’re at ease. When
they’re home.

As they neared the Bridgerton garden gate, he tried to think of a way to hold onto that feeling and
asked, “Pen, are you sure you do not wish for me to join you?”

“I am sure,” she nodded confidently. “Thank you for the offer, but I am perfectly capable of
handling this on my own. And you have other things to do in the meantime.”

“You’re not wrong,” he aquiesced and sighed before softly confessing, “I just… I am finding it
difficult to part from you.”

“Oh Colin,” she cooed. “I promise you that once El and I are able to, we will come meet you in
Lord Bridgerton’s study.”

“I know,” he shook his head. How was he to explain what he was feeling to her when he barely
understood it himself? “I —”

Before he could attempt to do so, she opened her arms, slid them through his arms and wrapped
them around his torso. Feeling her head settle against his chest set off a thrilling quiver of delight
down his spine. He hastily moved his arms to encircle her and she nestled further into him with the
sweetest little sigh.

The feeling of her magnificent breasts pressed against him, her tiny hands crawling up and down
the tense muscles of his back, the smell of her hair, the sound of her delicate sigh… it was all
perfect. All he wanted to do was drag her up to his bed and never let her go.

Holding her close, slightly swaying to imaginary melodies under the moonlight, was amazing.
Colin had never felt anything like it. He would have thought it were a dream or possibly that he had
died and gone to heaven, if not for the gentle breeze and distant sounds of carriages that kept him
rooted in reality.

“I won’t be long,” she promised.

“I know,” he whispered as he pulled her in tighter for a final embrace. With that, they went their
separate ways.

🕰️🕰️🕰️
Colin entered the study with the intention of drafting short missives to pass along with the footmen
he planned to send in search of his brothers. However, upon entering the room, he found at least
one of those notes would not have to be written or sent after all.

Fuck. He hadn’t considered that they might be there already. He needed time alone to free his
needy appendage and rid himself of the stiffness that would not leave on its own. The way they
parted had not helped in the least either; he had become impossibly harder than he had already been
before through their enchanting embrace.

Benedict seemed surprised to see him, probably expecting to find their eldest brother at the door
rather than Colin, but he quickly recovered and replaced his startled expression with a grin. He
grabbed a second glass off the shelf and began pouring brandy in each.

“Where have you been this evening, brother?” he asked with a teasing lilt. “And why, may I ask,
are you holding your jacket in such a peculiar manner?”

He considered trying to summarise the evening's events but that would inevitably come in time. So
instead, he opted to deflect.

“Is Anthony here?”

Handing him a glass, Benedict gave him an inquisitive once-over.

“He is not. I imagine he’s settled into his own lodgings for the night,” he began. “There’s no need
to fret about him catching you all dishevelled, coming back from visiting your intended at such a
scandalous hour.”

Colin bit down harshley, tightening his jaw to relieve the misdirected anger he felt at his brother’s
teasing. His good-natured humour was usually the sort that Colin would welcome but not this night.

“A jest Colin!” he all but shouted through a short bout of tittering. “I know you are the gentleman
among us. I assume you were on one of those aimless walks you like to take on occasion.”

“I was not,” he growled back.

And thank God he wasn’t. He had considered going for a walk to clear his mind rather than going
to speak with Penelope. What a terrible decision that would have been.

“Where —”

“—I must send for Anthony at once and then I need to… tend to my… dishevelled appearance.
After that, I will tell you everything,” he said urgently, albeit faltering a bit part way through.
“Please, Benedict, just allow me ten minutes.”

His brother nodded, acquiescing to his plea. Colin then made quick work of drafting a short note to
their eldest brother. When it was ready to be brought to the awaiting footman who was to ride in
search of Anthony, he cleared his throat and crossed the room.

“I uh, I will be back shortly,” he said uncomfortably.

“I shall visit the kitchen while you’re tending to your dishevelled appearance, brother,” his brother
chirped. “I know I always crave biscuits after I tend to my own. A perpetually-hungry boy like
you? I can only imagine.”

Colin practically ran up the stairs and took the longest strides he dared down the corridor where his
younger siblings slept. He quickly entered his bedchamber, closed the door behind him, and threw
his jacket on the nearest chair.

With one hand setting the lock into place, his other hand fumbled with his breeches. He didn’t
bother removing them entirely or attempting to do anything with his shirt. His only concern at that
moment was his weeping, aching cock and when he finally took it out, a sharp hiss escaped.

He allowed his thumb to delicately swirl the precum around the leaking head of his cock, as he
closed his eyes. He slowly dragged his thumb and pointer finger down his shaft, trailing the
pulsating vein.

As he began to stroke his demanding appendage, his mind conjured all of the naughty images of
Pen and those damned stockings. He walked further into the room to slump on a chair while he
confined to take himself in hand with wild abandon. The second he saw her heaving bosom in his
mind, he felt his impending release building.

After a few feverish movements, his entire body convulsed and that tight coil of tension in his core
burst. Hot semen was ripped out of him in long ropes and he heard a voice that sounded vaguely
like his own groaning “ Oh fuck, Penelope! ”

Good God his climax had never erupted like that before. While the rapid rise and fall of his chest
slowed and his breath finally stabilised, he began to clean himself off and discard his dirty clothes
for fresh ones.

He caught a glimpse of the parchment and ink on his desk and momentarily considered putting off
the dreaded conversation with his brothers even further by remaining there to journal through his
thoughts. But alas, he knew better and exited his bedchamber at once.

When he neared the study, a footman stopped him briefly to inform him that Benedict had just left
but wanted to assure him that he would be back shortly. Colin thanked the footman and entered the
study, immediately finding his glass of brandy. He finished it off in one swig and then refilled it,
knowing he’d need more to get him through the night.

As he sat there waiting for Benedict to return, he realised what a nice distraction his desires
provided. Now that he found his release, reality came crashing down on him again. His mind was
racing doubts all over.

So very much had transpired that evening. He was horrified to think about what might have
happened if he had not crossed the square to find answers to his questions. He would have blindly
committed himself to a life built on lies, brought shame upon his family, and ruined his siblings
prospects.

Learning the truth of things would be painful enough but the guilt and shame of what it would do to
his family would eat him alive. And he’d have to process all of that from afar, for surely Anthony
would have no choice but to send them off to live in the country in hopes of lessening the effects of
their scandal.
It would have altered so many things and hurt the people he loved the most in this world. And as he
considered all those that he loved, he realised that far more had been at stake under the surface.
Because now he could not stop thinking of Marina’s cousin.

He had incorrectly assumed that finding release would rid him of his more-than-friendly thoughts
and newfound feelings for Pen. It was certainly not the best time for such revelations but… well,
what was he to do?

Pen was everything . How could he have been so blind to it?

He’d known Penelope forever and had been friends with her just as long. She’d always been so
constant in his life and if that night made anything clear, it was how loyal she was to him. No,
much more than her loyalty was unveiled to him that night.

It was also the faith that she had in him, the way she supported his greatest ambitions, the way he
could be vulnerable with her and take comfort in her assurances. Everything that had always been
there but had most certainly been taken for granted.

Instead of recognising what a perfect foundation their friendship and his attraction to her would
have made for marriage, he went and courted her cousin after Pen’s very first ball. That alone was
so worthy of admonishment, the proposal and planned elopement needn’t even be addressed.

Fuck .

Before he could spiral too much, Benedict strolled in with two plates filled with biscuits and a
taunting smile. “So Colin,” his brother hesitantly began, “I imagine this all has to do with the bag
that is packed in your bedchamber?”

“Yes, I — hold on, how do you know about that?”

“I went looking for you when I returned earlier,” Benedict admitted. “Brother, tell me you are not
planning on absconding to Gretna Green with Miss Thompson…”

“I am not,” he spat. But he had been before. That was the purpose of the packed bag, of course.
“Anymore.”

“I see,” Benedict murmured, nodding his head as if he were doing sums in his mind. “I suppose
there must be a reason beyond the small matter of breaking Mother’s heart and provoking the ire of
everyone else? Not to mention what it would do to…”

After trailing off for a moment, his brother gasped and looked at him with such gleeful
wonderment. He then said the one thing Colin never expected, “Have you finally realised it then?
That you are in love with Penelope Featherington?”

“I… what? How did you…? Have I..?” Colin sputtered. “Well, yes actually. Probably. Maybe? I do
not know for sure. I have not had time to examine my feelings and I will not hurt Pen by declaring
something I am not completely confident in yet. Although I am not even sure what the point would
be. Pen deserves much more than I have to offer.”

After a deep, melancholic sigh, he continued, “Regardless, that is not the reason why my
engagement to her cousin must come to an end. Not the only reason.”
“Ah, so there is something else?”

“There is,” he uncomfortably confirmed. “It is a long story I intend to share with you and Anthony.
Perhaps mother, too. And I suppose Eloise, depending on how her discussion with Pen goes.”

Benedict clapped his hands together and jauntily concluded, “Oh this shall be a most diverting
evening indeed!”

“I’m so very happy that my misery can provide you entertainment.”

His brother seemed to sober, understanding that Colin’s sarcastic grumbles often came with great
distress and barely masked his temper. He gently asked, “Do you wish to speak of other matters
until Anthony arrives or would you like to tell me about it?”

“In short, Penelope attempted to warn me of Miss Thompson’s insincerity during the engagement
dinner her parents hosted,” Colin began. “She was unable to finish telling me of her deceit, before
Marina appeared and dismissed her.”

“Then Marina lied about the Featheringtons not wanting her and our family being unwelcoming
toward her,” he continued. “She knew I would be greatly concerned and she put the idea of eloping
in my mind with talk of wishing to start our family sooner.”

Before Benedict could get a word in, he added, “Then… then! She had the audacity to tell me she
loved me. Who falsely professes their love for someone? How could she do such a thing to me?”

“I spent the day arranging for us to leave for Gretna Green tomorrow. But I could not get Pen’s
unsaid words out of my mind. Nor could I ignore the feeling that something was wrong. So I…”
Colin cleared his throat. This would be uncomfortable to share. “Well, I crossed the square to meet
with Pen in the garden the way Eloise has spoken about.”

“You went to speak with Penelope?” Benedict stammered as if it were the most puzzling part of the
tale thus far.

“Yes,” Colin said matter-of-factly, utterly perplexed by his reaction. “I was desperate to find peace
before the night ended and I knew she’d be able to provide answers to my questions.”

“Ah, of course,” Ben mumbled. “And you are still unsure of your affections?”

There was an undeniable undertone of sarcasm to his brother’s remarks but he had no time to dwell
on it.

“We do not have time for that discussion,” he huffed before proceeding to recount his evening. “As
I was saying, she did not respond to the pebbles I threw at her window. The imminence of my
departure loomed overhead so I could not turn back. I let myself in the servant’s entrance and snuck
in to find Pen’s bedchamber empty. I —”

Benedict’s eyes widened as he cried, “Hell and the devil, Brother!”

“SHHH!” he angrily shushed. It was the middle of the night. They need not wake the entire
household! At least not until they had a solution. Ben quickly apologised and waved his hand to
allow Colin to continue.
“As I was saying,” he pointedly began again, “I found her on the floor above hers when I saw
Marina entering a room and heard her say Pen’s name. And I decided to wait and listen outside the
door. What I heard wa—”

“—You cannot be serious!”

“I am perfectly serious,” Colin replied calmly. If he kept interrupting, they’d never get through the
story before the others found them in the study.

“I’m not sure you should tell Anthony any of this,” Benedict chortled.

“Well, I must,” he firmly stated. “Because Benedict… I discovered that Miss Thompson is with
child,” Colin seethed in white hot anger, “and she was attempting to deceive me into a fraud of a
marriage, to pass her child off as mine . Penelope has tried to stop her for weeks but she could not
be persuaded.”

“She is pregnant? You haven’t… No. You’re still gr—I mean, there isn’t a chance that it is yours,
right?” Benedict sputtered.

“Of course not!” Colin snapped. “We have not so much as kissed!”

He could feel his cheeks and ears burning after he all but confirmed just how green he was.
Benedict did not seem to notice, nor did he seem to care. His mind was clearly elsewhere as he
stared off into the distance.

“It must have been her!” he exclaimed, startling Colin with his outburst. “The one who threatened
Ge– the modiste. It must have been Miss Thompson.”

“Yes, that thought occurred to me, as well,” Colin nodded in solidarity. “And I am quite sure that it
was Marina.”

Benedict nodded with a horrified look on his face.

“God you should have heard the way she spoke to Pen! It was so vile and cruel, brother. I cannot…
I… It was awful,” he lamented. It still made him sick to think about. “I went back to check on her
after — Pen, that is — and we discussed everything.”

Before he had the chance to explain what “everything” entailed, he caught a flash of a strange
expression on his brother’s face. It quickly morphed into a panicked sort of surprise and then
softened.

“Colin,” his brother hesitantly said, “I strongly encourage you to reconsider sharing that part with
anyone else. Penelope would be ruined if it got out. Even if you did not do anything apart from
talking to one another, it would be assumed that you compromised her. You… did not, right?”

“Of course I did not compromise her! You saw the state I was in when I first arrived,” he all but
whispered, feeling a rush of heat to the tops of his ears. “If I had compromised her, do you believe I
would need to seek relief on my own after parting with her in our garden where she was to meet
with our sister?”

“Do you mean to say you brought her back with you?” Benedict asked merrily with an expression
full of amusement.
“Well, yes,” he admitted sheepishly, not understanding what his brother was thinking nor what he
meant to imply. “I—she has been most supportive and… informative. I thought it would be prudent
to bring her along so she may provide context and assist me in answering all of the questions
Anthony is sure to have.”

“And you said she tried to warn you?”

“She did. She told me that Marina loved another man, that she had seen their love letters,” he
explained. “But I assured her that it did not matter to me that Miss Thompson had fond feelings for
another in the past. She never got the chance to tell me the rest.”

“And Penelope has been trying to stop her for weeks?”

“She has,” he nodded.

Ben tilted his head and surveyed him with an expression full of pity. After half a minute or so, he
found his drink again.

“Oh Colin,” he sighed. ”You’ve really made a mess of things for yourself with her, haven’t you?”

“Seems like it,” Colin agreed. “Though I should say we have already discussed that matter and she
has promised that she does not hold it against me. Still, I deeply regret it. Among other things.”

“Do not beat yourself up over it too much, brother,” Benedict responded. “There is not much to be
gained from self-flagellation.”

“Sure. Now that you are aware of the reason for my being here,” he began, “do you believe I
should wake Mother? Or is it best to discuss these matters with Anthony first.”

“I don’t know Col,” he drawled. “You wish to find a way out of having to marry Miss Thompson?”

“Most ardently,” Colin declared.

“Perhaps it is best to speak with Anthony first then,” Benedict suggested. “Mother will likely be
pleased at the conclusion but to bring such matters to her without a solution would cause great
distress, I should think.”

“You believe Mother will be pleased?” he asked incredulously. “About my failed engagement?”

“Very,” Ben confirmed with a short chuckle. “She has expressed her concerns to you, has she not?”

“She only said that she was surprised and that she had not seen me ‘so solemn and serious’ before,”
Colin recalled, “You believe she did not like Miss Thompson?”

“I believe she did not know Miss Thompson,” Ben clarified. “I dare say none of us knew Miss
Thompson.”

“I cannot argue with you on that,” Colin rasped.

“She only wishes for your happiness, brother,” his brother added. “That is all any of us wish for.
And having so little interaction with Miss Thompson, well… it was rather difficult to know
whether or not you would find happiness with her. That and we were all certain you would marry
Penelope one day and did not wish to watch you realise that you loved her after marrying someone
else.”

God, he could not even begin to fathom that kind of torment.

“Right.”

🕰️🕰️🕰️
“Ah Benedict!” the Viscount chirped. “I suppose you were summoned as well?”

His humour dissipated instantaneously and he turned about to find him. “Colin,” he said sharply
with a curt nod when their eyes met.

“Brother,” Colin returned in the same tone. “Thank you for coming. I require your assistance with
a… a grave… tribulation I find myself in.”

“Grave trib–” he cut himself off with a sigh. ”Allow me to get myself a drink, then.”

“Not to worry, I have one for you here,” Benedict said as he finished pouring a glass of brandy for
their eldest brother. Crossing the room to hand it to him, he said, “Prepare yourself for something
very dreadful indeed, brother.”

Taking the glass from their brother, Anthony murmured a quick “thank you.” Then turning to
Colin, he shook his head slightly and lifted his hand, impatiently saying, “Well?”

Colin wanted to wait until Pen came back before getting into everything with Anthony. What on
earth was taking her so long? Surely it could not only be the simple matter of confessing her secrets
to Eloise. Did she not understand that now was not the time to dally and gab about other matters?

“Are you going to enlighten me as to the reason I am here?” Anthony asked. “Evidently you’ve
already informed Benedict of whatever matters you wish to discuss.”

“I think it’s best we wait for Eloise to bring Penelope around before we begin.”

“So we are to wait until morning, then?” Anthony griped, heaving an exaggerated sigh. “Colin, —”

“—We do not have to wait until morning.”

“—Oh but that is the best part, Anthony!” Benedict chirped. “He has brought Penelope back here
for this very occasion.”

“Brought her back? Penelope Featherington?” Anthony sputtered. He pinched the bridge of his
nose and sighed in his usual exasperated manner. Again. “Why on earth would you bring her here
at this time of night?”

“I thought it best that she come along to assist me in informing you of… of the situation,” he
explained, adding, “and she agreed with me.” He did not want it to seem that he kidnapped her or
forced her to join him against her will.
“And just where were you when you decided this?” Anthony probed accusingly.

“Pray tell, Col, why are your ears reddening?” Benedict teased, “Are you perhaps recalling —”

“—Tell me you did not!” Anthony fumed. “You have compromised Penelope Featherington? That
is why she is to join us? That is why you dragged me out at this Godforsaken hour?”

“No! That is certainly not why I have called you here,” he adamantly protested. “I would not
compromise Penelope Featherington!” …as much as he wished to. God if only he knew the
magnitude of Colin’s self control that evening. Pen was far too special to be compromised.

"Oh no, I should think not!” Pen tittered, startling him. His head whipped in her direction to see her
walking toward him.

As she reached the settee, she leaned down and quipped with a low voice intended only for his ears,
“Not when you resisted the seduction of a beautiful woman like Marina."

"Pen!” he gasped, slightly worried over what she heard, mildly concerned over what she would
assume he meant by it, and yet very aroused by her whispering about seduction in his ear. He
frantically jumped out of his seat while his brothers greeted her.

“My Lord, Mister Bridgerton,” she demurely bowed to each of his brothers. “Eloise is fetching
your mother and should be here shortly.”

“Pen, may I speak with you for a moment?” he asked, holding his arm out to her. She looked
unsure and then glanced over to his brothers. He did the same with pleading, beseeching eyes so
they understood how important it was.

He watched Benedict subtly elbow Anthony and give Penelope an encouraging nod. Colin could
not have been more grateful. She took his arm and he led them to the far corner of the room where
they might have a bit of privacy before his mother and sister arrived.

“Regarding what you just heard, Pen…” he began, “Let me explain —"

“—You do not need to explain anything,” she interjected reassuringly, though he could see a hint of
sadness in her eyes.

“I would like to,” he insisted. “Because unlike the conversation I overheard earlier, this one had
been going on long before you arrived and I wish to provide some context.”

"You think I am offended,” she surmised. “Colin, I was simply joking as the thought of you
compromising a girl like me after being such a gentleman in that situation is rather amusing."

“What is rather amusing is your faith in my ability to remain a gentleman after this evening,” he
murmured.

If only she knew. He was barely able to hold himself together as his mind kept replaying the way
she slowly pulled her stockings up her shapely little legs with her heaving breasts ready to escape
the prison of her corset any moment.

But he supposed that was actually a testament to what a gentleman he was: the way he displayed
such self-control upon seeing Pen like that.
“Colin… you must stop chastising yourself,” she commanded with all the ferocity of a tiny kitten.
“You are a gentleman and I will keep reminding you until you believe it yourself again.”

He’d happily allow her to remind him of what a gentleman he was by restraining himself in the
face of whatever seductive exhibition or teasing display she’d offer him. Which was obviously not
what she meant.

He knew she was referring to the fact that he could not bring himself to marry Marina after learning
the truth of her trickery despite the fact that a true gentleman would keep his promise to do so. Pen
really had no idea about his struggle to refrain from acting on his desires for her.

Someday he’d tell her just not that night. They still had to get him out of his engagement before
anything. Which reminded him of the reason they were in his brother’s study. He quickly glanced
back and saw Anthony and Benedict embroiled in some deep conversation.

Good, they were completely distracted. Which meant he could continue to speak with Pen in
pseudo-privacy. And seeing as he could not get his mind to stop veering off into naughty thoughts,
he decided to have a little fun. He'd deal with the shame of it all another time and embrace the
depravity now.

“Is that a promise or a threat?” he asked, smirking as he watched her eyes widen. “And how do you
suppose these little lessons—er, ‘reminders’ of yours will work, hmm?” he purred.

“I uh…?” she drawled, floundering at how to handle the sexual tension simmering between them.
Oh, he’d have great fun with this.

“If I am to be your pupil, I’d like to know what I’m in for, Miss Featherington,” he insisted, using
the most innocent sounding tone he could muster. “Tell me, should I prepare something in advance
for your lessons?”

“Hah,” she scoffed. “It seems to me that your spirits are much improved, Mr. Bridgerton. So much
so that you must not require such encouragement after all.”

“Oh contraire,” he tutted. “It is only because of your encouragement that I am feeling better, Pen.”

She scrunched her eyebrows together and tilted her head in confusion.

“Jokes aside, I do not know where I would be without you,” he professed. “This evening especially,
you have been a tremendous source of comfort and strength for me. And the thing is, Pen…
Penelope,” he simpered, reaching up to tuck a loose curl behind her ear. “You are special to me.”

Drawing the backs of his fingers along her jaw with featherlight strokes, he continued, “Far too
special to compromise for my own pleasure. You deserve so much more than that.”

She deserved so much more than he could offer her. Especially whilst being engaged to her cousin.
But also in a general sense as a third-born son with no title or purpose to stand on. She had her own
business for Christ’s sake!

“Thank you, Colin,” she said breathily but not a moment later, something flashed in her eyes. He
couldn’t understand or explain it. She went rigid and took on the same distant expression she had
when she left her cousin’s bedchamber. “That is kind of you to say. Shall we return to speak with
your brothers?”
“No.”

That seemed to take her out of her stupor and with her attention returned to him once again, he
continued.

“Not yet, Pen. There is more I wish to discuss,” he firmly stated, leaving no room for her to
misinterpret his meaning. “I am very troubled by the way you compared yourself to your cousin in
that little quip of yours. It is disturbingly apparent that you hold these erroneous delusions
regarding the way you see yourself.”

“I merely said that I would not believe you’d compromise me after you thwarted Marina’s
seduction efforts?” she recalled in confusion.

“You also called her a beautiful woman and implied that you are somehow lacking in comparison,”
he countered. “And that is precisely where I take issue! I must insist you rid yourself of such
ridiculous notions.”

“Colin…” she whined, rolling her eyes dramatically as Eloise so often did. He rather liked seeing
the impish side of Pen. Especially when she crossed her arms, putting her bosom on display in all
its glory.

“Pen…” he childishly mocked with the same tone she used. Two can play that game and frankly,
Colin was far more likely to win. He had seven siblings; he knew petulance and he knew it well.

She heaved a great sigh and released one of her arms to hold her hand in a gesture that told him to
carry on.

And good Lord, he was enjoying this side of her. He would very much like to continue exploring
just how worked up she’d get. But alas, he’d have to tuck that away for now and resolve to play
their arousing little game another time.

“Thank you,” he crowed, before pressing on. “As I was saying, compared to the vanity shown by
the likes of Cressida Cowper and Miss Thompson, I suppose it could be considered quite endearing
that you are unaware of just how beautiful you are but—”

“—I am not,” she rasped, shaking her head with her eyes downcast, seemingly unable to accept his
praise.

“ You are.” he maintained fervently, feeling a deep ache in his heart at the way she folded in on
herself. His hand gently tilted her chin up. “How can you say that, Pen? Is this stemming from your
discussion with Marina earlier?”

Her eyes went wide, as a hushed little gasp escaped her lips.

“Have you forgotten already that I am privy to the cruel way she spoke to you, all that nonsense she
spewed about the way I allegedly see you?” he needled. “There was not a single shred of truth to
what she said. I need you to know that, Pen.”

“Oh,” she softly responded.

“I beg of you, please do not spare her words another thought,” he appealed with a desperation he
never knew himself to possess before. “Tell me you know what she said was entirely fallacious,
 that precisely none of it was worth remembering.”

“I-I do,” she hesitantly confirmed.

“Good,” Colin said approvingly. “Now, shall we move on to the way you refer to yourself as a girl
and Marina as a woman ?”

“What is wrong with that?” she asked weakly, trailing off as if she knew exactly how he was going
to react.

“What is wron–think about it, Pen!” he lightly chastised. “She cannot be more than a year or two
older than you. Whyever would that grant her the distinction of being a woman whilst you remain a
girl? That is absurd. If she is to be called a woman, then so shall you.”

She nodded in acquiesce and he could feel a devilish smirk growing on his face as he considered
how his next words would affect her.

He leaned forward to close the space between them, and whispered, “Also, you really should not be
so sure that I could resist you in the way that I did with her.”

Pulling back to observe the fetching pink blush spreading down her neck, he raised an eyebrow at
her before continuing, “ At all , in fact. Your beauty has tempted me far more in the past few hours
than hers ever has."

Chapter End Notes

Hope this was an interesting start. Let me know what you think!
reading along!
🤍 Thanks as always for
 Buying Time, Part II
Chapter Summary

Bridgerton family chaotic strategy sesh with a little horny spiraling from dear Colin.

Chapter Notes

Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving week to those who celebrate! 🦃

Special thanks to Nat for letting me talk through some of the sweet v horny Colin aspects,
along with everyone on discord for their support.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Seeing Anthony’s face upon their return to the other side of study completely sobered Colin from
the brief delight he felt at the way he stunned Pen into silence when he all but told her she was the
reason he was wearing a different pair of pants than the ones he left her bedchamber in.

It was clear that Ben had begun to tell Anthony about the detestable fraud Colin unveiled that
evening. At least his mother and Eloise had not joined them yet. He took the far seat on the settee
that was facing his brothers and asked Penelope to sit beside him.

Once his mother strolled in with his sister, the air in the room shifted. Or maybe that was just him?
Thankfully, Pen seemed to pick up on his discomfort and placed her tiny hand atop his in the small
space between their legs. It was just what he needed to keep him from faltering under his
frustration from Anthony’s glares or the crushing guilt he felt seeing his mother’s anguish.

Eloise took the seat on Pen’s other side and his mother took the chair that sat next to the settee his
brothers were on, beside Anthony. The chair was angled in such a way that she was facing Colin
directly.

He wished there was another way to get out of his engagement without having to share everything
with his family but he knew telling them was his best option. His pride was wounded, yes, but there
was so much at stake that would affect each of them if things could not be resolved.

And they seemed to understand that perfectly. There was no sense in avoiding it or attempting to
prolong it with the usual pleasantries they may exchange with Pen as she joined their family for tea
or stopped by their tent while promenading in Hyde Park. Doing so would only be performative
and delay the inevitable.

Instead, everyone remained quiet and turned their attention to Colin and he began to recount his last
26 hours or so without preamble.

Starting with the moment he excused himself from listening to Prudence Featherington’s wretched
rendition of whatever song she was trying to sing, he took his mother and Anthony through
everything as best he could.

Throughout the retelling, he was overwhelmed with anger, outrage, and resentment. The other
emotions that he felt so deeply before — shame, humiliation, and deep anguish — had all
dissipated. He was sure they’d return but for now, his ire was all encompassing.

He was angry with Marina for all that she had subjected him to without remorse, he was angry with
Penelope’s mother for encouraging the lies and manipulation, he was angry with Benedict and
possibly other members of his family for never sharing that they believed he had feelings beyond
friendship for Pen, but mostly, he was angry with himself.

He was angry with himself for falling for Marina and Lady Featherington’s fucking schemes, he
was angry with himself for not listening to Penelope the night before, he was angry with himself
for courting her cousin when she was right there all along, and he was so bloody angry with himself
for not realising how perfect Pen was sooner.

He felt as though he was drowning in his anger and regret over losing the last few months he could
have had with Pen. And her perfect breasts. And her tantalising stockings.

And her fiery red hair. And her hauntingly beautiful blue eyes. And her sweet smile. And her
alluring lips. And her sinful little sighs. And her adorable pout. And her naughty petulance. And
her witty retorts. And her cunning barbs. And her brilliant mind. And her kind heart.

Fuck, she was incredible. How could he ever have been such a dolt?

They could have had such a lovely courtship filled with numerous dances and scandalous trips to
unoccupied libraries during balls, constant laughter on promenades trading risqué barbs about the
ridiculous people of the ton they’d encounter, and endless joy simply delighting in each other’s
company.
Alas, there was not much that could be done about it at that moment beyond mourning the loss of
what could have been.

When he reached the end of his explanation, when all was truly said and done to inform their
mother and Anthony of the reason they were all sat in the study at such an hour, Colin felt an
intense surge of restlessness.

He wanted more than anything to be rid of his engagement. To forget about Marina Thompson and
her deplorable fraud. To profess his newfound, yet very strong feelings for Pen. To marry her as
soon as he could and whisk her away on a grand tour.

Though that would certainly be an uphill battle it seemed. Marina was wrong. Pen did not hold
more than friendly affection for him at all.

At some point nearing the end of the story, Penelope stood and walked away. It was jarring how
cold the vacated space beside him felt. He was more than a bit taken aback by her departure.

Could she not have waited for him to be finished before she took her leave? Did she not realise how
much he needed her support as the only other person in the room who witnessed Marina’s
scheming and deceit first-hand?

And then a horrifying thought hit him — perhaps she had noticed his affliction from before and
was uncomfortable with it.

With him .

Perhaps she had been waiting for a moment to escape his company. Perhaps she never wished to
join him at all . Or receive him in her bedchamber, for that matter. Had he completely ignored her
wishes all evening and caused her great distress?

He would have rushed after her if it weren’t for his brother, crying out, “For Christ’s sake, Colin!
You fool!”

“Brother!” Benedict scolded Anthony’s outburst as their mother silently displayed her disapproval
by hitting his arm with the back of her hand and shaking her head.

His brothers began a heated exchange that Colin could not bear to listen to, yet at the same time, he
could not bring himself to leave. As grateful as he was for the way Benedict defended him, he
knew there was merit to what Anthony was saying. And if he didn’t, his mother’s silence would
have told him so.

Shame, humiliation and panic returned tenfold and he was paralyzed. Considering the
consequences their family would suffer for his foolishness, he deserved Anthony’s vitriol and
wrath.

To his great surprise, moments later, he realised Pen had not left. She had only crossed the room
with his sister to procure refreshments. As his sister trailed behind her, she returned to the settee
with a refilled glass of brandy and two biscuits for him, along with a cup of tea for herself.

The warmth that spread through his being at her sweet gesture was enough to rid him of those
terrible feelings that had reemerged with his brother’s declaration. All he could think of was pulling
her into an embrace like the one they shared in her bedchamber, only this time he’d run his
fingertips along her jaw to tip her chin up so he could kiss her soundly.

While he was pondering how he could get her into his bedchamber instead of having to bring her
back home after everything, she and Eloise were settling back into their seats

After handing him the brandy and biscuits, she set her tea down on the table. She was paying close
attention to the heated exchange between his brothers. Her pursed lips, narrowed eyes, and
clenched fists, albeit rather tiny clenched fists , suggested she found it quite detestable.

The mental images that came to mind of those tiny clenched fists firmly gripping the sheets of his
bed as he brought her to the height of pleasure were downright sinful. He’d absolutely be stowing
them away for later.

“That was awfully kind of you, Pen,” he purred, leaning as close as he thought he could without
drawing attention. “You always know just what I need, don’t you?”

Her fists unclenched and she turned to him with a coy smile, “It’s rather easy when a biscuit or two
will suffice for almost any situation with you.”

He really did love the brazen, flirtatious side of her.

“I confess, you’re probably correct in your assessment,” he cooed. “What do you reckon I’d need
for those situations where biscuits are insufficient?”

“Well,” she drawled, “that would be entirely dependent on —”

“—Miss Penelope!” Anthony barked, rudely interrupting their conversation. Benedict must have
given up trying to reason with him.

Colin discreetly shifted closer to Pen on the settee to place his hand beside hers in a gesture he
hoped would provide some comfort to make up for his odious brother. He knew how much strength
her touch gave him and he hoped his touch would do the same for her.

Once Anthony had their attention, he cleared his throat before proceeding with his question, “You
said she arrived to the ton already having been with child. Do you know how far along she is?”

“No, I am not sure,” Pen admitted sheepishly, “I—I know she last saw Sir George Crane before she
arrived and had been writing to him in Spain when she joined us. So presumably he left for the
battlefield before she left for London? But I cannot be sure, no.”

“And your household knew she was pregnant upon her arrival?” Anthony needled.

“Brother!” Colin angrily bellowed. He hated the accusatory manner in which his brother questioned
her. “You should be ashamed of yourself for using such a disrespectful tone with Penelope.”

His brother muttered an inadequate apology while Pen turned to him and gently whispered, “Thank
you, Colin. But it is alright.”

The look in her eyes did not align with the words she was saying. It made him all the more upset
with fucking Anthony. All he wished to do was take her away where they could be alone together.
Far away from the people in their lives who treated them poorly.
He knew that if he began speaking, he’d lose control of his temper so he just squeezed her hand in
response; and then something strange happened. She changed.

Penelope straightened her back, took a deep breath, and confidently directed her words to Anthony
once again. “Of course not, my Lord,” she assured. “It was not until over a month after, just before
the Vauxhall Ball, that my mama discovered her situation.”

“Is that when you learned of it, dear?” his mother asked.

“Well, no. My mama told me that Marina was ill and would not be attending the ball with us. Then
the next day, she said my sisters and I were not to see Marina because…” Pen trailed off.

He could see the blush forming across her features and as he recalled what she told him earlier
about how little she knows of marital relations and the way women come to be with child, he knew
how uncomfortable she was.

He’d happily provide lessons on that subject with Pen so she’d never again have to experience that
insecure she was feeling then. He would love to show her all of the many ways they could contort
their bodies to bring their children into the world.

That and all of the other delicious things they could experience together in their marital bed to
bring each other pleasure. God just thinking about it had his cock twitching again.

But he knew she needed a different form of support in that moment. He squeezed the hand he was
still holding and brushed his pinky against her thigh to offer more support that his family would not
be able to see.

“Because her condition was catching ,” she whispered, a deeper shade of red colouring her face and
décolleté than he’d seen before.

Oh Pen… his darling, contradictory Pen. Her naiveté made him ravenous to show her all the
impure things she knew so little of. Yet it was still quite amusing to consider the juxtaposition
between her professional persona and this blushing debutant next to him. Who would ever believe
that Lady Whistledown was such an innocent?

Benedict snorted, covering his mouth and turning away to hide his laughter and fratricide never
appealed to him more. As if Pen didn’t feel even shame from her lack of understanding about
marital relations and pregnancy. Eloise, too, for that matter. Though Colin still found the memory
of her outburst over it earlier in the season rather humorous.

“Ah, she must have missed her courses then…” Anthony surmised, mumbling to himself.

“Anthony Bridgerton!” their mother cried in admonishment.

“Pardon?” Eloise interjected. “How would he know that? Is that how one learns they are with
child? Missed courses?”

“Hush you!” Anthony spat.

“Eloise!” their mother hissed, “That is highly improper.”

“And the rest of this discussion is not?” Eloise asked.

“ Enough Eloise!” their eldest brother groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Penelope?” Benedict hummed, cutting through the chaos ensuing around them.

Colin was not at all comfortable with the way his brother dropped formalities and chose to ignore
propriety when speaking to her in such a familiar manner. Sure, she would likely be his sister-in-
law soon, God and Pen willing, but it was entirely improper to address her in such a way now.

“Are you quite sure she was indeed with child at that point?” he continued. “The Vauxhall ball was
quite some time ago. Daphne hadn’t even begun courting the Duke yet.”

“I believe that is exactly when they had begun their courtship. The Prince had not even arrived in
London for at least another fortnight. So Daphne’s short courtship with him hadn’t taken place yet,”
their mother noted.

“Yes, I believe Nigel Berbrooke still thought he was to marry the Duchess then,” Penelope said
with a mischievous smirk directed at Anthony.

His mother tittered lightly behind her teacup at that. He wasn’t sure if Eloise had told her that Pen
was Whistledown yet but their exchange gave him hope that she would take it well. Nevertheless,
he would be ready to explain all of the benefits to having Lady Whistledown as her daughter-in-law
when they eventually spoke of it.

“But also, yes, I am sure,” Pen continued. “I visited Marina a few days after and she told me herself
that she had conceived her child through love with a soldier from a neighbouring property with
whom she had been writing. Oh, and…”

Pen seemed to be doing sums in her head as she trailed off once again.

“And…?” Eloise nudged her in a way he was sure she believed to be encouraging.

“And the week leading up to the Duke and Duchess' nuptials, just a few days prior actually, my
Mama gave Miss Thompson an ultimatum: get Colin to propose by that upcoming Saturday or stop
pursuing him and marry one of the old Lords that had unofficially offered for her,” Pen recalled.
“She said that Marina was ‘ six months away from motherhood, seven if she was lucky. ’”

All three brothers and their mother spoke in unison as Eloise simply bristled at her revelation.

“Oh! I cannot believe the audacity of that woman!” their mother griped, then heaved a deep sigh
and added, “I’m sorry, Penelope.”

“That is being rather generous, is it not?” Benedict considered, appearing to also have been doing
sums in his mind.

“Daphne’s wedding was her deadline…?” Colin mumbled. “The attempted seduction…”

Pen’s hand found his and she smiled sympathetically as she nodded her confirmation.

“They wed three weeks ago!” Anthony bellowed. “So by the time you’d make it to Gretna Green to
elope and consummate the marriage, she’d likely be less than five months away from motherhood
by Lady Featherington’s estimation. Six at best. And if the babe came early… there would be no
way of explaining a healthy babe born four months and some weeks after you wed the girl.”
“Just imagine if she had twins!” Eloise jested under her breath. “They’d arrive even sooner!”

“There’d be no hiding it upon their return in the first place.” Benedict remarked. “Say they only
spent one night in Gretna Green, travel time would dictate that they’d return a week later. So two
weeks from tomorrow at best? And Genev—Madame Delacroix has already had trouble covering
her growing belly. That was what led to Miss Thompson’s vile threat.”

“She threatened Madame Delacroix?” Eloise gasped. “The modiste?”

“She did,” Ben confirmed with a nod. “I suppose it was a desperate attempt to ensure her secret
stayed hidden so it is perhaps not completely untenable.”

“She is already showing?” Anthony barked. “My God, Colin! How could you be so blind?”

“I —“ Colin started to respond but was swiftly cut off when Penelope let out an indecorous scoffing
sort of exhale that garnered everyone’s attention..

“Lord Bridgerton!” Pen scolded fiercely. “You dined with her just last night and you did not deduce
that she was with child.”

Anthony’s eyebrows shot up and reeling from Pen’s daring statement, he huffed, “Pardon me?”

Colin was both impressed and in awe of her, yet nervous of what Anthony might do or say in
retaliation for such a tongue lashing. He shifted even closer to her and slipped his hand behind her
back, hoping the skirt of her dress and the shawl around her shoulders would conceal it from the
others in the room.

Colin’s fingers began drawing circles across her lower back and he deeply resented the presence of
his family and the fact that ladies wore so many layers of clothing. He wanted nothing more than to
slide his hand under her derriere and pull her into his lap.

“—In fact, you sat next to her throughout the entire meal. Yet even you did not notice that which
you deem to be so obvious that Colin deserves your admonishment for missing it,” she scolded.

Anthony scoffed and furrowed his brow in utter disbelief, side-eying Pen something fierce. She
simply raised her eyebrows in a way that dared him to dispute her and yet she kept the most
innocent looking smile on her face somehow.

What a brazen little minx.

“Nor did I, for that matter,” his mother added with a light chortle after a moment. “Are you
suggesting that Colin should be able to detect a lady’s hidden pregnancy when even a woman with
eight children of her own could not?”

“No, I suppose —“ Anthony paused, seeming to consider his next words with caution. “Well
actually, it is not as though we have spent nearly as much time in her company as Colin has through
their courtship, however intermittent it may have been due to her extended leave from society and
the weeks that followed her re-entry where they did not interact. It would stand to reason that he
should have picked up on her changing physique more easily than we could have.”

“And yet we just discussed the fact that Marina has been with child since she arrived in the ton,”
Pen countered. “So Colin has only ever known her in her pregnant form.”
While he could admit that that was a weak argument on Pen's part, Colin revelled in the way she
tried to defend him so ferociously. His mind started bringing forth all of the delicious ways he
could show his gratitude, all of the ways he could worship his little protector.

“That does not signify!” Anthony objected with an almost delirious, frustrated laugh, “a woman—
the child grows as the pregnancy progresses.”

“Let us all agree that the modiste is simply very good at what she does,” Benedict quipped. “Her
talents hid Miss Thompson’s secret so well that it was a mystery to everyone.”

“Sure,” Anthony said, rolling his eyes in amusement. “Let us do that, brother.”

“Benedict, what did you mean when you said that Lady Featherington’s estimation was being
generous?” Eloise prodded.

