The next morning
Portia Featherington's head aches profusely. Along with her daughter Prudence, she had spent all the hours at last night's ball talking with different mamas of the ton, prospecting who can she match with both of her daughters. Her eldest daughter at least was able to dance with three different bachelors last night. What exhausted Portia at the party was the endless questions about what happened to their relative Jack and the news about her youngest Penelope becoming an heiress.
Lady Featherington does not say it out loud but she is happy as she noticed that there was a change of wind when it comes to the ton's treatment towards her family. Moreso, with their interest in Penelope whom had not even attended the ball last night. Nevertheless, this makes the ambitious mama be more hopeful as she could see a glimpse of chance that her youngest may truly be able to snatch a marriage this season.
The dowager Baroness had been joined in lunch meal by her two daughters. Penelope silently minding her own meal of stuffed tomatoes and scalloped oysters, whilst Prudence enjoying the crunch of asparagus and carrots. Penelope seeing how tired her mama's eyes were, inquired about their excursion last night.
"Everything went well mama?" Penelope's sweet voice echoed all throughout the dining hall.
"Of course, should it be not?" Portia asked back.
Penelope just politely raised her concern of the baroness' existent tiredness on her eyes. Prudence was quick to intervene with her thoughts.
"Well. I think it goes with all the ladies last night." Prudence's statement had piqued the interest of Penelope.
"What you mean sister?"
Prudence feeling proud, told the youngest Featherington on the juicy details she missed at the ball. On how there were new eligible bachelors who re-entered society, the gossips around town and the gentlemen who got to ask her for a dance.
Not that the last topic really interests Penelope, but the first two parts made the young lady regret not coming to the first ball of the season. What intrigued the girl most was of that fine gentleman that was introduced by the famed Lady Danbury. Her mother and daughter seemed to be captivated by the man's charms and she could only hear good words about him. Penelope felt bad that she was not able to witness this man in person. Her Lady Whistledown instincts are now pressuring her up to join as many balls as she can just to be fully aware of all the heard and unheard gossips and revelations around town.
"Surely, you will not be making any excuses in attending tomorrow's ball, won't you Penelope?"
Her mother's voice had brought Penelope's attention back to the dowager Baroness. She knew that her mother would no longer permit her to miss any of the parties and she herself, decided to be as diligent on being present at the nightly activities. She knew that for her to get married as she planned, she needs to partake actively within the social circles.
"Of course, mama. I am thrilled to meet this Lord Debling you both speak highly of." Penelope Featherington takes a sip of her lemonade as she tries to imagine how this golden-haired man looks by the flesh.
"Do not get your hopes up, sister." Prudence discourages her younger sibling. "Lord Debling may have introduced himself to a lot of ladies, but he did not ask for any hand to dance with him." A truth that Portia had agreed to.
"Is he not interested for a wife?" Penelope curiously asks. She seldom heard of a gentleman who refuses to ask a hand's lady for a dance. Even those whom she knew like the Bridgerton brothers, asks her and Cressida just for courtesy, even if it was not genuine or they were just forced by their mothers.
"He is. The man said itself." Portia says as she tilts her chin up. "Now that I see it, Lord Debling might be a picky man. Not even your friend's sister was able to get a request from him."
"Francesca?"
"Umm."
By this time, Penelope could not help but wonder what kind of a man this Lord Debling is. She knew Francesca for years, as she had been frequenting the Bridgeton house since childhood. The Bridgerton's third daughter had grown up so well and beautifully. It goes without a saying that any man would easily fall for a Bridgerton girl. But for this Lord Debling not to take any interest to Franny, means something. Silently, Penelope smiles as she continues her meal thinking how she would react upon seeing the man in person.
Bridgerton House
Violet, together with her unmarried children are all spending time together at the main drawing room. Her daughters Francesca and Hyacinth were all busy stitching whilst her second daughter Eloise is pre-occupied by another book.
Benedict, Colin and Gregory are bored sitting and eating snacks as they watch on the girls. The Viscount and Viscountess are both gone as they both went to visit Kate's sister Edwina for the day. The couple will only be back by tomorrow just in time to attend Lady Danbury's ball.
The silence inside the room was interrupted by the door's knock of their butler Humboldt who brought today's letters.
"The post for today has been delivered, my lady." The old butler offered the silverplate to Violet who checks each of the mail senders.
"Thank you, Humboldt." The matriarch dismisses the butler and puts aside the letters without opening any of it.
"Are there not any for us mother?" Benedict asks, as he noticed the silence come back after their butler's departure.
"All invitations for upcoming balls. Nothing else." Violet says. She noticed an immediate movement from her third son Colin whom was preparing to leave the room.
