Chapter Text
Colin and Penelope walked slightly ahead of their families, an appropriate distance between them. They were on their first official courting outing, their interactions thus far having only taken place in the Featherington drawing room under the hawk-like eye of Portia Featherington. Penelope had suggested a promenade, she could tell if Colin was subjected to yet another afternoon nearly suffocating from her mother and sisters’ blatant staring he just might snap.
Two weeks ago, Colin had surprised her by showing up to call on her, a pretty bouquet of flowers in his hand.
Colin walked into the room after Briarly announced him, heading right for her, tossing her a soft smile while handing her the flowers. “Hello Pen, these are for you.” She took the bouquet from him, a perplexed look on her face. He then turned to her mother and gave her a respectable bow. “Lady Featherington, as you know Penelope and I have been close friends for many years. I am embarrassed to admit it has taken me this long to realize what all she and I could be. With your blessing, I would like to court her.”
Full blown shock was the only emotion Penelope could feel at those words. It seemed her mother was experiencing surprise of her own as it had taken her a few moments to collect herself before flashing Colin an overly bright smile. “Why that is most wonderful, Mr. Bridgerton. You have my blessing, of course.” She met her youngest’s eyes over his shoulder. “Penelope darling,” The redhead had to quirk an eyebrow at the term of endearment, “why don’t you hand the gorgeous flowers Mr. Bridgerton brought you over to your maid so she can set them in water for you.”
Her lady’s maid, Jade, came over to take the flowers, giving her miss a little wink. Penelope turned to look at Colin, confusion evident in her eyes, while an amused smile played on his lips. She mentally shook herself, offering him a seat while her mother rang for tea. She took a seat next to him, feeling a little unsure of what she was supposed to do now. She already knew everything about Colin, what kind of polite, small talk could they possibly engage in?
They had done their best at the whole courting thing. Penelope had to admit she was surprised by how awkward this all felt. She had always thought that if Colin finally noticed her and they started up a courtship it’d be as easy as breathing. Their friendship was rock solid, why wouldn’t their courtship? But now with all the societal rules placed on them, a friendly hug between them was no longer allowed, if they attended a ball any dance they shared would now carry another meaning behind it. What had been easy affection now felt forced and rigid.
Colin couldn’t help but feel the same. He was kicking himself for his impulsiveness. Anthony had told him to wait a minute and talk to Penelope before doing anything rash. Of course, Colin being Colin completely ignored his eldest brother’s sage advice and now everything was all messed up. I do hate it when he’s right. Which is always. As he walked beside Penelope, an uncomfortable silence hanging between them, he could tell she wasn’t so sure about this either. When she felt his gaze, she gave him a smile, but he had known her long enough to know when a smile was real or not. That’s her fake, polite smile she gives the other members of the ton. He chanced a look behind him where Lady Featherington and her daughter Prudence strolled behind Penelope. Her other sister, Phillipa, was not present as she had married last season. On his side, his mother was being escorted by Anthony. His best friend Simon walked next to him with Daphne on his arm. Behind them were Benedict and Eloise, they had left the younger ones at the house, the duke and duchess leaving their young son at Bridgerton House as well.
He caught his mother’s eye, who shot him a pointed look and mouthed, ‘Talk to her’ tipping her head in Penelope’s direction. He shrugged, his message of not knowing what to say easy enough for Violet to interpret. She mimed opening a book then gestured to her hair, basically trying to get her son to understand talking about anything was better than the silence they were currently suffering through.
Colin faced forward once more, searching around for something to talk to her about. He found himself in the same boat as Penelope. He had known her since she was six years old, he being eleven at the time. He could confidently say he knew practically everything about her. With a defeated sigh, he cleared his throat to gain her attention. “What books have you been reading lately?” He attempted to shoot her a charming smile, but he knew this was going so very bad.
Penelope stared at him, taking in his valiant attempt to try and make conversation. His plastered on smile was the last straw for her. She began to giggle, bringing a hand to her lips to try and stifle the sound. She looked at him again, his brow now furrowed at her reaction. This brought another bubble of laughter spilling from her, now clapping both hands to her mouth trying to keep it in. Her rapidly failing attempt to keep herself from laughing had Colin grinning broadly, raising his eyebrows at her. “Pen?”
She lost the battle with her amusement, her melodic laughter ringing in the air. She kept her hands to her face, but she couldn’t keep it in anymore. “I’m sorry.” She had to pause as another wave of giddiness hit her. “I truly am, I’m not laughing at you, I promise.”
Colin, finding her happiness infectious, felt his own amusement beginning to rise, his deeper laugh now mixing with hers. Both families halted in their walk, staring at the pair currently cracking up at seemingly nothing. “What are you laughing at then?”
Penelope brought a hand to her side, it starting to hurt from laughing so hard. She met Colin’s eyes, her face alight with mirth. “You and me! We’re so bad at this!”
He snorted at her comment, his laughter increasing because she was right. That was what made it so damn funny. “We really are.” He hunched over, putting his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath but he couldn’t stop laughing at their situation. “This is incredibly awkward.”
