Chapter Text
For the second time in one day, Colin’s presence in the Bridgerton drawing room was met with silence. He felt Penelope’s presence tucked behind him, Agatha in her arms. He offered to walk in first, as he knew she was fearful about what was going to happen. He personally felt quite intimidated by multiple pairs of eyes on him. Portia, Violet, and Eloise were still camped out in the drawing room. Anthony and Benedict had disappeared somewhere, hopefully not searching London for Penelope, as she safely returned.
“PENELOPE FEATHERINGTON!” Portia shrieked as she spotted her daughter hidden behind Colin. “Where the hell were you?”
Penelope stepped out from behind Colin. She felt her hands shaking as they held Agatha tight to her chest. She prayed she would not drop her. But it was now or never to get the truth out.
“Mama, please do not yell,” Penelope said to her mother. She immediately regretted the words because Portia stood up and marched towards her. Penelope had to force her body from instinctively flinching at her mother’s rashness.
“’ Do not yell’! You went missing for an entire day. No one knew where you were. Then you show up here with Mr. Bridgerton making demands,” Portia huffed shoving a finger into Penelope’s face. As Colin stepped in front of Portia to block her from Penelope, a lone voice rang from the side of the room.
“Penelope, are you holding a baby?” Eloise’s voice asked, being ever the observer.
Penelope stepped around her mother and Colin, going straight to the dearest friend in the world. The most important thing right now was introducing her daughter to her dearest friend. Portia could wait. Eloise stood up, meeting her in the middle.
“Eloise, meet my daughter, Agatha,” Penelope told her dearest friend with a smile on her face, ignoring the gasps from the members of the room. She was shocked to see Eloise give her a small smile with tears in her eyes. Eloise immediately looked down at Agatha and gave her a timid smile. Eloise had never been too fond of babies. “I am sorry I did not tell you.”
“Who’s the father?”
“I would also like to know,” Portia huffed as she came up to Penelope and Eloise. “The child will need to be sent away and he will be the one paying for it. This bastard is his responsibility, not mine.”
Colin stepped forward furiously. He would not have Portia Featherington in his house making such decisions about his wife and child. Now Colin knew why Penelope kept her pregnancy a secret. Portia would have most definitely made Penelope give up their daughter.
“Lady Featherington, you will not be sending our child away,” Colin grimaced as he put his arms around Penelope protectively pulling her body to press into his front. “While you are in my family’s house, you will treat both Penelope and our daughter with respect.”
“Colin, the child is yours?” he heard his mother say from her spot near them on the couch.
“Yes, Penelope hid her pregnancy from everyone, including me. By happenstance, I found her at the monastery and brought her back home where she belongs,” Colin explained to his mother. He hoped she could forgive him for compromising Penelope without immediately marrying her. Violet had raised him better. But the softness on her face suggested she was going to.
“Penelope belongs at my house across the square. This baby belongs elsewhere. Where I do not care but it will not be allowed in my house,” Portia turned to tell Violet, totally bypassing Colin.
“Mother, I am keeping my- our child. Her name is Agatha. Agatha Bridgerton. She is not a bastard. She is Colin and I’s daughter,” Penelope finally spoke up in defense of herself. With Colin’s arms wrapped around her and Elosie’s hand squeezing her arm, she had no reason to fear her mother. Both would be here to protect Penelope. They would protect Agatha too.
“Portia, I believe we should give Colin and Penelope time alone. Penelope seemingly gave birth yesterday and needs her rest. We can go straight in to talk to the Viscount,” Violet said coming over to the group. “Eloise, I know you must have many questions, but your brother and Penelope will need time alone. Colin, take Penelope to your chambers. I will have Anthony collect you in a few hours.”
Colin nodded to his mother and guided Penelope out into the hall. He directed Penelope down the many halls until they reached his private chambers.
“Colin, can I lie down?” Penelope asked when they got into his room. She was in so much pain from standing and taking the steps up into the drawing room. Her hands were now shaking in pain instead of nervousness, as she held Agatha.
“Of course, love,” Colin answered as she guided her to the bed helping her settle onto his yellow duvet. “Let me take off your shoes for you.”
Penelope could not take her eyes off Colin as he unlaced her shoes and pulled them off her feet. He was so gentle, rubbing her calves as his nimble fingers worked over her laces. She was quite embarrassed that he may catch sight of the cloth she currently had pinned in her underthings due to the aftereffects of birth. Yet Colin did not seem to notice. Or maybe he did but did not care. When her shoes came off her feet, Colin moved up to the bed to untuck the covers for her. Penelope stood up handing him a cooing Agatha. She was being the most agreeable baby with all the shouting and animosity surrounding her. Penelope was finally able to tuck herself into a warm and comfortable bed.
“Do you need anything else?” Colin asked as she came to the other side of the bed to lie down. He placed Agatha on his chest giving her back small rubs. He was more worried about Penelope though. Her face was ghostly pale, and tremors took over her body.
“Just rest right now. When I wake up, I fear I will need to wash up. But for now, just rest,” Penelope whispered feeling tiredness eloped her luring her off to sleep.
