Chapter Text
Penelope Featherington was many things. A lover of books and stationary, fairly competent at the pianoforte, terrible at watercolours, a daughter, a sister, a treasured friend and unknown to all but a trusted few, Lady Whistledown.
She has never meant to start the column to be sure, but she had. Debuting at only 17 and having to face the terrible farce that was the marriage mart, being told to sit up straight, prim and proper, flutter her eyelashes at a gentleman on cue and wield a fan just-so. She had to vent to someone, who? Her mother and sisters. She could nearly perish at the thought. Eloise had not debuted so she was ruled out, she couldn’t hide with her in the corner of the ballrooms. She could hardly go to Colin, he was a man. He did not understand what it was like to be strung up in a corset for hours on end pretending to be something you're not, all because society expects it. So she did the next best thing, she wrote it down. Penelope loved writing letters and was a most eloquent and loyal correspondent, even if she did say so herself. She picked up a quill and began writing, everything from best and worst dressed to the snippets of hasty marriages, disappearing maids and dubious financial situations. She dotted the full stop of the last sentence and read back what she had wrote, it was intelligent and witty and she felt immensely overcome by pride.
It was a few days later when she walked into the drawing room to find her father’s solicitor reading the paper she had written. She had been writing it in the room when she heard her mothers and sisters return and she quickly stored it away in a cabinet off to the side. It had evidently gotten mixed up with the papers intended for Mr O’Connor.
“Did you write this, Miss Penelope?” He had known her since she was two years old so this level of familiarity was not unusual. She didn’t get a chance answer before he continued his deductions “I know what your father’s handwriting looks like and this is far too refined for that. It could be your mother or sisters I suppose but, forgive me, they are either too self obsessed, air-headed or dull, to write something so entertaining.”
She stifled a laugh at his description and he smiled at her reaction
“It is very good, you know”
“Really?” she replied
“Yes, people would pay to read this”
“Oh” she stuttered “I do not think so, it was just some musings I had after my first ball, I needed somewhere to express my thoughts”
“No they would, you know how the ton flourishes on gossip. Imagine if they had a ringleader telling them what is what, reporting on every ball or social event. They would eat it up. Think about it Miss Penelope, send word to my offices when you decide, I will help you in whatever capacity you wish”
He turned and headed to the door
“Good day” he said with a small tilt of his head
“Good day, Mr O’Connor” she replied with a small curtsey
Penelope’s decision to continue the writing had been made almost instantly, but it took her a further four days to gather the courage to send the letter in acceptance. This kind of thing wasn’t done, she was a woman, and a young woman at that, she had no money of consequence, no husband, no title. But here she was making something for herself.
She sat in anticipation the next week waiting for the gossip sheet to be delivered. The first two were to be of no charge to get readers hooked. Hundreds of pamphlets were delivered across mayfair and beyond. She watched as people, who had showed her nothing but distain, gush, actually gush, over what she had to say. They did not know it was her of course, she couldn’t use her own name, not with the content of what was printed, and so Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers was born.
It was the talk of the Kenworthy ball that night, everyone trying to guess the true identity of the anonymous author, but to no avail. Penelope was beaming internally from her corner, people were finally listening, even if they didn’t know it was her.
She had extracted herself from her mother and sisters as soon as she could, when she saw a group of familiar faces standing by the lemonade table. Lady Bridgeton, Lord Bridgerton, Benedict, Colin and Daphne. The latter three in the group had all foregone formalities with her. To be honest Violet and Anthony had insisted the same, but her sense of propriety had won over, only disregarding the honorific on private special occasions like birthdays or Christmas time. She made her way over, hearing snippets of what they were saying.
“There is no way that it is a woman” said Anthony
“Do you think women to be incapable of such a feat brother, you, the Viscount, with 4 sisters and a mother” said Daphne raising an eyebrow before continuing “I rather think it is a lady, a gentleman could not write in such an impassioned way”
“I quite agree Daphne” said Benedict, he didn’t really have an opinion, he just wanted to enrage Anthony in any way he could.
