Falling for Penelope Featherington

4 ~ The Beginning to a Miserable Evening.

Throughout the rest of the day, Colin replayed the conversation with Penelope in his head.

Is the thought of someone courting me that ridiculous to you?

Where in the world would she get such an horrible thought? Had he himself thought about courting her? Well, no. But that was because they were friends. He couldn't jeopardize that.

So then why would she think that he thought being with her was ridiculous? Although the thought of her with another man, did make him want to punch a wall, or drink himself nearly to death.  But that didn't mean she was undesirable. It just meant that... Well... He was still trying to figure that one out.

"Everything alright Colin?" His mother had asked him, breaking him away from his thoughts.

"Yes. Why?" He asked, pretending to be focused on the book he was not reading.

"Well. I saw you with Miss Penelope today..." She said as she entered his room. She was clearly dressed for the ball. Which, according to the clock on the wall, began in an hour.

"Mother do not start." She really did have a bad habit of trying to play matchmaker. Although, he'd have to admit, she and Lady Danbury seemed rather good at it.

"Why ever not?"

"Because. Believe it or not, Miss Penelope and I are just friends." He said as he turned the page of his book. He couldn't help but feel as though he was wrong. Especially now.

"So were Daphne and the Duke. And look at them now!" Violet said with a grin.

Colin sighed. She was right after all. His sister had been friends with her husband before they discovered their feelings for each other. And if Kate and Anthony had met under different circumstances, he was sure they would have been friends too.

But that didn't matter. Penelope and him were just friends. At least, they were before the holidays. Before whatever he did to make her so mad at him.

"We're different, mother."

He then thought for a second. "And even if it wasn't. She doesn't feel that way about me..."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes." Colin said as-a-matter-of-fact-ly. "In fact. She um. Well she and I haven't really been speaking."

"I see." Violet said with a nod as she casually began to look around his room.

"What?" He said with a sigh. Clearly his mother wanted something. Apparently something only he himself could do.

"Do you think you could talk your sister into coming out of her room? I'm afraid she's refused."

Colin sighed as he closed his book and put it on his bedside table. "You really think she'd listen to me?"

His mother than gave him a look that clearly said "don't question my order."
He sighed again as he stood up and headed for the door. "You owe me." He said before heading to Eloise's room.

~•~•~

"Penelope! Are you ready?"

The young woman sighed as she looked at her reflection. She knew it was too late to come up with an excuse as to why she couldn't go. And she knew that any excuse she's give would be met with a quick brush over and a "it's just across the road."

"It'll be okay. You can handle this." Pen said softly to herself before hearing her name being called again.

"Sorry, Mama." Penelope said as she came downstairs. She smiled with relief when she saw that it was just the family. Although she knew that Jacob would be meeting them there. "I was getting ready."