“I know!” Penelope looked over to their families, seeing the completely flummoxed looks on their faces. “I’m pretty sure our families think we’ve gone round the bend.” Colin stood up, looking over at them too, tossing them all a wave before turning around, Penelope slipping her arm into his, they still quietly laughing. “Heavens, I should have seen this coming.”
Colin turned his head to look at her. “What do you mean?”
“Col, I fell for you when I was fourteen, four years ago. A lot can happen in that time, and I think just too much time has passed.” She gave him a smile. “Don’t get me wrong, I still think you’re cute and so remarkably sweet, but I think without ever realizing it I fell out of love with you. Funnily enough, it took you courting me for me to realize that, as well as discovering we’re not as good of a match as I thought.”
He placed a hand over his heart, a wounded look on his face. “Ouch, Pen.”
She rolled her eyes lightly. “I’m sorry.” Laughter was still laced within her tone, the funniness of it all not quite gone yet. “It’s just everything feels so forced and abnormal. If I loved you still it wouldn’t be that way.”
Colin faux pouted. “Still, you don’t pull any punches. Just straight up, ‘Oh I fell out of love with you. Whoops, my bad.’”
Penelope lightly punched the arm she held, he rubbing at the spot. “That did not hurt. And what about you? You don't think this is right either!”
He sighed, shaking his head at the absurdity of their situation. “I’ve heard it forever, from just about everyone in the family. How you were right in front of me, and I was special to you and how blind was I.” He shrugged, giving her a sheepish look. “I mean they were right, and I just thought, ‘Well damn Colin, go get your girl.’ But here we are, and I just don’t even know what to do with you!”
She huffed, punching his arm again. “Oh thanks.”
Colin settled his gaze on her. “Come on, you know what I mean. There’s all these rules and limitations, I mean hell, if I didn’t already know you as well as I do…” He let out a breath. “All the scrutiny and fear of a scandal, I mean heaven help me.” He shot her a sad kind of smile. “We aren’t you and me anymore. I liked us before we started all this mess.”
Penelope leaned her head on his shoulder. “I did too.” They walked along for a few minutes each lost in their thoughts when another giggle escaped her.
Colin rolled his eyes. “Oh Lord, what’s so funny now?”
“I was just thinking, you could benefit from some lessons on how to woo a woman. This is your first courtship, and with a girl who will forgive all your fumbling around and yet it’s still so bad.” They came to a stop, Penelope smiling at him teasingly. “You need your brothers to show you how it’s done.” She looked over at the Bridgertons, her eyes landing on Anthony.
Colin followed her line of sight, seeing that it was his eldest brother she was fixated on. “Oh, you can’t be serious, you think Anthony should teach me?”
Penelope looked back at him, surprise written on her face. “What’s wrong with Anthony?”
Colin laughed, taking her hand, and leading her over to a bench. “We’re just coming off a season where he engaged in a very ill-fated, short-lived courtship with Edwina. The family all thought that he was actually falling for her sister, however we were apparently wrong.”
Penelope furrowed her brow in confusion. She had figured the courtship with Edwina failed because Anthony had indeed fallen in love with Kate. “Wait, what?”
“Oh yes. After the season ended Daphne just couldn’t help herself, so she confronted Anthony about all the little moments he and Kate shared last season. She said it seemed there was a lot of sexual tension there and then point blank asked him if he fell in love with her.”
The redhead glanced over at Anthony, was in conversation with Simon and Benedict. “And?”
Colin laughed a little. “He straight up busted out laughing. Actually, almost fell out of his chair according to Daph. In fact, he found is so funny he sent a message over to Lady Danbury’s for Kate. He wanted her to come over and have Daphne ask her the same question.”
“Did she come by?”
He nodded. “She did. Anthony told Daphne to ask her, so she did, and let us all bear witness this time. After she asked Kate if she was in love with Anthony, the two looked at one another for about two seconds before they both just cracked up at the thought, it took about a good ten minutes before they stopped laughing at the idea of them together.”
Penelope shook her head in disbelief, she had not heard this story. She thought for sure Anthony and Kate were going to begin courting soon if they weren’t already. She figured with the Edwina thing, they were just laying low for now. “Wait a minute. They didn’t fall in love? They’re not heading for marriage?”
Colin shook his head. “That they are not. Anthony says that all those little moments were not so much about wanting one another, but more like trying to one up the other one. After the doomed from the start wedding, he and Kate had a frank conversation. They both agreed that if they tried courting, it might work for a time but would never last.”
Many shocked faces were turned toward Anthony and Kate, who couldn’t stop laughing at Daphne’s question. Anthony flashed Kate a smile. “Do you see why I sent for you now? It’s far funnier this way.”
Kate had to nod her head in agreement. “That it is Lord Bridgerton.”
The duchess turned to look at her family, especially her husband, who seemed just as confused as she. Daphne turned back to the laughing pair. “Why is my question so funny? You can’t honestly tell me there isn’t something between you, I mean just look at how at ease you are with one another.”
Anthony stifled his amusement, giving his sister a smile. He and Daphne looked out for one another in a different way. He truly considered his little sister his best friend, even beating out Ben and Simon. “Daph, just because of the world we live in doesn’t mean all male and female interactions can only go one way.”