“I meant that if Miss Thompson was indeed corresponding with her soldier and knew he was on the
front lines in Spain by the time Penelope spoke with her, just days after Vauxhall,” he began
explaining, raising his eyebrows to Pen to confirm the timing he laid out, “It is very unlikely that
the child was conceived just before her arrival.”

Eloise and Penelope cocked their heads to the side in sync.

“Considering the amount of time their letters would take both to and from foreign lands, let along
the front lines of an active war, and given that she’d need to inform him of her new address in
Mayfair upon her arrival for him to even send post to her at the Featherington’s,” Benedict
reasoned, “I would wager he departed for Spain at least a fortnight ahead of her departure for
London. Enough time that he would have been able to send word to her of his station so she may
write back to him.”

Everyone nodded, seeming to contemplate the timeline of events he suggested.

“It does not matter,” their mother began, directing her statement toward Anthony, “She was with
child when she arrived and she is attempting to trap your brother. What are we to do?”

“Right,” Anthony said curtly, though his remark was drowned out by their sister.

“It does not matter,” Eloise agreed, before going off on a tirade where she bemoaned the issues of
the fairer sex and why Marina should not have had to resort to entrapment.

“While I agree with you that women are made to suffer for men’s misdeeds far too often,” Pen
offered, “We must focus on the issue at hand, El. Forcing Colin to suffer through a loveless
marriage based on lies wherein he must raise another man’s child is not right, either.”

As Eloise considered her words, Pen pressed on.

“And that matter has a pressing time constraint that I fear the larger issue of the way in which
women are treated in our society does not. Women will still be treated as the lesser sex tomorrow,
but if we do not work to find a way for Colin to get out of his engagement before sunrise, Marina
will know something is afoot.”

“There is no guarantee how she will react to our elopement plans being soiled,” Colin added.
“Or what Portia will do,” his mother agreed. “We have the upper hand now but the clock continues
to tick away as we speak. Colin, Penelope, what did you have in mind?”

🕰️🕰️🕰️
The six of them discussed possible ways they could get him out of the engagement but the
conversation went much of the way his conversation with Pen had gone earlier. Only, instead of
Colin and Pen going back and forth as they had before, their mother and Anthony were quick to
offer the reasons every solution presented would not work.

Marina and the Featheringtons could refute the claim that she is with child.

They could threaten to sue for breach of contract.

They could threaten to spread word in the ton that he ruined her and the child was Colin’s.

Colin would be assumed the father regardless, as their engagement was announced so publicly and
the baby would be arriving so soon.

Eventually, Benedict suggested, “We could tell Miss Thompson and the Featheringtons that we are
prepared to send missives about their deception to every printer in London to ensure it reaches
Lady Whistledown. Surely they would remedy the situation before they allowed that to happen.
No?”

“Yes! It was rather effective when I spread word about Nigel Berbrooke to ensure it got back to
Lady Whistledown,” his mother preened.

“You might be onto something, brother,” Anthony sighed, his grating tone likely in response to the
memory of his mother besting him on the Berbrooke front mere weeks ago.

Colin turned to see what Penelope was thinking as his mother continued. She was watching his
mother and brothers with rapt attention; and though her head was held high and her back was
straight, her hands were wringing in her lap, giving away her discomfort.

He could feel the tension rolling off of her in waves and he knew it was building to a boiling point.
He desperately wished to avoid using Lady Whistledown. To avoid ruining Pen with her own paper
just to save him from marrying her cousin and subjecting his family to unearned shame and
notoriety.

But he wouldn’t allow his future wife to be ruined damnit! Miss Thompson and Lady Featherington
fully deserved ruination, not Pen. Never Pen .

“The ton devours every bit of Whistledown’s on-dits,” his mother reasoned. “And their faith in her
word may be the only thing that could keep this family from shame.”
“A threat like that could not be ignored!” Benedict added proudly.

“Right,” Anthony said approvingly.. “And even if it were, we could go through with it. Though I
am not thrilled that it would leave so much out of our control.”

“Well…” Eloise began.

Colin was livid. How could Eloise suggest putting her supposed best friend at risk?

“We do not have to pretend that we might send something to all the printers in London in hopes of
eventually reaching Lady Whistledown,” she continued. “We could simply tell Lady Whistledown
ourselves that we would like her to print something in her scandal sheet for tomorrow’s edition and
she will do so.”

“Eloise! Are you…” their mother gasped but could not seem to finish her question.

“Be serious,” Anthony groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “The Queen of England does not
know who is behind Lady Whistledown, yet you expect me to believe that you do?”

“Yes,” she confidently chirped back with a smug grin.

“El,” he warned, snarling like a rabid dog as he seethed with anger.

“Colin?” Benedict chirped, “Anything you wish to share with us, brother?”

“Oh, do not mind him,” Eloise pooh-poohed.

Pen turned to him, her eyes pleading, and she nodded earnestly, whispering, “Please Colin? Before
it is too late–” Fuck, he liked the sound of her begging for him. “–I very much do not wish for you
to have to marry her and I believe it may be the only way. Please.”

God her pleading might be the death of him. With those big blue eyes and her protruding pout…
how could he ever say no to such a bewitching sight?

And oh, hearing her say that she did not want him to marry another woman was like music to his
ears. He gave her a small nod and turned his hand to lightly rub his knuckles against her thigh.

“Well? Any day now, Eloise,” Anthony impatiently drawled. “Unless of course, you are just
wasting our time with another one of your philosophical rants about the fairer —”

“—Eloise is right,” Pen declared. “She does know the author behind Lady Whistledown’s Society
Papers.” A fucking mesmerizing smirk grew on her pretty features and with deliciously sly tone,
she said, “You all do, in fact.”

After the initial excitement died down, Penelope and Colin began answering question after
question. Once again, the conversation sounded very similar to the one they had over the matter
back in her bedchamber.

No one notices Penelope; it is her invisibility that allows her to operate in the shadows as Lady
Whistledown.
She had the means to stop it from the very beginning.

She wrote something at the start of the season about how Colin swept Miss Thompson off her feet.
It was before Pen knew anything of the child and before she knew of Marina’s lover, even.

She has not exposed the truth in her scandal sheet yet for many of the same reasons she did not say
anything to Colin or anyone else directly. She thought there was more time for Marina to see
reason or for her soldier to return.

The way she operates is not at all safe and they would need to discuss it further to find another way
that does not put her at risk.

When she wished to show his family what she had been working on before he arrived earlier, he
reluctantly took the draft out of his pocket and handed it to her.

“Colin, dear?” his mother called out, “Does something trouble you about this?”

His expression must have given away his thoughts on the matter.

“It is only that I fervently wish there was a way to avoid ruining Penelope’s family by using Lady
Whistledown,” he admitted, then turned to correct his wording, “Well, I wish to avoid ruining you ,
Pen, more precisely. Your sisters too, I suppose.”

“Oh no, please do not worry for us,” she said reassuringly.

“It is a valid concern, Penelope,” his mother gently countered.

“The ton has a fickle memory for those caught in the crossfire of scandals, so my sisters and I will
be well-recovered by next season. Truly, ruining us will pose little consequence compared to the
fate you shall face otherwise,” Pen reasoned. “Besides, Prudence does not have any suitors, Mr.
Finch will not be deterred from courting and eventually marrying Philippa — theirs is a love match,
you see,” she noted. “And I… well I certainly do not have any suitors.”

All at once, each Bridgerton sibling spoke in response to her final point.

“—And why should you want such a thing?” Eloise asked, before preaching, “Really! The notion
that a lady’s sole purpose in life should be to find a husband the moment she is out in society is
absurd. You have far more important things to do.”

“—No, you’ve been too busy building your empire,” Anthony murmured, his brows still furrowed
while he stared at the table in front of him. He was likely combing through his memories of each
society event throughout the season to find clues of Pen’s clandestine operation.

“—Would you say that?” Benedict asked with a devilish smirk directed at Colin, leaving no room
to question his meaning.

“—Thank the Lord Almighty I’m not too late,” Colin mumbled under his breath as he ruminated
over what he could have missed out on and worse, why no other gentleman sought to court her. He
couldn’t recall anyone else even dancing with her. It was outrageous! He was livid and horrified.
And shamefully… relieved.
Though his declaration mustn’t have been as under-his-breath as he thought. He heard a small gasp
and his gaze flitted over to Pen. He first saw her heaving breasts, then the red flush across her
decollete and neck, then her lips that had formed an alluring O .

“Eloise, soon you will find…” his mother began but her voice completely faded from Colin’s ears
the moment he locked eyes with Penelope.

He could not discern what she was thinking or feeling – shock , certainly, but beyond that, he was
unsure. He hastily began to explain himself. “Pen, I’ve —”

“—Oh Colin is right!” Anthony’s loud groan interrupted, drawing both Pen and Colin’s attention.
He was pacing to and fro, clutching the Whisledown draft in his hand and muttering to himself as
he wore a deeply frustrated expression on his face.

When he abruptly stopped, he turned about to look directly at Pen.

“Thank you, Miss Penelope, for the offer,” he stated, holding up the parchment. “I do not believe
we should resort to ruining you and your family for something that miserable cousin of yours has
done. At least not in haste.”

“—My cousin and my mother,” Pen corrected before he could continue.

“ And your mother, ” his brother acquiesced in the softer tone he used with Hyacinth and Francesca
on occasion.

Colin smiled just a little at the thought of his brother caring for Pen in a brotherly way. He loved
that his family would not so easily forsake her. Or let her forsake herself, he supposed.

“At any rate,” Anthony continued as Colin’s thoughts raced, “While it might well be what we must
resort to, I should like to exhaust any and all other options at our disposal first.”

His brother then put the draft face-down on the table that stood between the two settees before he
took his seat again. Colin was tempted to knock Pen or Eloise’s teacup over to dispose of the
dratted thing but he knew how wrong that would be.

He was beyond grateful that Pen even bothered to write it after the way he treated her warning the
evening prior, but he could not get behind the way she disregarded how that wretched draft would
affect her.

“Yes, it is likely the best solution to this situation but —” his mother began but was swiftly cut off
by Eloise’s shrill voice. “Is there not a way to use Lady Whistledown without ruining Pen?”

An outburst like that would usually bother Colin but he found that he quite agreed with Eloise’s
aggravation at that moment. Very much so.

“We could rewrite it,” Pen advised. If he wasn’t so horrified by the plan she was formulating, her
confidence would have driven him mad with lust. ”But we must act fast. We may even need to do
so on the way to the print shop. The hour is nearing and I’m afraid we cannot get something to print
for tomorrow after —”

“—No,” Anthony interjected. “No. I am sorry to cut you off, and I am grateful for your offer, but I
cannot allow us to do something of such importance in haste. It could bring about even more
precarious circumstances if we did not get it just right.”

“I–I understand,” Pen meekly said as she folded in on herself.

As much as Colin loathed the idea of using Lady Whistledown - particularly that draft of Lady
Whistledown - he found himself wanting to do just that to bring a smile back to Penelope’s face.
His heart broke seeing her so dejected.

His mother agreed with Anthony and together, they explained to Eloise that things were too
delicate to rush. As the others were distracted, he tried to think of a way to get Pen out of her
sadness and assure her that all would be well.

He drew his hand that had been resting between their legs, back and snaked it up to nudge her
elbow. She looked over to him in confusion, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. He motioned toward
his hand where he stretched out his fingers to stress his meaning.

She let her arm drop into the space where his awaiting hand laid, so eager to latch onto hers. He
laced their fingers together and squeezed her hand so tight that she drew in a sharp breath,
thankfully undetected by anyone else due to the heated discussion taking place.

“We’ll find another way, Pen. I promise,” he cooed, leaning close enough to press his shoulder into
hers. “Please do not think for a second that we are not incredibly grateful for your offer.”

She nodded slowly and Colin worried that she was likely not entirely convinced of his words, but
then she squeezed his hand back and let a small smile grow on her pretty lips.

🕰️🕰️🕰️
“If we’re not using Whistledown tonight then what are we going to do?” Eloise asked, seemingly
having conceded to whatever reasoning the others gave her as to why they would not be doing so.

“I do not know,” Anthony sighed, lamenting, “We need more time to determine the right solution.”

“We need to learn more about that soldier of hers,” his mother added. “Could he be back from the
war?”

“Yes and we must find out more about his family - discreetly ,” Anthony agreed.

“Right. Even if he is not yet back from the warfront or heaven-forbid, died on the battlefield, he
may have brothers who should uphold his duty in his absence,” his mother wondered. “Miss
Thompson and the child really should be with his family.”

“I propose we go to one of our country properties!” Benedict declared.

“Are you suggesting we run away?” Anthony chortled. “How much have you had to drink tonight,
brother?”

“Well, we won’t find answers here, will we?” Benedict

“Benedict, dear, that will not fix the problem at hand,” his mother said, “Colin leaving will not stop
Miss Thompson from giving birth and the ton will have more of a reason to assume he is the
father.”

“And if he is suddenly taken elsewhere by his brothers the very same day that he was meant to
depart so he and Miss Thompson could elope, do you not think she and Lady Featherington will
know something is amiss?” Eloise needled.

“I would not put it past Portia to begin spreading word about him fathering the child if she believed
he discovered the truth and left to get out of marrying her,” his mother added. “Imagine how much
worse that would be for our family, if the ton believed Colin to be a man who abandoned the
woman carrying his child?”

“That is not what I am suggesting,” he gently corrected before turning back to face the settee.
“Penelope, you said they lived on neighbouring properties — your cousin and her soldier, yes? Do
you happen to know where?”

“Ye-yes, in Kent,” Pen stammered, nodding in confirmation but visibly confused as to what his
brother was planning.

“Kent. Oh, how wonderful!” he chirped, standing out of his seat to enthusiastically suggest, “We
will go to Aubrey Hall, then! We can say that Colin is needed there for a short spell, that Anthony
planned to show him the operations of the estate and view nearby properties that could become
their home. Then we’ll conduct our investigation from there for a few days.”

“That could work, actually. It is not as if anyone was aware of their plans to elope,” Eloise pointed
out. “As far as we all knew, they were preparing to marry at the end of the season. Anthony would
have no reason to believe Colin had any other plans or social engagements to attend for the
remainder of the week.”

“Yes and Colin can pretend to be upset about it so Lady Featherington and Miss Thompson are
none the wiser,” Benedict added. “We’ve all seen how well he can conceal things. Father used to
say that Colin would have made a fine stage actor in another life.”

“Was that meant to be a compliment, Ben?” he scoffed. “I do not recall father ever saying such a
thing.”

It sure did not sound like a compliment to Colin and he was baffled why his brother would choose
to say such a thing in front of Penelope. He should have been pointing out all of Colin’s best
attributes, not his less-than-desirable ones.

“He did,” his mother confirmed through a bit of wistful laughter at the memory. “He also said that
you could out-con a charlatan with your wit and charm. He always found your biscuit schemes, as
your father called them, far too amusing to admonish.”

“Biscuit schemes?” he repeated incredulously.

“Yes,” his mother replied, still laughing. “Edmund always admired your little stealth operations to
procure biscuits when cook was preoccupied.”

Between hearing about his late father’s love for his mischief-making as a boy and the sound of
Penelope’s giggles beside him, Colin felt wonderful. Then his brothers began sharing memories of
his supposed ‘biscuit schemes.’

“That explains it,” Pen whispered to him.

“Explains what?”

“I’ve often wondered if you were ever punished,” she said flippantly.

Colin knew that she had absolutely no idea about the sexual connotations of what she was saying
but that did not stop him from imagining all sorts of lewd punishments they could inflict on one
another.

“As a child,” she clarified. “Now, I know you were just too charming for it.”

“So you think I’m charming?” he smirked.

“When you want to be,” she shrugged, then leaned closer to him with a growing smirk and
conspiratorially whispered, “I rather think you could get away with murder if you so chose.”

Colin couldn’t help but cough in surprise. He was not entirely sure what he thought she was going
to say but he never expected her to say that .

“Your plan certainly has merit, Benedict,” his brother said, returning to the conversation they were
meant to be having. “But I do still worry about what Lady Featherington and Miss Thompson could
do in our absence.”

“As do I. But what if we were all to go?” his mother considered. “Together. Our family could host
the Featheringtons and Miss Thompson.”

“Now that is an interesting idea,” Anthony stated. “We could use the same reasoning Benedict gave
earlier. That thing about evaluating nearby properties for Colin to purchase and showing him the
operations of a country estate?”

“And we could make mention of preparing to hold an engagement ball for them,” his mother
proposed.

“We could say that it is an opportunity for our families to come together,” Colin suggested. “I will
tell Marina that it is a chance for her to see that our family is not the unwelcoming sort she falsely
claimed.”

“And you could pretend to be excited that it might give you an opportunity to learn more about
her,” Eloise excitedly added. “Say something to the effect of wanting to meet her family and see
where she grew up – how perfect it is that your family’s estate is not far from there.”

“Oh, and tell her that you prefer a longer engagement so you are not entirely disappointed by the
developments,” Benedict offered. “You could even propose that the wedding take place after the
season concludes to make trapping you seem less desirable since she will not want to wait much
longer.”

“Yes, you should stress other things that would have her reconsider trapping you,” Anthony agreed.

“You could say that you do not want children for a few years at least,” Eloise proposed. “You’re
still young and want to enjoy your marriage and explore more of the world before settling into
fatherhood.”

“Suggest that you travel after the season is over instead of tethering yourself to a new home straight
away!” Pen cheerfully added. “When you’re telling her about Anthony’s plans to take you to
properties nearby, you could say that you would not like to inhabit one for quite some time as
you’re so very eager to travel.”

“Brilliant as ever, Pen,” he gushed. “I have plentiful maps and travel books in the country that we
can use to begin planning a grand tour. I’ll need your input on everything of course.”

Because he would be taking Penelope on that trip with him.

A montage of fantasies played out in his mind's eye all at once. Fucking Pen in their private room
on a ship, on the balcony of their room in a Mediterranean inn during sunset, on a blanket over the
sandy shores of a beautiful beach during sunrise, up against a tree after exploring a nearby temple,
in a closet of an art gallery while struggling to keep quiet… God he could not wait to make her his
and take her everywhere.

“This is all well and good, buying more time by inviting the Featheringtons and Miss Thompson to
Aubrey Hall with us, but we are still missing a crucial piece,” Anthony remarked. “Just how are we
to deal with the issue of their plans to abscond to Gretna Green in the morning?”

“You could say that a loyal footman alerted you to my arrangements,” Colin offered.

“Very well. I shall go to speak with Lord and Lady Featherington in the morning, tell them that I
forbade you from proceeding with the plan to elope. Then I will extend the invitation and we can
depart the following day.”

“You should bring a footman with you to make it more convincing,” Eloise recommended. “John,
perhaps?”

“Yes, good idea,” Anthony said with just a hint of surprise in his voice. “I will do just that.”

“I will send an invitation along with you, Anthony,” his mother announced, explaining, “Penelope
usually joins our family for tea on Wednesday afternoons; I will extend an offer for Marina to
accompany her so that she and Colin may speak chaperoned .”

Colin did not love that idea. He did not wish to speak with Marina at all. Chaperoned or
unchaperoned . He had no desire to be anywhere near the chit. Partly in fear of her doing
something truly unhinged to force their marriage and partly in fear of himself revealing his disdain
for her.

But the idea of Penelope returning so soon and spending the afternoon with him was rather
delightful. Perhaps he could find a way for the two of them to speak unchaperoned .

“Which will of course mean that you will need to make use of your best acting skills, too, dear,” his
mother said to Penelope.

“Yes, you should seem… surprised,” Benedict instructed.

“And maybe even a bit relieved ?” he hesitantly proposed, wanting to see her reaction.
“Considering that she believes you love me and all.”
He could feel his ears reddening as he watched her blush deepening. It was as if she was his
mirror.

“Right. I will do my best to appear surprised, of course,” she confirmed with a curt nod to his
brother. Turning to him, she sheepishly added, “And I won’t have to act like I am relieved at all so
that will be rather easy to show.”

“You’re lucky,” he whispered to Pen, “my relief” …and affection… “must stay hidden.” For now .

“Pen, you will also need to write about our families going to the country in Whistledown,” Eloise
said with growing excitement in her voice, “Perhaps you could work on a draft here tomorrow
when you come for tea?”

“Yes, you can use my study,” Anthony offered, “Then I will have John run it to the printers in
disguise tomorrow evening,” he added sternly.

Colin was very glad his brother was taking Penelope’s safety as seriously as one of his own family
members.

“Oh Pen!” his sister squealed, “I shall join you!”

“El, do remember that it is Pen’s column. You should not presume the right to impose your
thoughts, opinions, or words in it,” he warned. “Perhaps I should be in attendance to ensure —”

“—Oh stop it,” Eloise scoffed, rolling her eyes petulantly as she cut him off. “I simply wish to
observe Lady Whistledown in action. You just do not want to be left alone with Marina.”

“You will not be alone,” Benedict assured, “Mother and I will be there along with Hyacinth and
Gregory.”

“And with the added benefit of the narrative that Anthony caught you tempting scandal with your
elopement plans, it will be perfectly reasonable for me to keep you and Miss Thompson apart,” his
mother added with a growing smirk. “You will not be allowed to be seated next to one another and
I will discreetly ensure that there is extra vigilance from the staff when Miss Thompson is around,
as well.”

“Speaking of Whistledown,” Anthony began, “How might we continue to operate from Aubrey
Hall? I am sure it will be needed in some capacity, no matter how we get Colin out of this.”

“I have been contemplating that, as well,” Pen replied.

“It is a concern we will have to resolve before we leave. I do not wish for our two families'
absences to cause speculation that the author is one of us,” Anthony added. “We must do
everything we can to protect your identity.”

“I could remain behind and collect gossip from the Granvilles and the modiste,” Benedict offered,
“then bring it to you at the end of the week.”

“I usually publish twice a week,” Pen objected.

“And would that not lead to the Granvilles and the modiste knowing that you were connected to
Lady Whistledown somehow?” Anthony pointed out.
“I recommend that we bring Lady Danbury in on this,” his mother declared. “She will be in
attendance at every society event, she always knows the goings on of the ton, and she is close with
the Queen. She will know what to do.”

Colin could feel how uncomfortable Penelope was with the suggestion and the entire conversation,
really. He hated that she was so miserable and he knew she would not say anything to stop it. So he
would.

“We have time to figure something out,” he said with as much finality in his tone as he could
muster. He did not wish to leave any room for argument because he would not allow her misery to
continue. “But for now at least, bringing more people in on Pen’s identity is unequivocally out of
the question. The more people who know, the less safe her secret remains.”

And he was quickly learning that nothing mattered more to him than Penelope’s safety and
happiness.

“Perhaps… it might be better to only invite Marina to Aubrey Hall rather than my entire family,”
Pen proposed, reasoning, “That way, I can attend the balls and keep writing Whistledown so no one
will suspect a thing. And I will be ready to publish something once you all determine how it is
you’d like to proceed.”

“No! Absolutely not,” Colin protested. “You cannot be serious, Penelope.”

“Surely there will be enough people to distract Marina with your family alone that I am not truly
needed,” she added. “And my family’s presence is more likely to be a nuisance than anything.”

“Pen, I assure you that you are very much needed,” Eloise scoffed. “How am I to remain sane with
only my family to speak to? You’re coming. I’ll not hear another word on it.”

“You must come, Pen,” he croaked, holding her hand as if it was his only hope for salvation.
Because it was. Because she was. He could not bear to leave her behind. “I cannot — please , I
need you there.”

Before she could respond, his brother cleared his throat and she whipped her head around with
wide eyes as if she were expecting a tongue lashing.

“With all due respect, Miss Featherington,” Anthony began, “While I trust you greatly, as you’ve
shown your loyalty to our family time and time again -” Colin loved hearing Anthony use the words
“our family” with Pen. “- I do not trust your parents or your cousin. I’d much prefer having them
where I can see them.”

“I do not blame you,” she tittered and relaxed her tense limbs. “Very well, then. I would be
delighted to join you all.”

🕰️🕰️🕰️
After a bit of back and forth over walking Pen home, it was ultimately decided that Benedict and
Eloise would walk her back. If they were ever seen, it would appear as though the girls had a late
 night chat by the swings in the Bridgerton garden, as they were so wont to do.

Colin said goodbye to Pen very reluctantly.

Truthfully, he was not entirely comfortable with their plan. He wished they had more control over
the situation and he wished there was a clear end in sight. However, their plan was not all bad. He
was so very grateful that it would not ruin Pen and even more grateful that it meant she would be
staying with his family for at least a week in two days time.

So he made his way up to his bedchambers with those soothing thoughts of his perfect little future
wife, the cousin of his fiancé… who believed he was taking her to Greta Green to elope the very
next morning and was in for a rather rude awakening.

Chapter End Notes

Hope you enjoyed this one! Next up: The plan is put to action. The Bridgertons put on a show,
Marina and Penelope come to tea, and the two families prepare to leave for Aubrey Hall.
 Buying Time, Part III
Chapter Notes

Quick little thank you note to everyone who has supported me along the way here - those in
the discord helping me adjust things to make sense, everyone leaving comments and kudos,
and everyone reading along. I hope this continues to be interesting and worthy of your time.
xx

This might need some editing but I wanted to get it out as soon as possible for y'all, so do not
fret if you see some mistakes, I'll clean them up tomorrow or Wednesday. Thanks loves!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

As he made his way down to breakfast the next morning, Colin noted that he felt surprisingly well
rested.

Perhaps it was because he had taken himself in hand thrice to the painfully erotic images of Pen
and her naughty stockings that had continued to replay in his mind? Something told him they’d
become permanent fixtures in his reveries. After the third time, his cock was as empty and
exhausted as his mind and he collapsed into a deep sleep.

When he first awoke and saw the sliver of sunlight streaming through his curtains, still in the haze
of sleep, he momentarily panicked that he overslept. That he missed his planned departure for
Gretna Green with his fianceé that was to be just before dawn.

Then of course, the haze lifted and the memories of the night before came rushing back. While his
panic dissipated almost instantly, the hole it left was quickly flooded with intenses waves of unease
and shame crashing over him.

He recalled all the particulars of Marina’s lies and manipulation coming to light as he slowly
accepted that she had been frauding him all along. Her pregnancy being revealed to him while he
overheard the vitriol she spewed at Pen for trying to stop her.

And oh, Pen . Everything he experienced in her bedchamber – how sweet, patient and encouraging
she was, how they held each other when he could not resist selfishly pulling her into an embrace,
how cunning and brazen she was through her Whistledown reveal, then those sinful stockings and
her perfect breasts.

Following that, he remembered embracing her outside his family’s garden gate, all the things he did
with the images of her dressing before he could speak with his brother, and then the realisation that
he was in love with her. Which took him back to the immensely disagreeable state he found himself
in that morning.

His fianceé was with child. Another man’s child. His family did not have a clear plan on how to get
him out of the engagement unscathed. His fianceé knew that her cousin was displeased with the
engagement and thought her cousin loved him.

He was in love with his fianceé’s cousin. They had been friends for years but he never realised the
depth of his feelings for her and even brushed off her warning of her cousin’s scheme.

And he was forced to let the woman he loved go back to a home she shared with her cruel cousin
who would no doubt suspect her involvement in the disruption to this morning’s ruined plans. He
had no way of knowing what was happening in that house and therefore, had no assurance that his
little love was safe.

And on top of everything, in admitting his feelings for Pen after having seen her in a compromising
state, he was proving his eldest brother’s assessment correct. She was the first woman he had seen
so much of and the first woman he had ever felt so much desire for. Anthony was an ass and Colin
hated to ever admit he could be right about something.

His panic returned tenfold what it had been before. But Pen wasn’t “the first chit he set his cap at”
technically and he could not imagine feeling the same way for anyone else. He was irrevocably
mad for her.

He sighed in relief and delight when he remembered that he’d be seeing Penelope again in a matter
of hours. He just needed to make it through the morning because she’d be back with him that
afternoon when she joined his family for tea.

As she always did on Wednesdays.

God, he felt like such a dolt. How could he have taken so many things for granted? So much time
for granted. Never again; now that he knew his heart, he would cherish every single second he got
to spend in Pen’s company.
When he really considered it, he had felt incomplete without her being near for years. He never
recognised what constant thread was there in the times he felt like he finally got enough air in his
lungs.

Or rather, who was constantly with him on those occasions. He always thought he just found energy
and confidence and lifeforce in being around his family. But that wasn’t right. Was it?

Because he only found that feeling during the times Pen was with his family. The rest of the time
spent with his siblings and mother was not unpleasant , per say, it just lacked that mystical,
transcendent quality.

What’s worse is that he believed Marina gave him the same feeling as he falsely believed his family
gave him. But there had never been a time he interacted with Miss Thompson without having seen
or spoken with Pen shortly beforehand or after.

How could he have missed that she had always been the common denominator in everything good
and right in his life?

Alas, there was nothing he could do about the past, he’d simply have to settle for vowing to do
better in the future. He had to. Because now that he knew how incomplete he was without her,
being apart felt like torture. It was shocking how much he needed her, really.

It had only been around eight or nine hours, he’d guessed, since the last time he saw her and he was
already questioning his ability to cope with it much longer. He was greatly looking forward to their
afternoon tea with his family — not so much thrilled about her cousin being there, nevertheless,
he’d persist for his Pen.

The whole affair would be dampened regardless, when she’d inevitably need to leave his presence
once again. But the following day, they’d be travelling to Aubrey Hall. And after they arrived there,
he would not need to part from her for more than a few hours each day for at least a week.

Especially if he could get her to stay in the family wing.

Before he left his bed that morning, he let himself indulge in lecherous thoughts — well no,
outright filthy fantasies is more like it — of Pen once more. This time featured a very familiar
backdrop, as he envisioned taking her again and again at his family’s country estate.

How could he not picture her so prettily waiting to be ravished on every surface of his
bedchambers, in each of his favourite hidden spots in the manor, in her favourite — he came before
he could finish the fantasies.

Unfortunately, he’d have to save the visions of her by her favourite reading nook in the library,
under the cover of the hedges deep in the garden, against the glass panes of the orangery, and all the
other secluded spots on the vast grounds for later. He had to get out of bed and get some food into
his grumbling stomach.

It was always nice starting the day with a freshly drained cock, though. The chances of having to
deal with it later in the day, after being in Pen’s presence, were likely no lower than they would be
otherwise.

But he was not above telling himself that he was actually being rather selfless in seeking his release
that morning because if he hadn’t, he would surely lose control of his eager appendage at the sight
of her. Which would only make for a very uncomfortable situation, of course, for he knew he
would not have Pen to himself that day.

And really, how was he meant to explain to his fiancé that his cock was so enamoured with her
cousin when he needed her to believe he was in love with her, lest she catch on that he knew about
her scheme? No, that just wouldn’t do.

There were already too many things that he needed to ‘explain’ to Marina. Too many factors that
needed to be slotted into place to advance the ruse his family put together, to buy more time in
order to get him out of his bloody engagement to her. Ironic, was it not?

At any rate, he figured all that meant he was actually doing everyone a service by thrusting his cock
into his fist over and over again to visions of a certain blue-eyed beauty with the most delectable
bosom in all of Britain.

Which is how he found himself able to hold his head high when he finally walked into the dining
room and was faced with his family. There, he found his mother, Eloise, Hyacinth, Benedict and
Gregory at the table. Anthony must have already left to enact the first step in their plan.

He was somewhat bemused how his mother and Eloise were able to pretend as if nothing was
happening with such ease. His mother was pestering Eloise about making a trip to see the modiste.
Eloise was grumbling weak protests. If he did not know any better, he would have assumed nothing
at all was amiss.

Benedict, on the other hand, was busying himself by attempting to mediate a petty quarrel between
their youngest siblings. He involved himself in their dramatics whenever he wished to avoid
conversation with others, so Colin assumed he was doing so in order to ensure he would not let
anything slip.

Deciding it was best to conduct himself as usual, he made his way to the assortment of delicious
smelling food. As he was about to begin putting a plate together, Anthony stormed in and everyone
hastily turned their attention to the furious Viscount.

“Colin!” His eldest brother bellowed with such rage and frustration in his tone, he almost believed
he had done something wrong. “My study. NOW!”

Colin dropped his plate on the table and made to follow him. He did not need to pretend or act; he
felt all the shame and anxiety that came with being summoned to his brother’s study. It mimicked
the way he felt about his life at that very moment.

He quickly caught up with Anthony, who held the door open for him when they reached the study.
As he headed for the settee, he was brought to an alarming halt when Anthony slammed the door so
hard that a couple books fell off the shelves.

He turned around in terror, only to find his brother holding the door handle with a huge grin on his
face.

“Think they’ll believe my fury?” he tittered.

“Who—what?” Colin sputtered, reeling from the strange reality he found himself in.
His confusion must have shown, but his brother misunderstood and assumed he was worried about
missing breakfast. “Sit, sit!” Anthony cheerfully waved. “I have food coming for each of us, do not
fret.“

Without warning, he opened the door and shouted, “COLIN!”

He closed it once again, softly this time, and Colin could barely believe his eyes. His overbearing,
austere older brother was giggling like a small child. Jesus, he was truly enjoying this ruse of his.

“SIT BACK DOWN!” he thundered next. Moments later, he followed that with, “ENOUGH!”

Finally, his feigned outbursts stopped and he joined Colin, taking the seat across from him. Before
they could even begin discussing what happened at the Featherington’s that morning, Wickham
arrived with trays of Colin’s favourite breakfast foods.

He listened intently up until a certain point.

That of course being when his brother said Pen was officially going to be joining them in the
country. Up until then, Anthony relayed that he had not seen Pen, as he spent the entirety of his
time at her house in her father’s study, and he confirmed that her name did not come up once.

That was fantastic news, as it implied her parents did not immediately suspect she was involved.
The Featheringtons were likely too pleased to be invited to Aubrey Hall to question anything, he
surmised.

Lord Featherington was likely happy to put off the impending engagement of his middle daughter,
Philippa, to Mr. Albion Finch. At least for a fortnight. Giving Marina away to be married was one
thing, they had only just met months ago and she was a distant relative. Giving his daughter’s hand
away, the first of three no less, would be much more difficult.

Lady Featherington was likely thrilled her plans were not entirely thwarted and Marina was still set
to marry him. Besides, it only gave more credibility to her recent boasting about their family’s
close ties to the Bridgertons in stuffy drawing rooms home to notorious gossips.

Little did she know, their ties would be much closer once he was able to get out of the engagement
to Miss Thompson. Though the Featheringtons would need to make serious changes to the way
they treated Penelope if they wanted to keep her in their lives. Colin wouldn’t stand for his wife
being mistreated in any capacity. Not even by her family.

After going over the plans for the days ahead again, the brothers parted and wished the other luck
in carrying out their respective steps of the plan. While Anthony made preparations for their stay at
Aubrey Hall and met with their solicitor regarding the situation at hand, Colin joined Benedict in
the garden for a round of fencing.

He was reluctant to agree to it at first, but he knew he would be glad for it afterwards. He needed a
distraction to keep from worrying and vigorously exhausting his body would do just that. Plus,
once they’d finish sparring, he’d be that much closer to Penelope’s visit.

🕰️🕰️🕰️
As anxious and excited as he had been for afternoon tea, he had also been dreading it the entire day.
Not because he was nervous, he was fairly confident he could handle it just fine. He could put on a
face and pretend to be a besotted fool.

Marina had been doing so since he met her, had she not? Besides, she’d be bringing with her the
woman he was absolutely mad for, so playing that role — looking all moony-eyed, bouncing on his
feet, smiling foolishly, blushing fiercely — would be easy.

He just had no desire whatsoever to be in Marina's presence. He knew it was necessary to keep his
family’s arrangements in motion, the part he was to play had been pivotal in their planning the
evening before. For all that his family had done for him and was continuing to do for him, he would
not let down.

However, it would be the first time he had to interact with her since learning of the sins she
committed against him, the fraud she was attempting to trap him with, and worse — it was the first
time he’d have to interact with her after having to hear her spew cruel things at his darling Pen,
who had only been trying to protect him all along.

He was incensed by it even before he had realised the depth of his feelings for Penelope! There was
no telling how he’d react if he heard those words and the manner in which they were said for the
first time after having known his love for her.

He would need all the strength and calming effects her presence usually had on him if he was to
make it through that afternoon with his gentleman status still in check. And of course, his Pen-
obsessed cock absolutely had to behave. May the Lord help him.

He grew more anxious as he sat across from his mother with a cushion turned down beside him to
hold his plate of biscuits. Which very quickly became a plate of crumbs. Though that was nothing
new and probably had more to do with his need for sustenance after exerting himself so thoroughly
in his early fencing match than his anxiety.

Really, it would have seemed like a perfectly normal afternoon to anyone none the wiser. Benedict
was in his usual chair beside the settee where their mother was focusing on her needlepoint. Eloise
and Gregory were playing a spirited game of chess, if one could play a spirited game of chess .
Hyacinth was practising at the pianoforte.

But he was too aware of what was to come to focus on anything else. He simply practised what he
would say to Marina over and over in his mind and continued eating his biscuits until even the
crumbs were gone.

As he stood and crossed the room to refill his plate and pour himself a cup of tea, it happened.
Humboldt announced the arrival of Miss Penelope Featherington and Miss Marina Thompson.

It was rather amusing hearing Pen’s name included. She was never announced; the staff knew her
quite well and were so accustomed to her presence that she was simply permitted to make her way
up to the family quarters. Now that he thought of it, that could be of use.

He imagined Pen entering the house, climbing the stairs alone and walking toward the drawing
room. She’d turn her head both ways to ensure she was truly alone, then make her way to the back
staircase to quietly go up to his bedchamber. He’d have her in his bed without anyone ever knowing
a thing.

Good God he needed to stop fantasising before his cockstand returned. But once he laid his eyes on
her, he realised that was going to be near impossible. He almost dropped his teacup and plate of
biscuits.

She looked so beautiful, so radiant. Her hair hung long in waves over her left shoulder and her skin
was glowing. The alabaster creamy canvas only made her luscious red lips and dazzling blue eyes
stand out even more. The way her maid dressed her for tea that afternoon had not done anything to
help his plight, either.

How very dare she wear such a dress! One that seemed so pliable, swaying with her every move,
giving teasing glimpses of the shapely form beneath it. In such a lovely colour green he’d not seen
her in before, no less. Why must she torture him so? Was it not enough that he had to pretend to be
in love with Marina while yearning for her across the room?

Before he could even say hello and ask how his beautiful wife-to-be had been since he bid her
farewell the night before, El swept her away to the settee he had previously been sitting on.
Leaving him to greet his wretched fianceé and play his part in the plan to get him out of his
engagement.

“Marina, I am sorry we could not depart this morning as we planned. It seems my brother has eyes
and ears far more loyal to him than I assumed,” he began. “One of our footmen caught onto my
preparations yesterday and told Anthony. He was here before sunrise to put a stop to everything.”

“A footman, huh?” she asked, her viscous gaze eying Pen with suspicion. “Is that what he told
you?”

He could not allow her to continue insinuating that Pen did something wrong.

“He did not have to tell me,” Colin all but growled.

Marina’s eye snapped back to him in surprise, he had never spoken like that to her before. Nor had
she seen him speak with anyone like that before. It was just another small reminder of how little
they knew of each other.

“John was with me all day as I rented a carriage, met with the jeweller, and took money out of my
accounts,” he explained. “We spoke this morning and he told me himself that he struggled with the
decision when he realised what I had been up to at the time we reached the jewellers. Ultimately, he
felt he must tell the viscount. I do not fault him. It is his livelihood that would have been on the
line.”

“You are right, of course,” Marina acquiesced with a saccharine tone that he now recognised as
something she had used in her manipulation throughout their courtship. “How very good of you to
recognise that.”

He gave her a terse nod and continued prattling on with his planned talking points, “After my initial
frustration, I was actually quite glad for it. A longer engagement will be far more romantic and you
can have the grand wedding every young lady desires.”
She grimaced in a way it almost looked as if she were attempting to smile but her face would not
let her. She opened her mouth but Colin did not wish to hear anything she had to say, so he went on
before she could utter a word.

“And besides,” he added. “Anthony and I spoke this morning. I told him why we were planning to
elope — your concerns about the Featheringtons wanting you gone and my family not accepting
you. He assured me that our family is very much in support of our engagement” ending as soon as
possible , "especially after he and my mother spent time with you during our engagement dinner the
other night. So that concern is now moot.“

“Oh,” Marina exhaled, “Well, that is a relief I suppose, bu—”

“—And I believe that going to Aubrey Hall will give you and the Featheringtons a new outlook on
things,” he concluded.

She hummed but crossed her arms in a way that suggested she was anything but convinced.

“You have heard that you all are to join us for a stay in the country, yes?” he asked, feigning
ignorance. “We will be staying at my family’s ancestral home. The estate is where we spend the
offseason and where much of my childhood was spent. Anthony will be taking me to some nearby
properties while we’re there. It is rather exciting, is it not?”

Marina nodded with a saccharine smile, which quickly turned into a smug smirk as her beady,
resentful eyes slid back to his perfect little Pen, where she sat across the room. His fists balled
tightly and he struggled to focus on his breathing to remain calm at such an infuriating sight.

He quickly regained control and rewarded himself by letting his gaze settle on Penelope, too,
greatly enjoying his view and desperately wishing he could be closer to her. Before he could get
lost in his desire or melt in his feelings, he brought his attention back to the conversation at hand.

“I really must say, I have been thinking about it and for the life of me, I cannot imagine your cousin
saying that she wished to be rid of you,” Colin said, conspiratorially leaning in while keeping his
eyes on his beloved. “Pen is exceedingly kind and would never forsake someone she holds dear.
I’m sure it must have been a misunderstanding. Would you like me to speak with her?”

