Flawless My Dear ( English version )

Chapter 1

She took a deep breath and admired the scenery. How long had she been away from home? 5 months? Six maybe. She just couldn't take her eyes off the field, it was full of yellow flowers and she didn't understand how a colour like that could be the best thing in the world as long as she wasn't wearing it, of course.

"Instead of looking out of the carriage window so much, you should think about what you're going to do now," said Portia, referring to Penelope.

"What do you mean?"

"All of us in this carriage know that at your age, my dear child, you are almost an old maid."

"Almost, mother," Felicity remarked, "She still has time to find a husband this season."

"Has anyone stopped to think about what I want?" asked Penelope.

"Penelope, I am your mother, and after the scandal with Lord Featherington we should be closer than ever."

"If she were a man she could travel as Mr.Bridgerton did."

Penelope's stomach cramped at the sound of that name. His name. But what followed was a feeling of utter hatred and resentment towards the name.

She knew he had always considered her a friend, a good friend. And as much as those words hurt because she really loved him, they came from the person who could hurt her the most. He had been her protector, her best friend; and he had shown her no mercy in front of other men.

"Mother" Portia looked at her daughter"Do you really want me to marry?"

"How could I not?"

"Sometimes I feel that you give me up for lost," she said, throwing up her hands.

"I'd never give up on any of my daughters, I need to know for my peace of mind that you'll find a man who'll take care of you, who'll give you what you need, a family. I need to know that my daughters are in good hands before I leave this world."

"You're not going to die, are you? "

"Of course not, not now."

Penelope was tired of waiting for something that wasn't going to happen. She was tired of feeling the slightest hint of admiration for someone who even considered her a woman.

"I agree to enter society this season" Portia almost jumped in her seat "but with only two demands; the first is that I take care of everything, that means I go to the dressmaker, I decide who to court and who not to court," before Portia spoke Penelope continued, "and the second, if I don't get a husband this season, it's over."

Portia looked at her daughter with some reluctance at what she was saying, but she was also tired of London society not taking her daughter seriously. It was time she showed the world what she was worth.

"All right," she said, holding up her hands, "if that's what you want, I won't stand in your way. I just want you to get married. How you get married is none of my business."

Penelope's sisters looked at their mother in disbelief. She would never have agreed to such a deal if she hadn't been desperate. And she could only imagine what her life would be like once she got rid of clothes like the one she was wearing. Even though she knew that the time in the field had been more than pleasant, she hated this dress; the shade of green was like a bad lime.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the coachman announcing their arrival. With his help, Penelope got out of the carriage and smiled as she had never smiled before. It was the last time Featherington had entered the house. She began to look around, smiling, for nothing had changed since she had left. Until she caught sight of a familiar figure in the distance, but she felt a whiplash in her back as she recognised him.

Colin Bridgerton was staring at her from across the street, waiting for Penelope to react when she saw him. And that's when she plucked up the courage to enter the house. Colin looked at her incredulously as she ignored him completely.

(...)

Colin's mother was delighted that her third son had decided to return early from his adventures around the world, and he couldn't be happier for her. No doubt all Colin wanted was happiness for his family, for his friends, for himself.

"I'm glad you're with us now, Colin," Anthony confessed, "Mother was very sorry to see you run away."

"Come on Anthony, it's no big deal. By the time you notice, I'll be on my way to another destination."

"I think Mother has other plans for you, dear brother," Eloise said.

"It's true I have to take care of your sister Francesca's season, but that doesn't mean I don't wish with all my heart that you finally find your wife this season."

Colin only nodded so as not to upset her and to protect her from his true thoughts, but he had no intention of deliberately looking for a wife. If he did, it would be because fate had willed it so.

And just as he thought of that, of protecting her, he remembered when he had to defend the honour of the Featherington family before the new lord. This brought the image of Penelope to his mind, it always made him tender to see that little girl. She was his friend and he would never let her be harmed for anything in the world. To be honest with himself, he missed her. And all he could remember was the last dance he had with her.

From that day on, she disappeared for all the Bridgertons, including Eloise.

"I will pay a visit to the Feathrington ladies. I want them to know of my return."

"I'm afraid that will not be possible" Violet said. "The Feathringtons have been out of town for many months and we do not know when they will return."

"They were due back today," Kate replied, "Penelope let me know so that I could have tea with her as soon as they returned."

Colin was surprised that Penelope had written to Kate as he'd sent her several letters and she hadn't replied "If you'll excuse me, I'll see if they've got home."

Colin walked out of the main hall and into the foyer and as he walked down the stairs he could make out in the distance who he thought was Penelope because, to tell the truth, he didn't remember her like that.

I mean, she was still the same sweet girl he remembered, but something in the air that he couldn't see clearly from this distance made him think she was different. He stood looking at her from across the street with the same smile he always had, and gave her a small bow in greeting.

He was about to start walking towards her when he noticed that Penelope, seeing him, almost completely ignored him and, what's more, overtook her mother to go inside so that he wouldn't have the chance to say good morning to her, which worried him a lot because up to that moment, no matter what happened, Penelope always stopped to talk to him. But on this occasion she hadn't.