Colin decided to bring Agatha to visit Anthony in his study. She had fallen asleep around the same time as her mother. Colin studied the similarities in their hair and noses for a long time. Penelope had started to gain color back the more she rested, calming Colin’s nerves. As he watched her, he knew in the back of his head that his mother and Portia had finished their meeting quite a while ago. But Colin was quite frankly scared to confront his brother. Anthony’s anger could get the best of him when it came to the family’s reputation.
“I am disappointed in you,” Anthony said the second Colin walked into the room. His brother must have recognized Colin’s footsteps because he did not bother to look up from his work. He just kept scribbling away at the account on the desk. Anthony’s desk was his place of solitude in times of familiar stress.
“I am not surprised, nor do I hold it against you for being disappointed. I am quite disappointed in myself,” Colin replied as he stayed near the doorway. He might need a quick escape. The chastising had come faster than he expected.
“You left Penelope with no support. You ruined her without even a semblance of courtship. Then, she was here carrying your child and you were gallivanting around Europe for six months,” Anthony hissed out still refusing to make eye contact.
“We both did not believe she would fall pregnant after our solitary night together. And we had a discussion after that night, and she did not want a courtship. Nevertheless, I gave my ring to her, Anthony. I told her if she needed anything you would help her. But she was terrified to tell anyone about our daughter. As she should have been. If Portia had it her way, little Aggie would be off at an orphanage right now,” Colin explained finally coming to sit in front of his brother. The ring that had been around Penelope’s neck for months now landed on the desk. Colin was not going to let his brother think he had been totally irresponsible. There were precautions he put in place for Penelope even if she thought of him as a friend, he was protecting her from hundreds of miles away.
Anthony finally looked up at Colin. By the look on his face, he must not have realized Colin was holding the baby. His face softened quite a bit when he spotted Agatha swaddled in a blanket and tucked into Colin’s chest.
“That stupid ring system Benedict and I made, was for a mistress, not a future wife,” Anthony said matter-of-factly. Colin tried to hold back a blush at the word wife. That was obviously the next step in this entire process, but it was not said aloud until now. Well aloud in Colin’s presence, he knew Portia and his mother had come to discuss with Anthony earlier.
“All I ask for is help with the special license. I will move us out the minute the papers are signed,” Colin offered. There was no reason to keep his new family in a hostile environment. Colin’s inheritance could keep them afloat their entire lives. He could take his family to live in the country on a huge farm or maybe just down the road in Bloomsbury.
“Brother, I will not kick you out on the streets. We will need to keep this in the household until we can explain how you and Penelope have a baby without being married. This will be a scandal but one I am certain we can manage,” Anthony gave a small grin in encouragement.
“Thank you, brother,” Colin replied hoping it sounded as genuine as it felt. Anthony may be pissed at him, but he was not abandoning his family.
“Of course, now let me see my niece. I believe you said she was named Aggie. I know Eloise and Hyacinth will certainly be happy with another girl around,” Anthony suggested as he stood to make his introduction.
Penelope knew that she should go back to sleep. The morning was still early, the light of dawn barely illuminating the sky. Every couple of hours, Agatha was crying from her bassinet next to the bed, wanting to be fed. Penelope would have to rub the sleep from her eyes, pull her top down, and let Agatha nurse until she was sated. Colin was being dutiful, waking up with her, and holding her hand while Agatha was lying on her chest. Penelope threw propriety out of the window, not caring if Colin saw her bare chest. But somehow his touch felt more exposed than his seeing her partially naked. The rub of his thumb on the back of her hand sent little tingles into her belly.
Currently, Agatha was back in her bassinet and Colin was asleep next to her. Penelope had been surprised that they were allowed to stay in the same bed in the guest wing. They were certainly not married as one should be when sharing a bed with a man. But Violet had not told the younger Bridgerton about the baby, so it was best to keep the situation as contained as possible. Penelope thought she and Agatha would be by themselves for the night. But after dinner, Colin entered the room dressed for bed. The bassinet had already been delivered earlier but Penelope had Agatha next to her on the bed. Colin scooped up his daughter and sang a lullaby for Agatha while pulling Penelope to his chest. With his shirt pulled up his arms and messy hair, Colin looked so casual. More importantly, the warmth of his body was quite relaxing after such an eventful day. The action of their embrace was so domestic. It felt like how a family should feel.
Breaking from her thoughts, Penelope felt a pair of eyes on her. Colin must have woken because Penelope could feel his stare. She turned over in the bed to face him.
“I have another secret,” she confessed looking into his blue eyes. She prayed he would take the news slightly well.
“What is it?” he asked with no apprehension on his face.
“I was Whistledown.”
Colin felt his entire tense up at Penelope’s words. She was Whistedown. Penelope, who hid in corners at the ball, was one of the most notorious gossips of London.
“You do not have to stay here with me,” he heard her whisper from across to him. The words caught him off guard. There was no reason for him to flee.
“I will not leave you again.”
“Colin, it is…”
“No, Penelope. I will not leave you and Agatha, again. Not now and not ever. We will figure this out together.” Colin promised as he reached out and pulled her into his chest as he had done earlier. This time he rubbed his hands on her back in a soothing pattern. “I am yours and you will not be able to get rid of me now.”