“No matter what is is clear that this Lady Whistledown has clear talent, when has Mayfair ever been so consumed by just a few sheets of paper” she overheard Colin say as she appeared beside Violet, heart singing at his praise.
“Good Evening”
“Pen!” Colin said face lighting up “How lovely to see you this evening”
“Dearest Penelope, you must weigh in on our discussion, what do you think of this Lady Whistledown?” Violet asked
“I think she is very entertaining, it’s nice to have something new and interesting to read”
“You say ‘she’, so you also think it is a woman?” Enquired Anthony
“Well, My lord, If it was a man I rather think there would have been no need for an alias, lest someone else get the praise” she retorted
Anthony raised his eyebrows as if to consider her point. Daphne looked smug at someone agreeing with her.
Benedict guffawed at her response “And that, Miss Featherington, is why you are the most intelligent amongst us!”
She blushed slightly at the praise,
The first stirrings of music began in the room as couples took to the dance floor.
“A dance pen?” Colin said holding out his arm for her to take “I was absent at the first ball of the season and must claim at least two tonight to make up for it”
She nodded taking his arm “That is not necessary Colin”
“Oh but it is, I simply must dance with my dearest friend”
“We took our lessons together, Colin, we have danced together multiple times”
“Ah, but that is when we were children and it was in the drawing room at Bridgerton House, it is completely different, this is a ball”
“If you say so” she said, smiling slightly
“You are are wonderful dancer Pen, I will just be here to help you show it off” she gave her a lopsided grin “I’m just sorry I missed the opportunity to be your first dance at a ball after your debut”
“Actually Colin, this is my first dance at a ball”
“What?” Colin looked actually angry “What do you mean?”
“You are the first person to ask me to dance, no-one asked me at Lady Danbury’s ball. And as you well know us ladies can hardly go up to a gentleman and ask, it would be a great scandal to be sure” she said, trying to keep her tone level.
Colin muttered something under his breath, that she was sure was a curse. “Well, the men of the ton are idiots and it is only to my advantage, selfishly, I am honoured to be your first dance Pen”
She smiled up at him “I am glad it was you” she replied shyly.
The dance came to an end and Penelope excused herself, pretending she was needed by her mother. She actually just needed a few moments to contain herself. Colin had asked her to dance, her heart was fluttering uncontrollably but she had business to attend to, she needed to get some bits and pieces for the next paper and so she headed to the perimeter of the room.
Colin had walked off with a purpose after his and Penelope’s dance. He found his targets quickly grabbing them each by an arm and dragging them to the terrace. He checked to make sure no-one was around, there wasn’t anyone out there it was still early in the night and there was no need for fresh air just yet. Colin looked at them with fury and were just met by the somewhat confused faces of Anthony and Benedict.
“Why did neither of you dance with Pen?”
“Colin, what are you talking about, you were dancing with her, the four of us could hardly participate in the dance at the same time” asked Anthony.
“Although, that would cause such a spectacle, I would almost be tempted” said Benedict laughing.
“No you meatheads, I meant at Lady Danbury’s ball, she just informed me that this was her first dance of the season”
“Who are you, Mother?” Anthony said sarcastically, and then changed his tone at the look he had received. “We did not out of respect for you, brother”
“What do you mean out of respect for me?”
“Well we did not want her first dance with a Bridgerton man to be one of us, it should have been you, but you were ill and could not attend. We had thought others would have asked her, I do now feel bad that she was left on the sidelines” Benedict said.
“I suppose, but why me?”
Anthony and Benedict shared a conspiratorial look as if to say Does he really not know. Maybe it was not the time to divulge the true reason as to why they had not danced with her first.
“Because you are wonderful friends, of course” Benedict supplied
“Oh, ok, that is nice of you” Colin seemed contended with their answered. He continued to stare at his brothers.