He’d sure like to speak with her. At the same time, he wanted Marina to see just where her plan
began to unravel, to see how wrong she was to ever accuse his future wife of being anything but
lovely. So he knew he must continue conversing with her.

“Uh no.. No,” she replied. “You do not have to do that, Colin. I’m sure you are right and it was
merely a misunderstanding. I know she is already like a younger sister to you, so when we marry
—”

“—Pardon me?” he scoffed, finally ripping his eyes off of his beautiful Pen to force her cousin to
see the horror and disgust across his face.

“Y-you do not need to say anything to Penelope…?”

“No, not that part,” he clarified in a manner that did nothing to hide his contempt. “Penelope is a
dear, dear friend of mine to be sure but she is in no way, shape, or form akin to a sister. Wher ever
did you get that blasted idea?”
“Oh, I… well,” she stammered. Good . She should be uncomfortable after making such a
disgusting statement. “I just… I-I-I was joking of course.”

“Ah of course,” he allowed. “Anyway, let us return to what I was saying before. I believe our stay
in the country will also give us a chance to learn more about one another. I know so little of your
life before you came to London. I should like to know all about your family and where you grew
up. Perhaps we can even make a visit.”

“Oh, I had not considered that,” Marina murmured.

“And we can begin planning our travels,” Colin proposed, hiding his smirk behind his teacup.

“Our travels?” she baulked.

“After the season,” he nodded. “You told my mother during our engagement dinner that travel
would become one of your greatest ambitions, as it has always been mine.”

“Oh, well I did not mean —”

“—We’re young and have no reason to tie ourselves down yet,” he continued, not bothering to
acknowledge whatever she began saying. “What’s stopping us from departing after we say our
vows?”

“Well, I… I thought you told Penelope that there were things in London that you’d miss?” she
protested.

“And they will be here when we return,” he quickly countered.

“You also said that you wished to start a family together,” she noted. “How are we meant to do that
in foreign lands?”

“I believe I said that you and I would be a family,” he corrected. “Regardless, that was said in the
heat of the moment when you were worried that my family would not welcome you. I already told
you that Anthony and I discussed that.”

Marina stiffened as she rasped, “You do not wish to start a family with me?”

“No,” he said truthfully, but then added some context to soften the blow. Though he was speaking
of Penelope in his mind, he trusted Marina believed he was speaking of her. “I do not wish to be a
father for a few years. I would like to enjoy time with my wife before bringing children into the
world. Time that I’d like to use travelling, exploring new places together. After returning, we can
settle into life here again and begin to expand our family.”

“Oh,” she exhaled, staring off at nothing in particular.

“Mmhmm,” he nodded. “So while Anthony and I will be assessing homes in the country for us, I
do not plan for us to inhabit whichever one we select for quite some time. It would be rather foolish
to take the time and effort to move into a small country estate only to abandon it for parts unknown
so soon. Which is why it will be prudent to begin making plans for a grand tour.”

“A grand tour?” she repeated. “That sounds… extravagant. Perhaps we can wait until after we wed
to plan such a trip?”
“Nonsense, if we want to depart before winter – and I most certainly do, lest we freeze on the
journey – we should begin securing our passage and mapping out our stops now,” he reasoned.
“And think of how lovely it will be to forgo winter here for warmer ports.”

Marina sighed and seemed to give up arguing for the time being, saying, “That does sound
wonderful, Colin.”

“Hmm,” he hummed smugly, keeping his most charming smile on his face. He then gestured
toward the sitting area and proposed, “Shall we sit? I fear we are being rude, conversing on our
own, away from everyone else.”

As they approached the settees and chairs where his mother, Eloise, Pen, and Benedict were merrily
speaking, all eyes turned to them and an uncomfortable tension fell over the room.

When he caught Pen’s eyes, he tried to silently assure her that all was going according to plan and
he would do anything necessary to be with her. But he must have fallen flat because her gaze
flickered to Marina then settled on her hands in her lap.

He loathed the situation they found themselves in where he could not simply take her hands in his
and profess his love for her, vowing to never let such a sullen look fall upon her face again. He
longed for the day her cousin no longer stood in the way of their happiness.

After what felt like ages, his mother broke the silent tension. “Miss Thompson, please join me,” she
prompted, patting the seat next to her on the settee.

“Can we not sit together?” he sighed, eager to put on a show for everyone to see just how good of
an actor he could be.

“I should think you’d know the answer to that, given all the commotion this morning,” his mother
quipped.

Playing the part of a petulant, besotted fool, he whined in protest, “We are engaged, Mother!”

“Yes, and it seems the leeway that you were previously afforded gave way to the two of you
plotting to drag our families into scandal,” his mother countered. “Come have a seat dear. You may
still speak with one another from your respective seats.”

Marina sat next to his mother on the settee, with Benedict in the chair beside her. Colin took up the
chair across from him, with Eloise to his left. Pen was sitting on her other side, directly across from
his mother in the seat he initially occupied.

On the one hand there was strength and comfort in Pen’s presence but on the other hand, being so
close to her in that dress with his height advantage giving him a delectable view of her chest, he
was damn near ready to take her. Right there on the settee in his mother’s drawing room in front of
his fianceé, or rather, her cousin, and his family.

Before he even had a chance to settle into the conversation, Eloise stood and announced that she
had two books she wished to show Pen in the library. As he watched the two of them leaving the
room, he vaguely heard his mother’s voice telling Marina something or other about their planned
visit to Aubrey Hall.
“We must prepare to host an engagement ball. But these things must be planned out so members of
the ton have the appropriate time to prepare to go off to the country. Even with the season so close
to an end, it will likely be next week or the following.”

There was a pit in his stomach at the thought of his siblings and Pen drafting a Whistledown
column and coordinating the logistics of the operation without him. Pen was too cunning. She very
well could convince Anthony to let her handle the dropoff alone as she always had before. He
should be there; he should be in the study with them, damnit!

Why did he ever agree to this plan?

🕰️🕰️🕰️
Eventually, Penelope and Eloise returned to the drawing room, but only to collect Marina and say
goodbye. Colin was thrilled to be bidding Miss Thompson farewell but beside himself to be parting
from Pen.

He could not let an entire afternoon go by without speaking to her – he couldn’t! Especially not
after having had to endure so much time with her cousin. Not to mention, he was worried sick
about what might have happened during the Whistledown drafting he was left out of.

He needed to know that she was not coerced into writing anything she did not want to by his
siblings. Almost as much as he needed to know that she was not able to convince his siblings to
allow her to put herself in danger of any kind.

He immediately offered to escort Penelope and Marina across the square. It was the gentlemanly
thing to do after all and how else was he going to find a way to speak with her? His mother insisted
Benedict join them, playing her part in their ruse very well.

When they arrived on the steps of the Featherington home, after the too-short walk across the
square, he caught a glimpse of Pen’s eyes and she looked just as devastated as he felt. It was
enough to kill him. Christ, what could he do?

He was still trying to put on his most charming displays for Marina so she wouldn’t suspect a thing
but dear God he was about ready to combust. He was hopelessly, frantically searching his mind for
something, anything , that could keep him in Pen’s company and rid him of Marina’s.

But it was too late, they were beginning their farewells.

Or, perhaps it was not. Benedict, for all his halfwitted antics, was actually far and away more
perceptive than he was ever given credit for. He piped up just as Colin took Marina’s hand to lay a
bitter kiss on it.

“Miss Penelope,” his brother implored loudly, “Did you forget to bring the two books Eloise
wished to send you with? I know she was hoping you’d read one of them before our trip to the
country. And I cannot help but notice that you are not carrying one. ”
“Oh, no. I—I must have left them on her writing desk,” Pen fretted, looking rather regretful. “I do
not know where my head is today. I apologise.”

“Shall we go back to retrieve them?” Benedict asked, holding his arm out for his future sister-in-
law to take.

“If it is not too much to ask,” she nodded demurely. God she was adorable. “I was hoping to read
this evening.”

“It will be no trouble at all!” Benedict chirped. His cheerful grin dropped to a neutral expression
when he turned to Marina with a small farewell bow, “Miss Thompson.”

Pen took his brother’s proffered elbow and at once, Benedict turned to lock eyes with him, looking
every part the strict chaperone he was meant to be playing.

“Colin,” he said sternly, jerking his head toward their house.

Free at last!

Colin slightly bowed to Marina and began bounding the steps in haste. He was practically skipping
like a jolly child. It was not proper to be sure, but he could not help it. Parting from her felt like the
first spring day after a long, cold winter. The sun was shining bright, the flowers were beginning to
bloom, and the birds were singing happy tunes once again.

He ached to take Pen’s hand in his but knew that there could be prying eyes all around them so he
needed to tread lightly until they were safely inside. But he could not help himself when they
crossed the threshold. He took both of her hands in his, pulled her to a dark corner of the grand
foyer, and drew her into an embrace at once.

“C-Colin?” she startled breathily.

“Are you alright Pen? How was the morning? How did everything go with Eloise and Anthony
when you drafted Whistledown? Is John delivering it still? Have you thought about —”

“—Colin! Colin, you must take a breath,” she chortled, cutting off his frenzied line of questioning
as she pulled out of his embrace. “In and out, in and out.”

He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly in accordance with her direction. She watched him
suspiciously for a moment or two, as if she believed he would stop breathing without her
insistence. A small smile played on his lips when she finally began answering his inquiries.

“I am well, truly. I will be better in Kent when I am able to spend more time with you– r family
rather than my own, but I am well,” she began. “This morning was… rather stressful. I believe
Marina absolutely suspects me of alerting your brother of your plans. She has not said anything,
though, and I am quite certain she does not suspect you are aware.”

He took her hands in his, needing to feel her touch. For all of his lustful and lecherous thoughts
about her, he felt so wonderfully complete just by simply holding her hands. This was no passing
fancy at all. He did not want to interrupt her with his concern and desperation to protect her from
Marina and her mother and all the stress that she felt.
“Drafting Whistledown with your siblings is something I do not wish to do again but I appreciate
their help. John is delivering it this evening. And…” She glanced up with furrowed brows before
shrugging a bit. “I am unsure where your last question was going. How have you been?“

“I have…” taken myself in hand to thoughts of you more times than I can count and I hated every
second we were apart and cannot wait to spend the rest of our lives together once we get out of this
fucking disaster with your horrid cousin! “Well, I am looking forward to when this is all over but it
would have been much worse without you.”

It took everything in him not to call her darling or sweetheart or love or wife or dearest. He needed
to make it special for her, though – when he professed his love for her. Their relationship was in a
delicate place. She loved him as a friend and that love could bloom, he was sure of it, but it could
just as easily shrink if he did not handle things properly.

“I hope it’s over soon,” she whispered.

“I promise you I will do anything to get us out of this as soon as possible,” he vowed, rubbing
circles on the backs of her dainty little hands. “I cannot tell you how glad I will be to have you
staying with us, Pen. Did Eloise tell you that you are going to be placed in the family wing? In
Daphne’s bedchamber I believe, since Francesca is expected to meet us there.”

“Oh! No, she did not,” Pen gasped. “Will that not look strange? Me staying in the family wing?”

“Not at all,” he assured, “You’re closer to our—to my family than your own. Even they must see it.
My family and even our staff treat you like a Bridgerton already.”

Already… She tilted her head and squinted her eyes.

She definitely caught his slip there. So much for it being a delicate situation, he internally groaned.
He should not be speaking so freely about a future together, like it was inevitable. Despite it being
the only future he desired, he still did not even know if she could or would ever return his affection.

“Very well,” she nodded resolutely, smiling sweetly with the most darling blush spreading across
her features.

“Was it truly awful working with Anthony and Eloise on Whistledown?” he asked, returning to her
answers to his initial string of questions. “I wish to know everything, Pen.”

“No, no. Not awful,” she replied. “It was fine, really. Just different from how I’m used to doing
things. But I am glad John is handling the dropoff. I’m a bit anxious in my home as it is with
everything so I would not wish to steal away in the night as I usually do.”

“You’re anxious in your own home? You mentioned having to deal with a stressful morning, too. I
hope I was able to dissuade Marina from her false assumptions but I-I do not know,” he groaned.
“I’m worried—”

“—Oh no Colin, please don’t worry. I am a bit anxious at home, yes. But it is only until tomorrow
so I will be fine,” she insisted, squeezing his hands in emphasis. “I plan to remain in my
bedchamber reading one of the books Eloise is lending me and then I shall try to find sleep early
tonight.”
“I do not believe I’ll be able to turn my worry off until you arrive safely at Aubrey Hall tomorrow,”
he grumbled.

“There’s no need for such dramatics!” she tittered, gently letting go of his hands and placing one of
hers over her heart. “I assure you, I will be fine.”

God, her smile and those melodic giggles coming out of her at that moment could light up the
entire world, Colin mused.

“Speaking of your efforts to dissuade Marina from thinking I was involved in Anthony discovering
your plans to elope, I was very impressed with your performance,” she gushed in praise. “Your
father was right, by the way, you would have made a marvellous stage actor in another life.“

“Thank you, Pen,” he cooed. “You know, I thought the same of my mother and siblings throughout
the morning. They have really been putting on a show for Hyacinth and Gregory. Anthony
especially, if you could believe it.”

“Really?” she gasped, positively lighting up at the thought.

“Yes, it was quite the spectacle,” he chortled.

Pen was beaming as she giggled, “Well, I wish to hear all about it when we have more time
together later this week!”

“I cannot wait to share it all with you, Pen,” in more ways than one .

“I probably should — ah wait!” she cut herself off with a squeak. “I meant to tell you that I agreed
to let your mother speak with Lady Danbury about helping with Whistledown while we are gone.”

“You did?” he questioned cautiously.

“Yes,” she confirmed with a decisive nod.

He reached up to tuck the stray curl that had fallen when she nodded behind her ear. Allowing his
hand to remain on her jaw, he whispered, “And you are alright with that?”

“I am,” Pen affirmed. “I thought about it all morning and I truly believe it is the right move… d-do
you not?”

“I trust your judgement more than anything,” he purred. “So if you say it is the right move, I
believe it.

“Thank you, Colin. That means a great deal to me,” she admitted. “I really should be going now.
Marina and my mother will likely start to wonder why I am taking so long to retrieve a book.”

“Wait!” he cried, softly but firmly placing his hands on her shoulders. “You….I… you look so
lovely today, Pen. This colour… I don’t believe I’ve seen you wear anything like it before.”

“Oh?” she cooed in surprise. “Th-thank you.” She then looked down at her dress and giggled, “Yes,
it is such a rare occasion that I am not made to resemble a citrus fruit with the frocks and gowns my
mother insists on me wearing.”
“I rather like citrus fruits. But your dress today is…” tantalising, alluring, “beautiful. You wear it
very well.”

“Thank you, Colin,” she simpered so prettily at his praise. “It is new. I thought I might get away
with wearing it while my Mama was distracted by everything with Marina today.”

“Do you have others like it?” he needled.

“I-I do, yes. One other… in yellow,” she grimaced.

He knew she preferred other colours to yellow but he did not realise the extent of how much it
displeased her. She looked beautiful in everything to him but he wanted her to be happy above all
else.

Once she became his wife, he would endeavour to rid her wardrobe of every stitch of yellow if that
is what she would like. But until he could purchase a new trousseau for her, how could he ensure
she is as happy with her attire as she seemed to be then?

“Will you bring it with you?” he pressed, clarifying, “This one, not the yellow one.”

“I believe so?” she confirmed hesitantly.

“Good. While we’re there, I shall have Mother bring you to the village modiste. I’d like to procure
another dress or two for you in a colour that won’t make you wince,” Colin proudly stated. “I’d
very much like to see you in blue if you’d be amenable.” Bridgerton blue , befitting of her future
surname.

“Oh Colin, you do not have to do that,” she gushed “I could not —”

“—Nonsense, Pen. After everything you’ve done for me, please allow me to do this for you,” he
beseeched her.

Her eyes filled with tears and he was afraid he said the wrong thing. But when she smiled and
nodded, he felt like his heart was floating. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body
into his loving arms.

“You are awfully good to me,” she whispered after a few moments, her warm breath tickling his
ear.

“You deserve so much more,” he softly professed back.

They remained that way for some undetermined amount of time. It could’ve been seconds or
minutes, possibly hours. Colin was lost in the serenity of it all.

Pulling out of their blissful embrace, she started saying, “Colin, I-I truly must go now.—”

“—Pen…” He choked, unsure of what he was even trying to communicate. He hated the thought of
her returning to a place that made her feel anxious or stressed. But he knew there was nothing to be
done, all he could do was let her go and count down the hours until he saw her again.

“—But I shall look forward to seeing you tomorrow!” she concluded.

“Let me go fetch those books for you and I shall escort you home,” he regretfully offered after
heaving a great sigh in defeat. Her brows furrowed in concern in response. “What is it, Pen?”

“Uh…Well, it’s just that…” she sputtered, “Not that I do not wish for you to escort me home, but…
well, do you think that is wise?”

She was right of course. It would not be wise. Another sigh of defeat left his body, as he conceded,
“I will fetch the book and one of my brothers to escort you home.”

“Thank you, Colin.”

He went to fetch the books Eloise was lending Pen, Self-Control by Mary Brunton and The
Mysteries of the Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe. He found them just where Pen said they would be, on
El’s writing desk. He then begrudgingly retrieved Benedict from the drawing room to escort Pen
home and with two final kisses to her hands, he said goodbye again.

🕰️🕰️🕰️
Later that evening before dinner, Colin reentered the drawing room to find mother on the settee
across from Benedict while Hyacinth and Gregory were engrossed in a game on the other end of
the room. His mother motioned for him to join her, seeming quite eager to share something with
him. He prayed it was good news as he walked over to the settee.

“Colin dearest,” she excitedly began, once he took his seat next to her. “I was just telling Benedict
that Eloise and I went to see Lady Danbury after we went to the modiste.”

“What did she say? What did you say? What is she planning to do?” he asked urgently.

“We first told her that there was a fraud afoot and we were there to request her assistance in the
matter,” his mother explained. “We did not give details until we secured her sworn secrecy and she
seemed to understand the gravity of the situation at that point.”

He sighed in relief that his mother and sister treated Pen’s safety with the utmost care that it
deserved.

“We then told her everything - first about Miss Thompson’s fraud, Lady Featherington’s
encouragement, your planned elopement, and how Penelope attempted to stop it,” she continued.
“Lady Danbury said that she had always admired her but never understood how she was related to
the rest of the Featherington brood.”

Well he could not argue with that at all. He found himself questioning that more often than not
whenever he spent time with Pen’s family over the years.

“She was not surprised about Penelope’s identity but she was emphatically impressed,” his mother
relayed and he grinned with so much pride, his jaw hurt. Pen was beyond impressive, she was
incredible. “She agreed to keep things running as usual while we are in the country and offered to
help devise a plan for handling things with the Queen.”
 The Queen! Colin almost forgot just how dangerous the Whistledown operation was. How was he
ever going to keep her safe and protected when the bloody Queen of England was after her?

“Do not panic, dear,” his mother urged. He swore she could read minds half the time. “I assure you
we will find a way to keep her secret safe and keep her protected from harm.”

“I know,” he murmured.

He heard Pen’s voice in his mind telling him to breathe in and out, so he did just that. Eventually,
his breathing evened out and he felt calm enough to focus on the people around him once again.

Benedict had just finished saying something about the information Anthony gleaned from the
solicitor earlier when their mother all but jumped in her seat.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you! We ran into Lady Featherington and Miss Thompson at the modiste
earlier,“ she added with a curious smile.

“Is that so?” he replied, unable to feign interest in anything having to do with them. “How very
unfortunate for you.”

“Yes and I do not believe either of them are onto our little plan,” his mother pressed on,
unperturbed by his sarcasm. “Lady Featherington began to lament about only having one carriage,
making a fuss over how they would find room for six people and all of their luggage.”

Colin could only roll his eyes at that.

“I told her that I had meant to send word that we would be happy to bring Penelope early in one of
our carriages so she and Eloise can entertain themselves while I ready the staff for their arrival later
in the day,” she concluded.

“So Pen will be riding with me–US... with us, then?” he exulted, standing up to kiss his mother’s
cheek in gratitude. “Oh that is fantastic news, Mother!”

“Yes, she will be coming in my carriage with your sisters,” she firmly stated. ”You and your
brothers will be going in Anthony’s carriage.”

"Fine," he grumbled, crossing his arms petulantly. "But our carriages will not leave until she and I
are able to speak in the morning."

"Fair enough, brother," Benedict said with an impish grin just as the dinner bell had rung. "I believe
I can confidently speak for Anthony and Gregory when I say that we do not wish to be trapped in a
small carriage with a lovesick chap as much as you do not wish to depart without seeing your —"

Colin cut his brother off with a pillow thrown at his face and made his way into the dining room,
eager to have one less meal standing between him and the next time he saw Pen.

Chapter End Notes

Next time: Bye London! Off to the country we go!! Plant daddies await.
 Buying Time, Part IV
Chapter Notes

So sorry this was a bit late. Thank you to everyone for your continued support!

WE HAVE DATES EVERYONE!! 🤍🤍🤍

See the end of the chapter for more notes
Following another night of finding release to thoughts of Pen, Colin woke up feeling an exuberance
he hadn’t felt in years. So much so that a tickle of laughter formed in his chest and escaped through
his wide grin as he kicked off his sheets and covers. Knowing he would see her, hopefully hold her,
and speak with her so soon was simply invigorating.

He was almost too giddy to allow his depraved mind to conjure up impure thoughts and sinful
visions of his alluring future wife. Almost. But of course he was powerless to stop himself. He
never experienced such burning desire that he lost all sense to it, surrendering authority over his
own mind and body to his passion again and again.
Only Penelope Featherington could have that effect on him, he was sure. She had always been so
lovely, comprised of all things good and soft and sweet. But then he witnessed more of the parts of
herself that she kept hidden from the world - her cunning, sly, even sometimes petulant and impish
sides - and he was done for. He was hers completely.

And if he was totally and utterly bewitched by her mind and soul, her body had him possessed.
He’d only caught a mere glimpse of her bare skin through the mirrored surface of a darkened
window. He couldn’t fathom how much greater the effect would be once he laid his eyes directly
upon her.

Once he saw more of her.

Once he touched her.

Once he put his mouth on her.

Once he entered her.

Once he spilled his seed inside of her.

Once he fathered her children.

Good God, she had such a hold on him!

And oh , he had absolutely no doubts that he would worship at her altar forevermore and enjoy
every second of it. Even if that just meant yearning for her from a distance until he could find the
right words, and the right time, to profess his feelings for her, he would cherish it.

So, after finding his release twice, he sprung out of bed and quickly readied himself for the day. He
bathed and dressed with a constant smile playing on his lips, as he thought to himself that it would
be the last morning, in the foreseeable future at least, that he’d have to wake up so far away from
Penelope.

His valet likely thought him mad, but he could not have cared any less. Colin was too excited to
force himself to reign in his happiness. It was a momentous occasion, really. There would no longer
be an entire square separating them in the evenings; Pen would be just a couple doors down the hall
from him!

It would be even better once they could wake up beside one another each and every morning, of
course. But having her in the family wing was the best he could hope for in their current
circumstances and it was certainly better than being across an entire square from one another. So
yes, he felt that his unbridled joy at the anticipation was wholly appropriate.

His elation followed him down the stairs and into the dining room. Thankfully he needn’t hide it to
keep up the ruse with his youngest siblings as they were nowhere to be found. Nor his mother. Nor
his brothers. The only person sitting at the table when he entered the room was Eloise.

“Morning brother,” she murmured, her eyes furiously scanning the paper as she absentmindedly
ate.

“Good morning, Eloise!” he chirped as he began to fill his plate. “Lovely day to head out to the
country, is it not?”
She only gave him a noncommittal hum in response.

He had intended to eat quickly so that he could excuse himself to wait for Penelope at the door,
hoping that he’d get at least a few moments with her before his family began to steal her attention.

Apart from longing to embrace her after being apart for hours, he desperately wished to speak with
her alone. He needed to be certain that Penelope was safe and comfortable above all else before
they boarded separate carriages for the hours-long ride.

He needed to know that she was unharmed, that she did not have to endure mistreatment of any
kind. He had been worried about it since she left his home the day before. Yes, she had been
confident that she would be alright and he trusted her, but he could not assuage the worry with that
faith in her. Because her mother and Marina could not be trusted.

Then there was the matter of Lady Danbury’s assistance with the Lady Whistledown operation
while they were in the country. Pen assured him that it was her decision to proceed with having his
mother secure Lady Danbury’s support, but he knew how nerve racking it must have been for her to
wait for news about the outcome of that discussion.

For reasons beyond his understanding, but for which he was exceptionally grateful, Penelope
allowed him to see a vulnerable side of her, he had a strong suspicion she was much more honest
with him than anyone else. How could he believe that she was truly alright if he could not speak
with her alone? He couldn’t.

So he planned to quietly sneak off after breakfast to do just that. Alerting everyone to his plan
would just cause chaos because they wouldn’t understand. They didn’t know her like he did. They
didn’t worry about her like he did. Well, most of them, anyway.

But Eloise did know her well and did care for her. And without an audience, he felt he could speak
freely with her about the things that they were both surely worrying over. Perhaps if she understood
why he needed to speak with Pen alone and where his need was coming from, she would leave
them be. Any sensible person would, right?

“Penelope should be here soon,” Colin stated, setting his plate down and taking the seat across
from his sister.

“She should,” Eloise confirmed.

He waited a moment or two for her to say something else.

Was she not plagued with thoughts about how Penelope was faring in her home or if Penelope was
able to sleep through the night with the questions that lingered around Lady Danbury’s assistance
with Whistledown or what Penelope was wearing as she climbed into bed — well, no, he supposed
his sister would not be wondering that.

He did wonder about that. Quite a bit, if he were being honest.

Did she wear the same style nightgown that he saw her in the evening before every night? How
easy would it be to strip her bare and sink into her if she were just wearing one of those flimsy
nightgowns? How would the heat radiating off of her body feel through the light fabric if he held
her?
Did her breasts ever escape their hold in the night? Would she let him rest his head on them like
pillows? Would he ever be able to simply rest his head atop them and refrain from licking and
sucking every inch of them? How might they look propped up in her dresses with evidence of his
love bites and markings on display for all to see?

Eloise most certainly did not wonder about any of that, but the other concerns about Penelope’s
safety and well-being were enough to drive him mad. Shouldn’t her supposed closest friend be
worried, too?

If she was not going to treat Penelope with the care and respect that she deserved, then Colin would
need to ensure he was with them as often as he could. He would not allow Pen to face anything
unpleasant without him there to comfort her.

“El, I would like to be present when you inform Penelope about your visit with Lady Danbury
yesterday,” he declared in a manner that was more demanding than requesting permission. “She
will want to know everything you discussed.”

“Oh I am confident she already knows,” Eloise said dismissively before stabbing a piece of bacon
with her fork.

“You are?” he suspiciously inquired.

“I am,” she confirmed without so much as glancing at him.

“Care to elaborate?” he prodded.

Leave it to Eloise to turn his great mood sour with her annoying behaviour. Did she not understand
the stakes at play? Penelope’s identity, Penelope’s safety , hung in the balance! And truly, Colin
could think of nothing more precious or important than that. The idea of anything jeopardising that
made his blood boil.

He was just about ready to bellow out his sister’s name and pound his fist on the table to show her
how serious he was when she finally responded.

“Mmm,” Eloise nodded, swallowing the final bite of food from her plate, before sarcastically
quipping, “Apologies brother, I thought you of all people would understand the importance of
breaking one’s fast and savouring your meal. But since you insist on interrupting, I suppose not.”

He wouldn’t admit that she had a valid point, but at the same time, he couldn’t argue with it. So he
just sat there tight-lipped, waiting for her to continue.

A sinister grin then appeared on her face and she crowed, “Prepare yourself to bear witness to my
intelligence, brother.”

Colin heaved a dramatic sigh and rolled his eyes but refrained from saying anything further so
Eloise would actually get on with it.

“We sent three notes,” she began, then quickly corrected, “—well, four notes. One for Lady
Featherington from mother that confirmed their agreement at the modiste concerning Penelope
travelling with us; one for Pen’s lady’s maid from mother instructing her when to have Penelope
ready and requesting that she plan to ride with our staff in the morning, as well; and one for Pen
from yours truly.”
“You wrote about it on paper?” he rasped in anger. The sheer panic of thinking about what could
happen if that note ended up in the wrong hands had him pawing at his cravat to get more air into
his lungs.

“I knew that there would be a chance that Lady Featherington or Marina, or either of Penelope’s
sisters really, they’re quite nosy, could get to the note before it ever got to Pen,” Eloise continued
recounting as if she hadn’t heard Colin, despite speaking directly to his concern. “So I did not dare
to include anything about Lady Danbury or our operation in that note.”

His face pinched in confusion and he tilted his head, not daring to interrupt her but making his
confusion clear.

“I wrote a silly thing about being excited that she would be riding with us and reminding her to
come prepared to speak about one of the books I lent her,” she explained with a wave of her hand
as if she were blasé about it, but her grin gave her true feelings away. “I added a small secret note
addressed to Penelope into the envelope that mother sent to her lady’s maid. We have used that
system before and it has never failed us.”

“So you did write it down!” he scoffed.

“Yes, but I am certain she is the only one to have seen the note,” she griped. It was absurd to think
that she could sit there and act like she had some reason to be annoyed with him. “It is surely burnt
to ashes now so all is well. You really mustn’t worry so much, Colin.”

“Fine,” he grumbled, quickly gulping down the rest of his tea and picking up his utensils to tuck
back into his plate. “I will speak with her before we depart and make sure that she is comfortable
with everything.”

“I shall join you,” Eloise nodded.

“No. You shall not,” he countered, shooting her a sarcastic smile.

“You cannot stop me,” she insisted.

“Eloise, please,” he hissed, arguing, “She is putting herself in precarious circumstances for me. The
least I can do in return is ensure her comfort and safety as best I can. And as it pertains to this
particular situation, I need to speak with her alone in order to do so.”

As Eloise began to respond, Benedict sauntered into the dining room. They all exchanged morning
pleasantries as he piled his plate high, which usually happened after he spent his evening and early
morning attending nefarious parties across town.

“What are we disagreeing about on this beautiful morning?” he cheerfully asked while setting his
plate on the table and sitting down.

“Colin here,” Eloise began to complain, “seems to think that he’s entitled to speak with Penelope
alone this morning because he doesn’t approve of the note I sent to her yesterday.”

“That is not true at all. I would like to speak with Penelope alone because she is never able to give
her attention to anyone else when you’re present, Eloise. More often than not, you drag her away
entirely to keep her focus entirely on whatever you’re saying,” he pointed out. “And I have some
items to speak with her about that are too important to be interrupted by your antics.”
Eloise scoffed and crossed her arms against her chest like a child. She opened her mouth to refute
his claim but Colin quickly cut her off before she could even begin.

“Besides,” he added, “You will have the entire carriage ride with her.”

“With mother and Hyacinth!” she protested, turning to Benedict for support.

“El,” Benedict gently began whilst shaking his head and sympathetically observing her. “I’m afraid
I must side with Colin here.”

“What?” Eloise cried in shock.

“Think of everything he has gone through in the past two days and the fact that this horrible
situation has yet to be rectified. Now consider who has been the only one to truly bring him
comfort,” Benedict reasoned. “Penelope —”

“—You say that as if the rest of us are not doing our part to help!” she interjected.

Benedict sighed and gave her a pointed look that was eerily similar to that of Anthony’s. “That was
not my intention,” he replied. “I only meant that it is clear Penelope brings a great deal of peace to
Colin that we – try as we might – cannot. And I might go as far as to say that he does the same for
her. They obviously share a level of fondness for one another.”

“Penelope and I also share a fondness,” Eloise weakly protested.

And with that, Colin knew that he had won. He excused himself and exited the dining room as his
saintly older brother continued to explain to their sister why she was wrong.

What a truly delightful morning he was having!

🕰️🕰️🕰️
As he made his way down to the foyer to await Pen’s arrival, he encountered Humboldt carrying
the latest Whistledown on a silver platter. Colin stopped him, requesting to quickly read through it
before it was taken into the dining room, where he was sure Eloise would finally stop arguing with
Benedict to crow over her part in whatever Pen wrote the day before.

Dearest Gentle Readers,

This author has learned some dreadful news indeed - for those of us not included in the Bridgerton
and Featherington households, that is. It seems the Bridgertons have invited the Featheringtons for
an excursion at their ancestral home and neither family will be attending the upcoming Lumley and
Cowper balls, nor the Harcourt luncheon.

Yes, you read that right, the Bridgertons and Featheringtons. An unlikely pairing of families to be
sure. Before Mister Colin Bridgerton announced his engagement to Miss Marina Thompson, who
has been under the care and sponsorship of her cousins, Lord and Lady Featherington, this season,
the only real tie the families had was Miss Penelope Featherington.

If not for her auburn hair and brightly coloured dresses, one might think of her as an extension of
the Bridgerton brood with the way she so often can be found with them. Particularly siblings C and
E who seem to be quite fond of her company. This author trusts that she is no stranger to Aubrey
Hall, though the same cannot be said for any other Featherington.

At any rate, one can only assume that the meaning of this trip is likely due to the impending
nuptials. Though I would be remiss not to warn you, dear reader, that holding one’s breath for the
arrival of wedding invitations in the coming days would be the very definition of a fool's errand. An
engagement ball is far more likely.

It has been said that Mister Colin Bridgerton has voiced multiple times how fond he is of a long
engagement and his family is said to be very supportive of that notion, as well. This author would
wager that they are using the stay in the country to better get to know Miss Thompson.

And who among us can blame them? Miss Marina Thompson remains a mystery to many in the ton.
She attended balls and courted with many young gentlemen for a month before falling ill for six
weeks or so, only to return to society for less than a month before her engagement was announced.

Could anyone in London truly know her after spending so little time with the girl? Let us wish the
Bridgertons well in their endeavours to do just that as they depart for the countryside today.
Meanwhile, the luckless souls remaining in town will have to find new diversions in the absence of
their most precious of stones. But alas, we shall soldier on.

Yours Truly,

Lady Whistledown

He wasn’t too thrilled with Pen putting her family down and once again found himself cursing the
part of their plan where he had to stay behind while Pen, Eloise, and Anthony put this draft
together. It was bad enough having to spend time with his wretched fiancée. It was worse not being
able to stop his future wife from printing barbs about her family’s lack of popularity.

At least she did position herself as somewhat removed from her family in regards to her proximity
to his family. The bit about Pen not being a stranger to Aubrey Hall warmed his heart, too, as it
brought memories of her visits to the estate over the years to the forefront of his mind.

Penelope was always meant to be a Bridgerton.

His Mrs. Bridgerton.

Miss Thompson was never meant to be a Bridgerton.

Never meant to be his.

And she never would be.

He was both grateful and slightly perturbed by Lady Whistledown pointing out how little everyone
in the ton knew of Marina. On the one hand, it sowed the seeds of her ability to deceive them
through her being an outsider and missing much of the season. On the other hand, it made Colin
look foolish for falling for her charms and proposing to a stranger.

He knew that Pen would never allow him to be humiliated, though, so he trusted that she had a
reason for putting that to print. They had far more important things to discuss that morning but he
would be sure to bring it up later. Another wonderful part of her staying with his family in the
country – knowing that they would have more than just one opportunity to speak on a given day.

He continued his journey down to the foyer to await her arrival and was positively thrilled to catch
a glimpse of Anthony collecting her at the Featherington’s front steps through the large window as
he approached the top of the landing. Colin then took a moment to admire his beloved; she looked
so tiny on his brother’s arm from his position. Her lady’s maid followed a few paces behind them
with two footmen in tow carrying a large trunk.

He hurried down the stairs to meet them at the door. As the door swung open, he called out her
name gleefully, “Pen!”

“Good morning, Colin!” she chirped, looking radiant as ever as she curtsied in her darling pink
frock he wished would not hide so much of her delectable figure.

“Colin, please take Miss Featherington to my study,” Anthony instructed. “I shall meet you after I
see to the carriages.”

“Glady,” he smirked.

“Benedict will be there waiting for you,” Anthony warned, giving Colin a stern look before turning
back around.

“I am so glad you are departing early with us,” he gushed, turning back to Penelope and offering
his elbow to her so they may walk together to Anthony’s study. “How was your evening?”

“Yes, it was… fine,” she grimaced slightly but took his proffered arm and her beaming grin
returned. “Better when I was told I would not be riding with my family today. How are you?”

“I was quite pleased with that myself, when my mother shared the news with me,” he agreed as
they began walking together. “And how could I be anything but divine in your company?”

Penelope simply hummed in response and when he looked down upon her face, he caught the red
rims around her eyes, as if she’d been crying. He noted the dark circles underneath them that
suggested she did not find much sleep the night before. And then he saw her swollen bottom lip
that — while exceedingly alluring and so very kissable — was a sure sign that she had been
nibbling on it in worry.

“Did something happen?” he urgently asked, halting his steps. Halting their steps, really, because
she was much too small to drag him with her if she tried to continue on. “Are you alright,
Penelope?”

“Not here,” she entreated, looking left and right down the empty corridor. “It’s nothing to worry
about now but I do need to share some things I overheard last night with you and your family. Well,
everyone besides Hyacinth and Gregory. Before my family arrives .”
“Is that all that happened? You overheard something?” he needled. Surely that was not enough to
rattle her so much. Something dreadful must have occurred.

“Yes,” she nodded, then reconsidered. “Well no. My mother did have some words for me that... are
not worth repeating.”

“What did she say, Pen?” And how dare she say anything to upset the loveliest person in that
family tree!

“I’ll tell you later,” she promised, rubbing her hand on his arm. “Truly I’m fine, so please don’t fret.
I don’t want anyone else to hear.”

“Very well. Let’s get to the study before Anthony returns,” he suggested. “I doubt Benedict has
finished his meal in the dining room.”

🕰️🕰️🕰️
Unfortunately, Colin was wrong. His brother was indeed waiting for them upon their arrival with an
infuriating smirk on his face. His brother and Pen exchanged pleasantries while he silently cursed
him in his mind. Benedict then informed them that Eloise was being ordered around by their
mother and they likely had fifteen minutes or so before their departure.

And just like that, he turned to pour himself a cup of tea and sat down. Colin took that as a sign that
Benedict would not be playing an overbearing chaperone. So he guided Pen across the room,
leaving him to sip his tea, read the newspaper, and hopefully keep to himself.

“Pen, tell me what happened,” he softly prompted. “Please.”

“I really think your family ought to hear what I over—”

“—then what of your mother’s words?” Colin suggested hastily.

They only had so much time before Anthony arrived and he knew something awful must have
happened. How could he live with himself if he continued to let her suffer through whatever had
her in tears and kept her from sleep? What use was his existence on earth if not to protect and
comfort and worship and provide for the woman he loved so ardently?

“—heard,” she concluded, then cringed as she processed his words. “Oh, that .”

“What did she say to you, Penelope?” he slowly asked, each word laced with venom for her
mother.

“She said that Marina told her she suspects I had something to do with Lord Bridgerton discovering
your plans,” Pen reluctantly began. “She then went on a long tirade saying that I had been a
‘meddlesome little wench’ all season when she was trying to find Marina a suitable match. And…”

A suitable match for Marina? Is that what her mother thought of him? Is that why she and Marina
plotted and schemed to get him to propose?
“And what, Pen?” he gently coaxed.

“And that it was high time I stopped dangling after you because you chose Marina and if I did
anything to jeopardise your engagement to her in hopes that you would then wish to marry me, I
was only cementing my inevitable spinsterhood,” she recounted quickly as if the words were too
painful to sit on her tongue a moment more. “You’d never choose me and I’d be the only one at
fault for ruining our family and sending us into destitution.”

How dare that woman say such vile things to her own daughter! What was with the women of that
household using Penelope as a punching bag? And their obsession with this fictitious affection she
had for him was incredibly upsetting.

As an aside, it did give him a bit of hope that she clearly held at least friendly fondness for him so
there was a solid foundation for her feelings to hopefully grow into the love he had for her. But he
was too angered by her cousin and mother using her supposed-affection for him against her to find
joy in the thought of her friendly affection growing for him. If she ever did love him or even have a
crush on him — the thought of which sent his heart soaring — their words would be beyond cruel.

“Pen,” he gasped, “Not one word of that is true. Absolutely none of it.”

He wondered if he should tell her how he felt right then and there but she began speaking before he
could weigh the pros and cons of doing so.

“I know,” she nodded meekly. “I think she was overwhelmed by the fear of her scheme coming to
light and my father was likely out, so she turned her frustration onto me.”

“I despise your mother,” he seethed through his tightly clenched jaw.

“To be fair, I had pushed back on their plans to trap you for quite some time,” she offered. “I’ll
never understand why they believed my loyalty should lie with a distant cousin who dismissed me
the moment I raised issue with her trickery and a family who ignores me every chance they get,
over my lifelong friend and his family who have always treated me with kindness.”

“I’ll never understand how anyone could treat you so poorly,” he rasped. “Especially your own
family.”

Christ! He could not wait to take her away from all of that and keep her family away from her until
they could treat her like the wondrous treasure that she was.

“Yes, well, my family is a bit less loving than yours on a good day,” she jested. “At any rate, I’m
here now and I have two letters I’d be delighted to have you read over before we go. One for Lady
Danbury and one for my publisher.”

Letters? He was still reeling from what her mother said to her. How could he give his attention to
letters relating to her Whistledown operation when he was still incensed?

“Here,” she said, reaching into her bosom to remove folded sheets of parchment that she then held
out for him. Good God not that again.

