Eternal Flame

More to the Story

"Miss Bridgerton," Theo said in surprise, nearly dropping that stack of papers he was carrying. He set them down carefully, not taking his off of Eloise. After a moment, Colin awkwardly cleared his throat.

Eloise swallowed nervously and shook herself from her daze. "Mister Sharpe, this is my brother," she explained. Theo tensed and took a step back. Eloise resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Do not worry. Colin here would not even hurt a fly. That is unless it stole the last biscuit."

Colin grumbled, only half agreeing with her. He weighed his options of threatening to pummel the man into the ground if he found out he hurt his sister, or that he was involved in Penelope's disappearance.

Theo nodded stiffly to Colin, then returned to another stack of papers. "I thought we established that you were to stick to your life, and I to mine, Miss Bridgerton," he said over his shoulder.

"You see, we would," Colin spoke slowly, sauntering over towards the man, "if we didn't think you knew something about our friend going missing."

"Sorry?" The man stumbled.

Sensing that her brother's emotions were getting difficult to control, she stepped in front of him, standing face to face with Theo. "Mister Sharpe...Theo...we need your help."

"Miss Bridgerton, this is not wise. You and your brother should not be here."

"We would not be if we had a choice," Colin grumbled.

Eloise ignored her brother, trying to get Theo to look at her. "Did Whistledown come by here last night?" She blurted.

"Not that I'm aware," he answered tightly. "Why?"

Eloise sighed with defeat. That was certainly not the answer she was hoping for. "Whistledown...we know who she is, and she just happened to go missing last night on her way to this print shop to print another column. I had hoped you might have seen her or spoke to her."

"I am sorry, Miss Bridgerton, but I did not. Though, I suggest you end your search while you still can. The Queen's men are still snuffing around these parts. It won't be long before they come after anyone who so mentions the name."

Eloise once again lost herself in Theo's tender gaze, and Colin once again interrupted them. "Right. Thank you, Mister Sharpe, for your concern and for your help. I...I wish you well," she said, turning around and heading towards the carriage without looking back.

"What the hell was that, El?" Colin scoffed once they set off for Bridgerton House. "You seemed to know Mister Sharpe quite personally. Is there something I should mention to Mother or Anthony?"

Eloise shot him a thunderous glare. "Not unless you wish to wake up with toads in your bed in the morning."

Colin huffed back at her, relenting on the subject. Nevermind the fact that he likely wouldn't be getting any sleep that night anyway. He wouldn't be able to rest until they found Penelope and she was back in his arms. He was so very consumed with worry that he didn't even question that thought or where it led him.

With the print shop being a dead end, Colin and Eloise tried their hand at searching the scene of the carriage accident along with the Bow Street Runners the next day. By the end of it, they found nothing but the cloak, just as the men said. Day two of the search proved to be just as fruitless for the Bridgerton siblings, and both were becoming more miserable by the second. It wasn't until the third day when Benedict came stumbling home with a giant purple bruise on his face that they started feeling hopeful again that they might find Penelope.

"What happened, dearest?" Violet gasped, frantically running her hands over her second son's face before Benedict winced and pulled away.

"Lose a fight with a brick wall again, did you, brother?" Colin teased.