Chapter Text
Light filtered in through the curtains of the Featherington Estate where the youngest member of the household was stirring awake.
Penelope stretched, reaching out to the otherside of the bed only to find it empty. She thought that odd but shrugged it off as she continued to wake up. The room came into focus and Penelope’s face scrunched in confusion. This wasn’t her room any more, this was a room she hadn’t slept in for over two years.
Suddenly wide awake, Penelope threw the covers off and sprung out of bed. Where was her husband and even more importantly where was her son who she had left sleeping soundly in his crib in Mayfair just last night.
Taking stock of her surroundings she threw open the curtains finding a frosty morning in the Featherington Country Estate, an observation which was quite baffling due to the fact that the young family had spent the previous day relaxing in the summer heat of the Featherington House garden.
“What is going on?” Penelope asked herself. “Am I still dreaming?”
To gain some understanding of what exactly was happening Penelope decided to get ready for the day and venture out into the house to find out where her family were. She rang for her lady's maid and threw herself on the bed for a few minutes of contemplation as she waited.
There was a knock at the door a few moments later and Marie, a maid who Penelope had not seen working for her family since before her father died, walked in.
“Good morning Miss Penelope, let us get you ready for the day,” the young maid said brightly while preparing everything she would need. Penelope was not able to fully interact with Marie as she would have in the past as her brain was currently hurtling through every possible question as to what was going on this morning. Where was Rae? How did she end up here? Miss Penelope? Why did it seem to be the middle of winter?
She snapped out of it as Marie finished up with her hair, it was in a loose up-do as it seems they were still in the country where it was much more relaxed than during the season in the Ton.
Penelope thanked Marie and decided to head to the dining room, hoping there would be some sort of answer as to what was going on.
As she approached she could hear her mother monologuing to whoever else may be unfortunate enough to be breaking their fast alongside her. Penelope pushed the door open and stepped into the room.
It was a good thing she still had a firm grip on the doorhandle because the first person she laid eyes upon was her father, very much alive, sitting proud at the head of the table with the newspaper in hand seemingly uninterested in whatever his wife had to say. Her two sisters were on the left hand side of the table and her mother was in her customary seat opposite her father with a lone chair open for Penelope on the right. Nobody in the family looked up as she took a few tentative steps into the room heading for the empty seat. She took her place and was served swiftly by the staff.
Looking around the room Penelope’s head was swimming, how could she possibly be sitting at a table with a man whose funeral had been held three years prior? Why was everybody acting as if this was just a normal day?
“How kind of you to finally grace us with your presence this morning Penelope,” the snide voice of her mother cut through her train of thought. Penelope, trying to remain level headed – no matter how out of control she felt, gave a brief apology before turning to her breakfast and attempting to eat something.
A short while later her father folded his paper, leaving it on the table to be tidied with the remains of his breakfast, before standing and announcing to his family that he had business to attend to all day and would not be returning in time for their evening meal.
“Well, this gives us plenty of time to work on your needlework skills today ladies. Mrs Varley is setting up the drawing room with supplies as we speak,” Portia announced to her three daughters once her husband had left the room. “I will not have any of you lacking in skills when potential suitors come calling in the coming months.”
Penelope was thankful she had just finished her tea as the mention of potential suitors was a massive concern. What is her mother talking about, all her daughters had wonderful, adoring husbands? The panic was starting to grow in her gut. She needed to get out of here and back to her family. She must be in the midst of a nightmare. But this all feels so tangible and real. Almost like it was a day she had lived before.
She stood abruptly, stepping away from the table. As she moved her eyes caught on the discarded newspaper, catching a glance of the date caused her to do a double take.
‘Thursday 18th February 1813’
‘1813’
No.
It couldn’t be.
And with that Penelope lost consciousness.
—
Aubrey Hall in the winter was beautiful, the frost clung to grand stonework making the whole estate sparkle in the early morning light. The family within the walls were far too used to it to even let the thought cross their minds as another chaotic day in the household commenced.
“Brother, wake and make haste,” Benedict’s voice boomed through the door. “The horses are nearly ready for our morning ride and I will not be sitting here waiting for you much longer.”
Colin’s eyes sprung open at the rude awakening. He looked around the room in confusion. Why was he in his childhood bedroom at Aubrey Hall? Why was his brother pounding his door making demands? And where was HIS WIFE?!
