Flawless My Dear ( English version )

Chapter 2

As Kate Sharma, now Lady Bridgerton, had said, at tea time she stood in the hall of Featherington House waiting for Penelope to come down from her bedroom. The truth was that in the time she had been away, they had begun to bond very strongly. Kate suspected something was wrong the moment she didn't see her again that night at the ball, so when she heard they had left, she began writing letters to Penelope to see if she was all right. That gradually became a habit between the two of them, which led to a strong bond. She saw Penelope coming down the stairs with a big smile on her face, no doubt she was looking forward to seeing her.

"Kate," Penelope said as she came over and took her in her arms, "I couldn't wait for this moment."

"Neither have I, my dear Penelope. Have they put out the tea yet?" Kate asked.

"We won't have tea today, you must come with me to the dressmaker. I beg you to come with me," replied Penelope with a sheepish look on her face.

"But shouldn't your mother take care of this thing she calls a dress?"

"You said it yourself, she was," Penelope pointed out as they got into the car, "she wants me to find a husband this season, but she agreed to my conditions. And one of them was the dressmaker."

"What are you trying to tell me I don't understand?" Kate said "Violet is determined that Colin should marry this season. He's only been here two days and he's already booked several visits to the season's bachelorette houses," Kate said deliberately to see how Penelope would react.

Penelope tried not to let it get to her, but how could she not when the love of her life was going to marry someone else. She had spent much of her retirement in the country thinking about him, she couldn't deny it. And when letters from Italy arrived at her residence, her heart burned with the desire to open them... but she simply could not. If she opened them, she would be giving free rein to her fantasies... fantasies that simply could not come true.

"Pen," said Kate again, "You can tell me anything you like"

"I know," Penelope confessed gratefully.

"I'm very observant...and I don't think it was by chance that you ran off and Colin disappeared. Do you know why he left so early?" asked Kate.

"I don't know, I went to my bedroom before that happened," "I wish I had done it earlier " she thought.

"I know when a person has been hurt by love, and you have been hurt, Penelope.I see it in your eyes every time I say his name," Kate finally said. "And not because I'm clever," she exclaimed, "but because I also suffered in silence for a while for Anthony. I know what you're going through. And who knew," she smiled, "we're married now."

Unlike Kate, Penelope knew for a fact that she could never imagine marrying Colin.

The first reason was because he had made it very clear to everyone close to him that he would never do it that bloody night at the ball. And the second was because she would never allow her to be hurt again, especially if the hurt came from him.

After a few minutes that seemed endless, they arrived at the dressmaker's shop. Penelope and Kate opened the door and Madame Delacroix approached them like lightning striking the tallest tree in the field during a thunderstorm.

"Lady Bridgerton, Miss Penelope, I did not expect you to come to my shop so soon," she said to Penelope. This visit was unrelated to Lady Whistledown. "If you have come for the dresses your mother ordered from me, they are not ready yet."