Great. Now his head was still filled with anger, his heart was still filled with sorrow, and his cock
was quickly filling with lust. The perfect way to begin reading a letter from your future wife to one
of the most notorious widows the ton has ever seen. But he couldn’t say no to Penelope, so he
began reading as she requested.

Lady Danbury,

I cannot thank you enough for lending your support to keep the society papers going in my
absence. Despite the circumstances we find ourselves in, I would not be able to leave in good
conscience without a contingency plan in place for the upcoming social events.

My greatest fear is causing harm to those I love and if there were ever questions as to why Lady
Whistledown stopped publishing when the Bridgertons left town, I would be beside myself. You and
I both know that no one in the ton would ever consider anyone in my own family being capable of
pulling off such an operation, so there is little worry there.

But the Bridgertons, on the other hand, are a very different story. I know you have always shared a
close relationship with their family and hold them very dear. Your dedication to their safety and
well-being is something I am all too familiar with. So I truly cannot overstate my gratitude.

I am told that the logistics of getting the drafts to the publisher will be handled by Lord
Bridgerton’s most trusted footmen. After each social event, they will collect the parchment from you
shortly before 11:00 to ensure it will go to print for delivery the next morning.

I trust that you have a fair amount of gossip about people all over the ton up your sleeve and will
have no issue making your own cutting remarks about the affairs; but should you need additional
content, I’ve included a few quips on the next sheet that can be added in at your discretion.

Please send word immediately if anything should go wrong. I am hereby indebted to you, Lady
Danbury. I owe you a great deal and shall do anything you wish to return the favour after all of this
is over.

With sincerest gratitude,

Penelope Featherington

P.S. Please burn this letter immediately so as to destroy any evidence of our operation.

P.P.S. If you must give up my name, please ensure that the Bridgertons and my family are left out of
it by any and all means possible.

“Penelope,” he groaned through gritted teeth, tossing his head back in frustration.

She stepped back with wide, nervous eyes and asked, “Wha—oh, the second postscript?”

“Yes, Penelope,” he sighed, then he held the parchment up as he explained, “This is unacceptable.”

“Colin, if anything should happen—”

“—it won’t!” he interjected, unable to hear her putting his greatest fears into words.
“If it ever does,” she continued, “I am the only one who—”

“—No,” he growled. “You’re not in this alone anymore, dammit! We agreed!”

She gasped and her face pinched in confusion. While she looked rather adorable, Colin was fairly
certain that he would not like whatever she was about to say. And he was right.

“We did no such thing,” she protested.

“We did,” he maintained. “We agreed in your bedchamber that should anything happen with Lady
Whistledown going forward, we’d shoulder the responsibility together.”

He must have looked a sight. Instead of continuing to argue her point, she just tilted her head and
pursed her lips while she observed him, seemingly searching his eyes for… something. He wasn’t
sure what she was hoping to find but he was sure that he was failing her.

God he was so frustrated. With himself. With the situation they were in. With the fact that Penelope
chose such a dangerous pursuit in starting Lady Whistledown. With the way society deemed
something so brilliant to be so abhorrent in the first place.

He heaved a deep sigh and took her hands in his as he tried to offer an apology through his eyes.
When she didn’t say anything in turn, he drew her in, placing her hands on his hips and wrapping
his arms around her.

“I’m sorry for letting my frustration get the better of me,” he whispered. “I thought we had an
agreement.”

She flinched and shuddered a long exhale against his chest.

“The glory and pride will forever belong to you and only you, but everything else, Pen,” he
continued, “All the emotional aftereffects and any unpleasant consequences that could come to
fruition… we agreed to share those.”

“I do not believe that was our agreement,” she mumbled against his chest, then she tilted her head
back to look up at him. “I never ever wish to bring harm to you or your family.”

“I know, Pen,” he cooed, rubbing his hands up and down her back. “But I can’t live in a world
where you’re left to face anything like that alone. I-I… can’t. Please, Pen. Please cross that out.”

“Colin…”

“If something should come up while we are in the country, I am certain Lady Danbury would be
able to send word before taking any drastic measures,” he pressed. “It is not so far that we are
unable to receive notice within a day.”

“I suppose you are right,” she acquiesced.

“So can we please cross that line out, Pen?” he practically begged.

After a moment or two where he was sure his heartbeat thundering in his ears must have drowned
out her voice, he heard her say the most wonderful thing he’d ever heard, “Where might I find a
quill and ink?”
He pulled her tightly against him and whispered his gratitude over and over. After one final “thank
you” that he punctuated with a chaste kiss atop her head, he led her to Anthony’s desk and read the
second page while she edited the first.

Lord Hardy is said to be courting Miss Patridge. Might this author suggest he bring her something
sweet rather than the standard floral arrangement? It is well-known amongst those who have
hosted and served the young Miss that she requires large amounts of sugar for her morning tea.
Surely something sweet from Lord Hardy would push him past her other suitors in the race for her
hand.

Lord Corning has been shown multiple properties in St. James over the last month. Will the
Corning’s be vacating their Grosvenor Square estate or might this be for his eldest son, Barclay?
Perhaps he is returning from his grand tour and the ton will finally be graced by his presence for
the first time in nearly four years. Matchmaking mamas rejoice!

Lord Rutledge and his young bride, Miss Joanna Twombley, are set to marry next Saturday and
plan to quietly leave the ton for their country estate shortly after their nuptials.

Prince Friedrich has left London, much to the chagrin of more than a few young ladies in our
midst. Perhaps none more so than Miss Cressida Cowper, who had been vying for his attention
since he arrived. It seems that the only lady to turn his head all season is the very one he could not
win the affection of. And with her marriage to the Duke of Hastings, the Prince decided to return
home.

A word to those hosting the final events of the season, do keep an eye on Lord Morrison if he nears
the punch or lemonade. He is said to have a penchant for misguided mischief and has spoken of
adding brandy to punch bowls to ‘liven things up’ on multiple occasions. His behaviour is often
excused as a ‘rebellious spirit,’ though this author feels that is far too charitable and his actions
should not be treated as anything beyond intolerable and abhorrent.

The Abernathy’s are said to be looking for a new cook. Again. The last two lasted but a fortnight
each. It is said that Lady Abernathy will only consume her meat bloody, while Lord Abernathy will
refuse to eat any meat that is not well-cooked. Thank goodness Lady Cowper stole the Evans
household’s cook to accommodate such requirements for their guests.

Perceived as somewhat of a dandy by many, the young Lord Lumley is said to be eager to meet the
remaining eligible young ladies at his family’s upcoming ball. It will be his first event all season,
after all, as he just arrived back on England’s shores after gallivanting around the Mediterranean
for the past year. Following in Byron’s steps, no doubt. His admiration and devotion to Lord
Byron’s poetry is said to be so immense that it likely surpasses that of Byron’s own paramours’.

Speaking of Lord Byron, though everyone in the ton seems to be aware of his rather scandalous
affair with Lady Caroline Lamb, this author would wager very few know of his supposed plans to
propose to her husband’s cousin, Miss Annabella Milbanke. A turn of events even I did not foresee.

“You really are quite remarkable,” Colin gushed through a light chortle, “Did you know that?”
“Hmm,” she hummed with a coy shrug of her shoulders in feigned nonchalance, if the pink flush
that was rapidly spreading gave any indication.

“Oh you did, did you?” he needled. “Perhaps I should go fetch a dictionary from the library to find
new ways to praise you that won’t fall flat. I do have a long carriage ride ahead of me, after all,
with hours to pour over all the —”

“—Colin,” she whined, still smiling so sweetly with that comely blush playing across her features.
“Your compliment did not fall flat. I was–I am flattered. Sincerely.”

“Good,” he grinned. “I only ever wish to flatter you.”

“Thank you,” she simpered, taking the second page of her letter to Lady Danbury back from him as
she held out another sheet for him. “Now, please read the letter to my publisher before we must
depart.”

“As you wish,” he drawled with a small bow he hoped would draw a laugh out of her. After he
savoured her melodic giggles, he began to read the letter to her publisher as promised.

Mr. Harris,

As you have likely noticed, I have had a change in staff recently. With the unveiling of my identity
becoming a popular topic in the drawing rooms of Mayfair and St. James, as well as the halls of
the Palace, I hear, I must take additional measures to keep it hidden.

In addition to the new currier, I will also begin working with a scribe so that my handwriting
cannot be linked to the drafts you are given to print. With your keen eye for detail, I thought it best
you know ahead of time.

Please do not take my precautionary efforts as reason to fret. I am merely taking measures to
ensure my business continues to prosper under safer conditions. Rest assured that as the scandals
of the ton persist, so shall I.

There is no shortage of bad behaviour on this side of London and I do not foresee that changing
anytime soon. In fact, I intend to uncover it all and continue to fill the pages of my Society Papers
with on-dits the ton cannot get enough of.

We still have plenty of coin to collect, Mr. Harris. Thank you for your discretion and dedication.

Lady Whistledown

Colin was once again stunned by his darling future wife. He was so impressed with the way she
could so easily slip into this other persona with that haughty, assertive tone after having expressed
herself with such sweet sincerity in her previous letter to Lady Danbury. She was amazing.

“Pen, this is —” he began to say but was swiftly cut off by Anthony bursting into the room.

“—Colin, Miss Featherington,” his brother loudly grunted, waving them over to the settee by
Benedict. “Come, please, we have very little time.”
Colin exchanged a glance with Penelope, rolling his eyes so she knew he was vexed by the
interruption. She smiled sweetly and patted his arm before making her way across the room.

“Lord Bridgerton —”

“—you may call me Anthony,” his brother offered.

“Thank you. I shall do so when you stop calling me Miss Featherington,” she quipped after sitting
down across from him.

Colin was equally surprised and proud. Surprised she felt so confident speaking to his brother that
way and proud to call someone so wonderful his future wife. Though he supposed that was not yet
something he could do in earnest. But Penelope is the only woman in the world he’d ever call his
wife. If she would not agree to it, then he’d spend his days alone.

“Touché, Penelope ,” his brother chortled.

“It should go without saying that you cannot call him Anthony without calling me Benedict,” his
second eldest brother pointed out. “Right, Penelope?”

“Very well, Benedict ,” she nodded with a small giggle.

“And you can all call me Colin,” he announced, feeling a bit left out.

“Oh no, I do not think that will be possible, Mr. Bridgerton,” Pen ribbed. “We must adhere to the
strictest standards of propriety at all times.”

“Pen, you wound me!” he jested, laying a hand over his heart to emphasise his feigned pain.

“I don’t make the rules,” she shrugged, snickering all the while.

A knock at the door shocked the merriment right out of the room. Humboldt entered and announced
that they would be ready to depart in five minutes. Anthony thanked him and dismissed him before
turning back to Penelope.

“Now, Penelope,” his brother began, “You mentioned that you had letters for our footman to
deliver?”

“Yes,” she nodded, separating the parchment to hand to him. “One for Lady Danbury expressing
my gratitude and giving her some pieces of gossip to use. And then one for my publisher,
explaining the change in staff that Lady Whistledown has had to make recently. I thought he might
be concerned if he saw the change in handwriting in addition to the change in delivery.”

“Ah, very astute,” Anthony approved while skimming over the text.

“Yes, that was very clever of you,” Benedict agreed with a teasing smile that Colin did not
appreciate in the least. Penelope returned his smile, seemingly unaware of how annoyed he was.

“What is this part here that you crossed out?” Anthony asked.

Penelope looked at Colin pointedly and began to explain, “That was an unnecessary addition that I
thought better of.”
Anthony gave her a terse nod, thankfully requiring no further details.

“Is that all, then?” Benedict asked as he made to stand up.

“Uh no,” Penelope quietly protested.

“No that is not all,” Colin stated. “Pen would like to share something with us that she overheard her
mother and Miss Thompson discussing last night.”

“Oh, then by all means,” Benedict waved his upturned hand in a semicircle in front of him. “Please
do share. The floor is all yours.”

Pen took a deep breath and gave Colin a nervous look. He took her hand in his, not caring a wit for
Anthony’s throat clearing of disapproval, and nodded in encouragement.

“Last night, I overheard my mother speaking with Marina about going to Aubrey Hall and what it
meant for her engagement to Colin,” she recounted. “My mother said that she should have cried off
so she could secure a proposal from someone else who would be willing to marry her
immediately.”

All three brothers’ eyebrows raised in surprise and anticipation of whatever happened next.

“Marina pushed back, saying that she already secured a proposal and she would do what was
necessary to make Colin marry her within the week,” Pen continued, pausing to flash him a
heartbreaking look. “She admitted that her previous attempt to seduce him was not enough and
explained that she would make sure to have witnesses this time around.”

There was a collective gasp. Colin squeezed Pen’s hand. He wasn’t sure if it was primarily done out
of wanting to offer her some comfort, or if he really just needed her touch to comfort himself.
Either way, she tightened her hold on his hand in return and it was almost enough to stop him from
noticing that she was trembling.

“My mother then told her that I would surely know where Colin’s bedchamber was, so they would
need to enlist my help,” she added uncomfortably. “To which Marina just laughed, saying that she
strongly suspects I had something to do with Lord—with Anthony discovering their plans to
elope.”

So that all happened before her mother said such vile things to her? He knew he never should have
let Penelope leave his side and return back to that place with those cruel women.

“Thank you for sharing that with us, Penelope,” Benedict softly acknowledged.

“Yes, thank you,” Anthony reiterated. “We will take extra precautions to keep Miss Thompson out
of the family wing.”

Colin was too dumbstruck with the revelation and what it all meant for their impending country
stay to say anything.

“We really ought to make our way outside,” Benedict prompted, “Lest Eloise or mother come for
our heads.”

Everyone nodded and stood from their seats. While his brothers immediately turned for the door,
Colin tugged Penelope’s hand to bring her into another embrace. He was not ready to part from her
 again, even if it was only to be a few hours. He liked to think Pen felt the same when she seemed to
melt into his arms.

“I wish we were able to travel in the same carriage,” he whispered against her hair.

“I do, too,” she sniffled against his chest. God how was he ever going to let her go?

“Ahh!” Anthony grunted. “Colin! Penelope! Stop that at once!”

“S-s-sorry,” Pen stammered, removing herself from him and turning her wide eyes to the door.

“Brother!” Colin groaned.

“Out,” his brother responded. “To the carriages. At once!”

By the time he reached the corridor, Penelope was on Eloise’s arm nearing the front door. He
sighed in defeat and dragged himself to follow his brothers to their carriage. As much as he hated to
admit it, after such an eventful morning, he knew that being apart would allow her to forget about
the horrible things her mother and cousin said. She could let herself be distracted by Eloise’s
nonstop ramblings and perhaps even enjoy the ride.

He knew that would not be the case for him and his older brothers. Or rather, he thought that before
seeing Gregory seated in the carriage when he climbed in, which was a very welcomed turn of
events. He expected the ride to be filled with discussion about their plans for getting him out of his
engagement and what to do with all that Pen had revealed, but he was very glad to have a respite
from that for a short while, at least.

After a few short hours, they stopped at an inn not too far from Aubrey Hall. Instead of going
inside for lunch, they merely stretched their legs and sent Gregory in after their mother, sisters, and
Penelope. While they awaited the horses being switched out, Anthony had a footman retrieve a
basket that Cook had packed for them.

Colin had hoped to see or speak with Pen during their quick stop, but he was glad that she was
having a warm meal. Even more pleased that she would soon be able to settle into the family wing
of the estate and if all went according to plan, he should be there with her before her family
arrived.

Once the carriage was ready, Colin and his older brothers took their same positions from before and
tucked into the food Cook sent. While the other carriage would be heading straight to their family’s
ancestral home, about an hour away from the inn, theirs was on its way to Romney Hall. Home of
the Crane family.

“So, Colin…” Anthony drawled as the inn slipped out of sight. “Judging by this morning’s display,
I take it you wish to secure a marriage licence for you and Penelope Featherington once this is
over?”

Chapter End Notes

Y'all what a time to be alive. Last week, I was informed I'm going to be part of a second layoff
in less than 8 months. This week, we finally have a RELEASE DATE!! Alexa, play
Rollercoaster by B*Witched!
 Buying Time, Part V
Chapter Notes

Eeee I'm sorry this is so late. There's been quite a bit going on in my real life that has made it
difficult to get through this one.

🤍
Special thanks to all of the sprinters and everyone in the discord for being so encouraging and
helping me sort my thoughts on this one, especially Nat!

I think 2 more chapters on this one before the epilogue. Hope you enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

“Are you truly asking that, brother?” Benedict chortled in response to Anthony asking if Colin
wished to marry Pen. “It’s painfully obvious that is exactly what he wishes. Isn’t that right Col?”

Suddenly the flames of hell were spreading their heat across his face, over his ears, down his neck,
and through his chest. He had to tug his cravat to attempt to combat the sudden feverish blaze he
was experiencing.

“I have not been subtle, have I?” he sheepishly admitted, dipping his head down to avoid his
brothers’ gazes while his hand rubbed the back of his neck.

“Were you attempting to be?” Anthony asked, sounding horrified.

He had been! Somewhat, he supposed. He was cognizant of the fact that his behaviour with her in
the few short moments they had alone the last day or two was not exactly friendly. But he had tried
to hold himself back, hadn’t he?

If he were being honest, he never felt the need to adhere to the strict rules of propriety with Pen
because they had known each other forever and their relationship had long ago advanced well past
that of a typical unwed lady and unwed gentleman in the ton.

Using “Miss Featherington” and bowing to one another felt like role playing, as they used to do so
often when they were children. And sticking to “proper” topics of conversation was far too limiting
for them.

So it was not as though his actions were completely abnormal. Though he could admit that pulling
Pen into an embrace multiple times and touching her when they were seated next to one another
went well beyond the simple ways they typically crossed the boundaries of propriety.

He definitely allowed his heart and cock to throw him into a bit of madness over her. And in doing
so, he evidently was not being quite as vigilant as he should have been, even in the safety of his
own home. God, he hoped he didn’t make Pen uncomfortable with all of his attention.

“I suppose not, no,” he murmured.

“I should hope not!” Benedict cried out through his boisterous laughter and Anthony guffawed
along with him.

Colin wished they never let Gregory switch carriages and wondered how long they had left on the
ride to Romney Hall. Being stuck with his older brothers for much longer might kill him. And he
could not die before telling Pen how he felt. Nor did he wish to die before confronting Marina with
his knowledge of her scheming and vile treatment of his future wife.

“Can you be trusted to comport yourself in a manner more appropriate to the reality of your
situation while we settle the issue of dissolving your engagement to Miss Thompson?” Anthony
asked. “If we are unable to settle this manner with this trip to Romney Hall today, it may drag out a
few days. I assure you that I will work on securing the licence you seek with Penelope discreetly,
but Colin, you must not give Miss Thompson or the Featheringtons reason to suspect anything.”

“I know–thank you, Anthony,” he began. “Yes, I will treat Pen as…as merely a friend in front of
her family.”

He wasn’t entirely sure that treating Pen that way would be possible now that he understood how
he felt about her, but he would do all that he could to make it appear as though nothing were
different than before. If only to keep her safe from her family’s vitriol and to keep the dream of
making her his wife within reach.

“And the staff,” Benedict suggested. “They talk.”

“And the staff,” he confirmed with a nod.

“Francesca, Hyacinth, and Gregory, too,” Anthony added.

“Surely not Fran, too?” Colin challenged. They had always been quite close; he’d feel strange
keeping anything from her. And she was friends with Penelope, too.
Anthony sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, as he was wont to do.

“The more people we bring into this, the more difficult it becomes to keep it contained,” he
explained. “Although Francesca may be able to help in the efforts to distract Miss Thompson and
the Featherington ladies, should we need to leave the estate again in the coming days.”

“So perhaps we revisit that after we see how things go with the Cranes today?” Benedict proposed.

Anthony made a noise of agreement and offered a curt nod.

Colin nodded as well and turned his attention to the window while his brothers began reading over
the sheets their solicitor prepared for them. In the distance, he saw a respectable manor with a pond
situated to the left of it on the sprawling grounds of the estate. Their carriage turned toward the
golden hued residence and if that weren’t confirmation enough, the telling taps on the carriage by
one of the footmen was. They were approaching Romney Hall.

He once again found himself so frustratingly confused by Marina’s choice to trap him without ever
having contacted her soldier’s family about their child. According to all that she shared with Pen
and all that Pen had read in their letters, the Crane family seemed honourable. Their estate seemed
perfectly adequate, as well. A lovely country home, really.

So why on Earth was she frauding him into a sham of a marriage when her child could inherit this
estate?

The Bridgerton ancestral home and estate would be passed down to Anthony’s heir, not his. As
would Anthony’s title. He may have been a wealthy gentleman of the ton, but he was not and
would not ever be titled. Why would she choose that life for her children over the one they were
rightfully owed by blood?

Before he could get too upset over the many things that did not add up. The Cranes could very well
be a most unpleasant, beastly sort; or, God-forbid, violent, terrifying people. And their estate could
be ghastly inside.

That was why they were there, was it not? To ensure sending Miss Thompson to them would be a
safe and viable option for her and the unborn child. If things were unsuitable, their solicitor was
ready to send a hefty donation and draw contracts with a nunnery by the Scottish border. Ironic,
given their bungled elopement plans, Colin thought.

At any rate, though Marina and Lady Featherington had no regard for him or his family, the
Bridgertons would not simply send a woman and her unborn child off to be leg shackled to
someone against her will. Nor would they throw her out on the street, like many in the ton would
upon learning of her pregnancy and scheming.

The carriage finally came to a stop in front of the entrance, where a flustered butler was looking on
while he shouted back orders to the staff inside. Anthony, Benedict, and Colin stepped out,
revelling in the ability to stretch their legs after such a long ride, and padded over to the open door.

“Welcome to Romney Hall,” the butler greeted as they approached.

“Viscount Anthony Bridgerton,” Anthony barked, declaring, “Here to speak with Sir George
Crane.”
The butler’s face pinched for a moment and his gaze looked far off into the distance. His fist
clenched and unclenched in a flash, as if he were attempting to release whatever unpleasantness
Anthony’s introduction brought on.

Had word already reached Romney Hall about Miss Thompson being engaged to a Bridgerton? It
was unlikely, given how remote they were in relation to London. The village nearby was certainly
not a place one would find very many members of high society, if any at all, nor would one find
copies of Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers lying around.

But it was not impossible, Colin supposed.

Marina or the Featheringtons could have written to her family, who could have then spread word
throughout their parish. Or perhaps she sent a letter to her soldier that she would be marrying
someone else in a final attempt to win his love through jealousy.

“I am afraid that will not be possible, Lord Bridgerton; as Sir Crane has not yet returned from the
front lines, ” the butler finally said, his voice croaking on the last bit.

Her soldier never returned from battle? Despite all of her cruelty, Colin’s heart broke for Marina at
the thought of her love dying at war. He could not imagine the pain he’d feel if Pen were ever taken
from the Earth before him. The will to live in a world without her would be impossible to find.

He saw it in his own mother when his father passed – the dark void of despair that took years to
crawl her way out of. Even now, the lingering devastation follows her around like a shadow. It may
not be the central focus of her life anymore, but one only has to spend an hour or two in her
company to feel pangs of the ever-present sadness and loss cracking through.

“His brother, Mister Phillip Crane, is running the estate in his brother’s absence,” the butler added.
“He should be arriving shortly from his weekly trip to Dover. You and…?”

Ah, so he does have a younger brother. While Colin hoped that Marina’s soldier would return of
course, he could not deny that he was relieved to hear that the man had a brother who would be
honour-bound to uphold his family’s obligations to the unborn heir.

“My brothers,” Anthony provided.

“Of course. You and your brothers are more than welcome to wait for Mister Crane inside, if you
would like,” the butler proposed.

“That would be most appreciated,” Anthony affirmed.

“Very well. Please come in,” the butler offered with a nod. After they each entered the foyer, he bid
them to follow him. “Right this way gentlemen.”

“Do the Cranes have business in Dover?” Anthony needled.

“Uhh no, my lord. Mister Crane has been going to Dover every Tuesday through Thursday for the
past several weeks, in hopes of finding his brother amongst the returning soldiers,” the butler
explained as they followed him through the large corridors of the home that Marina’s child should
one day inherit.
The home could certainly use a woman’s touch. In contrast to the beautiful grounds of the estate
that must have been tended to quite often to remain in such condition, the inside of the residence
felt neglected.

The warm golden-hued facade of the residence was rather misleading, juxtaposed with the dim and
cold interior. Whereas plants and flowers featured vibrantly throughout the landscaping, there
wasn’t a single blossom to be found after entering the front door.

“Ships carrying Wellington’s men arrive most Wednesdays, you see, and it has been quite some
time since Mister Crane has heard from his brother,” the butler prattled on.

The staff seemed adequate; it was not as though the home was untidy , rather that it was…
unfinished. The walls were sparsely decorated and the rooms they passed were hardly furnished, if
at all. Some rooms were left completely barren.

It seemed as if someone had been in the middle of moving in and simply stopped. Had they
recently acquired the estate? Had everything been put on hold when the baronet went to fight
Napoleon’s army?

Likely not. Colin knew that Marina was raised nearby and Penelope mentioned something about
them growing up on ‘neighbouring properties,’ having also attended church services together.

All signs seemed to indicate that Colin and his brothers were walking through the home Marina’s
soldier grew up in. Which did not matter nearly as much as the fact that they were certainly
walking through his current residence.

Despite the unexpectedly dark and dingy conditions they found themselves in after having exited
the carriage on such lovely grounds, Colin still believed the unborn child would be lucky to inherit
such an estate. Marina was surely doing the child a disservice by neglecting to tell the Crane’s of
her pregnancy when she did not immediately hear back from her soldier.

“His whereabouts remain unknown,” the butler continued. “But there has been no confirmation that
he has perished, so he very well might return one of these days. At least, that is what Mister Crane
believes.”

“Ah. My condolences for the lingering uncertainty that you all have had to face over the last
several weeks,” Anthony solemnly extended.

“Thank you, my lord. That is very kind of you,” the butler replied as they entered a sitting room.
Turning to stretch his arm out for Anthony, Benedict, and Colin to enter, he added, “Please have a
seat; I shall have a tea service brought in straight away. Do you require anything else?”

“That will be all, thank you,” Anthony said, dismissing the butler.

Thankfully, within just a few minutes, they were brought tea, sandwiches, biscuits and various
fruits. Colin was famished from the light “lunch” basket he had to split with his brothers in the
carriage, so he tucked right into the food. After a quarter hour or so, the butler returned to check on
them while two maids cleared the food.

Anthony and Benedict struck up a conversation with the man about a local tavern wench, Lucy,
who was somewhat of a celebrity in the area, known far and wide for her ample bosoms. While his
brothers seemed to delight in hearing about the woman, all the talk of large breasts only made him
think of Pen and her perfect chest.

He tried to avoid thinking of what she would look like out of that flimsy nightgown or the stays that
could hardly hold her bosom in. If he did, the images of her milky, smooth skin glowing in the
moonlight so prettily with rosy nipples waiting to be pinched, licked, sucked, and bitten, might just
kill him.

He had no way of relieving himself without revealing the reason behind his need, so he could not
let it get to that point. He’d never hear the end of it from his brothers. Furthermore, he was too
worried about Pen and anxious to get to Aubrey Hall before her family did to enjoy thinking about
all the glorious things he yearned to do with her delectable body.

She said her mother’s cruel words were not worth repeating and then brushed them off after finally
telling him what she said. But he was confident that she was hurting under the surface. And while
she did not seem too concerned about her mother and Marina suspecting she had something to do
with the foiled elopement plan, he was.

They had proven themselves to be unapologetically deceitful, paying no heed to the feelings,
thoughts, or concerns of others. If they truly believed Pen got in the way of their scheme, God only
knew what they were capable of doing to her. The thought of either of them so much as saying a
single word to her while he was stuck at Romney Hall made his blood boil.

At the same time, he was torn. As eager as he was to get back to Pen, he was also desperate to get
out of his engagement to Marina. And he knew that the sooner he and his brothers could meet
Mister Crane or Sir Crane himself, or really any of the men in the family, the sooner he’d be rid of
her for good.

But the clock continued to tick away with no Crane in sight. So after an hour and a half of waiting,
they decided it was best to go and left word with the butler that they would be back the next day.

🕰️🕰️🕰️
In the somewhat monotonous ride from Romney Hall to their own ancestral estate, there was a
general feeling of frustration that they were not able to accomplish what they had set out to do with
their visit; but their confidence and determination had not been completely shaken. After agreeing
to their plans to return the next day and what they would do if the Cranes were still absent, Colin
sat back and turned his attention to the passing scenery through the window.

While his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of how Penelope had been faring without him, he
heard his brothers discussing whether or not they could take a trip to the tavern where the infamous
Lucy was employed later that evening.

He silently prayed they would continue to keep him out of their conversation because there was not
a chance in hell that he would be joining them in anything that would take him away from the
estate that night. Leaving Pen defenceless and vulnerable, just a floor away from her deceitful,
conniving family members? Absolutely not.
He had been worrying himself sick over her since they parted that morning but when their carriage
pulled onto the grounds of the estate, his anxiety had finally begun to ease. Seeing no sign of her
family’s arrival, he was positive he’d be able to speak with her and ensure her well-being before
having to pretend to be happily engaged to her wretched cousin again.

Colin and his brothers entered Aubrey Hall to find their mother frantically ordering the staff around
to get everything ready for their guests. He was thrilled – and certain his brothers felt the same – to
happen upon a very distracted Violet Bridgerton. If they could only make it past the foyer without
detection, he’d be free to go find Pen at last and his brothers could do whatever it was they wished
to do.

But fate took a cruel turn when a footman, carrying a ridiculous amount of flowers, walked right by
Colin and his brothers, putting them directly in their mother’s line of sight. The moment she
realised they were there, she stopped everything and led them to the sitting room opposite
Anthony’s study.

“How did things go with your visit?” she eagerly asked without preamble.

“I’m afraid it was an unsuccessful trip,” Anthony began as he took a seat.

“For the most part,” Benedict interjected, after sitting down next to Anthony. “We did learn some
things about the Cranes during our time there.”

“Miss Thompson’s soldier is still off at war, it seems,” Anthony continued, as Colin and their
mother sat in the settee across from his brothers. “His brother was in Dover, hoping to collect him
if he returned this week. So we did not have a chance to speak with anyone.”

“Oh good heavens,” their mother fretted.

“Indeed,” Anthony nodded. “We waited for over an hour but ultimately decided it would be best to
return tomorrow, so we left.”

“I suppose that is all you could do,” their mother sighed. “We’ll just have to continue to keep the
Featheringtons and Miss Thompson preoccupied until you are able to speak with the Cranes.”

Colin let out an admittedly dramatic sigh and let himself sink back into the settee.

“Hopefully it won't be much longer, dearest,” his mother offered sympathetically. “But in the
meantime, we cannot let our guards down.”

“Right,” he nodded. “I know that, mother. I would never allow myself to tempt fate in such a way.”

His mother patted him on the knee and began speaking to the entire room once more.

“Penelope told me what she shared with you all this morning regarding Portia and Miss
Thompson’s plotting,” she recounted. “I have informed certain members of the staff –” Colin knew
this was his mother’s way of speaking about those who had been working for them since before he
was born. “– that I do not trust Miss Thompson nor Lady Featherington and to ensure that the rest
of the staff understand explicitly that absolutely no guests are to be allowed anywhere near the
family wing during their stay.”
“Beyond Penelope I should hope!” Colin huffed, momentarily horrified at the thought of such a
thing affecting her.

“Of course,” his mother tittered. “You know as well as I do that the staff are far too acquainted with
Penelope to consider her a guest. I cannot even recall the last time they treated her as such.”

“I presume you left out the details as to the reasons behind why we do not trust our guests?”
Anthony questioned their mother.

“Oh Anthony, good heavens!” she scoffed. “One would think I’d lost my head with the questions
you two are asking.”

“That should go without saying,” Benedict scolded in mock offence on behalf of their mother.
Colin and Anthony simply rolled their eyes at the kiss arse remark.

“Quite right,” their mother said with a nod, blatantly ignoring how facetious Benedict’s stance of
allegiance was. “However, I might also point out that in the off chance anything should manage to
get out from either the lower ranking staff members or Miss Thompson and Featheringtons
themselves, we are in the possession of something that frees us a good deal from those kinds of
concerns now.”

“And what is that?” Anthony needled.

“The freedom of knowing that Penelope and Lady Danbury are in control of Lady Whistledown,”
she crowed with a boastful grin. “They would never print anything that would give credibility to
such rumours.”

He loved that his mother recognised the goodness in Penelope and instead of being afraid of her or
angry with her over the scandal sheet, she was positively delighted. He could not be more proud,
himself, despite his worries over her safety. Pen was simply brilliant and if the world could not
know of it, he was glad to be able to share it with his family at least.

“I imagine it will be all the more freeing once Lady Whistledown is made an official Bridgerton by
matrimony,” Benedict jested under his breath.

His mother narrowed her eyes in suspicion but refrained from saying anything. He had already
been made aware that his subtlety was lacking entirely when it came to his affection for Penelope,
but he appreciated that his mother kept her opinions and questions on the matter to herself at that
moment.

“Sure, Mother,” Anthony acquiesced before rising to his feet. “If that is all you wished to discuss, I
have some work to get to in my study.”

“Ah yes, the things you needed my assistance on,” Benedict said, vacating his seat, as well.

As his brothers all but ran off, Colin remained behind to ask a very important question.

“Where might I find Penelope?”

“She is walking the grounds with Eloise, Francesca, Hyacinth, and Gregory,” his mother shared.
“They all wished to take in the country air before dinner and I believe avoiding our guests’ arrival
was an added benefit.”
“Ah,” he hummed, feeling rather deflated. “And she is still set to be staying in the family wing?”

“Her belongings have been set up in Daphne’s bedchamber,” she confirmed.

Daphne’s bedchamber. The one next to his. Could anything be better? Well, yes, it would have been
better if she were there instead of out with his siblings. But he was happy and grateful for the
arrangement nonetheless.

And with that, he stood, thanked his mother and began walking toward the door, intent on making
his way to his own bedchamber and reading himself for a long evening with his scheming fiancée
and the rest of the Featheringtons.

He tried to distract himself by thinking about what Pen might wear to dinner —

“Oh! Mother, I have a request,” Colin chirped, turning back around and taking to his seat beside her
again. “Would it be possible for you to take Pen to the village modiste tomorrow? Please. I would
like to procure two dresses similar to the one she wore yesterday, one in blue and one in a colour of
her choosing.”

“I believe I could find time to take Penelope to the modiste tomorrow,” his mother cautiously
considered. “But Colin, you must know that an unwed gentleman gifting a young lady one dress, let
alone two, is… well, it is simply not done. Not even when courting.”

“I know that – I do,” he assured. “And I know the circumstances we find ourselves in make it that
much more improper, but Pen is not just any young lady.”

“She most certainly is not,” his mother concurred with a terse nod.

“I do not know why it took me so long to see it, but I love her, Mother,” he confessed. “I believe I
have for quite some time now and I mistook the feeling for mere friendship."

“Oh,” she gasped under her breath. Her eyes began to water and a wistful smile that he’d rarely
seen in the years since his father’s passing began to grow on her features.

“And it terrifies me to think that I came so close to losing her by succumbing to Miss Thompson’s
deceit. Every moment this farce must go on, I am constantly reminded of the torture that would
have brought upon,” he passionately continued. It felt so good to say those things aloud.
“Discovering the one I hold the deepest affection and desire for is not my wife but in fact, her
cousin? The very cousin I’d known and befriended long before having met her? Discovering that a
life with the woman I love could never be? Watching a more intelligent, luckier, better man than
myself marrying her? Giving her children? I do not know how I could go on living like that.”

He hadn’t even realised he’d been crying until his mother was handing him a handkerchief.

“I know it is tempting to wallow in despair over what might have been, but you mustn’t give in,”
she softly advised, “Let us instead be grateful it never came to that and focus on the good.”

“Yes,” he nodded in agreement. “I am not even sure that she would be inclined to accept my hand
but at least there is a chance now. I plan to share my feelings with her while we are staying here and
if she miraculously agrees to marry me, Anthony has offered to help get a special marriage licence
for us when this whole ordeal is over.”
His mother’s eyebrows rose and it looked as if she were holding back a smile. Whatever for, he
couldn’t be sure. Was his hope so foolish that his own mother found his situation amusing? After a
moment or two, she schooled her features into those of an empathetic mother again.

“Do not worry too much before you have the chance to speak with her, dear. It is clear that you two
hold great affection for one another and you have been great friends for a very long time.
Friendship is a wonderful foundation for love to grow from,” she gently needled before adding,
“The dresses, I assume, are meant to aid in winning her over?”

“Not exactly. As I said before, I am not so confident that I can win her over,” he stated regrettably.
“Penelope is too brilliant to be easily swayed by gifts or flowers or any of the standard courting
practices used to make debutants swoon. She deserves more than that and I know she appreciates
words and actions over those kinds of feeble attempts to secure affection. I will tell her how I feel
as soon as I am able to. No games. No trickery. No seduction. In the meantime, I will do everything
I can to make her happy —”

“—So you wish to keep it a secret that you are purchasing the dresses for her?” his mother
interrupted. “Then gift them to her after she accepts your hand?”

“No. She is aware of my intentions to procure them already,” he replied in exasperation. “And the
dresses are certainly not bound to any promises or commitments.”

“I’m afraid I am not following,” his mother confessed.

He almost countered with a snide retort about that often being what happens when one interrupts
someone in the middle of an explanation but he held his petulance back.

“Pen hates the gowns and frocks her mother forces her to wear, especially all the yellow ones,” he
began again. “But she was positively glowing in the dress she had on yesterday, I’m sure you
noticed.” Colin was sure that everyone could see how radiant she looked. “It was something she
was delighted to wear for once and while she does have another one in the same style, it is yellow.
So you see, I wish to procure her two new ones because I loathe the thought of her only having one
dress that makes her happy. I love her and I want her to be happy. Even if she does not feel the
same for me, I want her to have anything and everything that brings her joy. I know these dresses
will do just that.”

“And the blue one would put her in our family colour,” his mother mused.

“That is also true,” he admitted, feeling his cheeks flushing once again. No, it was not entirely
selfless or altruistic of him. Deep down, he could admit that he had hoped that being dressed in his
family’s colour, while staying at his family’s ancestral home might spur some affectionate thoughts
of joining his family, despite all logic telling him how wrong that was to do to her. “It will match
her eyes, as well. Have you ever noticed how blue they are?”

“I have,” his mother beamed with a knowing smile that grew and grew. “Oh Colin, I am so happy
for you! I would be delighted to take her to the modsite tomorrow!” she practically cried out. “I
imagine Portia will insist on Miss Thompson making a visit to the modiste, as well. We can make it
a big affair for all of the young ladies and I will discreetly put Penelope’s dresses on our accounts.”

“Thank you,” he sighed, simpering like a fool at the thought of Pen getting fitted for his dresses.
Pen wearing something he bought for her. Each dress would be a physical representation of his love
for her, his need to ensure her happiness. He belonged to her. The rest of the world might be
completely unaware, but whenever she’d wear one of those dresses, she would do so in the
knowledge that they were his . “That sounds like a wonderful plan.”

“Of course, dear. Now, go prepare yourself to greet our guests before dinner,” she instructed. “We
have another show to perform.”

🕰️🕰️🕰️
Colin took his time settling into his bedchamber and changing into his dinner attire. He had hoped
to hear Penelope return to the room next door, which would have given him the opportunity to
speak with her before her family arrived, but it seemed that she would not be back from her
excursion with his siblings in time.

Alas, he found there was only so much stalling he could do, as Benedict barged in and all but
dragged him down to Anthony’s study after he dismissed his valet. With Marina and the rest of
Pen’s family’s arrival imminent, they all indulged in a drink to settle their nerves while Colin was
once again on the receiving end of another warning about how he was to conduct himself around
Penelope in front of her family.

Did they really believe him to be so daft that he would forget himself so easily? He knew how to
stay within the rules of propriety that good society dictated. He may not have always adhered to
them when it came to Pen, but that did not mean he was incapable of remembering them. And after
their discussion in the carriage that morning, he certainly would be cognizant of such things.
Especially if it protected Pen and his dream of making her his wife.

While he never particularly enjoyed Anthony’s lectures, they were far more pleasant than what
awaited him afterward. Before he knew it, his glass was empty and a footman was at the door to
inform them of Miss Thompson and the Featherington’s arrival.

The dreaded moment had arrived without so much as catching a glimpse of Penelope
beforehand.The thought that she was perhaps greeting her family in the foyer sparked a genuine
excitement in him that was enough to quell his nerves and discomfort about being in the presence
of Marina for a prolonged amount of time. When he arrived in the foyer, his excitement piqued as
he finally laid his eyes upon her.

Unfortunately, that moment was tremendously short-lived as he realised she had been making her
way up the grand staircase with his siblings. They must have just arrived back from whatever it was
they were doing all afternoon, likely in order to avoid helping his mother and avoid spending too
much time with Pen’s family before dinner.

Colin watched his happiness drifting away as she continued climbing the stairs, too preoccupied in
conversation with Francesca to turn around and notice him. Did she not feel his presence? Did her
heart not beat faster? Did her stomach not flutter wildly? Did she feel like she was finally home
after being lost for so long when they were near one another? Of course she did not.

Not yet at least. The recognition of all of those things hadn’t come to him until after he discovered
his feelings for her. He was sure he’d felt that same exhilaration before then, but he had attributed it
to the warmth and excitement one feels around friends. He certainly did not feel those things
around his Eton chaps so he was not sure how he ever thought that.

