My Maggie,

XXI

That burning hatred stayed inflamed in Colin chest for the rest of the evening. As he watched her dancing with somebody else. As another mans arms encircled her waist, somebody's hands lightly pressing on the small of her back, as her body pressed against somebody that wasn't him. The undeniable urge to storm over and punch James in his smug face was crushing him. The feeling was still there as he saw him kiss Margret's hand before she disappeared into the Nighthowers carriage, and now as he stands beside his window looking out into the darkness of Governor's square that crushing feeling still burns. 

"Colin?" a small voice says from the doorway snapping Colin out of his trance. The voice came from the youngest Bridgerton, Hyacinth. Her hair braided and tied with a light pink ribbon and her white nightgown with a few discarded cookie crumbs. 

"Cinth, are you ok?" Colin questioned moving away from the window and towards his sister, worry and concern laced thickly in his voice. 

Her face changed from confused to grateful at his concern. "Oh no I'm completly fine brother thank you, I just..." she trailed off being distracted by something from outside.

"Cinth?" 

"Yes, sorry," Hyacinth quickly ushered focusing back onto her brother, "I guess you are right im easily distracted."

"Is that what you came to tell me so late? That your easily distractible?"

"No you imbecile," she deadpanned, "I was walking back from the kitchen-"

"The kitchen?" 

"Yes the kitchen, its this magical place where food comes from and-"

"I know what a kitchen is you idiot, what were you doing there in the middle of the night?" 

"Will you just let me finish my story!"

"Fine."

"Fine." She said before walking across the hardwood floor and toward the large king size bed. "Well I was walking back from the kitchen and saw you still had a candle lite, I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"That's it?"

"Well I never said I had an interesting story." 

Colin simply let out a hum of recognition before sitting on the bed beside his sister. 

"So are you?" Hyacinth asked.

Colin was silent for a moment, after all he hated lying to his family, especially young Hyacinth, Colin and Hyacinth had always been close. From the moment she was born Colin had felt a wave of protectiveness, rest assured he has that sense for all his sisters however Hyacinth especially, and after their farther had passed that feeling intensified. The pair often told each other everything, even when a boy from Hyacinths school had kissed her, the first person she told wasn't Daphne or Eloise or Francesca or even Gregory, but it was Colin. Of course Colins first reaction was to find him and kill him, but then Hyacinth explained that she liked him and she was happy, and that feeling of peace and happiness for his sibling flourished within his chest. 

"No." Was how he answered, it was the truth he wasn't fine, he was livid and in pain and depressed all at once. 

"This is something to do with the Nighthower girl doesn't it?" 

What! Colin thought, he knew Hyacinth knew a lot and could read him but was it that obvious that he was smitten with Margret?

"Oh Colin I know you like her and she is really beautiful and nice..."

SHIT

"but she's engaged to our brother Colin."

wait what? 

"And as much as I'm sure it hurts to know, Benedict and Ophelia are going to be getting married."

"Wait Ophelia?"

"Yes Colin." Hyacinth stated, " I mean you always seem to be on the look out for the Nighthowers  when were out, you always find a way to speak to her and her sisters and I've seen the way your eyes light up when you spot her in a crowd. It must be Ophelia, I mean she's the perfect girl and its not like you've fallen in love with Angelica or Margret is it?" 

He should tell her. But falling 'in love' seems like a vast over exaggeration and way to big of a gesture, he barely knew her, yet that didn't explain the feeling he gets in his chest when he merely thinks of her, let alone talk to her. If Hyacinth knew she would just be overbearing and make things weird and probably make Margret run away before anything really started, at least if she thought he had feelings for Ophelia she would keep it a secret. 

"Yes Cinth, I love Ophelia."

My exam is finally over so I can update more often sorry lol :)