The gem:Colin and Penelope

The gem

Penelope featherington was walking around the side of the ballroom watching the people of the ton dance around her. She had just danced not half an hour before that with Colin Bridgeton. The one she fell in love with. The one that was her best friend other than Eloise, his sister, and the one who will never love her back. They always danced at every ball, Colin keeping her company whilst the world carried on without her. She was brought out of her thoughts by Cressida Cowper. Her bully, who made her feel awful about everything, her weight, her hair, her style of dress which she herself never picked and of course the fact that no one ever wanted to dance with Penelope featherington.

"Well look here Penelope featherington yet again dancing with Colin Bridgeton yet again at another ball at the start of the season and than left again for a better person than you" Cressida crooned at her. Penelope let out a sigh, this again. So, what if Colin danced with her at every ball, it was only out of pity anyway. Penelope decided she needed not to answer and walked away yet luck was not in her favour as Cressida followed her on the danced floor.

"Seriously not only Colin bridgeton but the other bridgeton brothers both of which are married. Are you seriously trying to steal married men and that sister you always hang out with your only dragging her down with you" what Cressida said was the last straw for Penelope! No hurts her family, hurt her yes, her family no.

"How DARE you say that about the bridgeton family. They have done nothing wrong to you and you insult them in that way because what your jealous of me or of them" by now the entire ballroom was watching them but Penelope was on a role, and she couldn't be stopped but as she continued, she noticed she had tears running down her face and the bridgeton's were at the front watching her.

"So, what if Colin dances with me at every ball, so what if he does, I know is out of pity or out of because his mother has told him to. So, what if the other bridgeton boys want to dance with me maybe because it's out of pity or because they see me as a little sister. It doesn't matter that I love Colin and he doesn't feel the same way. It doesn't matter that it hurts that every time I see him dancing with another girl and that he isn't dancing with me. It doesn't matter that no matter what I do or what I look like or say he will never marry me or court me and that is fine because I know he is going to end happy, and I know that I will be content with that. It doesn't matter that the others dance with me because they see me as an honourable Bridgeton because of their sister and if I wasn't friends with her than no body not even my own mother who calls me names or says something about what I look like or what I wear would care about me. It doesn't matter that nobody wants to dance or court me because I know that deep down that I have the bridgeton's on my side because of Eloise and maybe Colin. Ok so you've made your point I'm worthless, I'm a nobody but don't you EVER go after my family again"

Penelope let out the breath she had been holding, she had tears silently running down her face and she started to feel mortified at what she had just let loose. She looked around the ballroom, looking into people's eyes as they fell on the bridgeton's she saw that they were proud of her for stepping up but all she felt was embarrassment. She looked into Colin's eyes, and she saw awe but also confusion. She than realised that she had just admitted her feelings for him in front of him and his entire family, with that thought in mind she ran out of the crowd and through the doors of lady Danbury's house. Daphne, Eloise's and violet Bridgeton following her hurriedly.

They made it outside about two minutes after Penelope and figured out from the carriages that were not missing that she had decided to walk in quick haste. They rushed to the Hastings carriage and told the driver to start driving and follow Penelope featherington. The carriage started moving quickly as they realised the urgency of their graces voice.

Daphne was looking out of the carriage window looking out for Penelope when she spotted her leaning against the wall in an abandoned ally way.

"Stop the carriage" she told the driver. The driver pulled the horses to a stop. Daphne got out of the carriage and slowly approached the alley way. She got closer to Penelope and decided to announce her presence as if not scare her.