Once she was entirely out of his sight, he accepted his fate and moved out of the shadows to make
his presence known to the crowd in the foyer. He wore his most charming smile as he greeted
Marina and the Featheringtons, playing up how supposedly thrilled he was to have them there.

As his mother gave an overview of what was planned for the evening and information about the
guest accommodations, specifically noting that the family wing was to not open to guests, Benedict
brought him four bouquets to give to Marina, Lady Featherington and Pen’s two sisters. He was
rather miffed there was not one for Penelope but he held his anger back to continue acting the part
of a simpering dolt while he handed out the flowers.

He even went so far as to feign frustration with his mother for insisting Marina and the
Featheringtons be shown to their rooms to settle in and change their attire before dinner instead of
remaining in his company. Of course he was rejoicing inside. He all but skipped back to Anthony’s
study when they finally left.

When it was time for dinner, Colin was lost in a sea of conflicting emotions again. He was agitated,
frustrated, and angry that he was going to spend the next several hours with some of the most vile
characters he’d ever met. And yet he could not keep himself from smiling in anticipation of seeing
his Pen again.

But just as they entered the formal dining room, Benedict leaned into him and frantically
whispered, “Do not react to what I’m about to tell you, just keep smiling and stay calm.”

Colin already knew it would be a horrible affair but Ben was making it sound far more grim than he
anticipated.

“The seating arrangement is for your own good,” his brother continued. “Mother and Anthony
thought it was the best way to keep your eyes from drifting and giving our guests reason to
question things.”

What on Earth? His mother and Anthony were evidently so nervous about him treating Penelope
with more than friendly affection in front of Marina and her mother that they felt the need to seat
her on the opposite side of the table. And if that weren’t enough, he could not even see her because
she was sitting on the same side of the table as he was.

Colin was seated next to his mother, who sat at the head of the table with Marina on her right. Next
to Marina was Benedict, followed by Prudence, then Hyacinth, Gregory, and finally, Lady
Featherington. Anthony sat to her right, at the head of the table, with Lord Featherington to his left.
Pen sat next to her father, followed by Eloise, then Philippa and Francesca. Which left Colin sitting
between his sister and his mother, across from his wretched fiancée.

He allowed himself to show his agitation but pretended that it was due to the fact that he was seated
across from Marina rather than being allowed to sit next to her. Miraculously, it seemed to fool her
by the way she tittered and fluttered her eyes coyly at him. She truly believed him to be the most
lovesick simpleton alive.

Inside, he was seething with white hot rage. Penelope looked positively stunning in her yellow
gown when she entered the room. All he wished to do was kneel at her feet and tell her how
beautiful she was and how much he loved her. And yet, there he was, unable to even admire her
beauty from a distance because doing so might have given away that he was desperate to get out of
his engagement to her cousin.

Thankfully Fran, his mother, and Benedict kept the conversation going throughout the first few
courses. They had a seemingly endless stream of questions for Marina, encouraging her to tell
about her family, her upbringing in the country, her interests and hobbies. It was said to be in the
name of getting to know her, of course, but Colin knew that at least his mother and Benedict were
doing so with a different goal in mind. They were fishing for anything that could help them with
their next trip to Romney Hall.

The enjoyable part of the evening did not come until just before the final course was served, as the
one before was being cleared and there was a lull in conversation.

“Miss Philippa, I hear congratulations will soon be in order!” Benedict extended with his signature
disarming smile.

Philippa seemed completely unaware of what he was referring to. “Oh?” she questioned.
“Whatever for?”

“Uhh… Yes, well,” Ben stammered before clearing his throat and clarifying, “I told your sister
what I had witnessed at White’s the other day and she seemed to indicate that you were already
aware of the depth of Mister Finch’s affections. And that you returned them. So I only assumed you
would be rather inclined to accept his hand?”

“His hand?” Philippa gasped. “He told you this?”

“He told everyone in attendance at White’s,” Ben explained. “Shouted it, rather, after a few drinks.
Apologies for ruining the surprise.”

“Mister Finch is going to ask me to marry him,” she mumbled, staring at the empty spot on the
table in front of her.

“He is a good man,” Benedict awkwardly added. “Quite fond of cheese actually, did you know
that?”

“We both are!” Philippa chirped, with a wistful, beaming grin.

“Well, that is a relief,” Benedict said in relief. “Along with his declaration of love and intent to
propose, he also said something about procuring a cheese farm for the two of you to live on.”

“Oh this is just wonderful!” Philippa squealed, “I did not realise Penelope had actually heard such a
thing from a credible source! I thought she was merely making it up to take the attention away from
Marina’s engagement to your brother since she…” ‘Since she’ what? “Well, it does not matter
now, does it?” It matters very much!

Colin chanced a glance at Marina to make some sense of what Pen’s sister was saying but he
regretted doing so instantly. The haughty, poisonous smile on her face was enough to make him
sick.

Before he dwelled on it too long, he heard Philippa practically shouting to the far end of the table.
“Mama! Papa! Did you hear the news? Mister Finch is planning to propose!”
Lady Featherington clapped and preened at the news, then said something with the wave of her
hands that had Philippa rising from her seat and moving toward the end of the table where her
parents sat.

“Well, I brie-lieve theirs will be a happy union,” Benedict jested, as he was wont to do in
uncomfortable or tense moments.

Colin always appreciated a good pun – bad ones, too – so he couldn’t help but laugh a bit at his
brother’s remark. He only wished Pen had been closer to hear it because she seemed to enjoy puns
just as much.

She was also far more brilliant and clever than Benedict and surely would have come up with
something better. Hell, Colin himself could think of a few cheese puns that would’ve been better
than that one. But it would not be nearly as satisfying or enjoyable to share such things with the
people on his end of the table.

Feeling parched after the short chortle tickled his throat, he turned back to pluck his glass off the
table and caught Marina rolling her eyes. As if he needed another reminder of how incompatible
they were for one another and how miserable a life with her would have been.

“Oh Penelope! You just missed Benedict’s awful pun about brie-lieving theirs would be a happy
union,” Francesca cheerfully shared.

“A gouda match, indeed,” Pen quipped as she took the seat Philippa vacated.

He was positively thrilled! With only Fran sitting between them now, she was close enough to
converse with. He could finally indulge in all of her loveliness after so long apart. And it took her
all but two seconds to come up with something so amusing and appropriately cheese-related, just as
he knew it would. God, he loved her. He love-love-love-loved her!

He tried to think of something quickly to continue the cheese banter. It had the simultaneous effect
of subtly flirting with Penelope and annoying Marina. His family could not accuse him of being too
friendly with her in front of her family and his fiancée by simply exchanging a few puns under the
guise of joking along with his brother. Yet, he’d still be able to delight in witty repartee with the
woman he loved. What could be better?

“I guess love is in the gruyère, huh?” he put forth, smirking at Pen all the while.

“I curd the good news!“ Fran tittered, momentarily blocking his view of Pen’s loveliness to his
great chagrin.

Benedict then raised his glass and gleefully said, “Praise cheesus I didn’t ruin anything!”

Good God his brother was terrible at coming up with good puns. At least it got Pen giggling so
adorably and — he shifted his eyes to hastily check that, yes, it was so clearly agitating Marina, as
well.

“I'd appreciate you refraining from taking the Lord's name in vain – thank you,” their mother
chided. Fun’s over, Colin incorrectly assumed just before she added, “That being said, of course
you did nothing of the sort, dear. It is obvious that they wheely like each other.”
“Like each other?” Eloise chimed in, “As Benedict tells it, Mister Finch loves her so much he
camembert it!”

Pen tittered behind her pretty little hand before saying, “He likes her cheddar than all the rest, it
seems.”

“Feta than all the rest!” Colin countered through his own bubble of laughter.

“So much so,” Pen began in that sultry tone she used when making the sharpest barbs, “That he’s
muenster -ing up the courage to propose!”

“Nothing but blue skies ahead for those two now,” Fran contributed.

Pen was handed a new glass of wine and before she took her first sip, she held it out in front of her
as if she were proposing a toast. “To havarti and to hold!” she sang.

“For chevre and ever!” he added.

“Provolone-ly no more!” Pen exclaimed before succumbing to her giggles and turning away to
regain her composure.

After Fran, his mother, Benedict and Colin’s laughter finally died down, Marina cleared her throat
delicately. “Who knew so many puns could be made about cheese?” she jeered. “Or that a shared
interest in cheese could be the basis of an entire relationship?”

Was she trying to be amusing by poking fun at their good-natured pun banter and ridiculing her
cousin’s relationship?

“Come now, Miss Thompson,” his mother lightly scolded. “It is always nice to have shared
passions, dear. Wouldn’t you agree, Colin?”

“Hmm?” he was caught off guard by his mother bringing him into the conversation just as Penelope
finally turned around. “Oh, yes, it most certainly is,” he replied.

Knowing Pen was listening, he attempted to show her just how diligent his acting could be, so he
then added, “Marina and I share a passion for travelling and both greatly revel in the society
functions put on by the ton.”

“Oh!” his mother squealed.

Marina flinched but her feigned simpering smile returned quickly and she looked the picture of an
amiable debutante.

“You won’t find us settling down on a cheese farm anytime soon,” he jested, “Nor settling down at
all for several years, I should think,” he included. “Though I suppose passion for cheese is as good
as any!”

Would Marina finally understand that he was not intent on having children anytime soon and was
therefore not the perfect target for her scheme to trap him with another man’s child? Likely not.

“Oh I am so happy to hear that!” his mother gushed. She really was quite skilled in acting. “Three
of the greatest signs for lasting partnerships are honesty, trust, and shared interests. Beyond love
and affection, of course. That is why Edmund and I had such a wonderful marriage.”
His mother then jumped at the opportunity to tell Marina about their plans for the following day.
They would be preparing for the ball his family was to host in a week. Their engagement ball, or so
Marina was to think.

🕰️🕰️🕰️
After dinner, Colin joined his brothers and Lord Featherington in Anthony’s study for a drink.
Gregory was given tea of course but he was more than content to simply be included. His older
brothers and Pen’s very drunk father somehow got onto the topic of the tavern wench near Romney
Hall. Eventually, that led to them convincing one another that they should visit the establishment at
once.

Wanting no part of that, Colin nudged Gregory and the two of them departed quietly. They went to
the formal drawing room to find Francesca playing piano while Pen’s tone deaf sister sang along.
Hyacinth looked both horrified and thoroughly entertained. Philippa and Lady Featherington were
engrossed in conversation with his mother and Marina. He was sure it was about Mister Finch’s
proposal by the way Philippa beamed.

He was delighted when he realised Penelope was not sitting amongst the others. He had been
worried about leaving her in the company of her mother and Marina after dinner. He trusted that his
mother and his sisters would not allow her to fall victim to their vitriol and would protect her in his
absence, but the worry remained. So seeing that she had apparently retired early and was not at risk
of such things comforted him.

It took him another moment but he eventually noticed that Eloise was also absent, which
unfortunately meant that they were likely together and the chances that he’d find Pen alone in the
library or the family drawing room were very low. At least she was away from her family, he
reminded himself.

And with that, he offered a formal goodnight to the ladies and took his leave with his younger
brother in tow. As they moved down the corridor, toward the back staircase that led to the family
wing, he heard someone calling his name. The very last person he’d wish to speak to at that
moment, in fact. Had he not suffered enough already?

“I will give you ten pounds not to leave my side and keep me from having to be alone with her,”
Colin urgently said to his brother.

“Twenty and we have a deal,” Gregory countered.

“Fine!” he cursed under his breath just before Marina caught up to them.

Using the same feigned flirtatious voice and damsel-in-distress-posturing as she had during
Daphne’s wedding reception, she asked, “Why are you retiring for the night so early, my love?”

To get away from you, to finally stop having to pretend I want anything to do with you. But mostly,
to go see my Pen.
“I find myself in need of sleep, I’m rather exhausted from the long day of travel and settling into
the country,” he replied. “But I am glad to have you under the same roof and thrilled you’ll have
ample opportunity to get to know my family better in the coming days.”

There, he thought, that should be sufficient to hold her off until morning. He was about to bid her
goodnight when she began speaking again.

“Under the same roof but still so far away,” she petulantly sighed. “Perhaps we should plan to meet
in the library after the others had gone to sleep?”

Gregory pretended not to hear and turned slightly away to give them a sense of privacy, Colin was
sure. But that was not what he needed. Nor what he was paying him for.

“The library is in the family wing,” he pointed out, shaking his head. “Which is closed to guests
and locked from sundown to sunup.”

“Right, the family wing,” Marina seethed. “I am to be part of your family, am I not? Should I not be
permitted to come and go like family?”

“You and I both know that is not how these things work,” he chided.

“Speaking of how things work, why is it that Penelope is staying in the family wing and I am not?”
she questioned forcefully. “If anything, Penelope is more of a guest here than I am.”

“You are quite mistaken,” Colin scoffed. Turning to his brother, he asked, “Is she not, Gregory?”

Marina had the good sense to reel back and look properly contrite.

“Penelope is very much a part of our family and has been for a very long time,” Colin pointed out,
biting back a snarl.

“Mmhmm,” Greg hummed in agreement. “Since I can remember.”

“Not to worry,” Colin added, remembering that he must keep up the farce of being her naive fiancé,
none the wiser to her vitriolic treatment of Pen. “It was an honest mistake, I’m sure.”

“Yes, it was,” she nodded. “Please forget I said anything… It is only that I would like to at least get
a chance to see the family wing on this trip, as I am to be a part of this family, afterall. You and I
are in love and engaged to be married . But I am being kept out with the other guests, as if none of
that matters. Meanwhile, my cousin is able to make herself at home in the family wing.”

“Right,” he acquiesced, desperate to rid himself of her company. “Do not fret, I am sure my mother
would be amenable to showing you part of the family wing if you asked her kindly tomorrow. Now,
If that is all, I must insist —”

“–-No. That is not all,” Marina interjected, batting her eyelashes in a decidedly unattractive manner
before using a rather sickly saccharine tone to then add, “If we cannot meet in the family wing,
there are plenty of other places we could choose from and I wish to spend time with you.”

She stepped closer to him and attempted to reach for his hand while he stepped back. “Alone,” she
added in a low voice one would very likely find in brothels. Was she attempting to be alluring or
simply trying to keep it from Gregory’s ears? “I am sure you know how to get around without being
noticed.”
“‘Fraid not,” he replied in haste with uncomfortable, forced laughter. “Every attempt I’ve ever
made to roam the corridors at night has resulted in being caught. And besides, I was not lying to
you when I said that I was exhausted. I fear I’ll be fast asleep within moments of entering my
bedchamber.”

“I see,” she grumbled.

Not wasting a moment more, he offered her a simple “Goodnight, Marina,” and turned on his heels
to make his way up to his bedchamber, dragging Gregory along with him.

🕰️🕰️🕰️
Colin arrived at his bedchamber thoroughly frustrated that he hadn’t managed to exchange a single
sentence with Penelope, pun banter at dinner aside, since the morning. He was supposed to have
been able to tell her how he felt once they were finally at Aubrey Hall together. She was staying in
the room next door to him, for Christ’s sake! Why was it so difficult to spend time with her?

On top of that, he was terrified that Marina would find her way to his door. She did not seem to
take his warning seriously, nor respect his mother’s instructions during her greeting. He could sense
her desperation growing and there was truly no telling what that could lead her to do. There was a
dreadful sense of helplessness that came over him when he considered the possibilities.

Thankfully, his valet arrived to assist him before he could think about it too long. While going
through the motions of changing and freshening up for bed, his eyes kept wandering over to the
dark corner of his dressing room. There were two loose boards there that he and Daphne used to
use as a door of sorts to move between their bedchambers as children.

If only he had been able to share his feelings with Pen earlier and she miraculously allowed him to
show her that her feelings could simply be lying undetected, under the surface, just as his had, they
might have been able to put that door to use. He’d never wish to make her uncomfortable so using
it without telling her about it beforehand was out of the question.

Once he dismissed his valet, he padded over to the wall that connected their rooms and listened for
movement. She must have returned sometime after his valet arrived and it sounded as though her
maid might be there with her, as he heard a second voice. He prayed that it was not one of his
sisters or worse, someone from her family.

After a few minutes, he heard her door open and close again.

He was making his way out of his bedchamber before he could second guess himself and with a
quick look right and a quick look left, he entered the empty corridor. Taking long strides, he was in
front of her door moments later. Colin smoothed his shirt and ran his fingers through his hair as he
took a deep, steadying breath before knocking ever so lightly.

When the door opened, everything was right in the world again. There Penelope stood in a flimsy
white nightgown that fell upon the curves of her body in the most alluring way with her soft auburn
hair contrasting her porcelain skin so prettily as it cascaded over her shoulder.
“Colin!” she gasped, “What are you doing here?”

“I…” his mouth went completely dry. “I needed to…I wished to, rather… to…”

“Please come inside,” she hissed, grabbing hold of his hand. “Before someone sees you.”

He followed her inside at once, turning around to lock the door behind him, and then it hit him: his
door was unlocked. He began panicking that Marina could slip in unbeknownst to him and conduct
another entrapment scheme by forcing them to be “caught” in his bedchamber together. Getting out
of the engagement would be near impossible after such a thing.

He could not let anyone or anything keep him from being with Penelope. And there was one way of
ensuring they could remain together while securing both doors, which only locked from the inside.

“Pen, do you trust me?” he heard himself breathlessly ask while his eyes frantically searched hers
for any sign of discomfort.

“I–yes, of course I trust you, Colin,” she stated in a manner that was surprisingly reassuring for the
curiosity and caution in her tone. “You know that.”

“Come with me,” he whispered, taking her hand in his and leading her to Daphne’s dressing room.

He guided her through the loose boards and brought her into his bedchamber where he made quick
work of fastening the lock on the door. After heaving a deep sigh of relief, he apologised and
gestured toward the bed. It may have been more gentlemanly to offer her a seat in one of the two
chairs he had by the fireplace, but he would have had to let go of her hand if they sat there and that
was the last thing he wanted to do.

A fetching blush coloured her sweet cheeks and her cerulean blue eyes shined beautifully in the
glow of the candlelights. Just as he was tracing her features with his gaze, her tongue darted out to
wet her luscious, full lips.

Good God! She was Aphrodite personified. A siren. A goddess.

And she was sitting on his bed.

“What is it you wished to discuss?” she sweetest asked with a smile he’d usually find adorable, but
all he could think about was devouring her lips.

“Pen, I…” he began to say but found himself completely unable to continue. His mind could do
nothing beyond imagining how those pillowy pink lips and that sinfully delicious looking tongue
would feel on him.

“You…” he attempted to start over but lost all ability to speak it seemed when her bottom lip was
pulled in as she nibbled on it nervously. “Ugh!”

“Colin, what is the matter?” Pen softly coaxed, delicately tugging his hand.

“What is the matter? The matter is that I cannot think straight! It is taking everything in me not to
kiss you right now,” he whined before correcting himself. “Or get on my knees to beg you to kiss
me, rather.”

“What?” she softly gasped.

Oh God, did he say that out loud? Did he scare her?

“Do not worry, Pen,” he attempted to reassure her, taking her other hand in his to gently rub his
thumb over hers in the most soothing way he could. “I would never do such a thing.”

“Oh,” she whispered, curling into herself a bit as her eyes fixated on their joined hands. She
appeared wounded, defeated almost. He must have scared her, he thought, and taking her hand
probably came across as his way of holding her captive.

“Marina may be comfortable using seduction to get what she wants but I am not,” he explained. He
hoped it might help her see that even though it was painfully obvious, as Benedict put it earlier, that
he was thoroughly consumed by his affection and desire for her, he would never force himself on
her.

“You–you want to kiss me?” she startled, her head swiftly lifting up with her uncertain, searching
eyes. While there was urgency behind those breathtaking blue eyes, there also seemed to be
something there that made his heart soar: hope .

“I want much more than that,” he purred, encouraged by the thought of her reciprocating his
feelings. Now was the time! He had to tell her just how he felt. “Pen, I —”

“—Kiss me,” she interjected, cutting off all coherent thoughts.

“Gah…gah…gah…”

A war was raging inside of Colin. He knew he could not kiss her while keeping his feelings for her
to himself. But good God almighty, all he wanted to do was kiss her and hearing her tell him she
wanted him to kiss her almost sent him into madness.

“I know your respect for my honour is what’s holding you back, as it did with Marina, but no one
has to know about this. The doors are locked, we’re not in danger of being discovered by anyone.
And if it stays between us, then it won’t have ruined me,” she reasoned. “So kiss me.”

“Marina?” he scoffed, frustratedly running his fingers through his hair. “That’s not –” he let out an
indignant growl. Why was he so bloody tongue-tied? “Pen, that is not what’s holding me back.”

“I do not see what the problem is. You want to kiss me. I want to kiss you,” she needled, coaxing
him with a daring smile growing as she spoke. “It does not have to mean anything. We can simply
kiss and go right back to normal.”

How could she say such a thing?

“I cannot do that,” Colin hissed. “I cannot simply pretend kissing you would not mean anything
when it would mean everything to me. I couldn’t possibly go back to the way things have always
been after experiencing a dream come true like that.”

“A dream come true?” she repeated in a whisper so faint he could hardly hear it.

“Penelope, I’ve been rehearsing different speeches in my mind for hours to tell you this because
there is too much at stake but no string of words or clever phrasing has been sufficient. Nothing has
come close to being right, being good enough to tell you that,” he explained in a rush, paused to
catch his breath. “That I love you. That I’m in love with you and I believe I have been for a very
long time. So yes, it would be a dream come true to kiss you.”

“You… what… no… you love me ?” Pen stammered.

“I do, Pen. I love you,” he declared assuredly . “I love you so much I can barely survive when
we’re apart. My thoughts are reduced to you and you alone. And when we’re together, it is as if my
soul has finally come to life. My heart pumps more blood, my lungs fill with more air, colours
appear brighter, food tastes better, tunes sound lovelier. It’s you, Pen. It always has been and it
always will be.”

“How…” she began to ask before trailing off.

“There is so very much I wished to tell you about that I believed could make sense of the hows and
the whys,” he fervently proclaimed. “Which is the reason I had such a difficult time determining
how to tell you. We could talk about it until the sun came up and there would still be more to share.
But I could not possibly contain it all any longer. Especially not before kissing you.”

Pen smiled warmly and squeezed his hands as she cooed, “You did not need to say all of that just to
kiss me.”

“I have not said anything I did not plan to share with you before the topic of kissing ever came up
and I meant every word of it, Pen,” he vowed, trying his best to convey all the love and emotion he
felt for her. “I know it may seem sudden and God knows my foolishness over the last few weeks
especially has not helped anything. But it’s true.”

Before she could say anything in response, he loudly – as loudly as he could without alerting
anyone to their whereabouts, that is – professed, “My heart belongs to you, Pen. All of me does.”

He then brought both of her hands to his chest, just over his heart, and softly purred, “So if you’d
like to kiss me, my lips are yours to kiss. Just please promise me you won’t leave after our lips
meet. I know you do not feel for me what I feel for you, that your feelings do not extend beyond
mere friendship, but if you could give me a chance to tell you all that I have discovered –-”

His speech was abruptly halted when something wildly unexpected happened. Penelope burst in a
fit of giggles. Not the kind one experiences when they find something humorous. Not the kind one
uses sarcastically. Hers were the joyous kind of giggles that cannot be contained, the kind that one
experiences when they are well and truly elated.

“Penelope Featherington!” he chortled, surrendering completely to the contagiousness of her sweet

laughter. “This is no laughing matter.”

“Oh but it is,” she drawled. “Tell me Colin, who said that I do not feel the same as you?”

“You did!” he answered breathlessly. “You… you –”

“–Never denied it,” Pen corrected. “In fact, I very deliberately did not say anything when the
subject was broached because…”

“Because…?” he repeated in gentle encouragement to continue.

 “Well, I couldn’t very well lie to you,” she reasoned. “But I also felt it was easier to allow you to
assume that.”

“How come?” he asked, entirely unsure of why she felt that way.

“I did not wish for you to have another reason to feel uncomfortable with everything you were
already facing,” she explained. Then, with a mumbled whisper, she sheepishly added, “And I
selfishly did not want to deal with the shame of my longstanding unrequited feelings for you. Nor
did I want to risk ruining our friendship over my silly feelings.”

“Unrequited… silly feelings—what? Pen!” he exulted, utterly overjoyed albeit a bit frustrated she
felt that way. But they had time to discuss that later. For now, he needed to hear her say the words
to know he was not misinterpreting anything. “Penelope, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that you’re wrong. My feelings for you have always extended beyond friendship.
You’re the kindest, most handsome, brilliant, and annoyingly charming –”

“ Annoyingly ?!” he cried in mock offence.

“– yes, the most annoyingly charming man I’ve ever met. You’re the only man I’ve ever dreamed
of and I love you, Colin Bridgerton,” she professed. “I have for –”

As much as he wished to hear more of Pen’s honeyed words about her feelings mirroring his own,
he could not wait a moment longer. In a frenzied instant, he dropped her hands to place his on
either side of her neck, sliding them back to settle his thumbs on her jaw with his fingers threaded
into her long strands. He pulled her closer as he pushed forward and finally, their lips met at last.

It was clumsy, it was desperate, it was nothing like he’d ever imagined. It was glorious.

Chapter End Notes

Cheese Louise! I really struggled with Violet and Pen in this one. I think I'm content with the
way Violet came through in her talk with Colin. With Pen, I went back and forth on whether or
not she'd be able to accept his love right away. Ultimately, I went with this because I thought
back to 1.08, how Pen was ready to risk it all and confess her feelings (and I believe LW, as
well) when Colin let her know that he recognized she was trying to help him by warning him
about Marina. If that small moment could spur season 1 Pen into having the confidence to
confess her feels, I think this version of Pen would be able to accept that he loves her. Our
season 3 Pen.... not so much. Girliepop has WALLS built up. Good luck season 3 Col!

Anyway... promise smut is coming next chapter. At the very beginning. And again at the end.
The Marina/Lady F showdown won't come until there is a secure plan in place for Marina.
 Buying Time, Part VI
Chapter Notes

Apologies for the wait! This chapter kept growing and growing and I finally decided I had to
cut it so you're getting just one night and basically one scene here. Hope you enjoy!

I haven't gone through this with a fine-tooth comb so please excuse any grammatical errors -
I'll come back to edit. Wanted to get this out as soon as I possibly could.

(Friends and family who may have stumbled upon this, please do not read this chapter. It's
inappropriate for you.)

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Colin and Penelope spent the better part of the next half hour or so memorising each other’s lips
and tongues while their hands eagerly explored one another’s bodies. He was palming her breasts,
cupping her derriere, caressing the curves of her hips and waist, while she threaded her fingers
through the hairs on his chest, and scratched her nails down his back.

All the while, they were telling one another the stories of their love. Pen expanded on the memory
of their first meeting and how she knew she was made for him from then on. Colin shared
everything with her about the night in her bedchamber with her comforting scent, her unbelievably
sensual stockings, and the embrace they shared at his family’s garden gate that completely
unravelled him.
At some point, the professions of love and devotion quieted and a joyous tranquillity took over.
There was no longer a desperation to prove he knew his heart and understood his feelings. Penelope
accepted his love. Instead of refusing to believe him or punishing him for his mistakes along the
way, she received his affection with arms wide open.

She cradled his heart with all the love and care she had to give, handing him hers in turn, placing
her faith and trust in him freely. Having only realised the depth of his feelings a few days prior,
Colin hardly kept them secret for long. Yet the freedom he felt in declaring his love to her was like
no other. He could not imagine the weightlessness she must have felt after having kept her feelings
secret for much, much longer.

And it was not just the unburdening of what had been on his heart and his mind constantly since he
left her at the garden gate two nights prior that made his heart float, it was everything Pen declared
in turn. To love and be loved ... what an extraordinary feeling!

If he were not on the verge of falling unconscious from the lack of air, due to his inability to let her
lips part from his for longer than a millisecond, he could have swooned from the dizzying thought
that this was his new reality. Pen was his and he was hers, for the rest of their days on Earth and
whatever awaited them in the heavens.

Though she seemed to hold just as much desire for him as he had for her, she had always been the
more sensible one between the two of them. Just when the need for air was becoming impossible to
ignore, she pressed her soft little hands against his chest and broke their kiss.

As they allowed themselves a few moments for their breathing to return to normal, they could not
stop smiling at one another. They were laid across the middle of his bed, each on their side, lying
face to face, just languidly kissing on and off while they basked in the complete and utter bliss of
their love.

And then it was shattered.

Three low raps on the other side of the door pierced through the serenity like one of Apollo’s
arrows, plaguing their shared joy as the sound reverberated around the room. Their doors were
locked and if they remained quiet, the knocking intruder would assume they were sleeping and go
away.

Still, his body tensed all over and he pulled Penelope closer to him, feeling the primal need to
protect her in every fibre of his being. He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead and attempted to
reassure her wordlessly with the gentlest smile he could muster.

The panic reflecting back at him in her eyes made his heart clench and stomach churn. Her body
was now flush against his with each of his arms encircling her into a tight embrace. Whoever was
knocking at his door had better have a damn good reason for doing so, he internally cursed while
rubbing soothing circles on Pen’s back.

After a moment of reflection, he concluded that it was likely one of his brothers trying to cajole
him into joining them on their escapade to see that tavern wench, despite the fact that he told them
multiple times that he did not wish to. They were rather forgetful when they drank in excess.

It was just as likely that they were returning from their trip and wished to regale him with their
incoherent tales of the evening. Colin was not at all sure what time it was or how long he and Pen
had been kissing. Either way, he felt his panic dissipating; their knocking was frustrating to be sure
but it was ultimately harmless. They would give up quickly and be on their way.

Two more knocks came and then the door handle jerked. He was certain that neither of his brothers
would have attempted to open his door if he did not return their knock. And as he considered the
other most likely late night visitor who could have been at the door, Colin was extremely grateful
he and Pen took the time to move through the dressing rooms to lock his door.

The dressing rooms!

He dipped his head down, seeking Pen’s gaze, and when their eyes met, he tilted his head in the
direction of the dressing rooms. She understood immediately and began untangling herself from
him. He loathed the loss of her warmth but followed her lead and cautiously moved to get off the
bed.

Just as they began to tip-toe their way to the dressing rooms connecting his bedchamber to hers,
three more knocks came and they froze in place. This time, a voice calling his name followed them,
confirming his suspicion of the person on the other side of the door.

“Colin?” Marina lightly called out.

He pressed his hand into the small of Pen’s back and nodded toward the dressing room in
encouragement of continuing their escape. Then he took her hand in his and they slowly crossed the
room together, remaining as quiet as possible until they finally reached his dressing room.

Two more taps at the door were followed by the faint sound of his horrendous fiancée saying, “It’s
me. It’s Marina; let me in.”

He shook his head as he felt a chuckle bubbling up and quickly ushered Pen into the safety of the
dressing room. He started for the settee but she continued walking ahead, finally stopping once
she’d reached the loose panels in the wall. She was so smart, his Pen. Of course Daph’s dressing
room would be the better, safer place to settle.

When they reached the other side of the makeshift door, Colin felt a wave of relief rush over him.
They settled on the settee together but neither dared say anything in fear of being discovered;
though it was not as if Marina would be able to hear them if she were still at his door.

Nonetheless, he was content to stay that way for a spell – Pen tucked into his side, their fingers
threaded together, their breathing synced up. There were surely worse ways to wait out an intruder.
He was sure his shameless fiancée would be leaving shortly if she hadn’t already.

And then another knock came. Only this time, it wasn’t his door being tapped on.

“Colin?” Marina’s voice rang out as she knocked a second and third time.

He looked at Pen in a panic and found her in a similar state.

“Colin, it’s me,” Marina announced with another set of raps against Daphne’s door.

“I think I should answer it,” Pen whispered. “She’ll go away if she knows this isn’t your
bedchamber and thinks I’m the only one in here.”

He knew she was right in theory but God, he wished there was another solution.
“Let’s just see if she goes away on her own,” he whispered back. “I don’t want her anywhere near
you.”

Pen nodded and squeezed his hand, then turned her attention back to the door. It didn’t take but
thirty seconds before her cousin was once again making her unwanted presence known.

“I know you’re awake in there, I can see the candle light on,” Marina called out. “Open the door.”

Damn it. They should have snuffed out all the candles before they left earlier. He reluctantly
nodded and let go of Pen’s hand as she stood to make her way out of the dressing room.

Following close behind her until they neared the door, he tried to think of any other possible
solution but came up short. He hid behind a chest that sat to the right of the door and watched in
horror as she reached for the locked handle.

“Marina, what are you doing?” Pen harshly whispered after opening the door. “You shouldn’t be
here!”

“Penelope,” Marina sneered. “Of course it's you. Where is Colin?”

“How should I know?” Pen asked in feigned ignorance.

“Oh I have no doubt you know exactly which one of these rooms is his,” Marina trilled. “I’m sure
you’ve had plenty of childish fantasies about visiting his bedchamber over the years.”

God, her cruelty was unrelenting. Colin’s hands balled into fists and he exhaled a deep breath
through his nose as he fought to keep himself from saying anything.

“Why did you decide to knock on this one?” Pen asked, gracefully ignoring her cousin’s insult.
“You’re risking your honour and Colin’s just by being in the Family Wing, Marina. And at this
hour! You must know this isn’t right.”

He heard her cousin scoffing in response and assumed a petulant eye roll accompanied it.

“Whether you want to believe it or not, Penelope, Colin and I are getting married in a matter of
weeks… days if we had our way,” Marina began spewing abhorrent tales once again. “Why should
I care about honour? He desires me in ways you could not understand and would be overjoyed at
the opportunity to anticipate our upcoming vows. There is no reason for us to wait in my eyes and
I’m certain he feels the same.”

“So you are just knocking on every door you come upon to try and find him?” his Pen challenged.
“I cannot imagine what would have happened if you chose one of his siblings’ rooms.”

Marina let out a dramatic sigh and then went into an explanation of how she came to choose that
door.

“The four rooms on the other side of the staircase are the childrens’ rooms,” she stated confidently.
“I could hear their giggling and whispering the moment I reached the landing. That left the four
rooms on this side. The two rooms across the hall are empty with their doors open, the one next to
this one is locked. So do not worry, Pen , there is no risk of me choosing one of his siblings’
doors.”
“And yet this is Daphne’s bedchamber you knocked on…” Pen murmured the words Colin was
thinking at that very moment.

“That does not signify when you’re the one staying in it!” Marina countered. “Now, where is he?
Where is Colin?”

“I do not know. I’d wager he went out with his brothers,” Pen offered. “When Benedict escorted
Eloise and I up here earlier, he told us that he was going to a nearby tavern with my father. Can't
imagine he'd do that alone.”

Is that where Benedict disappeared to when he left Anthony’s study between the first and second
round of drinks?

“Mmm. Interesting,” Marina drawled curiously. “He told me he was so tired from the ride that he
was going straight to sleep.”

“He very well could be,” Pen said with an irritated sigh, “Again, I do not know. Marina, you really
must return —”

“Some traveller he is,” her cousin huffed smugly. “Can't even handle a few hours' ride outside of
London?”

“I imagine there was more to his day than simply sitting in a carriage,” Pen argued on his behalf.
“I’m sure Anthony had him doing all sorts of things around the estate when they arrived.”

“Huh,” Marina snorted. “Unless he was lying to me and did not want me to know he was going to
the tavern.”

“I think you, of all people, should be able to forgive a bit of lying,” Pen chided. “Quite hypocritical,
isn’t it?”

“Penelope, your jealousy is exhausting,” Marina sighed.

His perfect Pen knew she had nothing to be jealous about. She didn’t even flinch at her cousin’s
harsh words. She just shook her head and tersely said, “Goodnight, Marina.”

“You need to wake up!” Marina stormed. “Colin is in love with me . He is marrying me . He
courted me . He chose me . You are nothing but a childhood friend to him. Let him go and get on
with your life.“

“Enjoy the guest wing, Marina.”

“Oh Pen. You think you’re so clever, don’t you?” Marina taunted with all the sweetness a predator
would have for their prey. “I know what you did. I saw you, you know. When you returned with
Eloise and one of Colin’s brothers from wherever it was you went that night.”

Colin wanted to slam the door on the cruel, vile, she-devil spewing vitriol at his love once again.
But Pen would not stoop to that level. No, she stood stoically at the door and let her cousin go on.

“At first I believed it to be Colin coming to collect me so he could whisk us away to Gretna Green
as he proposed,” she continued. ”Then I saw you and Eloise trailing behind him like lost puppies.
The next morning, I was sure of my suspicions when I learned that someone told the Viscount of
our plans. I thought, surely Penelope told Colin the truth in some vain attempt to win his heart and
he ran to his brother for help.”

Ran to his brother for help?

Christ, she really had no concept of the ways in which his family operated. How they supported
each other and worked through things together.

“And yet, since then, Colin has been just as desperate and eager to marry me as ever. So it could
not have been him that night, could it? No. He was surely in bed dreaming of our life together and
all the ungentlemanly things he’d do to me the next morning in the long carriage ride up to
Scotland.”

It took everything in him to refrain from making his presence known and showing Marina just how
wrong she was. Just the thought of being alone with her in a carriage made his skin crawl. Doing
ungentlemanly things to Marina after he got a taste of simply kissing Pen? It would be a laughable
thought if it didn’t make his stomach churn in disgust.

“So I asked myself, who was that man with Penelope and Eloise? Could it have been that the
Viscount was telling the truth and a footman did alert him of our plans after all? Were you with that
very footman?” Marina continued taunting. “Ah but he was dressed the way a gentleman would be
dressed, not a lowly footman. Peculiar, no?”

Pen held her head high and did not respond when her cousin paused to goad her into confessing.

“There was certainly no reason to suspect you or Eloise had a man in your life, either. You, with
your pathetic crush on Colin, and Eloise, with her childish and privileged views on marriage…”
Marina rudely snickered. “No, there was no secret beau amongst the two of you. There was only a
sibling.”

Colin was ready to scream. His body was tense all over and burning up as more rage pumped
through his veins with every word she spoke intending to hurt his Pen.

“It did not occur to me until tonight just how interchangeable the three eldest boys truly are. When
I entered the dining room this evening, I could hardly tell the difference between Colin and
Benedict from behind,” Marina recalled. “And Anthony is not far off either. With the cover of night
casting his face in shadows, is it any wonder I could not discern that Anthony or Benedict had been
the one with you that night?”

Christ! He was going to marry this woman and she could not tell the difference between him and
his brothers?

He was surprised she even bothered to learn their names, given how little she cared to view them as
individuals.

“Yes, it all makes sense now,” Marina drawled. “I knew it was you who ruined our plans all along.
But know this, Penelope, despite your best try, you have lost. I will have Colin one way or another.
He will never want you in the way he wants me, so you need to put your childish fantasies to bed
before you embarrass yourself further.”

She was right in a way. Colin would never ever want to be rid of Pen in the way he so acutely
wished to be rid of Marina until the end of time.
“Do not think about saying a word about me to Colin or any of his family members again,” she
warned in a most threatening manner to conclude her vicious monologue. “It will only serve to ruin
your entire family and make a fool of Colin. You’d be hurting so many innocent lives. Is that what
you want? To be responsible for bringing such fortune upon your own flesh and blood for what? A
boy who does not want you?”

Just as Pen rolled her shoulders back and seemed to be readying herself to finally respond to her
miserable cousin, something stopped her.

“Miss Thompson,” Eloise’s voice bellowed from afar. “It appears you’ve gotten lost.”

“Not lost,” Marina responded in the sickly sweet tone she used on him far too often during their
courtship. “I just came to visit my dear cousin, you see.”

“That is not what it sounded like to me,” Eloise scoffed. “Is that what you heard, Francesca?”

“No, not at all,” Fran replied before addressing Marina directly. “But we shall allow you to take
your leave without alerting anyone to your visit, Miss Thompson. As long as you find your way
back to the guest wing at once.”

“Our mother and brothers would certainly not be pleased to hear that you so blatantly defied their
simple request that guests remain out of the family wing,” El added.

“Penelope asked me to pay her a visit,” Marina lied in protest. “But I see now that it was wrong of
me – of us – to plan for such a thing.”

What a shameless bloody harridan continuing to point fingers at Pen like that!

“You truly expect us to believe that nonsense, don’t you?” Fran marvelled. “Please leave, Miss
Thompson. It is wrong of you to be here and placing the blame on others is pitiful.”

“Right…” Marina said with clear agitation in her voice and tone. “Well, goodnight I suppose.”

“Yes, goodnight,” Fran returned dismissively.

Eloise didn’t bother with any kind of farewell. Instead she kept her focus on Pen, harshly
whispering, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, truly. It is nothing I’m not used to,” Pen said regretfully. Oh he could not wait to hold her
again. Though he wasn’t sure how he’d ever be able to let her go. “I only wish the staff were
around to see her but at any rate, I’m grateful you were here. Thank you both.”

Speak of the devil, Colin thought, when he faintly heard Mrs. Wilson’s horrified cry, in the
distance. “Miss Thompson!”

Penelope and his sisters were silent for a few beats before they each burst out in giggles.

“Why don’t you come back to my room?” Eloise encouraged Pen. “You should not be alone.”

Pen would not be alone; not for one second. Colin was having a hard enough time being a few
paces away from her at that moment. Parting from her entirely was impossible to even consider.
But it was likely a good thing that Eloise was unaware of his presence.
“I appreciate your offer El, but I really ought to remain here and get some sleep,” Pen declined with
a great yawn for emphasis.

“What if she comes back?” Fran asked with genuine concern in her voice.

“After we just heard Mrs. Wilson find her?” Pen tittered. “I doubt she’ll be back. But I shall lock
the door for good measure.”

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?” El pressed.

Good God his sisters were unyielding.

