The Duchess of York (Colin Bridgerton)

31} Red Head

Duchess POV

After a long bath I took a nap. A very long nap. Three hours dreaming of nothing. However, it allowed me the time to gather myself together and reset. I've made a decision. I am simply going to let Colin deal with this matter. As much as I wish I could take on this stress, I believe I would come to regret it in future months. 

It is not often that I make the decision to be the bigger person, but as I am no longer just one person but two. I shall think of my unborn baby when choosing peace. I know my limits, well sometimes. 

A knock interrupted my thoughts. 

"Anna, just the lady I wished to see. Might I bother you so much as to fetch Colin for me." I smiled politely.

"Yes Ma'am." With that she scurried out the room. Almost instantly returning with Colin, then stepping outside again.

"My love." He whispered as he kissed my forehead with his soft tender lips.

"I feel as though I ought to apologise for my behaviour, as much as I would love to say I didn't mean what I said. I'm afraid I do. But, I shall not allow myself to speak to you or your brother in such anger and haste. I believe I am just upset and hurt at such awful opinions from an anonymous source." I spoke softly at he leant down on the bed beside me. Allowing me to sneak under his arm and lay my head on his chest. 

"Annabelle. By now you should know that I of all people do not care what anyone thinks, not my family, not my neighbours and god knows not the ton. I care about you and your wellbeing. Please allow me the opportunity to take this unnecessary burden off your back. You deserve to enjoy this time whilst our babe is still inside you. Why don't we promenade tomorrow. We can even perhaps go for afternoon tea in that cafe you love so much. Let us not care of our surroundings but just us, whilst we are still two." His words flew off his tongue so perfectly almost as though he had spent hours rehearsing. Which would not surprise me as I know Colin and I know his heart. If he is passionate or truly troubled he would rehearse any important speech he deemed necessary.

"I shall allow yourself and the Viscount to seek out whatever damage control is needed to put an end to these awful days. After I would very much love to promenade with you Colin. I believe alone time served me well as I would like to forget this ever happened. Colin I do have one demand though. Please find out who Lady Whistledown is. This needs to come to an end. Surely you see that." I looked up at him hopeful he would obey my demand.

"Ah my love. I am already five steps ahead of you. I have been in converse with Eloise. She believes she knows who Lady W is. Although I must admit she did not seem to happy to discuss her findings which is rather unusual for her. You and I both know how obsessed she has been with finding out the traitors identity. She wishes to speak to you alone. I tried to reason with her but her stubborn personality is definitely not one I am able to bargain with." Colin chuckled as he slowly sat up. His hand gathering on my lower back as he helped me sit up proper. 

"Shall we go and find her now?" 

"Indeed." 

------ IN THIRD PERSON ------

Meanwhile just over the road from the Bridgerton household, just as Miss Eloise Bridgerton is about to unveil the figure who is being all the unlawful society papers, just across the cobble stones the Featheringtons house stood still. No noise could be heard through the five bedroom home which housed just two Featherington sisters and the Mother who birthed them. With their Papa now long gone the house was often found this way. The quirky wall paper was not too the commoners taste. In fact it wasn't to anyone's taste. Not even Lady Featherington herself. 

Up in one of the bedrooms lay a small, plump, red haired girl who was busy writing with her fountain pen. Not only did she have red hair but she also had a red face. One which was tear stained and angry. Was angry the wrong word? Perhaps. Maybe better described as truly hurt, overlooked and even a little bit remorseful. But whatever for? 

Back over the cobblestones to the beautiful house with subtle baby blue wallpaper, sat Miss Eloise Bridgerton and the Duchess of York. A pot of tea between them and some custard creams. 

"Annabelle, please know that I will give you the identity of the wretched woman who put shame on your name. But I must also ask for your forgiveness." Eloise looked as though she had swallowed a hard pill. 

"But whatever for?" Confusion written so evidently on the Duchess' face, 

"I believe it was I who informed the writer of what happened to you. For it was I who gossiped with someone who I thought I could trust. Annabelle I am so deeply and truly sorry." Eloise looked at the Duchess with so much regret in her eyes that Annabelle knew instantly that something truly awful must have happened. As Eloise was not someone to admit her wrong doings.

"Eloise. What happened?" 

It was after that question that Eloise spilt everything. She told Annabelle all about the boy she had been visiting in Bloomsbury, all about the obsession she had with finding out Lady Whistledown's true identity. About how she saw the draft of the society paper involving her scandal in one of her closest friends desk. Along with other information only Eloise could have known. 

"Eloise you must tell me who. Who is Lady Whistledown?" 

"Penelope Featherington."

Annabelle gasped dropping her tea cup to the floor, it imploded into tiny shards of fine china. 

The crash must have caused a stare amongst the walls of the Bridgerton house as in came Colin and Anthony. Colin rushed to his wife's side as he noticed her pale state. 

"Eloise what have you done?" The viscount asked his younger sister with a disgust tone of voice. 

"She knows who Lady Whistledown is." Eloise gulped. 

"Well. Dear sister do share with the group." 

Colin and Anthony looked at each other in disbelief when the younger Bridgerton mentioned Penelope's name. 

"How an earth is a Featherington able to be such a 'mastermind'. I don't believe this." Anthony actually had to sit down for this.

Colin placed his hand on Annabelle's right cheek, as he knelt beside her. His thumb stroking her soft skin. 

"Say something."