“What?” Anthony asked,
“Well, I have danced with her now, off you go and secure your dances too” Colin made a shooing mention with his hand. The older two made their way back to the ballroom one muttering under their breath “He is as bad as mother”
Colin returned behind them to find Penelope dancing with the newly returned Duke of Hastings. He could make out the online of Portia Featherington practically vibrating at the fact her youngest was dancing with a Duke. He was clearly doing his best to charm her, and it was clearly working, Penelope was giggling demurely at whatever he was saying. He felt an odd sensation settle in his stomach, he must be hungry, he thought, so he headed toward the table and made up a plate to his liking. After a few minutes he was joined again by Penelope.
“Did you enjoy your dance with the Duke?” He asked her
“Yes, it was most pleasant” she leaned in slightly and whispered “Although, I do believe my previous dance partner was superior”
Colin preened at her comment.
“Are you going to set your cap for him?”
Penelope burst out laughing at that “Colin, you cannot be serious” she said now trying to catch her breath. “A Duke would have no interest in me”
“But he asked you to dance?”
“I rather think it was the best of a bad lot. Mother had dragged my sisters and I along to introduce us. He was being swarmed by mamas pushing their daughter’s on to him. He asked me to dance to escape them, he admitted as much, he said I was the only one who wasn’t looking at him like he was a prized horse and so he knew he would be safe.” She noticed Colins frown “It is ok Colin, he is a very nice man and will make some lady a very nice husband indeed”
“But not you?”
“No, not me, a bit too brooding for my liking. Although he is easy on the eyes.”
Colin looked at her, pretending to be scandalised,
“Penelope Featherington!”
“What?” She giggled “I am still a woman, Colin!”
He looked at her, really looked at her for the first time that night “Yes, yes you are” he said, only loud for enough for himself to hear.
“I rather think I will end up a spinster” Penelope said somewhat absentmindedly.
“You wish to be a spinster?”
“I think I will end up a spinster, that is not the same as wishing for it” Penelope replied, keeping her gaze on the dance floor, she couldn’t look at the pity in his eyes.
Before Colin could muster a response Anthony has appeared.
“Miss Featherington, I believe it is time for our dance” he said with a comical flourish for her and Colin’s benefit. Anthony was truly the older brother she never had.
“Of course, My lord” she said, taking his offered hand, Turing back to Colin “A Duke and now a Viscount, keep your eyes on my mother she may just have a conniption” He and Anthony both started laughing at her comment, before she was whisked off to the middle of the room
A lady he had not seen before had approached from the side. She was very beautiful but looked uncomfortable in the crowd. He turned and give a slight bow
“Good evening, I am Colin Bridgerton, pleasure to make your acquaintance”
“Miss Marina Thompson” she said with a curtsy.
“Are you new in town, I do not believe I have seen you before?”
“Yes, I have only come to Mayfair for the season, I’m staying with the Featherington’s”
“Oh, how do you know Pen?”
“Pen?” Her eyebrows furrowed at the familiarity
“Forgive me, we have known each other since we were children, myself and my sister Eloise are her closest friends”
“Oh, how…unconventional?” she said, almost inaudibly, Colin chose not to say anything in response to that. “I am a cousin, on her father’s side, I needed hosted for the season and Lord and Lady Featherington were nice enough to offer”
“Well, I do hope you enjoy your time in London”
“Thank you, sir, I will admit it has been slightly disconcerting, even the dancing is rather anxiety inducing”
“Well, allow me to aid in that. Miss Thompson, would you care to join me on the floor?”
She took his hand and they joined the other dancers. Colin missed the looks from his mother and Benedict as they watched, foreboding, as if they almost knew of what was to come.
Penelope seen them dancing and winced internally, she just hoped that she would never have to write about them, her heart may not be able to take it.
Oh how she was wrong…