“I am positive,” Pen confirmed. “I’m so exhausted that a tongue lashing from that terrifying
governess you used to have wouldn’t affect me now.”

“Miss Talbot really was quite terrifying, wasn’t she?” El mused. “If only she were still around to
give Miss Thompson one of her famous tongue lashings.”

“Oh God,” Fran groaned through a titter. “Not Miss Talbot!”

“You truly must be in need of sleep if she could not disturb you,” El quipped. “We shall bid you
goodnight and leave you to rest. But do not hesitate to come join us in my bedchamber if you have
trouble finding sleep.”

“Yes, goodnight Penelope,” Fran echoed. “Rest well.”

“Goodnight,” Pen said graciously as she began closing the door at last. “Thank you both very much
for all of your support.”

Colin hastily abandoned his hiding place and took two long strides to reach her as she was locking
the door. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and nuzzled into her neck,
whispering, “I thought they’d never leave.”

“Colin!” she startled as she spun around in his arms.

Seeing her beautiful face once again, he just could not help himself. Keeping one arm wrapped
around her waist, he used the other to gently grab her neck as he bent down to kiss her.

Their lips had spent too long apart since Marina first came knocking on his door. With that thought
came the realisation that he hadn’t ensured her wellbeing after her vile cousin’s horrible words. He
regretfully pulled back, ending their kiss.

“Oh, Pen,” he sighed, looking over her features to ensure she was unharmed. Any hint of sadness or
discomfort caused by her wretched cousin would incense him. “Are you alright?”

“I assure you, I am well,” she simpered, planting a sweet kiss on his wrist as she gently turned into
his hand that remained on her jaw. “Wonderful, even! Now that I’m back in your arms.”

“Good,” he cheerfully declared with a chaste kiss. “Because I have no plans to let you go,” he
added, with another peck. “Ever, in fact,” he concluded before planting his lips on hers without any
plans to remove them.

“That suits me just fine,” she giggled against his lips.

“I almost forgot,” Colin gasped, breaking their kiss to drop down to one knee. “Penelope, my love,
my best friend, my everything, will you do me the greatest honour of allowing me to be your
husband?”

“Yes, yes!” she gushed with a beaming smile and glistening, teary eyes. “Of course I will, Colin.”

He stood up and took her in his arms, laying kiss after kiss all across her face, as he told her he
loved her again and again.

“Truth be told, I rather thought we already agreed to marry,” she said through giggles.

“Oh no, I assure you, Mrs. Bridgerton, we most certainly did not,” Colin cheekily argued. “A most
horrifying blunder that had to be rectified at once. I could not spend another second without you
being my wife. I was made for you, Pen. And I know you were born for me, too.”

He carded his fingers through her hair, settling his thumbs on her jaw and crashed his lips into hers.
As their kiss deepened, he removed one of his hands to wrap his arm around her and draw her body
closer to his. He then placed it atop her perfect derriere.

“Would it be better if we mov-moved to the dressing room?” she asked breathily as he licked and
nipped and sucked his way down the column of her neck. “In the event anyone should return to the
corridor.”

“Yes, it absolutely would,” Colin murmured against her skin before placing one final open mouthed
kiss on the spot where her neck and shoulder met. “Brilliant as ever, Pen!”

She smiled so prettily and gave a little nod.

“Shall we?” he drawled as he righted himself and offered her his hand.

He began leading her toward the dressing room, snuffing out each candle they met along the way.
When they were just about to reach the opposite side of the bedchamber, Pen stopped in her tracks.

“Oh Colin, wait! Your flowers!” she exclaimed, pointing toward the large arrangement sitting on
Daphne’s writing desk. “I meant to thank you for them earlier!”

“Oh!” was all he could say; he had nary a clue how or why she concluded the flowers were from
him. Though he was quite pleased she assumed they were his and he briefly considered allowing
her to continue thinking so, if he were being honest. But he could never lie to Pen.

The thought of someone else having given them to her was infuriating. She deserved flowers, of
course, and he was mentally kicking himself for not thinking to bring her any. But the only people
in attendance at Aubrey Hall were their families and the staff… who would have done such a
thing?

“It was awfully kind of you to have your brother deliver them to me while you were greeting
Marina and my family,” she continued, positively gushing, “To have received such a lovely
bouquet just as my spirits were beginning to dampen was the most wonderful surprise.”

His brother? Hell and the devil, it must have been Gregory. He was the only one who was unaware
of Colin’s affection for Pen and the little rascal had always been fond of her. Colin caught him
ogling her on multiple occasions and it irked him every time. He really ought to have come to his
senses about his feelings for her sooner.

“Pen,” he gently said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear and cupping her cheek
reverently. “I hate to tell you this, but I cannot in good faith allow you to continue thinking these
flowers were given to you by me. I –”

“–Oh! Were they not?” she interjected as a fierce blush spread over her cheeks. “Benedict said you
wished to give them to me yourself, which is why you did not include a card, but when I did not
return from my walk with your younger siblings until just before my family’s arrival, you were
unable to do so without arousing suspicion.”

“Ah, now I understand!” he hastily exclaimed. “My older brothers and my mother are each aware
of my feelings for you.” They knew before he did and kept it from him, actually. “They all adore
you and already think of you as part of our family; so they’ve been helping me try to make that
happen in their own ways. This must have been Benedict’s attempt. I apologise for my obtuseness
before.”

Pen nodded and turned her attention to the flowers once more. While she was deep in thought,
Colin’s mind wandered to earlier that day, when he was given bouquets for her mother, cousin, and
sisters.

“You know something that’s actually quite funny, Pen?” he chuckled gleefully.

Her eyes did not leave the floral arrangement, but she acknowledged his question with a small,
“Hmm?”

“Benedict handed me these four small, flimsy bouquets to give to your mother, cousin, and sisters
right as they arrived and then he walked away before I had a chance to say anything,” he recalled.
“And all I could think about was how angry I was that he did not procure one for you. I did not
even consider that he was delivering a much grander floral arrangement to you at that very
moment.”

“It actually makes quite a bit of sense that you were not the one to procure them,” she mused aloud
with an impish smile growing on her face as she turned back to meet his gaze. “And I’m rather
relieved, truth be told.”

“What can you mean?”

“I did not think you would have had so much yellow included in the arrangement, given our prior
discussions,” she jested. “But they’re lovely and I adore them all the same.”

“You’re right, Pen; I would have given very strict orders not to include the ‘happy’ citrus colour
you despise,” he said with a flirtatious wink. “Tomorrow you shall have a new bouquet delivered.
And another the following day. No trace of yellow to be seen.”

“You do not need to do that,” she promised with genuine sincerity that made him love her all the
more. “I assure you, I love them.”

Part of him wanted to argue that he would be making up for lost time, righting his wrongs of not
courting her immediately and even worse, for bringing bouquets aplenty to her family’s drawing
room intended for her cruel cousin.
But the other part of him was desperate to get her into that dressing room.

And that part of him, the one that was feral with a burning need to feel her touch, to taste her skin,
to smell her hair, to see her perfection… Well, it was much stronger than the one that wanted to
indulge in self-flagellation and arguing.

“And I love you,” he professed, “My Pen, my Penelope.”

He then bent down to slip one arm behind her knees and wrapped the other around her waist before
lifting her up bridal style. Her arms flung around his neck and her melodic giggles tickled the hair
on his chest. He considered only taking her to Daphne’s dressing room, – it was closer, after all –
but he felt a bit uneasy with it being his sister’s space.

So he reluctantly let Pen down in front of the makeshift door and held the loose panels open for her
to cross through. He assisted Pen in lifting the skirt of her nightgown so she could straddle his lap
as they finally settled on the settee, and then their hunger to explore one another came roaring
back.

After thoroughly kissing her, his lips eventually moved down to her chest, where simply sucking
and nipping at the exposed skin of the tops of her cleavage was no longer sufficient. He pushed the
sleeves of her nightgown down past her shoulders and continued until the fabric covering her
breasts seemed to be holding on by a thread. He used one finger to gently tug on it and they soon
tumbled out.

“Penelope,” he gasped upon seeing her bare chest at last. “There aren’t enough words to describe
how beautiful you are.”

“Colin…” she whispered reverently.

Her breasts were astonishing. Two porcelain globes with pert rosy nipples that matched the
irresistible colour of her lips. It made his mouth water. He dipped his head down to get eye-level
with her fleshy mounds. They were somehow even more exquisite than he’d ever imagined.

He could see the sparkling streaks of thin skin that stretched over the plumpest areas of each
stunning breast, along with blue veins sitting just below the surface. Their children would be so
well nourished with such perfect tits to nurse from.

“These,” he groaned, “Are perfect.”

He moved to cup them, taking one in each hand, feeling the weight of them, wondering if he’d died
and gone to heaven. And fuck he could’ve cum just from watching them spill over his hands.

“I want to see them bouncing and swaying as you straddling me while I lay on my back. I want to
reach up to feel you from below, kneading them until you’re desperate for my mouth to make you
cry out,” Colin said as he ran his thumbs over her pert nipples, feeling the pebbled flesh get firmer
with each swipe.

They were unbelievably soft and silky. And as his hands moved, their shape changed. They shook
so prettily with every movement and bounced when he tested releasing them from his hold. When
he pushed them together, her hardening peaks jutted forward on full display.
“Then I want you to bend forward, settling them upon my face, letting them glide down from my
forehead to my jaw, where my lips can then wrap around your nipples,” Colin continued. “I want to
suck and nibble on them one at a time while I revel in the softness of your other breast as I’d press
it against my cheek.”

He pinched the hardened tips between his thumbs and pointer fingers, eliciting an incredibly erotic
moan from Penelope. Keeping them pressed between his thumbs and fingers but easing the
pressure, he began to move his digits back and forth, rolling the firm nubs.

“But before any of that, Pen,” Colin groaned, meeting her gaze as he began to crawl back up her
body. “I want to see you standing up with them all full and large and lovely. Then I’ll cup you from
behind and hold them in all their glory. And I want to do it in front of a mirror.”

“N-now?” she stuttered.

“Later…” he murmured, then repeated it more resolutely and nodded, “Later.”

He then pushed her bosoms together and pressed his face between them, savouring in the soft,
pliant, creamy flesh. Nothing on Earth could compare to the pair of tits he was burying himself in
at that very moment, he was sure of it. Every sculptor and painter in history could only dream of
being in the presence of such perfect breasts. Aphrodite herself must’ve gifted them to Penelope.

He pulled his head back to begin devouring her pebbled flesh. He lapped at her, taking one
hardened peak into his mouth at a time to lavish with his tongue. As he suckled on one breast, he
massaged and pinched and toyed with the other. He could die a very happy man if he lived the rest
of his days between her tits.

With every passing moment, he drew her closer toward him. Somehow even being flush against
one another wasn’t enough. Until his hips involuntarily thrust upward and good Lord did it feel
incredible.

“Ohh!” she cried out in surprise. “Is that…”

“Ye–yes,” he choked out. “Yes, it is.”

“Ah,” she exhaled a little, her wide eyes set on the imprint of his stiff cock bulging out of his
breeches as she sat back atop his knees.

He knew how fascinated and curious she was about his member since he told her how it hardened
as he watched her putting her stockings on two nights prior. And how often she appeared in his
mind’s eye when he took himself in hand.

“I’ll show it to you soon, Pen,” he promised. “But I would very much like to take my time with you
first.”

Colin captured her lips again and placed his hands on her knees, just where her nightgown pooled.
After his fingers pushed underneath the fabric, he began to slowly run them up her soft, thick
thighs, inching closer and closer to her apex.

“Um,” she tensed and pushed off of him, settling on the settee beside him. She looked very
uncomfortable.
“What is it, Pen?” he desperately exclaimed. “Are you hurt?”

“No, it is not that,” she assured, though she refused to make eye contact with him. “It is only… I…
I-I do not know if I wish to be with child so soon.”

“Oh!” he slightly gasped.

That was not at all what he thought she was going to say. Yes, they had spoken about her lack of
understanding when it came to the way in which women become pregnant and he probably should
have said something about it when they began undressing but he supposed the thought slipped his
mind. And the fetching way her blush was spreading down her throat and bare chest was not
helping one bit.

“Not because I do not want to have children someday!” Pen blurted out. “I do. And I want them
with you, of course! I always have.”

The thought of having children with Pen hardened his cock even more. In the back of his mind, he
knew he should be feeling more sentimental about the fact that the woman he loved just told him
that she has always wanted to have a family with him. Yet he could not help but find it all
immensely erotic.

“But well.. It's always been your dream to explore faraway lands on a grand tour and I do not wish
to rob you of that,” she continued as he fought to remain attentive rather than getting lost in his
lecherous thoughts. “And at the same time, I do not wish to be pregnant or give birth to our
children while you are away.” Our children. “I had hoped we could wait until you returned from
travelling before we had children so we could raise them together.”

What?

“Penelope! Are you joking?” he snapped, horrified and a bit miffed she’d think so low of him. “I
can hardly be apart from you for five minutes without going mad. There’s not a chance in hell that
I’d leave you behind to go travel on my own!”

“But it’s your dream…” she mumbled.

“Taking you with me is now integral to that dream,” Colin explained, gently using his fingers to lift
her chin so she’d meet his eyes and see all the sincerity his words held. “I had actually hoped to
start planning a tour together over the coming days, if you were open to it. Just needed to get you
alone to profess my love before presenting you with the Aubrey Hall map collection and asking for
your input on our travels.”

Pen finally smiled for the first time since he freed her breasts and began waxing poetically about
how perfect she was. She then coyly drawled, “Probably best that you did it in that order.”

“Probably,” he agreed, returning her smile with one of his own. “We can discuss it more tomorrow,
just know that I could never leave you behind. If you want to travel with me, we’ll travel together.
If you don’t want to, we’ll stay together. Alright?”

She nodded sweetly but he knew his brilliant little overthinking wife would not be completely
satisfied until they spoke about sex and pregnancy. Which meant that she would not be able to
enjoy herself fully until they had said discussion. But that kind of conversation would take time and
he was too far gone into his lechery to give it the proper care it deserved.
“Good,” he said conclusively. “As for your initial concern, I promise you that what we’re doing
will not result in you being with child. For that to happen, I’d need to sink my cock into your cunt,
and expend my seed inside of you.”

Pen’s breath hitched and she rubbed her thighs together. Fuck. Despite her very understandable
trepidation considering the way women are kept in the dark about intimate matters, her body was
just as aroused as his was. He would do anything to know just how wet she was under that
nightgown.

Alas, no matter how desperately he yearned to take her right then and there, he would never do so
until she was ready. Besides, he wanted her first time – their first time – to be perfect. He
practically came from the mere sight of her bare breasts earlier, if they attempted to couple now, it
would be an embarrassingly quick endeavour. A far cry from perfection.

His siren goddess deserved more than that. So they would save it for another time, hopefully sooner
rather than later of course , but that still left plenty of other delicious and wonderful things to do.
They still had so much of each other's bodies to explore. They did not have to end their night
simply because his cock would not be entering her sweet cunt.

“Of course there are ways to avoid pregnancy when coupling that I can tell you all about before we
fully consummate our love…” he considered aloud. “Let’s add it to the list of things we need to
discuss more tomorrow, alright my darling?”

“And tonight?” she all but whispered before her bottom lip was dragged under her teeth. Her eyes
were mesmerising. They still held that sweet bashfulness but there was also a fiery lust burning
behind them. How did he ever get so lucky?

“Tonight,” Colin husked, “I’m going to bring you pleasure with my fingers.”

Her eyes lit up and that was all he needed to jump into action. He brought her to her feet and
moved the cushions from the settee to the floor. It still was best they remained back in the dressing
room rather than moving to his bedchamber and using the actual bed.

If his brothers happened to return home early and heard them, he was sure they’d be kept apart until
they could marry. Or at least forced to be chaperoned round the clock and unable to even kiss one
another. Colin could not fathom such a fate.

He took her hand in his and led her to the other side of the cushions and there, he grabbed her neck
lovingly and began kissing her as he helped her out of her nightgown. Without detaching from her
lips, he then laid the nightgown over the rough fabric of the cushions. He’d be damned if her
perfect little derriere were ever chafed by such a thing.

“Tell me if I do anything you do not like,” he directed gently between kisses.

They moved to the cushions and Colin encouraged Penelope to lay on her back. He settled on his
knees just beside her after removing his shirt. And then he finally returned to the most heavenly
place on Earth, hovering over her plump, delicious breasts.

He cupped them, taking one in each hand, and opened his mouth to allow his tongue to hang out as
he moved back and forth. After wetting each hardened nipple to his liking, he sat back on his heels
and focused his mouth on the breast closest to him. He sucked on the pebbled flesh as if he were a
starved man who came upon water in the desert. He briefly let his fingers tweak and pinch the other
stiff peak so it would not feel left out, before moving his hand down her body.

It travelled over her soft tummy, growing closer and closer to the apex between her legs where her
sweet red curls, that paired so nicely with her porcelain skin, lay. And just beneath that darling
patch of hair, where her plump folds would eventually open to the tight, wet cunt of his dreams. He
knew it would be the perfect shade of pink when he could set his eyes upon it.

Finally, he cupped her sex, momentarily releasing her breast from his lips as a moan was ripped out
of him from the sheer thrill of touching her in the very place he’d dreamt about a thousand times.
So much heat was radiating off of her, he couldn’t tell if his hands were burning from her warmth
or simply from holding back.

He squeezed her breast, pushing more of it into his hungry mouth, and looked up at her. Keeping
his lips locked around as much of her breast as he could while allowing his tongue to continue
playing with her nipple, he waited for her to open her eyes again.

Once she did, and her gaze met his with both adoration and trepidation, he allowed his middle and
ring fingers to slowly move apart, spreading her folds at last. Her body quivered under him as she
gasped at the sensation. If he thought there was heat under his fingers before, it was surely set
ablaze with her spread folds exposing her scorching hot cunt.

Knowing he would no longer be able to hold her breast captive with his mouth because he’d need
to talk Pen through every action he’d be taking, for his own sake as much as hers , he begrudgingly
released her nipple, making that delicious popping sound he loved so much.

He kissed her cheek and asked, “Are you ready, my love?”

“I believe so,” she said breathlessly.

Finally, he dipped his middle finger between her folds and slipped into her wetness, gliding his
digit up and down the silky smooth flesh.

“Fuck, Pen,” he groaned. “Your cunt is so exquisitely wet.”

She let out a strangled noise as she shivered at his touch.

“Do you like when my fingers touch you like that?” he questioned eagerly as he felt her wetness
building with every passing moment. “When they roll around your little nub like that?”

“Ye-yes,” she answered with a high pitched whine, her eyes screwing shut.

“And this?” he added, “Does it feel good when I dip my finger into your tight little hole here?”

“Ohhh,” she gasped.

“Is that a yes, my love?” he teased.

Pen let out a breathless moan in response, making him feel especially good about the obvious
pleasure he was bringing her that rendered her speechless. Or at least made it rather difficult for her
to articulate anything.

“And when I pull it out…” Colin posed as he withdrew the digit slightly, “Like this?”
“Y-ye-yes,” she stammered.

He plunged it deeper… and deeper… until it was as far as it would go. He drew it out slowly,
eliciting a squeak from his love, then he sunk it back in. He gave a couple more experimental
pumps and delighted in the noises she made for him.

“Are you ready for more, Penelope?” he cooed as he curled his finger deep inside her.

“More,” she repeated dazedly.

“Such a good girl,” he cooed. He momentarily considered rephrasing his praise since he wanted
Pen to know he saw her as a woman, but then he felt her walls fluttering around his finger. “Oh!!
You like that, don’t you? Being called a good girl?”

“Yes,” she confirmed reluctantly with a stifled moan.

“I see,” he said with a teasingly rigid tone. “Why don’t you be a good girl for me and spread your
legs a bit wider then?”

She eagerly followed his direction and opened herself to him completely.

“Just like that, so good, Pen,” he cooed. “I can feel how much you’re enjoying being spread out
like this for me.”

Once again her inner walls were contracting around his finger. The thought of her already-tight
cunt constricting even further when he took her made his cock twitch with desire.

Still, he was a bit worried about hurting her with the girth of his hardened member considering the
vice-like grip her tight cunt had on his finger. They wouldn’t be fucking that night but they likely
would in the coming days, so he knew what he had to do.

“I’m going to give you another finger to welcome into your succulent little cunt,” he panted.

“Ah-ah another?” her dazed voice choked out.

“You’re still so tight, my love. We need to work on stretching you out a bit when we do this before
you’re ready for me to take you,” he explained. “You see, this is precisely where my cock will
make its home inside of you.”

“Ohh-h-h,” she whimpered.

“Are you ready to be a good girl for me and take this second finger?” Colin cooed.

She nodded and gave a moany hum in response.

“How does that feel, Pen?” he purred. “It’s not too much, is it?”

“F-feels-feels so-oh, ohh” she sobbed, “So goo-oo-ood.”

“Are you imagining it, Penelope?” He waited until her half-lidded eyes met his before he finished
his question. “Our bodies becoming one when I thrust all my love into you? Are you imagining the
way I’m pumping my fingers in and out of you is how my cock will feel doing the same?”
Her swollen puffy lips cushioned the heel of his palm as he increased the rhythm of his fingers
pumping in and out of her. His cock was throbbing, listening to her wet juices making the most
indelicate noises.

He knew she was getting closer and he was desperate to feel her fall apart with his fingers inside
her. Recalling how much she enjoyed having her little nub caressed, he used his thumb to rub
circles over it while his fingers continued filling her up.

“Ple-please,” she cried out as her back arched and started writhing.

“Please what, Pen?” he taunted seductively. “What do you need from me?”

“I don’t kno-oh-oh,” she sobbed. “S-s-something i-i-is hap-pen-ing.”

“Let it happen, darling,” Colin purred softly into her ear. “Give into the pleasure and find your
release. I’m right here, Pen. I’ll hold you through it and won’t ever let go.”

He attached his mouth to hers in hopes of muffling the sound of her fast approaching climax. And
sure enough, the moment their tongues met, her body began convulsing. Her moans turned into
whimpers as she rode out her orgasm and Colin thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.

When her breathing returned to normal long after the final shockwaves jerked her body, he
removed his hand from her swollen and tender cunt. Bringing it up to his mouth, he took one long
lick of her wetness on his ring finger and he was in heaven. Her taste was positively delectable.

“Fuck, you taste divine,” he praised, punctuating each syllable with a pop, as he hollowed his
cheeks around each finger to suck every drop of her nectar.

Pen blushing all the while only made him more determined.

“Next time, I’m going to make you do that with my tongue,” he purred, knowing exactly what kind
of effect it would have on her.

“Colin!” she cried out, bashfully hiding her face behind her hands. All he could do was chuckle and
pull her into his arms.

Eventually their lips found eachother once again and their bodies changed places, Colin now laying
on his back with Pen on top of him. Languid kissing gave way to passionate caressing. When her
hand found its way down his torso and lightly pawed at his stiff cock, he didn’t hesitate to kick his
breeches off for her.

“Go ahead, Pen,” he encouraged with a growing smirk. “It’s all yours.”

“I-I’m not sure what to do,” she confessed breathlessly.

“Do whatever feels natural, love,” he instructed. “Explore your curiosity.”

She hesitantly took his cock in hand and began studying it intently.

“It’s so soft,” she marvelled as she continued loosely running her hands up and down his shaft.
“Does this feel… nice?”
“Yes,” he lightly groaned. Did she not understand that she could do anything to him and it would
always feel like the most incredible sensation because it was her ?

“How do you please yourself to completion?” she asked curiously, keeping her eyes glued to his
cock. He loved the way her face so adorably scrunched in her determination to please him. “H-how
can I give you that?”

“I assure you anything you do will bring me more pleasure than I could possibly bring to myself.
But here,” Colin purred, lightly setting his hand on top of hers to show her how to work his shaft.
“Like this.”

She was such a quick learner, his Pen. She took to stroking him just the way he liked, as if she’d
done it a thousand times before.

“Good girl, just like that,” he praised, placing his hand atop hers once more to guide her little
thumb over his leaking head. “Take my spend and use it to get my cock wet so your hand glides
more easily.”

She swiped her digit over the tip once more before she returned to stroking his shaft. As she
worked his stiff cock, he closed his eyes and tried to imagine things that would hold his climax off
a little longer.

“Is this alright?” she asked after pulling the hood of his cockhead back and gathered more of his
essence to drag down the length of him.

“It’s perfect,” he croaked.

“And this?” she asked as one of her hands began to play with his bollocks. “Is it alright to touch
you here?”

“It’s… it’s…” Colin stammered, “S-so good. Love when you squee-ahh! Yes! S-f-f-f-fu-uh-uh-
uck!”

When he could no longer feel the hand that had been wrapped around his shaft, he opened his eyes
to find the most erotic sight he’d ever seen. Pen’s hand was buried in her cunt, where she looked to
be scooping up her wetness.

“Wha-what are you–oh fuck, Pen!” he gasped. “F-fucking Chri-s-st, you’re amazing!”

“It wasn’t staying wet enough to glide,” she reasoned with far too much innocence for someone
doing the naughty things she was. “And you said it will go in the hole where my wetness is, so I
thought using some might help.”

“That f-f-feels so… Don’t-don’t stop,” he panted. “Yess, fu–uh-uhh-uhh. F-faster, faster, Pe-Pen, I-
I’m going to… going to…”

He vaguely heard the telltale animalistic grunts of pleasure as his balls tightened and knew he was
not far off from cumming. And then the Earth stopped and his vision faded to black. Never before
had he felt such an explosion when he brought himself off but spilling himself in Pen’s hands was
otherworldly.
 “Penelope,” he said breathlessly when he regained consciousness. “I love you. So much. I want to
shout it from the rooftops for all of the world to hear.” Then he peppered her face with kisses as he
repeated, “I love you, I love you, I love you!”

His perfect Pen grinned like mad and professed, “I love you, too, Colin.”

After using the conveniently located water basin and a towel to clean each other off, they put their
clothes back on and righted the cushions. It did not take nearly as much convincing as he expected
it might have to get Pen to join him in his bed for the night. She seemed equally unwilling to part
with him. So they returned to where it all began for them that evening.

Later, as they were wrapped in eachothers arms, and Colin was about to drift off to sleep, Penelope
let out a small giggle. He couldn’t help but smile when he heard the sound. He’d never been
happier than he was with her in his arms like that.

“What is it, Pen?” he asked through a yawn.

“This all feels like a dream,” she gushed with that sweet smile she reserved just for him.

He kissed her forehead and purred, “This is better than any dream I’ve ever had.”

Chapter End Notes

🤍
Ahh. This fic keeps getting longer. I think the next couple of chapters will be satisfying but I
hope this one delivered a lil something something for y'all. Let me know what you think
 Buying Time, Part VII
Chapter Notes

Quick trigger warnings - the scene at Romney Hall has a bit of violence and there's a play on
words that may come across as ableist about halfway through that scene, as well.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Colin woke up with Pen — his Pen who’d agreed to be his wife the night before! — in his arms and
truly contemplated if he’d died and gone to heaven. He had her breast cupped in one hand, while
the other was holding her waist. His cock was exquisitely pressed up against her plump derriere.

But the sun had already risen above the horizon.

As much as he wished he could have slipped his fingers between her legs and brought her all the
pleasures she’d experienced the night before by playing with her perfect cunt while thrusting his
stiff member against her behind, fate had other plans.
He gently brushed the loose ringlets back and pressed his lips against her cheek, before
encouraging her to wake up with hushed whispers of affection. Her eyelids fluttered open and after
a momentary flash of bliss upon her beautiful face, the realisation of the time must have hit her.

She jumped out of bed, softly lamenting over how much she wished she’d woken up earlier and
how much she wanted to stay with him. He climbed out after her and wrapped her up in a tight
embrace before begrudgingly escorting her to the dressing room.

They were only able to share one loving kiss before she had to cross the makeshift door to
Daphne’s bedchamber. But memories from the night before allowed him to find his release in
record time when he’d returned to his bed. Twice .

Knowing her maid would be with her until she left for breakfast, he decided there was no sense in
remaining there. So after cleaning himself off, he dressed and made his way downstairs.

🕰️🕰️🕰️
“Colin!” Anthony bellowed the moment Colin stepped foot in the study. “Good of you to join us at
last.”

Benedict turned around with a grin Colin couldn’t quite decipher and chirped, “Good morning,
brother!”

“Oh, Colin, dearest! Come, come,” his mother cheerfully instructed, waving him over to the settee,
“Sit. We have much to discuss and very little time to do so.”

“Good morning, Mother,” he greeted as he took the seat beside her, then nodded to each of his
brothers, “Anthony, Benedict. What is it you wish to discuss?”

“For starters, you’ll be pleased to know that we secured Lord Featherington’s favour last night,”
Anthony boasted before taking a sip of his tea.

“How so?” Colin asked with genuine interest.

“Let me ask you this first,” Anthony began, “We all know you wish to marry Miss Penelope. Do
you know if she feels the same?”

“I am sure of it, yes,” he affirmed with a short nod. He tried to bite back the joyous grin on his face
when he recalled Pen accepting his proposal but of course, he was completely unsuccessful in
doing so.

“You have asked for her hand?” Anthony questioned, his tone a mix of doubt, intrigue and warning.

“When did you manage to do that?” Benedict followed up hastily with a devilish look in his eyes
and a crooked smile. He must have known or at least had his suspicions. But Colin knew Benedict
would not expose his secret, despite his incessant taunting.

He quickly attempted to concoct a plausible tale that would not jeopardise anything.
“I was able to share my feelings with her as we each retired to our bedchambers last night. We
briefly spoke before her maid came along and I’m happy to report that she very much returns my
affections. She deserves a proper grand proposal but of course that will not be possible until —” he
cut himself off with a deep sigh. There was no use in lamenting over the situation with Miss
Thompson. “Penelope and I love each other deeply. I am certain she wishes to marry just as
fervently as I do.”

“Oh that is wonderful news, dear!” cried his mother who was practically bounding in her
excitement beside him. “I believe I speak for everyone when I say that we are all overjoyed for you
both! We are thrilled to properly welcome her into the family.”

“Finally a Bridgerton in name rather than merely in spirit!” Benedict cheered.

“Congratulations, brother!” Anthony added.

“Thank you all,” he gushed with so much joy and pride. “Now, what is it you wished to discuss
regarding Lord Featherington.”

“Ah, yes,” Anthony set his cup down and began, “He is going to sign the paperwork requesting a
special licence for you and Penelope that is to be sent off to the Archbishop of Canterbury this
morning. Our solicitor has already secured confirmation that the marriage licence for you and Miss
Thompson has been removed from the Church’s records.”

“I am indeed very happy to hear that,” Colin grinned in confirmation.

He thought they’d have to wait weeks for a marriage licence after he was finally rid of Miss
Thompson. And if he were being honest, he was not at all sure that he would survive waiting so
very long.

“That is not all,” Benedict pointed out.

“No,” Anthony concurred, adding, “He is also departing tomorrow morning with the two older
Miss Featheringtons.”

Colin did not understand why that had anything to do with him or was meant to be something that
would make him happy. Lord Featherington and Pen’s sisters did not necessarily bother him. They
generally kept to themselves.

The only times he did have issues with them were the instances he’d caught them treating his wife
poorly. And whenever Prudence sang. But they had not had the opportunity to do either while
staying with his family. Pen was never left alone with them and everyone knew not to allow
Prudence near the pianoforte.

“Oh?” was all he could say in response.

“Yes, we thought that the opportunity with the Finch fellow was too good to ignore. We will be
funding Miss Featherington’s dowry and will not be accepting one for Miss Penelope,” his eldest
brother explained. “Provided that Lord Featherington stay out of our way regarding the situation
with Miss Thompson and do whatever is required of him to support your marriage to Miss
Penelope.”

“Thus, the paperwork,” Benedict quipped.

“Yes and Lady Featherington will not be made aware about any of this until we have everything in
order to free you from Miss Thompson for good,” his mother further explained.

“Which will hopefully be the outcome of our trip back to Romney Hall,” Anthony said
conclusively as he began to rise from his seat. “We will be departing immediately after eating. Do
make sure you’re ready.”

“Ah, Anthony?” his mother blurted out, causing his eldest brother to halt his movements. “Are you
forgetting something?”

“The second matter Colin needs to be made aware of before the others come down for breakfast…”
Benedict pointed out. “The one we were just discussing before he walked in.”

“Oh yes, right,” Anthony acquiesced. “I will defer to your retelling, Mother.”

“Good. Colin,” his mother began after turning to face him, “Humboldt and Mrs. Wilson shared
some rather disturbing news with me last night, then Francesca confirmed it this morning. After we
had all retired for bed —”

“— well, not all of us went straight to bed…” Benedict interjected with a smirk in Colin’s
direction.

“After everyone besides your brothers retired last night,” their mother corrected, thankfully not
picking up on the insinuation in Benedict’s pointed look. “Mrs. Wilson happened upon a peculiar
and alarming scene in the corridor outside of Daphne’s bedchamber. It seemed that Miss Thompson
had paid a friendly visit to Penelope, or so she said. Mrs. Wilson had her doubts, as did I, and
Francesca confirmed them. Miss Thompson was tearing into Penelope by the time Eloise and
Francesca arrived to send her back to the guest wing.”

“I know. I heard it all,” he revealed. “It was vile and cruel and utterly repulsive.”

“You heard it?” Anthony asked suspiciously.

“I – yes,” Colin replied, clearing his throat before stringing together a few half-truths again. “She
knocked on my door first, you see. Incessantly, I might add. Then after I thought it had finally
stopped, I heard it again… only it was fainter. I soon realised she was at Daph–Pen’s door so I
pressed my ear against my own to hear what was being discussed. It took everything in me not to
make my presence known and send Marina away.”

“You were right not to,” Anthony said approvingly.

“Yes. If anyone were to see Miss Thompson in that corridor with you… even if you were simply
attempting to protect Penelope,” his mother added. “She could have used it to seal your fate and
you’d be shackled to her for good.”

“I know. Trust me, I know,” he sighed for dramatic effect. “Still it was rather difficult to listen to.
Pen held her own, of course—”

All at once, each of his brothers and his mother attempted to complete his sentence.

“—She’s much stronger than most believe,” his mother offered.

“—Lady Whistledown needn’t any protection,” Benedict ribbed.

“—That I have no doubt about,” Anthony murmured.

“She is quite remarkable,” he concluded effusively. “Has anyone spoken with her this morning?
How is she faring after everything that transpired?”

“I believe she is well. Francesca said Penelope was in better spirits than expected when she and
Eloise arrived at the scene,” his mother explained. “It seems she was too exhausted for it to have
any effect on her at the time.”

“Ahh,” Colin hummed, cringing at the memory of Marina’s harsh words but it was safer to focus on
that than to think about how unaffected Pen was in his arms just moments after the door closed.

“I do hope she was able to get some rest,” Benedict said with feigned concern.

“As do I,” Colin nodded in agreement, as if he hadn’t known exactly how much rest she got. “Do
you know if she will be attending breakfast?”

“I believe she will,” his mother hesitantly confirmed. “Though it is best to continue to keep your
distance, Colin. If Lady Featherington or Miss Thompson ever picked up on…”

“Yes, yes, I understand,” he petulantly whined, waving off his mother’s concern.

“I am sure our sisters can help lift her spirits, if need be,” Anthony offered dismissively.

“And our trip to the modiste will surely brighten her day!’ his mother chirped.

Colin smiled back at her, recalling that she’d be helping him procure a few dresses for Pen that day.
He then nodded and murmured, “I hope so.”

“I know so,” she replied reassuringly. “Now, the others should be arriving shortly for breakfast so
we must get back to the issue at hand. I will speak with Lady Featherington about Miss Thompson
disobeying the rules as a first step. She will likely feign ignorance of course but it should help her
understand that we have eyes and ears everywhere; their scheming will not be tolerated under this
roof and they’d best tread lightly.”

“That is a good start, Mother,” Anthony allowed, “But hardly enough to keep Miss Thompson from
attempting to find Colin’s bedchamber again this evening, I should think. And I do not wish to deal
with this again tomorrow morning.”

“Nor do I,” his mother said with a bit of irritation in her tone. “What is it that you are suggesting?”

“We must consider more preventative measures,” Anthony exclaimed as he sprang to his feet and
began pacing. “Such as directing the night staff to guard the corridor, placing Gregory in your
bedchamber for the night so you are not left alone at any point, or perhaps even having you stay in
one of your sisters’ rooms. I’d imagine Penelope may wish for Eloise or Francesca to keep her
company through the night for the same reason.”

“Those feel a bit extreme, no? I believe that Mother should speak with Lady Featherington this
morning and Colin should speak with Miss Thompson,” Benedict boldly stated, reasoning, “Even a
lovestruck puppy would be frustrated with their fiancée disregarding their family’s request at such a
time.”

“You make an excellent point,” his mother remarked.

Benedict turned to Anthony and further explained, “If Colin can make it apparent to her how much
he disapproves of her behaviour, it could save us from resorting to the courses of action you
proposed. I will even offer my services as chaperone!”

“Right…” Anthony drawled as he considered what their brother had just laid out. “I suppose it’s
worth a shot.”

“What do you think, Colin?” his mother prodded in encouragement.

“I believe Benedict has the right of it,” he said without hesitation. Why would he ever turn down
the opportunity to chastise Marina for spewing hateful words at Penelope? “I will gladly speak with
Miss Thompson.”

After confirming they were all in agreement, his mother left the study to go await Lady
Featherington in the drawing room and Colin followed Benedict to the formal sitting room.
Anthony remained in the study, no doubt glad to have a few minutes to himself.

“So…” Benedict drawled with a devilish grin, nudging Colin’s shoulder with his own as they
crossed the threshold into the sitting room. They remained by the door so they would be able to pull
Marina aside on her way to breakfast.

He had momentarily forgotten about his brother’s presumptuous facial expressions in the study.
Benedict knew something happened with Pen and he would not let it go until Colin confirmed his
assumptions. He’d have to tell him eventually but he thought it best to keep it as vague as possible..

“I will not go into detail here, given how easy it would be for anyone to walk in or simply overhear
in passing,” he began to respond in a hushed voice.

“But…” his maddening brother encouraged in a sing-song manner.

“I will simply offer confirmation of your suspicions,” he stated, wanting to end the conversation as
hastily as possible.

“Brother!” Benedict cheered as he opened his arms wide to embrace him. “Good for you!”

“Most of them, at least,” he added on second thought, untangling himself from his brother’s arms.
He did not wish for his brother to think that he ruined Penelope. “I cannot confirm everything you
are likely assuming.”

“Ah,” Benedict nodded. “Nevertheless, you have my most sincere felicitations.”

“Thank you,” Colin responded. “And I appreciate you keeping this between us.”

Just then they heard the unmistakable voice of Lady Featherington from the far end of the corridor.
When they were close enough to speak with, he stepped out from the doorway and cleared his
throat, garnering the attention of all four ladies at once.

“Lady Featherington, Miss Thompson, Miss Featherington, Miss Featherington,” he greeted with a
false smile. “I trust you all had a good night’s rest in the guest quarters.”

“Oh yes, of course!” Lady Featherington replied hastily. “We are so grateful for such delightful
accommodations. Why we were just now speaking of how lovely the views of the grounds are from
each of the rooms on our way down.”
“No we weren’t,” Prudence said with a look of utter confusion. As Lady Featherington’s hand went
to swat her, Marina attempted to redirect his attention.

“Good morning, Colin,” she drawlled with a saccharine smile.

“Miss Thompson, might I have a word?” he requested sternly, rather than continue their strange
dance and prolong the conversation he could not wait to have. “My brother will remain here as
chaperone, do not worry.”

Her smile dropped when he said those words.

Lady Featherington’s smile simply tightened before she patted Marina on the shoulder with a small
nod of encouragement and then continued toward the informal dining room with her two eldest
daughters.

His fiancée then followed him into the sitting room as he moved to the corner of the room furthest
away from Benedict. She began to speak just as they were coming to a halt.

“How nice that you were able to secure us a private —”

“—Good morning?” he spat as he turned to face her. “Has it been a good morning for you? Because
it sure as hell has not been for me.”

“Wha—I do not know. Yes? I suppose,” she sputtered with wide eyes before shaking her head and
looking upon him anew to bluntly ask, “What is troubling you now?”

“What is troubling me? Marina, did you not sneak into the family wing and attempt to find my
bedchamber last night?” he scolded. “What in God's name were you thinking?”

“Of course,” she exhaled with an acrid huff. “I knew the three of them would say something.”

“The three of them?” he prodded, knowing all too well who she was referring to. “You had help?”

“No,” she admitted freely. “I spoke with Penelope and your sisters - Eloise and Francine - in the
corridor. They said they would not tell anyone I had been there but obviously they were lying.”

FranCINE?

It would have been a downright hysterical blunder if Colin were not so appalled by her
heedlessness.

“Pray tell, do you mean my sister Francesca ?” he gibed.

“Francesca,” she repeated as she slowly nodded.

“Jesus Christ, Marina! Can you at least try to pretend you hold a morsel of respect and care for my
family?” he bellowed. “Eloise, Fran cesca , and Pen were not lying. It was multiple members of the
staff who went to my mother after having allegedly escorted you back to your quarters."

She had the good sense to hold her tongue though there was no hint of contrition to be found on her
face.
“And by the way,” he said with a delicate inflection in his tone to soften the request he was about to
make. “We don’t keep secrets from one another in this family, so please do not ask for such things
from my sisters again.”

“Sure,” Marina scornfully murmured.

“It would be nice if you took this the least bit serious,” Colin grunted. “My mother is perturbed and
dismayed by the way you so blatantly ignored her simple request to stay out of the family wing.
And Anthony is unnerved over what to do about it this evening.”

