No Words Needed

Gambling Man

That bitch!" Eloise shouted as she angrily paced the floor of the Viscount's study. They really shouldn't have been in there, but this was an emergency, so Eloise didn't think her eldest brother would mind them using the space. At least, not much anyway.

"El..." Penelope scolded, trying to get her friend to sit down. Once Eloise got going though, she was like a spinning top. It was usually best to let her wind down on her own.

"She is!" Eloise cried defensively, flailing her arms about as she spoke. "I mean, how dare she?! Cressida Cowper is nothing but a shameless, attention seeking---"

"Alright!" Colin chimed in loudly, clapping his hands together. He certainly wasn't as wound up as Eloise, but Penelope could tell he was angry too from the way his jaw clenched and his shoulders tensed. She considered herself lucky to have these two as her greatest champions, even if they were overreacting. "While I would not use such colorful language, I do side with you, sister. I never much liked Miss Cowper. I always thought her a fowl woman, especially seeing how she treated you over the years, Pen darling." He turned to Penelope, giving her a smile so sweet, Eloise had to roll her eyes and keep from gagging.

"Fowl indeed. Give me five minutes alone with Cressida and I'll get her clucking like a hen," Eloise threatened, clenching her fists. It was a weak threat, but Eloise was more known for her scrappiness than her wit at times.

"You're much too good to care about the likes of a bitter hag like her," Colin continued. His soft smile turned to a frown as he muttered under his breath. "Though, I have half a mind to do something about the column she wrote about you."

"No," Penelope protested, the Bridgerton siblings shooting her comically similar looks of confusion. "While I appreciate both of your support, I assure you, I am fine. I am used to it. Yes, Cressida Cowper has tormented me all my life and made it her own life's purpose to insult me at every turn, but she is not original in that. The only thing that sets her apart from the rest of the Ton is that she has the gall to say it to my face. Except in this instance, I suppose," she mumbled, then snapped back up to the two of them, her face determined. "You must not worry about it. Do Not. Do. Anything. Stupid. Understood?" Penelope pressed, sounding as if she were giving orders to children. In many ways, when it came to these two, she was.

"Of course, darling," Colin answered quickly, taking her hand. Penelope nodded and smiled back at him.

"Eloise?" Penelope asked, raising a challenging brow at her friend.

"Fine," Eloise huffed, throwing her body into the Viscount's chair.

"Thank you. Now if you will both excuse me, tonight has been rather taxing, and I should like to retire." Penelope rose from her seat and pulled her hand from Colin's, giving it a gentle pat before letting go entirely. She told herself that once she made it out of the room and into the safety of her own home, she could let out all of her worries and think of a plan. She wouldn't, couldn't let them know that this bothered her. Penelope loved Colin and Eloise greatly, but she knew she could handle this on her own. Everything up until this point in her life had been done alone. She was used to it.

"Let me walk you," Colin said hastily, rushing to the door to open it for her.

Eloise rolled her eyes. Penelope let out a surprised squeak. She still wasn't quite used to his open affections. "Colin, I am just across the square," she tried to argue.

Eloise hummed in agreement, kicking her feet up on the desk. "Honestly, brother, are her legs so incapable on their own that she needs your chicken legs to support her? Talk about fowl," she snorted, taking a swig of Anthony's favorite scotch and wincing at the taste.

Colin ignored her. She'd get hers when Anthony found her sprawled out in his study, drinking his liquor. He kept his focus on Penelope and offered his arm. "Indulge your husband, would you?"