The Wrong Mr Bridgerton

Chapter 3

Miss Penelope Featherington was Lady Whistledown.

Now he knew, keeping that information from his family especially the likes of Hyacinth and Eloise would be extremely difficult. Hiding such a revelation. Both of them had a ridiculous way of sniffing out gossip. Like a pack of hounds.

He should talk to Pen. Maybe it was a mistake. He knew it was not. What excuse would she give he wondered. How could he get her alone. Ah, a dance. He will ask her to dance at Lady Danbury's ball. He knew this seasons diamond would be revealed, but he didnt care.

Pen was family. Is family. In truth she wasn't, but he always felt her to be. Yesterday morning he was happy with the prospect of finding a wife, of enjoying the ball until the undeniable truth that young miss's would be flung at him, by their tackless mamas.

He decided to make a plan, a rather cunning one. Anthony would keep her secret, and Pen in return would pretend to be courted by him. Keeping the Young ladies at bay until he could discreetly find his match. Perfect plan. He could interview possible candidates without his mother's being none the wiser.

Violet walked into the ball with a very nervous Eloise, Anthony and Benedict. Eloise was fussing and it was clear to all how uncomfortable she felt. She hated being out in society. Everyone looked at her, assessing her. Talking among themselves if she would be names this seasons diamond.
"I look like a prize calf, trussed up for auction"
Benedict glanced down and moo's at her for the much entertainment of Anthony and an unimpressed look from their mother.

Anthony cought see Lady Danbury walking the crowd with an exquisite purple and black laced gown sliding across the floor with a shine of diamonds. She looked like she was on some sort of mission. But in truth, she always seemed to be doing just that.

A suitor made a path to Eloise, even though Anthony was standing behind her, he could swear he could feel her tense up.

As Benedict steered Eloise away from a suitor, Anthony glanced at Pen a mere few feet away, hiding at the edge of the dancefloor. Probably getting her new gossip. Before his mother tried to intervene, Anthony shot in with "I'm going to ask a lady to dance" he darted off leaving Violet with a gaping shocked expression on her face. Her voice trailed after him "Who should that be?" he pretended he didn't hear, amused by her high tone. He found his chance. She was alone. It niggled at him that she always seemed to be just that, alone.

Penelope kept to the side of the dancefloor, listening to the gossip from the staff delivering lemonade around. The two men giggled with each other, unaware that a young invisible lady was eavesdropping. Writing down notes on a scrappy piece of paper from her yellow reticule

"Miss Featherington, may I have your next dance?" Anthony smiled as Penelope flew around "Pardon?" Her face blank, she clutched her bag tight all of a sudden. Anthony found himself watching her with intrigue. Unaware of why it tickled him so. How no one ever caught on to her secret business before, he was unsure.

"May I have your next dance" his warm presence made her smile, had Violet asked him to. She could not be sure, but why else would he be asking.

She passed him her dance card, and to her surprise he signed for two of the dances.

He face was a mix of shock and disbelief. "May I fetch you a lemonade"

Pen let down a big gulp "That would be lovely, thank you, Sir"

He found the way she held herself at these balls, was nervous, anxious, and with a hint frustration, he was happy to at least lead her away from that if only for a little while. 

At his home, Pen was quite the opposite. Joyous, fun and little quirky. It was demeaning to watch how she changed when out in society. Not that he blamed her. The ton could be difficult for some who are left to their own devices. Pen was a wallflower.