No Words Needed

Invisible

Colin wiped his sweaty palms on his breeches, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door to the study. Then again. And again. He was panicking, he knew. His mind was racing, his heart pounding, and a feeling of absolute dread washed over him. Finally, the person on the other side answered. "Anthony, I need to speak with you," Colin blurted, sounding if he had just sprinted there from Aubrey Hall.

Avoiding this disaster seemed impossible. My heart is beating faster, fast as it can go.

"Come in, come in," Anthony answered, noticing instantly that something was wrong. "Shall I call for Ben?" He asked, feeling ill equipped to handle whatever Colin was going through on his own. When their father passed, Anthony stepped up to handle the family's finances. Daphne took on a motherly role to help Violet. Benedict was good with the emotional things, giving advice when needed. "I'll get Ben," Anthony added when Colin still said nothing, staring helplessly at his eldest brother.

Moments later, Benedict bounded into the room with his usual sense of careless charm, and threw an arm around Colin's shoulder. "Is wooing Miss Featherington not going according to plan, brother?" He teased, knowing usually what Colin needed was someone to lighten the mood.

Not today apparently, as Colin replied in a clipped, rather direct tone. "I need a list of all of the eligible Lords in London looking for wives."

Benedict shot him an incredulous look. "Why? Planning on joining mother in her matchmaking against Eloise?"

"Not Eloise. Penelope," Colin answered with a slight growl that was not missed by either brother.

Benedict, as always, did not know when to quit, and continued to egg Colin on. "So the wooing is really not going according to plan?" He joked.

"Benedict," Anthony warned, wondering why on earth he had went to him in the first place. The man reeked of alcohol, and this was the first time he had been home in days. Anthony determined that he was probably still angry about the art school thing, but now was not the time to discuss it. Their brother needed them. He shot Benedict a look that told him this, and he made a face of reluctant recognition.

"Right, sorry," Benedict said, straightening up and giving a comforting squeeze to his younger brother's shoulder.

"Colin, what happened?" Anthony asked carefully. "You were planning on courting Miss Featherington, were you not?" In fact, they had already picked out a ring together from the family's jewels, with the help of their mother and Kate, of course. The two women claimed that such a decision needed a woman's touch.

Colin sank into one of the chairs across from the Viscount's desk. He then buried his face in his hands and let out a deep sigh before looking up at them. "She needs a Lord. I cannot tell you why, only that I am not the husband that she needs. No matter how much traveling and soul searching I do, I will never be enough for Pen. She doesn't love me."

"Did she say that?" Benedict asked, knowing she never would. The youngest Featherington had been making puppy eyes at their brother since they were children.

"Yes. I proposed, and she refused. She told me I needed to marry for love, and I would never find that with her." Colin grimaced, as if reliving the worst moment of his life all over again.

Cause I'm overthinking every word that was never said or heard.

"Colin, you idiot," Anthony mumbled, knowing full well the truth of what Penelope meant.

"Just tell her you love her already. Save us all the misery," Benedict suggested.

"I tried!" Colin shouted, not wanting to dwell on his heartbreak anymore. It was humiliating. Their family was known for marrying the people they loved. Their parents had the greatest love story since Queen Charlotte and King George. Daphne went on to marry the Duke, and the two were now happy with two children. Anthony finally wised up and married Kate last year. And Colin? He had been blind for years to the truth of what was in front of him. His stupidity had caused him to lose the love of his life before he even got the chance to have her. "She needs a Lord," Colin repeated, trying to get them back to why he came here. He probably should have gone to his mother, but that could have proved just as disastrous. She would have meddled until she found out things she did not need to know.