The Courtship Scheme

Chapter 7

Colin awoke to the warm feeling of Penelope laying next to him. He knew without a doubt that he had never slept more soundly in his entire life. Someday, he would spend every morning of their life together with her in his arms. Smiling, he watched as her chest rose and fell as she slept. Her red hair was spread across her pillow like a wildfire and Colin couldn't resist the urge to touch it softly.

"Colin?" She stirred, turning towards him. He beamed down at her before placing a kiss on her head.

"Good morning, my love." She sighed softly and cuddled into his chest, inhaling his scent.

"I never want to leave this bed," Penelope whispered against him. "Can we just stay here?"

"As much as I would love that, you are far too tempting and I am not strong enough to resist you. Besides, we need to get you home before someone sees you."

"Perhaps I do not want you to resist me." She kissed him softly. Colin raised his eyebrows at her suggestive comment.

"You are temptation personified my dear, Pen," He winked. "Unfortunately, we must behave ourselves."

"I know," She pouted. "I just love being in your arms. It's funny, I never thought that I could possibly feel closer to you until recently. You are so familiar to me, yet so new." Penelope's hand moved over his chest, committing it to memory. Colin allowed his own hand to brush over her hip.

"You are, indeed, a new land that I plan on exploring thoroughly, Miss. Featherington," Colin grinned wickedly. "But it will be at the right time, in the right way."

"Just one kiss before I go?" She asked him sweetly. Just as he was about to kiss her, there was a pounding on the door. Penelope's eyes widened.

"Stay hidden, I'll get rid of them," Quickly, Colin placed the blanket over Penelope's small frame. "I will be but a moment!" Colin rose to his feet and made his way to the door, taking a deep breath before opening it.

"Anthony! Mother!" He cried when he saw them. "What are you doing here?"

Anthony raised an eyebrow and marched past his brother, looking around the room.

"What the devil are you doing?" Colin demanded as he stepped aside to let their mother in.

"We know that she is here, Colin!!" Anthony hissed. "What have you done, brother?"

"I haven't done anything!"

"Colin dear," Violet said carefully. "Let us deal with this properly please."

"Miss. Featherington, there is no need to hide any longer." Anthony said when he saw the lump under the blanket. Penelope slowly emerged from under the covers, her face scarlet red and her eyes downcast.

"We have done nothing but sleep," Colin pressed. "Penelope came to see me last night so that we could speak in private."

"And yet, here she is in your bed."

"Penelope dear," Lady Bridgerton sat down next to her, her tone gentle. "What on earth were you thinking, walking through the streets alone at such a late hour? And staying the night in a gentleman's quarters!" Penelope's eyes welled up with tears.

"I'm sorry to have brought scandal upon your family, Lady Bridgerton. Please believe me when I say that was never my intention."

"Of course not, but why take such a risk?" Penelope looked up at Colin, her heart soaring at the mere sight of him.

"Truth be told, I am in love with Colin, and I couldn't wait a moment longer to tell him. My feet were walking before my mind had the time to stop them." Colin smiled back at her, all of his unease fading away just by the look on her face. Whatever was to come, he knew that they would face it together. He could do anything as long as he had her.

"You two do realize that you must be wed right away," Anthony spoke up. "A special license will be required if we are to avoid the ton finding out about your little midnight meeting." Colin nodded his head and moved towards Penelope. Anthony held out his arm to stop him.

"Colin." He warned.

"Calm down Anthony," Colin said, pushing his arm down. "If I am to wed Miss. Featherington, then I shall go about it in the right way," Their mother moved out of the way as Colin knelt beside Penelope. "The way Father did when he asked his dearest friend."

"Colin!" Penelope gasped quietly.

"Penelope, my darling wonderful friend, I know that this all came about because of a ruse, and that marriage wasn't something that either of us were looking for," He said softly, taking her hand in his. "And yet, I find myself unable to see you in any other way, except as my wife. I know that our romance is new, but my love for you is not. I have always loved you, it's just that my love has grown into something more. You are the one for me, you have always been the one for me, even when I didn't know it. It is why I fought so hard to keep you in my life, why letting you go was so unfathomable."

Penelope kissed his hand then squeezed it, too touched to say a word.

"This is all happening quicker than we may have liked, but I am steadfast in my wishes." He reached into his pocket and took a small box out. "Pen, would you make me the happiest man in the world, and marry me?"

Penelope launched herself off the bed and into his arms, nearly knocking the ring from his hand.

"Yes!" She laughed happily before Colin silenced her with his lips. He held onto her tightly, kissing her deeply despite his brother and mother standing behind them. No one could stop him from memorizing this moment; a moment that he had never even considered to be a possibility. Yet here he was, engaged to the love of his life and his best friend, and he had never been happier.

Anthony took a step forward, determined to put a stop to the scandal before him, but his mother pulled him back gently.

"There is no one here but us. Please allow them to enjoy their special moment."

"Mother!" Anthony cried in shock. "You cannot be serious!"

"Oh hush Anthony!" She scolded her oldest son. "Do you expect me to believe that you and Kate never kissed before you were wed? Besides," She lowered her voice. "Is this not the very outcome that we had hoped for when we came up with the plan to separate them?"

Anthony watched his younger brother as he lovingly kissed his fiancé and couldn't stop the giant smile that spread across his face.

"Indeed, it is."

The End