She arched her eyebrows with a smug look of judgemental disbelief.

“They’re speaking of having me stay with Gregory,” he groused. “Or forcing me to swap rooms
with one of my sisters. Neither of which are appealing options in any way, shape, or form.
Especially not when I had no part in your bungled scheme!”

“My scheme?” Marina scoffed.

“Yes,” he all but growled back, “Your scheme.”

“Colin, I only wished to see you,” she explained, feigning innocence and sweetness. “To merely
speak with you. We have had so little time together since we became engaged.

“I understand,” he reluctantly offered. “But you must know that it was highly improper. Not only
due to the time of night and the fact that unwed ladies and gentlemen should not be spending
unchaperoned time with one another, but it also went against the single directive you were given
when you arrived.”

“You’re right,” she acquiesced. “I shall offer my apologies to your mother and the Viscount when I
see them.”

“Good,” Colin nodded. “That is all I wish to discuss with you this morning. You’ll have to forgive
me for being too frustrated with all of this to consider other topics of conversation. Let us join the
others at once.”

🕰️🕰️🕰️
Breakfast was a rather uncomfortable affair. Thankfully, he was spared from having to sit by
Marina, as even the besotted fiancé he was pretending to be could not keep from being angry with
her. Still, the stress and tension radiating from the Featherington side of the table was enough to
dispel any crumb of joy, decidedly souring everyone’s meal.

Penelope’s captivating beauty served as a brief respite from the underlying tensions, offering him
momentary escapes from the suffocating ambiance that surrounded the breakfast table. Although he
was forced to sit away from her, the mere sight of Pen was enough to bring a sense of warmth and
comfort to Colin. He couldn't help but steal glances at her throughout the meal, his heart fluttering
with a mix of desire and longing.
However, the joy of admiring Pen from afar was tinged with bittersweetness. Colin couldn't ignore
the fact that they were soon to be parted for hours and he would be denied the ability to protect her
from her awful family while he was away. He loathed the position they were in and kept returning
to resentful thoughts when his mind drifted throughout the meal.

Still, it was not entirely bad, as he did manage to speak to her before he departed for Romney Hall
with his brothers. Under the guise of retrieving a utensil he’d accidentally dropped by her, he was
able to tell her through a hasty whisper that he had good news to share when they could find a
moment together.

He hoped she’d be equally thrilled about the arrangements Anthony and Benedict made with her
father the night before. While he trusted that she loved him and did wish to marry him, he did not
want her to feel rushed into anything. So he wouldn’t spring that kind of information on her while
they were surrounded by their families and unable to properly discuss things.

Alas, it was another item on the list of very important topics they needed to speak about when he
returned. And the sooner he left with his brothers, the sooner they’d be able to return. So with that,
he hastened his departure along by finishing what was left in his cup and placing a few biscuits in a
napkin for the road.

🕰️🕰️🕰️
“Lord Bridgerton, Mister Bridgerton, Mister Bridgerton,” the butler greeted with a short bow as
they shuffled inside. “Welcome back to Romney Hall. Please follow me to the sitting room and I
shall inform —”

“Thank you, Gunning,” presumably one of the Crane’s called out from a ways down the corridor.
“But there will be no need for that.”

As the two figures moved closer, Colin was simultaneously relieved, horrified, sorrowful, and
slightly aghast.

He was incredibly relieved that he was one step closer to being rid of his godforsaken engagement.
There was not a chance Anthony would leave the property without securing a contract or coming to
a verbal agreement with the Crane brothers about Marina and her child.

At the same time, he was horrified and filled with sorrow to see one of the men hobbling on
crutches with just one leg. Her soldier must have lost his leg on the battlefield. The man’s incensed
expression and determined strides, albeit cloddish strides given the crutches and one-leggedness,
was slightly alarming.

Colin was not at all sure he wished to find out why the man was so upset. Or rather, he was not sure
he wanted his speculation regarding the cause for the man’s demeanour confirmed.

“WHICH ONE OF YOU FUCKING SHITSACKS IS COLIN BRIDGERTON?” an irate voice

bellowed out from the disabled man.

Colin considered his assumptions confirmed.

“By God, George!” the more sensible Crane admonished. “You must calm down and lower your
voice.”

“CALM DOWN?” the other barked, “THAT MAN HAS FORCED MY MARINA INTO A
MARRIAGE.”

“—We do not know the circumstances of their engagement,” the man’s brother countered.

“—Oh now that is rich,” Colin scoffed. “I most certainly did not.”

If only the man knew what a ridiculous claim that was to charge him with. He could not wait for
the truth of it all to come out!

Benedict’s elbow jabbed him from the left, as he hissed a warning between his teeth, “—Colin!”

At the same time, Anthony’s voice was reprimanding him from somewhere off to the right of him.
“—You fool! When will you learn to bite your tongue instead of uttering the very worst thing
possible at the most inopportune times?”

He would have turned to face his brother so he could argue against such a baseless accusation, but
he was too fearful of taking his eyes off of the crazed amputee barrelling toward him.

“YOU!” the man roared with explosive hostility, his tempestuous eyes firmly set on Colin.

As he grew closer, his movements became less frenzied and more determined. His brother
attempted to keep up with him, harshly whispering pleas to slow down, to calm down, to be
reasonable; but it seemed he could not be stopped. His warpath ended where Colin stood and he
was hell-bent on making his acquaintance apparently.

When the Crane men were within a few feet at last, the soldier stopped abruptly, causing his brother
to stumble toward their butler. He then lifted one of his crutches and before Colin could think of
anything to say that might ease the tension, the bottom of the crutch was swinging by his head.
Luckily, the soldier’s unsteadiness made it rather easy to evade the weaponized wooden stick.

His forearms took a beating as he swatted away each attempt by Marina’s unhinged lover before
the man got close enough that he began striking him with his fists instead of the crutch. He couldn’t
very well hit an injured man back, much less an amputee just returning from fighting abroad for
their Queen and country, so he took the punches.

The worst part wasn’t even the incessant attacks, it was the imbecilic things spewing out of the
man’s mouth. If he only took a moment to speak like civilised men, he would know how foolish he
sounded. Instead Colin held his tongue and kept his retorts to himself as he allowed the soldier’s
tantrum to continue in hopes of it losing steam and fading out more hastily.

“YOU CANNOT HAVE HER!”

I do not want her.

“MARINA LOVES ME, NOT YOU!”

Great!
“SHE WOULD NEVER WANT TO MARRY YOU!”

Beg to differ.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER, YOU BLOODY MAYFAIR RAKE!”

Quite literally nothing.

“YOU SEDUCED HER, DIDN’T YOU? YOU RIGHT FUCK!”

The opposite, in fact. Only it didn’t work out.

Truly, that last one almost broke Colin’s composure, it was so laughable. Her soldier had no leg to
stand on when it came to being spiteful about someone seducing Marina. He was the one who got
her pregnant before he left for battle, beginning the string of unfortunate events that got them into
the entrapment mess in the first place!

And then there was the irony of Marina having been the one to attempt to seduce Colin. He hadn’t
so much as kissed her back and now, after having kissed the love of his life, he could not even
imagine how unsatisfying and lacking it would have been in comparison with her cousin. The
thought almost made him sick.

It was surprising that he did not make mention of the child. Had the letter holding such information
not reached him? Perhaps it had been too late by the time it arrived. It was entirely plausible that he
had been incapacitated at the time. He was likely recovering from the amputation for quite some
time before he was well enough to return to England’s shores.

Alternatively, Colin supposed the man would not have wanted to share the news with anyone,
besides his brother maybe , that Marina was carrying his child if he did know. And why would he?
It was a stain on his honour and would ruin the woman he loved in the eyes of society; though
Colin assumed that he, like Marina, truly did not care a whit for such things. Still and all, it was
best to keep mum.

After the soldier seemed satisfied with the number of blows to Colin’s stomach, he lunged at him,
almost taking them both down in the process. Thankfully, before the man could continue his
assault, someone managed to pull him off of Colin.

When he regained his senses and took in his surroundings, he was rather surprised to find Anthony
had been the one to assist Colin in his tussle with the soldier, the other Crane being pinned against
the wall by none other than Benedict.

Unbeknownst to him at the time, but later retold in the carriage ride back to Aubrey Hall, his
brothers tried to intervene almost immediately. But as they attempted to stop George, his brother,
Phillip, stepped in. Which is when they began brawling with him until finally, Benedict restrained
him with a tight grip around his throat, freeing Anthony to stop the soldier.

Two footmen came to Anthony’s aid and took hold of Marina’s lover, one of them saying
something about the doctor being on his way. The incensed soldier was practically foaming at the
mouth as he grunted and growled whilst trying to break free from his footmen.
Though reasonably sized and at least a head taller than the man each, they seemed to be expending
considerable efforts to contain the threat of the soldier. To their credit, he only managed to lurch
forward a step or so, which should have been comforting for Colin, but the crazed look in his eyes
remained rather alarming. Physical strength could only go so far against raw emotion.

And sure enough, the moment he began moving toward his brothers, the injured soldier escaped the
hold of his footmen. But as he started to charge toward Colin, one of them caught hold of his crutch
instead of his arm, causing the man to fall back on his arse. Colin, his brothers, and the soldier’s
brother could only move out of the way and continue to watch in abject horror.

The screams he let out from the ground were unlike anything Colin had ever witnessed before. The
man was writhing in agony as his hands clutched the remaining portion of his thigh. The footmen
tried to be of assistance but the horror and helplessness on their faces showed just how little
experience they had with the soldier’s new reality.

A woman’s voice yelled from a distance that she had the laudanum and the butler practically took
off running to take it from her. He returned just as hastily and began fumbling with the vial on a
nearby table where a maid had brought him a glass of water. Then, before Colin knew it, the staff
had the soldier sedated and moved into the drawing room to await the doctor.

For several agonising minutes, it seemed that no one knew what to say or do in the aftermath; the
stillness that took over the foyer was chilling. But in a pleasantly surprising turn of events, the
soldier’s younger brother generously offered that they stay for a midday meal after the tussle. Colin
was quick to accept of course, he was never not in the mood for food , and having just served as a
punching bag for Marina’s lover, he was feeling more peckish than usual.

Phillip Crane proved to be a most amiable fellow during the much needed repast they shared. He
extended apologies for his brother’s violent outburst and attempted to explain what led to it without
excusing the behaviour. Though he very much appreciated the gesture, Colin was more interested
in finding a resolution to the larger issue at play.

He would much rather discuss ridding himself and his family of any obligations to Marina than
dwell on her lover’s actions. He truly felt no malice toward the man, nor did harbour any
resentment. He could even appreciate where the man was coming from to an extent.

There were a handful of moments that the privileges his life afforded him were made so painfully
obvious, and every instance forced him to reflect with deep gratitude. The entire ordeal with the
soldier certainly had that effect.

Colin had never truly considered a life in the military. It was a noble and brave pursuit by all means
but a dangerous and unpredictable one. He was quite fortunate to have been born in a family of
such means and power that a career fraught with such risk to one’s life was a foreign concept to
him.

Still, Colin could not truly fathom ever leaving Penelope behind after taking her; nor leaving her
behind at all, regardless of having made love yet or not. Her honour and protection were of the
utmost importance and he’d never leave her ruined and exposed to potential harm.

If they had consummated their love, the desperation to marry her and make her his officially
would’ve increased tenfold. Especially if he hadn’t taken measures to prevent his seed from
flooding her womb, – which Colin knew would be a painstakingly difficult task with Penelope
because he was sure that once he sunk into her, he’d never want to let go – he’d be particularly
concerned about the possibility of her becoming with child.

Leaving then would have been so deeply agonising, he could hardly bear the thought. How could
he have ensured her safety and well-being, let alone that of their child?

Not to mention the fears Penelope shared with him the evening before – telling him that she did not
wish to be pregnant or give birth to their child while he was travelling – made the emotional aspect
of the hypothetical scenario all the more concerning. Putting the woman he loved in that position
was unthinkable.

At any rate, despite not being able to relate to Marina’s soldier, nor endorse many of the decisions
he made, Colin could still understand how jarring it all must have been for the man. In a relatively
short period of time, he’d been through quite a lot – leaving the woman he evidently loved to go to
war, then losing a limb in battle, only to return home to find the woman engaged to another.

So he let his mind drift off to wondering if Pen had gone to the village modiste yet while the
soldier’s brother prattled on with his unnecessary apologies and excuses. He could not fault Phillip,
really; if he were in the same position, he would be conducting himself in the very same manner.

With half of his attention still on the man, Colin listened to him detailing how he made weekly trips
to Dover after he stopped receiving letters from his brother. How he would wait at the docks, where
ships carrying injured soldiers arrived every Wednesday morning, hoping to find his brother among
the men. How he’d almost given up hope several times. How he finally found his brother among
the soldiers disembarking the ship that arrived two days prior. How George demanded that they go
to London immediately upon reuniting.

According to Phillip, George had been exchanging letters with Marina and the one he received just
before his last battle had all but driven him mad during his recovery. He was more than simply
eager to get back to her; he was hell bent on it. Colin assumed that was the letter containing the
news of her pregnancy but he could not gauge how much Phillip had been privy to.

He continued recounting how they had travelled all day, only to reach London well into the night.
They stayed at an inn just outside of Mayfair and just after sunup, they made their way to the
Featherington’s in search of Marina. The staff informed them that she had been taken to the country
in celebration of her engagement.

Apparently it took a bit of coin to finally bribe someone into telling them the name of her fiancé.
Which of course explained why the volatile soldier was set off upon hearing Gunning greeting
them barely an hour after arriving back from London. As he’d already concluded, Colin may not
have agreed with the soldier’s every decision but he recognised how difficult it all must have been
for him.

While his eldest brother’s first thought after Phillip concluded his explanation was to determine just
how much he knew of Marina’s situation, given that he asked what was in the letter, Colin’s mind
went back to the part about their interaction with the Featherington’s staff.

He was not at all comfortable that someone working for Pen’s family could be bribed so easily.
Though he quickly recalled that he’d be removing her from that house once they married and
returned his attention to the conversation at hand.
After they all danced around it for several minutes, Colin finally cut through and told Phillip that he
knew Marina and George were lovers. He knew about the letters and more importantly, he knew
what was in the letters . He’d found out just days prior and was determined to find George so he
could be freed from his engagement to her, unbeknownst to her for the time being.

Phillip listened with an expression of shock as he seemed to slowly recognise the implications of
what Colin was saying. That he knew George ruined Marina before he left. That he knew Marina
was with child. That Marina was conducting a scheme to trap Colin into a marriage.

Anthony and Benedict chimed in to explain why they decided that it would be wiser to conduct
their investigation away from the prying eyes of the ton and what they were hoping to accomplish
by finding George and his family. Phillip understood completely and was in full support of their
plans.

The only request he had was that he be the one to bring the news to his brother before agreeing to
anything on his behalf. He was an honourable gentleman through and through; Colin even
suspected that had they met under different circumstances, they’d have been good friends.

When they finished their meal, Anthony called for their carriage to be prepared to take them back
to Aubrey Hall. With the soldier still heavily suffering from the effects of the laudanum, there was
no sense in waiting around for his brother to speak with him. Though there was no guarantee what
the future held, they left Romney Hall feeling far more optimistic than they had the day prior.

🕰️🕰️🕰️
The moment he walked through the doors, he asked Humboldt where he might find his sisters, as
he knew that would lead him to Penelope. He could not wait to share the news of their marriage
licence and what all occurred at Romney Hall with her. Among other things he’d like to do with
her.

“Lady Bridgerton and Lady Featherington took the young ladies to the village modiste and are not
expected to return for another hour,” he was informed.

“Ah,” Colin hummed. “And what of Lord Featherington?”

He thought he might wish to speak with the man about the contracts Anthony and Benedict secured
the night before. He supposed it was too late to ask for his blessing to marry Pen, since they were
well beyond that. But he thought he should at least reassure the man that he loved her and would
treat her well.

“He has been playing card games with your brother in the drawing room for hours,” Humboldt
replied.

Strange. Colin supposed being the only two remaining, Lord Featherington and Gregory had no
choice but to engage with one another.

“First, Lord Featherington taught him how to play Piquet, but your brother took to it quickly, so
they moved on and began playing Macao,” the butler continued. “I daresay the Lord may owe him
a handsome sum by the time they call it quits.”

God, Pen’s father truly did have an awful gambling habit.

“Right, thank you, Humboldt,” Colin nodded. “Could you please have a bath drawn for me and
send my valet to prepare something for me to wear this afternoon?”

He knew he would have to assess his injuries and change out of his crumpled clothing eventually,
so he thought it would be wise to make the most of his time by doing just that. He was almost
grateful he’d arrived back before Pen, if only for the opportunity to fix up his appearance before
seeing her. She looked so lovely in her yellow frock that morning; he did not wish to disappoint her
with his lacking attire in comparison.

So he bound the stairs to his bedchamber, removed his clothing, and stepped into the copper tub
that awaited him with soothing hot water. After allowing himself to simply soak for a spell, he
began to properly wash himself and assess his injuries at last.

While his arms and abdomen were thoroughly bruised, that seemed to be the only evidence of his
scuffle. It was somewhat of a miracle his bullocks and face remained unharmed. Likely due to the
soldier’s shorter stature , he thought. George must have been Marina’s height, perhaps an inch or
two taller at most.

As his valet assisted him into the fresh set of clothing he’d prepared, Colin requested that he keep a
watchful eye on their guests for the remainder of their visit and to remain closeby if he witnessed
Miss Thompson approaching him. He’d almost added that he wished for Dunwoody to do the same
if she were approaching Penelope on her own but he did not wish to arouse any suspicions. Despite
trusting Dunwoody implicitly, he knew his mother and Anthony would have his head if he let
anything slip.

🕰️🕰️🕰️
By the time he’d finished, Colin was certain the ladies would have returned from the modiste. He
departed his bedchamber and happily made his way to the grand staircase. His merriment faltered
as he passed Lady Featherington in his descent with Prudence and Philippa in tow.

He was both delighted by the confirmation that the ladies had returned from the modiste and
displeased that once again, it seemed Lady Featherington was only concerned with her older two
daughters. He smiled in their direction but gave no further greeting because he could not find it in
himself to put forth any additional effort for people who so blatantly disregarded the woman he
loved so dearly.

When he entered the drawing room at last, he found his mother, Francesca, and Hyacinth, but no
Penelope. They each shared their accounts of the day, assuring him that everyone had a great time
at the modiste. While that was nice to hear, he really only cared about finding Pen at that moment.
He’d rather she tell him that she had enjoyed her visit than listen to his family’s assessment.

They eventually told him Pen and Eloise had just left before his arrival, intent on ‘enjoying what
was left of daylight by reading on the lawn.’ He quickly made his excuses and headed to the
garden. He knew El was particularly fond of the sunchairs that sat between the flowerbeds of his
mother’s garden and the area they used for pall mall.

On his way over, he heard giggles behind him; specifically, his youngest sister’s giggles. Their
mother must have sent her after him to ensure nothing untoward happened with Pen. Another small
complication to his plans, for sure, but he would not be deterred. Determined to find Penelope, he
persevered in his search.

When he found Eloise, however, she was accompanied by Benedict. Again, no Pen in sight. He
didn’t bother greeting them or pretending that he was interested in what they were doing. He
simply inquired if they knew of Penelope’s whereabouts without preamble and hoped they’d refrain
from asking questions. Eloise informed him that she had decided not to join her in the sun when
they left the drawing room, indicating that she intended to visit the library instead.

As he set off for the library, he was reminded of his sister’s presence behind him with her muffled
giggles every few paces. He began thinking through all the ways in which he might possibly shake
Hyacinth once he got Pen to himself, just before he heard her angelic voice at last. To his horror,
she was with the very last person he wished to be near her.

“Oh! Thank God I’ve finally found you,” he proclaimed loudly from the landing half-way up the
staircase. “I have been looking all over!”

Marina preened in the same sickening manner Cressida Cowper did whenever some poor chap was
forced to dance with her. Evidently, she thought was referring to her, which he supposed was a
good thing because it meant their plan was still working to a degree.

But seeing his Pen folding into herself a bit in comparison was worrisome. Had Marina said
something awful again? Had her cousin’s words gotten into Penelope’s head? Did she no longer
trust in his love for her? Their love for one another? The mere thought was worse than any blow
Marina’s deranged soldier dealt him earlier. Why had Pen been left alone with Marina in the first
place?

Colin’s breathing became shallow in his anxiety and he fought to keep his composure. It pained
him greatly to see her in such a state. He longed to take her hand and whisk her off to his
bedchamber so he could reassure her of the love they shared. But that would surely alert Marina to
the truth of the matter, which could jeopardise everything.

He could not risk his future with Penelope; it was the most precious thing he’d ever held. To have it
within reach and then have it ripped away from them would be devastating. How could he live with
himself if he ever lost her due to his own lack of restraint? If his impatience gave way to Marina
unravelling their plans, he would be beside himself.

Still, seeing such resignation on his future wife’s face might kill him all the same. He did not
believe he had it in himself to allow it to go on any further. He would have to settle for making
excuses with Marina immediately – to hell with keeping up the ruse – to get Pen alone so he could
rid her of whatever poison her cousin sowed in her thoughts.

When he finally reached them, they all dipped into small bows. Pen’s body was so close to his at
last. All he wished to do was scoop her up in his arms and never let go of her again, but he used
everything in him to refrain from doing so. And the moment he caught her eyes, he was rewarded
for it. As she was righting her posture, she sent him a secret smile with a cheeky little wink. Just
like that, his world brightened again in the dazzling glow of her love.
He still planned to get her alone as soon as humanly possible, though.

“I trust you both have been well,” he asked. “Francesca and Hyacinth told me you’ve had a lovely
day while I’ve been out.”

“Yes, it has been splendid, indeed,” Marina replied in that saccharine voice that made him cringe
now. “Though your absence was sorely felt. I am so glad you’re back.”

“Mmm” he hummed with a polite nod. “Pen, did you have a nice time at the modiste?” he needled,
not even bothering to hide his knowing smirk.

“Uhh ye–yes,” his Pen startled. “I always enjoy my visits to the village when I spend time here. I
believe everyone rather enjoyed themselves. Apart from Eloise, of course.” Colin couldn't keep
from chuckling a bit at that. “And you? How wa—”

“—How was your day assessing houses for you and I to raise our family in?” Marina rudely
interjected, cutting off his darling Pen.

“It was fine,” he stated tersely with a tight smile. “Nothing to report back but these things take
time.”

“Oh,” Marina exhaled before her jaw tensed in agitation.

“Apologies Marina, I have to steal your cousin for a bit,” he said with a feigned apologetic tone of
course. “I dug out some books in the library I’ve been wanting her opinion on and there is only so
much time before we all must ready ourselves for dinner.”

“You’re right,” Marina agreed, much to his surprise. “There is not much time left in the afternoon
before we’re expected back with our families for dinner. Do you not want to take advantage of the
opportunity we have? You could show me those books you pulled out in the library.”

“You know, I’m not sure we’ve ever spoken about literature before,” he considered, pondering
aloud, “I cannot imagine you enjoy reading as much as Pen does, since the topic has never once
come up. Do you read?” In his peripheral vision, he noticed Pen’s eye’s growing wide and he
realised his blunder. “Much!” he added enthusiastically. “ Do you read much? I meant to say.”

“I do,” Marina smirked. “Why don’t you take me to the library so I can show you just how much I
enjoy reading?”

“I’m afraid that will not be possible. The library is in the family wing and bringing you there is
categorically out of the question,” Colin said matter-of-factly. “ Especially after the stunt you
pulled last night.”

Pen inhaled the most adorable little gasp that left her plump lips in an enticingly perfect O . He
desperately yearned to roll his tongue into a stiffened dagger and plunge it right into that delicious
mouth of hers. And he would. As soon as he got rid of their awful company.

“Besides, are you not meant to be learning how to prepare to host a country visit and ball from my
mother this afternoon?” he added for good measure.

His poor Pen began coughing, likely from attempting to choke down a reaction, while a scowl
hardened on her cousin’s face.
“Penelope, you may go now,” Marina commanded with unearned authority. “Your presence is
neither required nor appreciated. Colin and I have mature matters to discuss that would not be
suited to your callow ears.”

“I beg your pardon!?” he exploded. “How could you ever say such a thing?”

“The truth?” Marina challenged.

God, he could not stand her.

He did not wish to dignify her petty words with a response, so he instead turned to fully face the
woman he loved more than anything, boxing her cousin out almost entirely. He then placed his
hands on her delicate shoulders and let them fall along her arms until he felt all of his troubles from
the day evaporating when he finally touched her bare skin.

“Pen, your presence is always most appreciated. And while I shall not keep you here against your
will,” he softly proclaimed. “It should go without saying that I very much wished to speak with you
and enjoy your company this afternoon, given that I’ve been up and down every godforsaken
corridor of this place in search of you for the better part of the last hour.”

“Colin, you and I have not had a moment to ourselves since the night of our engagement dinner,”
Marina reasoned. “We have important things to discuss and Penelope —”

“—is an adult and will remain if she so pleases,” he interjected angrily, turning only his head
toward her but otherwise kept rooted where he was, still gently holding Pen’s dainty little arms.

“—is only attempting to meddle once again,” she concluded.

“The level of your impertinence is truly staggering,” Colin admonished with a deep scowl.

“I believe it might be best that I find my way to the library,” Pen murmured uncomfortably. “If that
is alright.”

“That is perfectly fine, Pen. I will meet you there as soon as I am able to,” he gently promised. He
loathed to let her go but he did not wish for her to be in Marina’s company a moment longer than
she needed to. Recalling his giggling shadow, he called out behind him to his sister, “Hyacinth?
You may come out from wherever you are hiding.”

“Hello brother!” his youngest sister brightly chirped with a broad grin as she strolled toward them.

“Sister,” he drawled. “Would you please escort Miss Featherington to the library?”

“But…but… I was told to stick to you like glue so you are not left alone with… any guests,” his
sister sputtered, crying, “Like glueeeee, Colin!”

“Do not worry, Hyacinth,” he said in the softest, most brotherly tone he could muster. “My valet is
just down there, you see. Nothing untoward will happen and whoever told you to stick to me like
glue shall never find out that you did not.”

When she still did not comply with his request, he was forced to use the only thing he knew she
could not ignore. “10 pounds,” he offered as he rolled his eyes in exasperation.

“20,” his sister bargained. “And I’d like a new ribbon.”

“Fine,” he acquiesced, offering his hand to shake on their deal.

Hyacinth shook his hand with all the delight of the extortionate-younger-sibling-conning-money-
out-of-their-helpless-older-brother that she was, before turning to take Pen’s arm and practically
skipping down the corridor.

“What was that?” Marina sneered once Hyacinth and Penelope were out of earshot.

“What was what?” Colin groaned.

“Your sister was asked to ensure that you are not left alone with me,” she clarified.

“You cannot possibly be surprised by the concern,” he replied.

“No, I see it for what it really is, Colin," she rasped. "Your family still cannot accept me."

"That is not a fair statement whatsoever, Marina," he warned. "My family invited you and the
Featheringtons here to our ancestral home after they discovered plans that you and I made which
could have brought great scandal upon them. I should think you’d be able to recognize the efforts
they are all putting in to show every kindness to you, in rather uncomfortable circumstances no
less."

She simply blinked at him in response.

"Do you really need to be reminded of all that could have come from our very rash, impulsive,
unnecessary, and all around terrible idea of eloping?" he huffed. "I sincerely hope not. For I would
expect someone planning to join my family would have the decency to show an ounce of respect
for them instead of attempting to cry wolf at every turn. And it should go without saying that they
should care about the repercussions their actions would bring upon members of my family who had
no part in their mess whatsoever, instead of acting so flippant and shameless."

“Oh please,” she drawled. “It is not as if we were able to go through with it. Why should I feel
ashamed about a scandal that never happened?”

“Why should you…!” Colin baulked at the audacity. “Is that some sort of jest?”

“No,” she insisted. “Nothing happened, we have nothing to feel guilt over.”

“Who are you?” he scoffed.

“I am your fiancée, Colin. You future wife. The mother of your children. The woman you wished to
start a family with,” Marina argued. “Yet now you’re acting as if your family mistreating me is not
wrong. As if they are more important to you than I am.”

“Mistreating you?” he repeated in disbelief. “From what I’ve been told, my mother spent the entire
morning with you and is expecting to spend the remainder of her afternoon teaching you about
hosting society events. She even took you to the modiste earlier, is that not right?”

“We all went to the modiste,” she petulantly bickered. “It wasn’t as if it was a special trip for me as
her future daughter-in-law.”

“Good God! What more could you possibly want?” he cried.

“It would be nice if they treated me the way they treat Penelope,” she said harshly, in a tone that
suggested it should have been obvious. “They should be treating me better than her considering I’m
going to be a Bridgerton in short order and she’ll remain as she is, a Featherington.”

“This need to put Penelope down and be seen as more important than her is frankly appalling,”
Colin shot back. “And I cannot believe I must reiterate this yet again but my family have known
and loved Penelope for years. She is and always will be part of my family. They are still trying to
get to know you. Would you prefer disingenuous treatment?”

“What I’d prefer is a family who would embrace me,” she angrily began, “Who would not turn
their backs on me at the first opportunity, who would not prefer my cousin to me, who would not
have gotten in the way of my happiness by thwarting our plans to marry sooner, who would not be
consumed by their position in blasted society and completely blind to their preposterous levels of
wealth and privilege, who would not encourage you to pursue your childhood fantasies of travelling
the world as if you had no responsibilities —”

“—responsibilities?! And what responsibilities would those be?” he spat. “You say we're too
privileged for our own good and only care about society. What responsibilities could that possibly
leave me, a third son of such a family, hmm?”

“Responsibilities to ME!” Marina cried out in a rage. “To my chi—to our children. To our family.
To the life we’re building together.”

“Your children… of course,” he mumbled under his breath. “The Bridgerton part would never have
mattered at all. I suspect it could easily be replaced with any respectable, power-wielding surname
of the ton and the result would be the same.”

“I did not mean —”

“Do not trouble yourself coming up with an explanation,” he cut her off with a wave of his hand for
emphasis. “It would be most surprising to hear that you’d want your child bearing the surname of
my family with the way you’ve managed to find so very many faults with us in just a few days’
time, after all.”

“Not with you , Colin,” Marina attempted to assure him softly, reaching out for his hand and batting
her eyelashes at him.

“No, just everyone else in my family,” he said with a bitter laugh as he took a step back to avoid
her touch. “If only they’d simply treat your kind and lovely cousin as if she were some lowly
commoner and place you on the pedestal you rightly deserve. Hmm?” Colin prodded. “Maybe then
you’d put some effort into being the least bit grateful for all that they’ve done for you. Perhaps
you’d even deign to show a crumb of respect for them despite believing yourself better than them
in every way.”

To her credit, Marina did not take the bait and instead simply exhaled sharply out of her nose as she
crossed her arms over her chest.

“Nothing more to say?” He needled. “Splendid. If you’ll excuse me, I personally would much
prefer to spend my time with your delightful cousin in the library than to stay here and continue
listening to your unfounded and ridiculous complaints about everyone I love without remorse.”

“You cannot be serious,” she scoffed.

“I assure you that I’m being quite sincere,” he said earnestly. “This conversation is not doing either
of us any good. I vehemently disagree with your accusations and you seem wholly unwilling to see
reason. I do not wish to go ‘round in circles all afternoon and I cannot imagine you do either.”

“Right, fine,” she sighed in defeat.

“I shall see you at dinner then,” he chirped with a genuine smile, happiness overtaking his entire
body. Not only was he able to escape her company without having completely given away his
knowledge of her scheme, but he was finally free to spend time with Penelope at last.

Colin did not bother to wait for any response, instead, he turned on his heels and began walking
down the corridor toward the family wing. As he placed his hand on the door handle, he turned
around and called back to his fiancée, who hadn’t moved an inch.

“Oh, and Marina?” he began, “I expect you’ll have an apology ready for Penelope this evening. I
am very much looking forward to hearing it!”

🕰️🕰️🕰️
When he opened the door to the library, he was greeted with an image so perfect, he thought he
might be dreaming. There was his Pen, peacefully reading on the bench of the bay window. She
was sprawled out with her feet up on the bench, her knees bent. She had let her hair down and
removed her gloves since he’d last seen her.

What struck him the most about the vision across the room, however, was the state of her dress.
She’d pulled her skirts up past her knees, giving him a delectable view of her stockings. He was all
but ready to crawl on his knees and beg her to let him worship her, his mouth already watering
recalling how divine she tasted. But he could not risk it just yet.

He cleared his throat to garner her attention and after momentarily flinching with panic in her eyes,
she breathlessly greeted him, “Oh Colin! You gave me a fright there.” Then her face lit up with the
smile she seemed to reserve for him. “Come join me!”

With his hand remaining on the lock, he tilted his head and asked, “Hyacinth?”

“She left within minutes of our arrival,” Pen informed him with the shake of her head.

He glanced around, trying to spot anyone else who might be lurking in the shadows. He could not
see much from his position but he wanted to be sure they were by themselves before moving away
from the door.

He caught Pen’s gaze and narrowed his eyes as his head dipped down into a questioning tilt once
more. Before he could ask, Pen swung her feet off of the bay window seat.

“It is only the two of us, Colin,” she suggestively murmured as she slowly approached him. “We
are completely and utterly alo– Oh!”
Chapter End Notes

Hope you enjoyed Colin starting to crack a bit and Marina being put in her place a couple
times. And the intro to George and Phillip! Shoutout to Castlefied who wanted Phillip to be
punched ala TSPWL. Hope this was a satisfying nod to it.

I know it may seem rather obvious how Colin is feeling and there may be some worry that
Marina is catching on. But the way I see it, Marina thinks too highly of herself and too low of
Pen to actually consider that Colin might return Pen’s feelings instead of being a simp for her.
She’s picked up on the fact that Colin’s family is not in support of their marriage and she
thinks she knows Pen had something to do with it. But she still thinks of Colin as a naïve boy
under her spell who is only trying to appease his family.
 Buying Time, Part VIII
Chapter Notes

We have been apart for far too long...

Thank you for your comments and patience since the last update. The short answer for my
disappearance is that I've been fully, fully going through it. With oodles of stress from
personal situations and being the target of some real life mean girls in the fandom, writers
block has hit me hard. Long answer in the endnotes.

Hope y'all enjoy this one 🤠

(Playlist inspiration - Kendrick & Sabrina Carpenter)

See the end of the chapter for more notes

“Colin!” Penelope whined, pulling out of their kiss.

He was terrified he hurt her in some way after he had all but pounced on her when she told him
they were alone. His hand had been on the lock as he asked her if his sister was lurking in the
shadows but the second he heard her say that it was only the two of them in the library, a frenzied,
wild kind of madness took over.

He threw the lock into place and hastily moved to take Pen in his arms so he could set his lips upon
hers for a bruising kiss. Having been apart for so long only to then witness her vile cousin being so
callous toward her, Colin couldn’t help himself. He needed to be as close as humanly possible to
her at that moment.

Her initial response gave off the impression that she was just as eager and fervent in her desire for
the same. Still, that did not signify when she broke their embrace so soon after it began.

“Wha–what is it?” he quavered. Seeing her standing a foot away from him with a darling pout
painting her face only exacerbated his fears.

“As much as I love being kissed so thoroughly by you, I hope you do not continue to make a habit
of cutting off my sentences that way,” she explained. “You did the same thing last night.”

“Of course, Pen. I-I hadn’t realised,” Colin admitted, taking a step forward and reaching out to grab
her hands. “I shall endeavour to do better.”

He bent down while he began to lift their hands, intent on kissing hers, as he promised, “Please
allow me to extend my most sincer–”

In the blink of an eye, Penelope had freed her hands from his clutches to snake her arms around his
shoulders. She threaded her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck as she pulled him closer
until finally, their lips met once again.

He groaned into her mouth, partly because of the pain from the various bruises their new position
was irritating but mostly because of the crimson flame of passion that blazed through him.

When he wrapped his arms around the delicious curves of her body, she let out a sinfully arousing
moan that had his knees on the verge of buckling. But just as he began kneading her perfectly
plump derriere, she broke their kiss again.

“Ha!” she chirped victoriously. While he was still catching his breath, his eyes fluttered open to
find her grinning like mad with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Now you see how annoying it can
be!” she continued teasing in a triumphant, singsong voice as she twirled out of his arms and began
walking away from him.

Colin was becoming spellbound watching her retreat further into the library. He was completely
and utterly transfixed by the tantalising swing of her hips. Then, the vixen turned her head to glance
at him over her shoulder with that devilish smile, like a temptress from his wildest dreams.

Good God he loved her playful side and all the surprises that came with it.

He tore off his cravat and hastily set off after his impish little future wife. With his long strides, he
caught up to her and had his arms wrapped around her waist in no time.

Penelope’s melodious cries of laughter were contagious. And while her squirming around in his
hold was agitating his injuries here and there, he absolutely loved feeling her body pressed against
his. It was almost enough to forget about the pain all together.

“For the record, I could never be annoyed by something that results in your lips on mine,” he
pointed out as he used one hand to gently gather her hair and move it off her shoulder, punctuating
his remark with a light peck on her cheek. “Still, I shall endeavour to allow you to complete your
thoughts before kissing you senselessly in the future.”
“Is that so?” she managed to ask through her sweet giggles.

“Mmhmm,” Colin hummed in confirmation as he brought his arm back around and reached up to
cup her cheek.

His fingers traced along her skin with ever-so-slightly increasing pressure, encouraging her to turn
toward him by the time he reached her chin. He raised his eyebrows in question when their eyes
met and the smile she returned was all the confirmation he needed to set his lips upon hers once
more.

His hand slid back to cradle her jaw and without breaking their kiss, Pen let out the most delectable
moan that he could both hear and feel. That, combined with the smell of her hair and the taste of
her tongue, created the most extraordinary sensory experience that had his cock twitching with
desire.

When their lips eventually broke apart, Colin took a moment to appreciate the way the afternoon
light made her cerulean blue eyes shine. As he did so, each of his hands found themselves drawing
nearer and nearer to her chest. One sweeping down from her cheek to her décolletage, atop the
swell of her breast; the other wandering up from her hip.

“I cannot overstate how much of a challenge it will be, Pen,” he practically moaned as he began
kneading her breasts.

“Will it?” she teasingly inquired while his mouth trailed kisses, licks, and playful nips down the
column of her neck that she so generously tilted for him.

When he reached her shoulder, he took a moment to enjoy the exquisite view he had of her heaving
bosom, as he continued, “It has already been a herculean undertaking having to restrain myself
from taking you in my arms or placing my lips upon you every moment I’ve spent in your company
these past few days.”

“Ohh,” she cooed, turning her head to glance back at him as best she could in their position. “And I
take it you wish to be rewarded for your vigorous efforts in the face of such trials and tribulations?”

“Well…” Colin pretended to consider her question as he pulled away slightly to smirk at her. “If
you are saying that you deem it fair, that my perseverance is meriting of some sort of recognition,
who am I to argue?”

She turned in his arms, gently placed her hands on his chest, and slowly ran them up to his
shoulders as she needled, “What do you suppose could measure up to all of that?”

“This,” he reverently declared, despite the fact that they were speaking in jest before. He wrapped
his arms around her waist and pulled her in closer so their bodies were flush against one another.
“Just this, Penelope. Nothing could ever be more rewarding than being with you. Having you in my
arms after spending so many torturous hours apart —”

“—Colin!” she interjected, throwing her head back as she chortled, “We were only away from one
another for four or five hours by my estimation.”

“Four or five hours too many,” he petulantly insisted with a teasing squeeze of her derriere that
momentarily interrupted her laughter with a delightful squeal. He ran his other hand up her back
and threaded his fingers through her hair when he reached the nape of her neck. He then bent down
closer to her and waited until their eyes met to gruffly add, “I’ve missed you, my love.”

Her breath seemed to catch for a moment before she managed to stammer, “I–I’ve missed you,
too.”

“Good,” he rasped with a roguish smirk as he leaned in closer and closer. His lips hovered over
hers, allowing their breath to mingle while he waited for any signs that she had something else to
say before he kissed her again.

🕰️
When they eventually pulled apart for the fifth or sixth time, they shared a sweet smile and broke
into giggles before walking further into the library.

As she reached the bay window, Penelope slightly leaned over the bench and surveyed the gardens.
A small smile appeared on her face as her eyes fixated on something, while she inquired, “How
long do you suppose we can hide in here before someone comes looking for us?”

Colin moved behind Penelope to catch a glimpse of what she found, or rather, who she found.
While he could hear clapping and cheers through the open window, and could reasonably assume
they were coming from his siblings, he wished to know which ones were accounted for. As he
spotted Eloise, Hyacinth, Benedict, and Gregory playing bocce, he found himself smiling, too.

Surely they’d have at least a half hour to themselves. Still, he wished they did not have to worry
about being interrupted and he was very much looking forward to the days they could share entirely
together. Refusing to waste another second, he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her
flush against him as he bent down to kiss the top of her head.

“Not long enough,” he petulantly grumbled; partly in jest, mostly not.

She giggled and began to turn in his arm, when her elbow pressed into a particularly sore spot on
his abdomen in the shuffle. He couldn’t stop himself from wincing at the sharp pain which
immediately cut off Pen’s sweet laughter.

She whipped her head around to look upon his face but otherwise remained perfectly still, fretting,
“Are you alright?”

“Just some light bruising from earlier,” he nodded, attempting to wave off her concern with as
much nonchalance as he could muster. “I assure you, it’s nothing to worry about.”