He scrambles from the bed grappling for any clothing he can find in a blind panic. The last thing he could remember was pressing a kiss to his wife’s head before drifting off to sleep after a glorious summer day with his family in Mayfair.
More banging on the door.
“Colin!!!”
“Brother go on without me I am feeling weary this morning,” Colin lied as he tried to puzzle together what was happening. “I don’t think a morning ride will do me any favours at the moment.”
He could hear Benedict huff and shuffle away while calling out to Gregory that he had the opportunity for a morning ride, to which the young boy hollered with glee thundering down the corridor to change.
Colin took himself over the armchair in the corner, sitting down heavily before putting his head in his hands. He needed to gather more information to work out what had happened the previous night, surely he was not so severely in his cups at their family home that he had forgotten entire days of his life.
After a few minutes of gathering his thoughts he decided to properly dress himself, as it would do him no good to give his family reason to question his mental state, then head down to break his fast.
While grabbing various items of clothing for the day he caught a glance of himself in the mirror and had to do a double take. Why did he look so youthful? His hair was fluffy and unkempt from more than just sleep. The baby fat had reappeared where the previous day he had a chiselled jaw. He examined himself further, finding a lack of muscle and definition on his entire person. How was this even possible?
Looking down at the clothing he’d pulled out he found an array of pastel coloured layers. No, this would not do, this was not who he was any more. After a few minutes of rummaging through his wardrobe he put together the least boyish ensemble he could find, resigning himself to the fact that this was really the least of his worries at this current time.
Taking a deep breath he straightened himself up and headed down to face whatever family happened to be at Aubrey Hall.
He could hear the chaotic sounds of a Bridgerton meal as he approached the dining room. Opening the door he was met with a table full of his sisters and mother all speaking loudly in overlapping conversations. He felt a wave of comfort run over him seeing them all together before the confusion started to rise again. Why were Daphne and Francesca sitting here as if they didn’t have husbands and homes of their own to be at?
The Bridgerton ladies hadn’t noticed his arrival due to their ongoing spirited conversations. When he pulled out his chair his mother looked up in surprise from the seat next to him.
“Oh, Colin!” she said, looking at him slightly concerned. “I thought you would be out for a morning ride? Are you well?”
Colin gave his mother a small smile, she could always tell when something was amiss no matter how many children she had.
“Do not fret mother, I simply slept in and was unprepared to head out when Benedict called so I let him take Gregory for once.”
His mother gave him a smile, “Well we are very glad to have you join us this fine morning!”
Colin helped himself to the excellent selection of food provided by the cooks while trying to listen into his sisters’ conversations to gain some insight as to what his mind has forgotten.
“Daphne I received word from Penelope just yesterday saying her mother is planning to debut all three daughters at once this season,” she said in disbelief. Colin nearly choked on the juice he had just drank. “Poor Pen is being thrust onto the marriage mart early when she isn’t even interested in marrying!”
“Yes she’s very young but how can you be so sure she’s not interested El,” Daphne asked in slight exasperation at her sisters assumptions. “I have never garnered that impression from her over our many years of knowing her.”
The conversation continued as Colin’s head spun, this could not be real. Had he dreamt the last several years of his life? Surely that was impossible. Was he dreaming now? This seemed too real for that to be the case.
“Colin, dearest, are you well? You seem to have gone a little pale.”
“Ye-Yes Mama, I am fine, just.. umm, concerned about ehh… Pen being thrust into the spotlight of the Ton so early,” he stumbled out.
Surely this isn’t truly where he was. It would make sense though, all his sisters are home, he looked several years younger.
“Mother, where is Anthony?”
“He left late last night to go out to the club, do you not remember us discussing it as he left?”
“Oh yes.. yes. Sorry, I must still be asleep,” he cracked a half hearted smile to appease her worry. His mother did not look terribly convinced but patted his hand comfortingly.
He spent the rest of breakfast in silence as he slowly worked his way through his food not wanting to worry his mother any further. His thoughts churned and as soon as he was done with his food he excused himself quickly.
Grabbing the newspaper in the entrance hall on his way past, he headed back to his chambers.
He unfurled the fresh paper with trepidation even though it he knew in his gut what he would find.
‘Thursday 18th February 1813’
He was correct.
It seemed he was currently a husband and father without a wife nor a child.
Colin crawled into bed as an earth shattering sob was muffled by the sheets.