Kate too sobered up, sitting up more fully in her seat. “Your Grace, let me do my best to explain. Your brother is a stubborn ass.”
Anthony just nodded his head at the insult. “I saw that coming.”
“When I first met him, I couldn’t stand the sight of him and honestly thought him no better than a chauvinistic pig.”
The viscount barked out a short laugh. “This just keeps getting better.”
Kate rolled her eyes at his comments. “However, throughout his courtship with my sister, I came to find I was wrong. He is a good man, and sure there is the tale as old as time of enemies to lovers or opposites attracting, but that in actuality is where our problem lies. Lord Bridgerton and I are just far too alike.”
Daphne pursued her lips. “Well, what about commonalities being shared? Plenty of relationships have been based on such things.”
Kate gave the other woman a smile. “They have, but Your Grace I don’t need your brother’s fire. I have plenty of it myself. And he doesn’t need mine. The two of us together would be a wildfire, burning fast and bright but leaving ash in our wake. That is not conducive for love, we are meant to find our loves elsewhere.”
Daphne looked like she wanted to refute, but she had to admit the reasoning was thought out. Anthony stood up, walking toward his sister placing his hands on her arms. “Daph, I know you only want me to be happy, for now I am. Miss Sharma and I respect one another, a fine friendship could emerge from that someday.”
“You two just seemed so enamored with one another. I know what I saw.”
Anthony pulled his sister into a hug. “Perhaps at the time we were, but physical attraction alone is not enough to base a courtship off.”
Kate stood as well, preparing to leave. She met Daphne’s eyes “Your Grace, I do respect your brother and the man he is. But I do agree with him, physical attraction alone will not keep a relationship thriving. Please believe us when we say we know what we are doing. Your brother will find his love one day, and she will make him far happier than I ever could.”
Anthony gave Kate a grateful smile, the two of them sharing a look of understanding. “I’ll escort you to your carriage.”
As the family watched the two walk from the room, Daphne turned to look at the family, identical looks of surprise etched on all their faces. “They truly do seem to be happy with the decision to not be together.”
Violet cast a look around at her children. “Then we are to respect their decision. Both Anthony and Miss Sharma are grown, they don’t need anyone meddling and telling them what they want. They know themselves and their hearts best.”
It was quiet for a moment before Eloise couldn’t help but say, “To be honest, I’m happy about this turn of events. The whole idea of courting his ex-fiancée’s sister came off quite strange to me.”
Penelope gaped at Colin as he wrapped up his recollection of Anthony and Kate explaining their decision. “I’m so surprised.”
Colin laughed, rubbing a hand over his hair. “As we all were. Anthony told me that if he and Kate did end up becoming friends it would be no different from you and I and how we’ve been friends for so long.”
“Aside from the whole your family thinking we should court thing.”
He shook his head. “No, Anthony was actually the one person who wasn’t telling me that. In fact, he said I should really talk to you about courting before just waltzing over there and asking your mother. And of course, he was right…again.”
Penelope looked once more over at Anthony. Anthony is still unattached…who would’ve thought? His brown eyes suddenly met her blue ones. He gave her a smile, one she returned before looking back at Colin. “I’ll admit, I was not expecting that.”
“But see, I don’t know what pointers he could give me. His courtship failed, epically. And the other woman in his life from last season, they both find it laughable to be together.” He pointed in the direction in which they came. “You and I hit that mark about ten minutes ago. We got that part down.”
Penelope laughed, messing with the ends of her hair. “While that may be true, your brother didn’t earn his reputation of being a rake for no reason.” Women fell over themselves to get Anthony Bridgerton’s attention. One smile sent their hearts aflutter. “I’m sure there’s plenty that he could teach you.”
He quirked an eyebrow at her. “You don’t think Ben would be helpful?”
She laughed, shaking her head. “Considering he stays as far away from the young ladies of the ton as he can, no I don’t think Ben is the best choice. Honestly I believe his advice for you simply would be, ‘Run!” They shared a laugh, resting against the bench. Now that they had shed their expectation of a courtship, it was back to being easy.
Colin looked over at his friend, admiring the way the sunlight was hitting her. Penelope was far more beautiful than she realized. She was also wicked smart, sweet as could be, and when she loved she gave it everything she had. He frowned. She deserves to be courted and loved by a man on her level. Colin and she were great as friends, he’d never give up his friendship with her. But he couldn’t help but think if they continued in this courtship, they’d both be settling.
He glanced over at his family, his eyes focusing in on his eldest brother, then flicked his gaze back to Penelope. He’d seen the look in her eyes when she glanced at Anthony. He intrigued her, but she saw him as off limits. He looked back to Anthony. His brother deserved happiness. He’d been dealt a tough hand in life, he cared for everyone, but no one was there to care for him. Colin just knew Penelope would be perfect for that.
He stood up, offering Penelope his hand to finish off the promenade. She took in his expression. “What are you thinking? You have your scheming face on.”
Colin flashed her a grin. “Just thinking about how to get you the courtship you deserve.”