She tensed in his arms after a moment and began to say, “Earlier… as in, from your trip to Romney
Hall?”

“Yes,” he sighed, resting his forehead in the crook of her neck momentarily.

Colin knew that he’d have to tell her about his morning before they could do anything. He stepped
away from her, letting his right arm stretch out to slowly cross her back before finding her left arm.
He reached down to take her hand in his, when another sharp pain made him hiss. Pen laced their
fingers together and squeezed his hand in response but remained silent.

He brought his left hand up to hold the part of his abdomen that was causing him such discomfort
as he circled around to stand in front of her. A myriad of questions seemed to play in her mind with
the changing expressions crossing her face.

“I don’t understand,” she murmured, shaking her head as her eyes darted down to his abdomen and
back up to meet his gaze. “What happened?”

Colin started to walk toward the settee, saying, “Come sit with me, darling. I will tell you ev—”

He was only able to make one stride away when he heard her injection. “—No!”

“No?” he repeated, turning around to see a defiant Penelope with her feet planted firmly in place
and her right arm on her hip, the other stretched out with her hand still grasping his. He cocked his
head to the side to indicate his confusion but receiving no response, he had no other choice but to
return.

She let go of his hand and began unbuttoning his jacket with fierce determination painted across
her face the moment he stood in front of her again. When the buttons were loose, she stretched up
on her tippy toes and tried to push it off of his shoulders without much success, as the position of
Colin’s arms was preventing the jacket from moving.

He was not entirely sure what had come over her, but he was absolutely mesmerised. He was also
rather amused, very much enjoying her little grunts of frustration with her failed attempts to rid him
of his clothing.

“May I be of assistance?” he asked with a chortle while her nimble fingers took to unbuttoning his
waistcoat.

“Take off your jacket,” she instructed with a terse nod and took a step back to allow him space to
do so. “Please. I wish to see your bruises. Let me be the judge of whether or not this is something
to worry about.”

“As you wish,” Colin drawled as he shrugged off his jacket and moved to drape it on the back of
the settee.

When he turned back to Pen, the love and concern in her eyes was palpable. He continued the work
she had started on unfastening the buttons of his waistcoat and shirt.

“Now, Pen,” he cautiously began as he approached her. “Before you begin examining my injuries,
you should know that I was not able to fight the other man back. If I had, you wouldn’t find a
scratch on me.”

Pen looked horrified. Her eyes were round as saucers and the flush of her skin disappeared. All
colour disappeared.

“I am actually rather good at sparring, you know,” he continued, hoping to ease her concern. “I
haven’t left the boxing ring with injuries like this in years.”
“Oh!” she gasped when his shirt and waistcoat hung open and gave her a glimpse of his black and
blue speckled abdomen. Her eyes roamed over each and every one. Her hands moved as if to reach
out for him but then they stopped mid-air, hanging there for a moment before falling to her sides
again.

“They look worse than they feel,” he offered with a light chortle.

She startled, as if she’d been pulled from a far away thought, before her wide, glassy eyes met his.
Despite craning her neck to look up, her brows remained furrowed.

Was she angry with him for letting himself be beaten? Did she think he was not being truthful
before about the other man being injured himself? Did she think he could not protect her from
harm? Did that have her regretting her response to his proposal?

His mind swirled with panic as he considered the possible reasons for her silence and the way she
was looking at him. She broke their eye contact to observe his injuries again and then she gingerly
placed her hands on his chest. All of his warring thoughts halted at once.

“Colin,” she whispered shakily as her fingers dragged down his abdomen with featherlike strokes.
“It pains me to see you like this.”

“Penelope,” he reverently cooed as he cupped her cheeks and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, “I
assure you, I am well.”

“Your black and blue torso would beg to differ,” she sarcastically scoffed under her breath.

“Please Pen, let’s sit,” he beseeched her, holding out his free hand for good measure. “We have so
much to discuss.”

As he moved to sit down, she began to turn toward the chair that sat opposite the settee. Thankfully,
he still held her hand in his, so before she could take one step, he sprung into action.

“Ah ah ah,” he tutted, yanking her back and patting his lap with his free hand. “You think I’d let
you out of reach after enduring so much time apart?”

“I’m much too…” she began before trailing off as her downcast eyes focused on a loose cushion to
his left. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t,” he stated firmly. “The bruises don’t go any lower than this,” he gestured to the spot
just above his navel where evidence of his injuries stopped, assuring her that straddling him would
not result in more harm. “Besides, I reckon the only thing in the world that I need to feel better
right now is you. And you wouldn’t deny a man his means to heal, would you?”

She rolled her eyes playfully and, though still somewhat apprehensive, she obliged with his request,
pulling up her dress to place one knee on either side of his lap. He quickly thanked her with a light
peck and settled his hands on her hips.

“Right. Now,” he began to ponder aloud, “Where to begin…”

“You said you couldn’t fight back?” she all but whispered.

“Ah, yes,” he drawled, “It was my honour that prevented me from doing so, you see. It would not
have been a fair fight at all otherwise. Sir George Crane returned from battle with only three limbs
and was told that Marina and I were engaged. When he heard the butler announcing our arrival, he
flew into a rage.”

Pen’s eyes kept widening and she gasped with each statement, but she remained silent and allowed
him to continue prattling on.

“He had all of these wild assumptions that must have been turning over and over in his mind, you
see,” Colin added. “And it was clear that he did not care to have a discussion. He was so intent on
assaulting me, nothing could stand in his way.”

“Oh Colin,” she sighed as she ran her hands in soothing circles across his shoulders and down his
arms.

“Some of the things he said while attacking me were quite amusing,” he recalled. “I almost lost all
composure when he accused me of seducing her. It really took everything in me, but I somehow
managed to contain my laughter. Then, I simply continued to take the punches and the swings of
his crutches until Anthony finally stepped in.”

Pen’s eyes were so full of concern and pain, he pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms
around her. She tensed, surely out of concern for his injuries, but it only lasted a moment or two
before she all but melted into him.

“All is well, Pen, I promise,” he whispered, slowly stroking her back to soothe her discomfort.
“Better than well, in fact!”

“Oh?” she questioned as she pulled back to look at him, seeming rather unconvinced.

“Yes,” he nodded before continuing, “Once the staff sedated the soldier, we were able to speak with
his much more reasonable brother. We told him everything and he agreed to put forth our proposed
solution to his brother once he recovered from the laudanum-induced slumber he was under.”

He loved the way Pen was listening to him with rapt attention. She always did value his
perspective, he just never took the time to appreciate how much that meant to him.

“The proposal includes an invitation for the two of them to join us for dinner tomorrow evening,”
he explained. “Miss Thompson and the father of her child will reunite, he will offer his hand of
course, and hopefully they will depart together at the end of the night.”

“What?” she exhaled in shock.

“Brilliant, is it not?” he giddily replied. “We will be free to announce our engagement and begin
planning our wedding so soon, my love! If all goes well, we may even be able to marry by this time
next week.”

“Colin, that sounds wonderful, truly,” she said with a sad smile he could not understand, before
continuing, “But what of your engagement to Marina? And I do not see how we could wed next
week without a marriage licence… Unless you are speaking of eloping, that is, which I am not
opposed to in truth… I just did not know that is what you wanted to do… with me.”

“First, you should know that I would do anything in my power to marry you as soon as humanly
possible,” he clarified, “So if we had to resort to eloping, I would take you to the Isle of Guernsey
at once. How—”
“—Not Gretna Green?” she interjected with a joking tone, though he knew there was some true
apprehension and insecurity in her question.

“No,” Colin vehemently declared. “Pardon my language, but to hell with Gretna Green. That place
will forever hold a bad taste in my mouth from the horror of what could have been.”

“Right,” she exhaled. “So Guernsey then? Or, I suppose you were saying we do not have to elope?”

“We do not. And while I wish to make you my wife swiftly, I also believe you deserve the most
romantic and beautiful wedding day. You’ll only have one, after all. And the whole of society -
especially your family - should see you in your glory,” he gushed, “The most beautiful bride there
will ever be.”

“Colin!” she simpered at his praise.

“Of course we can do whatever you wish,” he made sure to point out, “Though I would be remiss
not to inform you of a few other things first… in order to give you the whole picture before making
any decisions.”

“Does this have anything to do with the matter you wished to discuss earlier?” she asked, recalling,
“At breakfast, you mentioned you had some good news to share when we could speak in private.”

“It does. And it is very good news indeed,” he chirped, “My brothers… they took your father to the
tavern last night when we all retired and after some discussion, and many drinks I’m sure , they
worked out a deal. He signed the paperwork that solidified everything this morning.”

“Oh?” she furrowed her brows and tilted her head.

“Anthony had our solicitor prepare a request to the Bishop, along with a handsome donation to the
Church, for a special licence for us to wed,” Colin explained, “He already had the marriage licence
for myself and Miss Thompson completely removed from the Church’s records before we left
London. So we do not need to be concerned with that at all.”

Pen’s eyes lit up and her lips curled up as she gasped.

“Your dowry has been waived and money from my inheritance will be available for use when your
sisters find matches —”

“—Colin, I cannot ask you to do that,” she interjected after another gasp.

“You didn’t,” he pointed out. “Between the money my father left for me and your Whistledown
funds, we have more than enough to spare for a couple of dowries.”

“That is a fair assessment, I suppose,” she conceded.

“Mmhmm,” he hummed before pressing on, “Especially if they buy your father’s silence and
blessing for our covert plans. Given your mother and cousin’s propensity for scheming, we thought
it best to keep them in the dark as long as possible, lest the desperation set in and ill-advised,
avoidable actions be taken.”

Pen cringed slightly but nodded in understanding.

“Your father and your sisters will be returning to Mayfair first thing tomorrow morning, under the
guise of being available for the Finch fellow to offer his hand. In actuality, it was decided that the
less people around when things eventually come to light, the better,” Colin added, concluding,
“And your mother should be delighted at the prospect of your sister securing a proposal so
hopefully she won’t question it too much.”

“What if…” Pen regretfully began after a moment or two, “What if Sir George Crane does not wish
to marry her once he learns about everything that has occurred these last few weeks?”

“Well,” he drawled as he considered her question. “If that should happen, there are a few things that
could be done. For one thing, I firmly believe the younger Crane brother would do the honourable
thing and propose marriage to her himself. He is a most amiable gentleman. Though the older
Crane certainly seemed as though he would marry her at the first opportunity no matter what has
occurred these last few weeks.”

“That is good to hear,” Pen sighed in relief.

“And should Miss Thompson not accept his hand, our solicitor has found two suitable nunneries in
Bath that would discreetly accept her and her unborn child,” he uncomfortably added, “But let us
hope it does not come to that. I truly do not believe it will.”

She nodded, but seemed to be lost in thought as she focused her gaze upon something behind him.
Colin could not discern if her contemplative state was one of positivity or negativity. Perhaps a bit
of both?

Nevertheless, he knew it was quite a lot to take in — not just in terms of the sheer amount of
information but in the very real implications and consequences to what it all meant. So he would
not rush her or push her to share her thoughts with him until she was ready.

And a few moments later, when that time came, his patience was very much rewarded.

“Colin,” she whispered, and as her eyes flitted back to his in wonder and delight, a glorious smile
grew on her face.“We are truly going to be married!”

“We are,” he rejoiced in turn, “It is truly just a matter of waiting now. We are so close to being rid
of all this turmoil for good.”

🕰️
After enjoying the better part of an hour discussing where they might travel for their honeymoon
and where they hoped to build a home when they returned, their passions got the better of them and
Colin once again found himself in the lucky position of locking lips with Pen.

He pulled her sleeves below her shoulders and loosened her corset. In case they needed to redress
quickly, given their not-so-private location, he did not remove it completely.

He got on his knees in front of her, kissed the swells of her breasts that he now had much better
access to, and reached down to begin gathering the material of her skirt. Once her dress was
sufficiently settled above her navel, Colin gently pushed her thighs open.

As they spread further apart, he inched forward to slot himself between her legs and sat back on his
ankles to take in the glorious scene before his eyes. There he was, face to face with her pretty cunt.
The view he had of it the night before was nice but this was entirely different.

He silently prayed his thanks to any and all higher powers for putting this Aphrodite incarnate into
his life.

He reached out to graze over the patch of auburn hair and slowly dragged his fingers down to
caress her outer lips. Penelope let out an involuntary moan before frantically clapping her hands
over her mouth as she flashed her eyes to the open window.

He could not care any less about someone hearing them at that moment. All he ever wanted, all he
ever needed was right in front of him. And fuck, was his cocking throbbing for her.

“My God Pen, you—you’re— seeing you like this is beyond anything I’d ever imagined in my
wildest dreams,” he praised, “You’re perfect.”

Her breath hitched when his fingertips landed on her thighs as he dragged them down to grab hold
of her ankles. Colin tenderly but firmly instructed her to bring each foot up to the edge of the settee
she was sitting on.

When she settled into her new position, he moved closer and closer until his mouth was merely an
inch or two away from her centre. He looked up to find Pen closing her eyes with her forearms
crossed on top of her head. That would not do.

He kissed the inside of her thigh then kept his gaze on her face as he tutted, “Eyes on me, my dear.”

Her eyes shot open and found his instantly. He leaned in and placed an open mouth kiss on her
lower lips, eliciting a delectable gasp from her.

“Ohh you liked that, didn’t you?” he asked with a wolfish grin, knowing there was so much more to
come.

He used his fingers to spread her folds and finally broke eye contact when he pressed his face into
her pussy. Colin stuck his tongue out, keeping it flat to lick a wide, long stripe up from her slit to
her clit.

He circled her nub and dragged his tongue back down again, where he stiffened and curled it to
plunge into her entrance. He experimented with wriggling it around before thrusting it in and out,
all the while his nose massaged her clit.

Pen’s muffled cries and heaving pants were profoundly helpful in discovering what she liked best.
Making his way back up to her sensitive nub, he laid an exploratory open mouth kiss on it.

He wrapped his lips around it and suckled gently, eliciting a delicious sound from his paramour. He
couldn’t help but groan in turn, which had her quivering. When he brought his eyes up, he saw her
fists tightly clutching the settee.

Unquenchable thirst grabbed hold of him when lapping at her folds. He hooked his arms around her
legs possessively and buried his face into her centre.
He redoubled his efforts inserting one, then a second finger into her tight entrance while his mouth
concentrated on her nub. Penelope’s back arched and fell back against the settee, the strangled
noises she was fighting so hard to keep in turned into desperate, needy moans.

“Please, please, please,” she wantonly begged and whimpered, “Please, please, please, Colin!”

He could feel her pulse beating in her swollen clit when his lips drew it into his mouth. He sucked
and flicked his tongue over it while his fingers thrusted in and out at the same pace, intent on
bringing her to ecstasy. Her hands flew to his head, threading her fingers through his hair and
pulling him impossibly closer.

She was close. So very close.

He felt it in the way her fingers gripped his hair, in the way her legs were trembling hung over his
shoulders, in the way her walls were squeezing his fingers. And then she inhaled sharply before her
entire body began convulsing and her moans shattered into silence.

He kept his mouth on her but stopped sucking and licking when her hands let go of his hair. Once
her legs went limp, he pulled away and sat back on his ankles. She collapsed back into the settee,
panting and staring at the ceiling with an unfixed gaze in total carnal bliss.

He withdrew his fingers slowly, eliciting another shudder from Pen. He loved seeing her like that -
her eyes squeezed shut, her mouth agape, her breasts shaking, her fists tightly clutching her dress.

“Did you enjoy that as much as I did, my love?” he asked before he sucked her essence off of his
digits, savouring every bit he could get.

“Very much,” she sighed in response as her breathing began to stabilise.

Colin reached up, pulled his discarded cravat out of the pocket of his abandoned jacket and used it
to clean her cunt and inner thighs as best he could. Another short aftershock made her body twitch
when he swiped the fabric over her swollen nub, prompting her to burst into a short fit of sweet
giggles.

“Tell me, Pen,” he purred after he refolded the garment and tucked it into his pocket. He placed a
kiss on the inside of her thigh and kept his eyes locked on hers as he began to rise up. “Do you
relish the thought of being mine as much as I do at the thought of being yours?”

Her eyes closed and her head fell back as she shivered slightly and let out a small whine, “Colin”

“Is that a yes?” he teased, halting just above her navel until their eyes met again.

“Mmhmm” she hummed.

He dropped a small kiss on her stomach before letting her skirt fall, then continued his ascent as
Pen watched him with curiosity in her eyes. Pausing once more as he reached her breasts, he lowly
commanded, “Say it, Pen.” He then licked a stripe between her perfect globes and continued,
“You’re mine.”

“Y-yours,” she gasped, “I-I’m yours!”

“That’s right,” Colin praised, bringing one of his hands to the back of her neck with his thumb
settling on her jaw in front of her ear. He used his other hand for balance as he finally pushed up to
his feet. His lips hovered over hers and before he devoured them, he asserted, “Mine. My wife.”

Without separating their lips, he managed to sit down next to her on the settee and before he knew
it, Pen was up on her knees beside him. Their new position gave her a height advantage over him
that allowed her to take more control, especially when she ran her fingers through his hair.

He brought his hands down to her plump bottom, which he very much enjoyed kneading. When he
gave a firm squeeze to each cheek, she startled and tore away from his kiss with giggles bursting
out of her.

As her laughter died down, her dainty hands settled on his cheeks with the tips of her fingers still
threaded through his hair as her thumbs brushed back and forth over his cheeks.

Her eyes panned over his face and her cheerful smile eased into one of serenity. Looking deep into
his eyes, when she adoringly declared, “My husband.”

“I love you,” he whispered fondly before taking her left hand off of his cheek and bringing it to his
lips. He first kissed the inside of her palm and then folded her fingers so he could kiss the place his
ring would go.

“I love you, too,” she purred, “So very much.”

Her hand travelled down his torso with a tantalising, featherlike touch until they landed on his belt
buckle. Her eyes, full of wonder, flashed up to meet his, as she purred, “Might I try?”

“By all means,” he somehow managed to choke out.

As she worked to undo his belt, he heard the horrifying sound of someone rustling with the
doorknob.

“Fucking hell!” he cursed under his breath, decidedly flustered by the intruder. “Apologies.”

Thankfully, the door was locked, so they’d at least have a few extra moments to make themselves
presentable. Still, it was not lost on him just how reckless they were being.

If it happened to be his mother or one of his brothers, they’d be able to use their keys to burst in.
The staff would have the ability to, as well, but they would never disturb a family member in a
locked room.

Any other sibling of his would be too curious to leave a mysteriously locked door alone, so they’d
surely get their hands on a key at once. Then there was also the possibility it was Marina or another
member of Pen’s family.

He prayed it was a member of the staff but he knew the likelihood of that was slim. And he
couldn’t take that chance. He shuddered to think of the possibility of being discovered in their
current state, no matter who was at the door.

In a frenzy, Colin jumped up to his feet and helped tighten Pen’s corset, before he could adjust her
dress while she fixed her hair. He then rebuckled his belt and began buttoning his shirt again but it
was hardly of any use. He heard the door unlock and by the time his siblings came into view at the
opposite end of the room, his shirt was still half unbuttoned and fully untucked.
“Why in the world are you in such a state of undress?” Eloise chided, pointing at him with an
accusatory glare. “Just what exactly have you been doing?”

He and Pen locked eyes momentarily before she quickly looked away and walked off to grab his
waistcoat and jacket. He was sure that his face likely matched her panic-stricken expression so he
brought one hand up to rub his jaw while he attempted to put on a neutral smile for his siblings.

“Mmm, rather peculiar, is it not, El?” Benedict nodded in agreement as they neared the sitting area,
taunting, “Do tell us, Colin, what has you so… exposed?”

“I uh,” Colin cleared his throat, searching his mind frantically for something that would seem
completely innocent and still be entirely plausible. But alas, nothing came to mind, so he told the
truth in the most casual tone he could muster as Pen appeared by his side with his discarded clothes
in hand. “I was merely showing Pen some of the bruises I sustained from the soldier’s crutches
while I told her about our trip to Romney Hall.”

“Bruises? Sol–soldier’s crutches ?” Eloise sputtered, as Benedict smirked, “Is that so?”

“Yes. It was my fault, I’m afraid,” Pen intervened with a regretful tone. Colin wasn’t sure where
she was going with her statement, but he trusted her with his life, so he stepped aside and gave her
his full attention.

“I must confess, I believed Colin was embellishing his story about what all transpired at Romney
Hall this morning. Such dramatics seemed rather preposterous – fantastical, even! So he simply
removed his jacket and waistcoat, unbuttoned his shirt, and rolled up his sleeves to prove that he
was telling the truth before continuing to recount the ordeal. Were you hurt when you fought the
younger Crane, Benedict?”

“ Fought ?” Eloise startled, “You… fought them?”

“Well, not exactly…” Benedict drawled in a manner that would only entice their sister that much
more.

“It was more of an assault,” Colin clarified.

“Oh?” Eloise probed, “How many others were there?”

“Just two,” Benedict confirmed.

Which of course made their sister scoff, “And the three of you were unable to handle that?”

“No, El, you misunderstand,” Colin objected, reasoning, “One of them was an amputee.”

“That’s even more concerning,” Eloise deadpanned. “Your twelve limbs combined could not handle
their… seven?”

“It would not have been right to fight back when the man was on crutches because he’d lost a leg
fighting for our King and country on the front lines!”

His sister simply huffed out a sarcastic “ha” in lieu of a response and turned to Penelope to
caustically remark, “I see why you thought it was a tall tale, Pen.”
“Yes… But it wasn’t, of course,” she replied before gently placing her hand on his arm in
encouragement. “Show her your bruises, Colin.”

After doing just that, Colin was pleasantly surprised with the turn the conversation took. They all
sat down while Benedict and Colin recounted what all had occurred at Romney Hall for Eloise,
who was surprisingly supportive throughout the retelling.

It was going so well that he was almost tempted to share the news that he and Pen were in love and
would be married in the very near future. But he wanted to be sure that his darling bride-to-be was
comfortable with doing so first and unfortunately, they would not have the opportunity to have a
private conversation until much later.

Besides… if he were being honest, he’d admit that he was also more than a little concerned about
his sister getting in the way of him spending time with Pen. Especially at night with their makeshift
adjoined rooms.

He did not believe she was aware of it, as he and Daphne swore themselves to secrecy, but he knew
Eloise would have his head if she was privy to the secret passageway and the ways in which he and
Pen would be making use of it.

No, Eloise would definitely not be brought into the fold that afternoon, no matter how enjoyable
their confab in the library had been.

🕰️🕰️🕰️
“Miss Thompson,” he curtly greeted as Marina approached him in the formal drawing room where
a handful of people were gathered as they awaited the others ahead of dinner.

“Mister Bridgerton,” she preened, “Or shall I say, fiancé?”

He awkwardly smiled in response, desperately wishing to be anywhere other than where he was at
that moment. But he knew he needed to continue to play his part and he was intent on holding her
accountable for her treatment of Pen earlier. He just needed to wait for Pen to arrive for that to
happen.

Marina stepped closer and placed her hand on his arm as she batted her eyelashes at him. Now that
he could see through her feigned charm, it was maddening to think that he ever fell for such cheap
dramatics.

Before she could get too comfortable, lest she become overly flirtatious in her attempts to force a
quicker marriage, he offered to fetch her a drink from a nearby table. He figured it would give him
the opportunity to create some distance between the two of them if her hands were preoccupied.

When he returned and presented her with a glass of lemonade, he decided it would also be helpful
to force the issue of her poor behaviour when they last spoke. For one thing, Marina would be far
less likely to try any alarming coquetry when discussing such matters. And a part of him hoped it
might magically summon Pen.
“I trust you’ve prepared an apology for Penelope,” he prompted in a way that was less of a question
and more of a reminder.

She rolled her eyes aggressively and scoffed, “You were serious about that?”

“Of course I was,” he countered sharply. “Your treatment of her was abhorrent.”

“Being honest with someone is not equivalent to maltreatment,” she insisted before taking a large
sip from her drink.

Colin had to fight not to raise his voice when he objected to that absurd claim.

“There was not a shred of truth in what you said to her!”

They stared at one another in disbelief. Finally, she closed her eyes and heaved a deep sigh. When
she reopened them, a saccharine smile replaced the scowl she wore since the moment he mentioned
Penelope.

She reached out to touch his forearm in what he could only assume was an attempt to lure him into
agreeing with her as she asked, “Can we not just agree to disagree and enjoy our evening
together?”

“No, we cannot. You will apologise to her,” he ordered.

Before she could respond, he clocked Penelope’s arrival at the door. “Ah, and there she is now!”

And with that, he left Marina without bothering to give her a second glance.

“Pen,” he reverently greeted as he bowed, before lowering his voice to say, “How is it that you look
even more beautiful than you did when I last saw you not two hours ago?”

“Colin,” she smirked while curtsying, then awkwardly eyed the room, reminding him that they
were not alone, “Good evening.”

He was rather impressed by how she was able to pull off seeming so unaffected by his attention. Or
he would have been, if not for the fetching blush that spread across her skin, that is.

God, he hated having to pretend they were not totally and utterly in love with each other. Every
minute that passed without word from the Cranes made it harder to stay positive but he had other
distractions to help keep his mind preoccupied. Distractions like ensuring people in his bride-to-
be’s life treat her better.

“Come with me,” he entreated, holding out his elbow for Pen to take. “Your cousin has something
to say to you that I am very much looking forward to hearing.”

“What?” she harshly whispered as she hurried along to keep up with his longer strides. “Colin!”

“Trust me, Pen,” he implored just before they approached the somewhat secluded spot that Marina
was occupying.

“Penelope,” Marina greeted with a sickly sweet tone that was anything but sincere.

“Marina,” Pen politely returned.

They both looked at him with a bit of annoyance for forcing the interaction. It was no matter to
him, he would get an apology out of Marina for being so cruel to Pen.

He raised his eyebrows at her, indicating his patience wearing thin. She sighed and looked away for
a moment, likely to roll her eyes, before turning back and addressing her cousin.

“Colin is under the impression that our conversation earlier warrants an apology,” Marina began,
“If you truly took offence to the things I said, I am sorry you felt that way. I was only being honest
with you, as I believe shielding you from reality does not serve any purpose beyond keeping you in
a delusional state. Perhaps you are not ready to be treated as an adult after all.”

“Miss Thompson,” Colin admonished, “You cannot possibly believe that is a proper apology.”

“You asked me to apologise for being honest, I apologised,” she defiantly replied.

“Are you joking?! That —”

“—Thank you for your apology, Marina,” Pen interjected, graciously accepting her cousin’s empty
words.

She then looked around the room and settled her gaze on the area of the room his sisters’ were
gathered in. Turning back to their conversation, she looked to Marina first, then to Colin, and said,
“If you’ll both excuse me, I believe Eloise wished to discuss a book she pulled from the library
earlier.”

“O–of course,” he reluctantly acquiesced, selfishly not wanting Pen to leave his side but
understanding why she would wish to be away from Marina, who simply put on a fake smile and
nodded.

He hated that he could not go after her; but in all honesty, he could not trust himself to refrain from
kissing or touching Pen in ways that crossed several boundaries of friendship to console her.

“You really ought to stop treating her like an injured bird, you know,” Marina callously opined after
Pen walked out of earshot.

He wished he could reply with an equally snide remark such as, ‘You really ought to stop being
such a raging bitch to her, you know.’

“This cruel and arrogant side of yours is not only unbecoming of a young lady,” he began, “It’s also
incredibly disappointing and embarrassing.”

She scoffed before taking a deep breath and pinching the bridge of her nose ala Anthony. She then
squared her shoulders and argued, “Colin, your sensitivity is admirable to an extent but you have no
right to be ashamed of me.”

“Don’t I?” he growled without hesitation, “Have you not been treating your cousin with malice for
the last week or so? As an honourable gentleman, I cannot simply look the other way and ignore
your behaviour.”

“Do not conflate your boyish ideals with honour, Colin. A gentleman would support his fianceé
without question,” she chided. “ My cousin should not be of any concern to you.”
“Your cousin and I have been very close friends a great deal longer than either one of us has known
you,” he sneered, vaguely aware he may have crossed the line with that one a moment after it left
his tongue but too riled up to stop himself from continuing. “Besides, she is your family and soon
to be mine. Does that word mean anything to you? Honourable gentlemen understand the
importance of family and why one must never take it for granted.”

“I am to be your family soon, too,” she pointed out. Colin almost chuckled, as he supposed that was
not untrue, since he would be marrying her cousin. “Your wife.” Wrong. His wife’s distant cousin,
actually. “Does that not mean anything to you?”

“Of course it does,” he firmly stated. “I simply wish to put an end to this whole ordeal, so we may
begin our lives without the stain of your treatment of Penelope as of late. Please just… stop. We are
so close to the end of all of this and I do not want to have any negativity hanging over our future.”

“You are right,” she finally acquiesced, “We are so close to beginning our lives as husband and
wife.”

“We are.” Just not to one another. “So —oh,” he cut himself off when he found Anthony
attempting to summon him with a head nod at the door. He gladly took the opportunity to escape. “I
apologise, Marina, it appears as though I must join the other men in the study. I shall see you at the
dinner table, yes?”

“Fine, yes,” she said as he began to walk away, sounding quite deflated.

With that, Colin hastily made his way to the door, sharing a discreet smile with Penelope on his
way out.

“That looked like an enjoyable conversation,” Anthony jested, “I am so very sorry to have
interrupted.”

“Ah yes, thank you for rescuing me, brother,” he chortled.

“Do not thank me yet,” his brother chirped, “I have something for you in my study that I believe
you’ll be very grateful for.”

“What’s that?” he asked as they walked into the study, “A drink?”

“That, too,” Anthony smirked before turning to retrieve something from his desk. “But first…” he
handed Colin a letter, “You may wish to read this.”

Lord Bridgerton,

My brother rose shortly after your departure. After much discussion around what has transpired
regarding Miss Thompson’s situation, he was devastated. While he does not condone her actions
outright, he places the blame on himself. He wishes to extend his deepest regrets to your brother
and he vows to do whatever he must to earn your family’s forgiveness.

As for the matter of the engagement between Miss Thompson and your brother, we spoke about
your proposal of how we all can move beyond this unfortunate situation. My brother would very
much like to reunite with his bride-to-be and future child as soon as possible.

If not for his debilitated state, we likely would have come to see her this evening. Between his
extensive travel recently and the unfortunate altercation with your brother earlier, his recovery has
been severely disrupted. So his doctor is insisting he rest tonight and have his wounds redressed in
the morning.

Assuming your offer still stands, we will plan to arrive at Aubrey Hall by half past three tomorrow
afternoon to allow time for Miss Thompson, her family, and the remainder of your family to be
made aware of our plans. If all goes according to plan and she accepts his offer, George and Miss
Thompson will be engaged before the table is set and we can enjoy a celebratory drink ahead of
dinner.

I am sure you and your family are looking forward to putting this ordeal behind you as much as I
am looking forward to seeing my brother find happiness again. Thank you for providing an
opportunity for all of us to come to this resolution so swiftly.

Until tomorrow,

Mister Phillip Crane

Colin, his brothers, and Lord Featherington toasted to the news. He wished there had been a way in
which he could have brought Pen into the study to tell her. Well, he wished he could take Pen
somewhere private to tell her so they could properly celebrate. But alas, it would have to wait until
they retired to bed later on.

🕰️
He sat beside Benedict as Francesca played piano for everyone after dinner. They were near enough
to his mother and Lady Featherington that he could just make out their whispered conversation.

“I do hope it is alright with you that we are keeping Penelope here,” his mother apologetically
began, “I could not find you earlier when Lord Featherington first shared his plans and I felt I had
to say something before any arrangements were set. Everything seemed to come together so
hastily.”

“Quite hastily, indeed,” Lady Featherington agreed. “But with Mister Finch making his intentions
to propose so clear, we felt that Lord Featherington and Philippa must hurry back to allow him to
do just that. Keeping our girls in the country with so little of the season remaining would not be
doing them any favours. This weekend alone, they’d be missing the Stanton Ball and Malhotra
garden party.”
“Of course,” his mother replied, “Well, thank you for allowing Penelope to remain here. As we
prepare to host much of society at the end of next week, it is such a help to have Eloise entertained.
Besides, our family just adores her.”

“I did not allow it,” Lady Featherington corrected, “My husband did.”

“Yes, forgive me, Lady Featherington,” his mother apologised.

Colin stopped listening when his eyes met Pen’s across the room. It was as if the entire world
stopped for a moment. Then his younger brother had to go and ruin it by sitting in the exact seat
that blocked his view of her.

Lady Featherington scoffed, “The Duke and Duchess? Whyever would wish to see my Penelope?”

“The Duchess has known your daughter a very long time and holds her in the greatest esteem, as
does the rest of our family,” his mother pointedly said in response. “She would be delighted to see
Penelope.”

“Well, I suppose it is not as though Penelope has any suitors waiting for her back in Mayfair,”
Lady Featherington rudely considered. “Or any hope of finding a suitor this late in the season. So
missing a few social events to remain away from society with you all will not do much harm at all.
My other girls —”

Benedict’s hand clapped against Colin’s back as he began to stand up.

“Time to escape,” his brother chirped, nodding toward the door, where his eldest brother was
walking out with Pen’s father.

He didn’t know how much more of Lady Featherington’s vile opinions he could take, so it was best
he left doing something he’d regret.

🕰️
After staying an appropriate amount of time, appropriate in his mind at least, he used his injuries as
an excuse to retire early. He had no interest in getting foxed that night. Not when he had so much to
discuss - and hopefully so much to do - with Pen once they got to their adjoining bedchambers.

So he nursed his first drink and waited as his brothers and Lord Featherington had their second and
third drinks. Then, he bolted. As he moved through the corridor, he caught sight of Lady
Featherington in the doorway of the darkened music room.

She seemed to be speaking with someone in the shadows about something bothersome with the
way the back of one of her hands was resting on her forehead while the other was attached to her
hip.

He slowed his pace and decided he’d tuck into the alcove nearest that door if the conversation
provided any cause for concern. Given the scheming she and Marina had been doing over the past
month or so, especially in the last couple weeks, he could not find it in himself to ignore it.

He hoped it wasn’t a continuation of her conversation with his mother. Surely if it were, his mother
would have chosen a more private location. One that had some lit candles and was not in total
darkness, either.

Lady Featherington certainly wouldn’t be acting in such a manner with one of his younger siblings,
so that’s four less options to consider. Given that he’d just left them in the study, he knew it was not
one of his older brothers on the receiving end of her dramatics. Nor was it Lord Featherington, for
that matter.

So that left one of her daughters or Marina. He supposed it could be a member of the staff, too, but
he’d like to think his future mother-in-law would have the decency to treat them with respect.

Just as he approached the alcove, he heard her voice - it was Pen. His Pen.

“I am not going to feign an illness just to be sent home with Papa tomorrow when Lady Bridgerton
invited me to stay here for the next week,” Pen protested. “There is nothing for me in London.”

What in the world? Her mother is pressuring her to go back to Mayfair? He could only imagine
what was said beforehand to elicit such a response. Penelope’s tone would not be so contemptuous
without cause.

“I know you’ve had a school girl crush on Mister Bridgerton since you were in leading stripes, but
really, Penelope, you should know that was never going to turn into anything fruitful,” Lady
Featherington sighed. “The Colin Bridgertons of the world do not court plump wallflowers
destined for spinsterhood.”

Hatred was a gross understatement for the way Colin felt about the manner in which Pen’s family
spoke to her. He bit down on his knuckle to keep himself from doing something he’d regret.
Something like bursting through the door to profess his love for her and taking her far, far away
from her mother.

“Perhaps if you had listened to me… If you had only taken your nose out of all those books over the
last few years and stayed out of the sunlight in that window seat, your dresses would fit better and
you wouldn’t have so many freckles. You may have had a better chance,” she continued ridiculing.
As Lady Featherington, his future mother-in-law as it were, continued, his bite pressed down harder
and harder, causing him to start to bleed. The metallic taste in his mouth sobered his thoughts and
he realised there was no sense in standing by while Pen was on the receiving end of such vitriolic
nonsense once again.

“But alas, nothing can be done about that now. He is marrying your cousin. He chose her and she
has him believing he’s in love with her. And you,” she stressed with an overly accusatory tone,
“Will not spoil it for some unrequited crush and impossible dream. Think of what it would do to our
family… to be ruined from something like that!”

His engagement to Miss Thompson was no longer on record with the Church, the Crane’s would be
collecting her the following afternoon, and Lord Featherington already signed the contracts
agreeing to their plans.

“I have not ruined anything,” Pen defiantly replied. “And it’s funny that you should mention the
consequences of the truth coming to light for our family, knowing what your scheming will do to the
Bridgertons.”

“Hah! The Bridgertons,” Lady Featherington drawled, “You truly care about them more than your
own family, don’t you?”

“I care about doing right by good people who are completely innocent in all of this. How can you
accept their hospitality and kindness knowing what you’re doing?” Pen admonished, “Knowing the
consequences that they will face when Marina goes into labour much sooner than is necessary for
a standard pregnancy.”

Besides, Penelope held the quill that swayed the opinion of society. If anyone somehow caught on
before Marina was reunited with the Crane soldier and threatened to ruin his family, Lady
Whistledown had the ability to fix any fallout with her scandal sheet.

“The kind of life you’re sentencing Colin to, the kind of matches you’re taking away from his
sisters, the kind of tarnished reputation you’re forcing on them…” she continued, “And for what?
Just because you would rather forge a letter from Marina’s paramour and forgo informing his
family of their bastard heir in favour of trapping an innocent man from a good family than do the
right thing?”

“You arrogant little wench!” Lady Featherington fumed.

When he saw her hand begin to move, Colin was well and truly done hiding in the shadows and
holding his tongue. He’d never forgive himself if he stood by while someone laid a hand on his
 Pen. Even if it was her own mother.

“Lady Featherington, stop what you are doing at once!”

Chapter End Notes

Again, I am incredibly grateful for your patience, encouraging comments and kindness since I
last posted.

In March of 2023, I was part of a company-wide layoff that came out nowhere. Totally
blindsided but there was nothing I could do. After months of interviews and applications and
all that, I started a new job in August. The business unit I supported was performing well (the
only one projected to hit their goals by the end of the year) and the GM was super confident in
the future. Things felt like they were back on track. Then we got the notice that the board
decided to part ways with our team and would be divesting that business unit. Two surprising
layoffs in 8 months. Thankfully, I was contracted to stay on through April to help sunset
operations while almost everyone else was laid off right before the holidays. So I began the
year back on the interview grind with a full time job that had an expiration date. Since March
of 2023, I've gone through four instances of making it to the final round of four+ interviews
that spanned multiple weeks, only to be the runner up. That, in addition to the inbox full of
automated rejections, no idea how I was going to afford to pay my rent, and the ole
depression/ADD combo that comes with rejection sensitivity, has been quite the combo.
Probably worth pointing out that I live halfway across the country from my family (and most
of my friends). In the background of all of this, I was playing mediator for my family through
some uncomfy situations. (My last visit with them was just after I posted the last chapter and
the writers block began creeping in, if that gives any insight into my feelings there.) Anyway,
cut to the last week of March 2024, I've gone through four rounds of interviews for a position
that was basically made for me. The guy on the fourth interview said he'd like to draw up the
offer that day but they had just hired someone for a C-suite position that would sit above him
so he'd need to check if he had to wait for the new guy. The week prior to that, Pebling things
started growing and honestly, it annoyed me beyond anything. I disagreed with someone who
happened to be a discord mod pushing Debling-Pen in the theories channel, so she and another
mod started subtweeting about me. Then multiple people vowed to punch me if they ever met
me based on those tweets. Fun. We talked about it and I thought we moved on. Then, Polin
week arrived. It was my last week on the job with my previous company. Overall, it was very
bittersweet - happy I had been kept on for additional time but obviously devastated I was once
again faced with the reality of being unemployed. My first official day of unemployment 2.0
was Polin Day. The discord server I mentioned earlier was hosting round-robins all week in
celebration of Polin week. There would be a theme and each person could add a line or two to
create a story. I pointed out that it was wild that Polin Day was the only one in the entire week
that did not go straight for a Polin HEA (because certain mods kept trying to veer the story in
different directions to push Pebling). The next morning, a mod sent a passive aggressive
message in the chat and I (not my finest moment) used her verbiage to explain to another mod
in the chat that every other day of the week had an immediate Polin HEA. She then DM'ed me
saying she was “done arguing” (could we have been arguing if that was the first thing she
said?) and blocked me before kicking me out of the server. While I think it was an absurd
overreaction and I stand by what I said (though I would pull back on the one snarky line I
repeated) it’s their server and they can do as they please. Two days later, I had the interview
with the new c-suite man and he responded late that night to the thank you note I sent right
after our interview. Felt like a decently positive sign if someone that high up was emailing me

got an email saying they wouldn't be moving forward with my interview process. 🙃
at 9pm. Then we got the part 1 trailer. And I had approximately 45 minutes to enjoy it before I
Hours
later, the family drama kicked in and I went into a pretty deep depression for the rest of April
and it really got dark in May. And as excited as I was for part 1 to come out, it all
overwhelmed me SO much as I dealt with my personal things and was reminded of the
ridiculous high school/mean girls type of drama with the discord. (That being said, obviously I
loved it and can quote every Polin scene word for word.) All in all, I was far too depressed to
do much of anything. Writing felt impossible and I was just a shell of a human. BUT I finally
got an offer for a job I literally gave up on after not hearing from them for 21 days after my
last interview with them. Lol.

So yeah... I'm back y'all! 🥳

Marina/Portia/Drake/Thanos v Polin/Bridgertons/Kendrick/Avengers next chapter!
End Notes

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