"And where you might off to Colin?"
"I will visit the Featheringtons next door mother. I have yet to show my return to Miss Featherington as she missed the ball last night." Colin casually answered. Seeing the letters delivered to his mother reminded him of his unfinished business with Penelope. He was not able to see and talk to her last night at the Cowper's ball making it unknown for him on why he was unable to receive any correspondence with her. Was the young red-haired girl avoiding him? When he asked Eloise about her friend, he was not able to get any answers. Even Benedict and his mother did not tell on much news about Penelope Featherington.
Violet gave her son a discontented look. "It is past calling hours Colin. It is improper for a man to visit at this hour."
"But Pen's a friend."
"Yes, a friend. But also, an unmarried one." Violet paused as she looks at her son with authority. "Lady Featherington had stated that Penelope is eager to find a husband this season. As we are close with them, I expect all of you not to bring about any scandal that may ruin the poor girl."
Colin could not fully comprehend as to what his mother meant. He just wanted to see what is going on with his friend. He did not expect to feel animosity from his mother. Colin knew that his family has been treating Penelope like one of their own, so it goes without a saying that they will never do any act that may bring ruin to the red-haired girl.
"Mother, I would just like to check on Pen. She seemed not to answer any of my letters."
"And that Colin is a thing I forbid you to continue." Violet's strict voice alarmed all of her children at once. They sat silently as they watch their brother be put on the depths of fire, knowing that Colin will not come out unscathed.
"I do not understand mother." Colin was so confused as to why his mother is reacting that way.
"My son, have you wondered why Miss Featherington did not bother to answer any of your letters?"
"I have no idea, mother. Which gives me the reason to check up on her. I need to know why of all the twenty-four letters I sent while overseas, never once have I gotten anything from her." Violet's eyes widened in disgust as she heard how many her son sent to the lady across their house.
"Has it not ever occurred to you, that doing so will put her marriage prospects in jeopardy?" As there was no answer from her son, Violet continued to reiterate the etiquette on courting. All her other children are still quiet and observing, as they knew better not to intervene between her and their brother Colin.
"But Pen's a friend!"
"Exactly so. She is just a friend. But you are a gentleman and she is a lady. A man and an unmarried woman do not share writings with such familiarity. Colin, I expect you to know better! Twenty-four letters?! Are you mad? Your sisters and I, what, only get a letter once a month? And you have been bugging the poor girl with such an enormous amount. No wonder she will not bother sending a reply."
Colin had started to become frustrated with the exchange of words with his mother. He felt guilty that he had been sending them fewer communications compared to Pen. But he knew that his family would not be genuinely interested in stories about his travels and would only be concerned on when he is coming back. Unlike with Penelope, who had been a joy writing to about almost everything.
Ending up the heated discussion, Violet Bridgerton puts down the fabric she is stitching into and grabs all the letters to put on Anthony's desk. She gave a strict warning to Colin before leaving the drawing room to her children.
"If you so much want to speak with Miss Featherington, you would do so within the proper calling hours, or at a ball. In the presence of a chaperone. For god's sake, no more letters please."
Colin exhales deeply and nodded his head down as he succumbs to the authority his mother has. Upon seeing his agreement, Violet then strutted along and left their presence.
"Goodness me. So much for just a season free of scandal!" Her voice still heard as she passed the hallway.
"Can you believe this, brother?" Colin turned to Benedict who had almost finished eating all the biscuits on the platter after watching the arguments before them.
"What, the way mother walked away annoyed at you or the twenty-four letters you sent Miss Featherington?" Benedict jokingly answers his brother. Their sisters laughed in silence as Benedict makes fun of their third brother.
"Pen's a friend. Can nobody understand that? Aren't we all treating her the same?"
"Well, Colin. I am your closest brother and yet I have not received any letter from you." Benedict says as Colin takes a seat on the same sofa he is sitting on.
Colin could not rebut Benedict's statement as it was all truth. "Is it that bad to call it a scandal? Me writing to Pen? Our good friend Pen?"
All eyes glanced at Colin as the word scandal came out from his mouth. Eloise stood up from her reading and removed herself from the room without any word to her siblings. This made her brother Colin wonder if there is something wrong between Penelope and Eloise.
"May I suggest you follow mother's words for now. Try to talk with Miss Featherington tomorrow at the ball. Then you will get your answers my dear brother."
With that, Ben gives a pat on Colin's shoulders as he leaves the room. He expressed to spend the rest of his afternoon at his room finishing up a painting he had been working for days.
Colin Bridgerton can only taste defeat as he finds himself trapped within the house, unable to come visit his friend Penelope, nor get any support from his siblings. He could not help but wonder what made their mother over react that way.