Eloise Featherington: Bridgerton

18| Crisis

As the alarm of crisis rang on the head of Eloise Featherington. Gathering her courage and herself she stood hardly holding to the wall. With a thought striking her head she ran downstairs while tears were still running on her innocent face. Calling a servant she shouted "Ready the carriage right now!" She repeated again and again in a loud panicking voice.

With shock Miss Featherington came out and thoroughly looked at the state of Eloise shouting on the gate and weeping like a kid. "What are you doing? Eloise. Slow down. What happened?"

She kept shouting without giving her a reply on the first sight of carriage. She ran outside. She must have lost her consciousness at that time. Running towards the carriage she quickly opened the door and ordered "Take the carriage to Palace. Quickly." She said.

As the carriage advanced her heartbeat increased as well. She did not knew what happened and what she was gonna do all she knew was that Pen was in trouble and she wanted him out of it without getting hurt. She remembered his smile all the way and cried silently.

Carriage stopped in front of the Queen palace. She quickly came out and gave it a thorough look. She wiped her face and tried to act confident. Faking her confidence she walked towards the Palace passing the gardens she entered glorious building of Palace. But soon she was stopped by the guards from moving further.

To there raised brows of the guards she answered "I am Lady Featherington and I want to meet her royal highness. It's an emergency." She said with a straight poker face.

She was asked to wait in the hallway. It was a big hall decorated with a lot of artistic vases, beautiful paintings and foreign souvenirs but the most expensive thing was the big red crown chair of queen in the middle with her huge portrait hung to the wall. She stood with her heart beating fast.

Finally she saw queen entering with her dog in her hand and an angry look. She looked at her and smirked followed by a few guards. Slowly she sat on her seat elegantly.

"Pen... I mean royal guards took Lord Featherigton? Can I ask the reason?" She asked.

She giggled "Look at you still acting ignorant. I may have punished you but today is a great day I finally found Lady whistledown although she is not much of a lady but a "he". She giggled again. "To keep it short He poked me for not knowing about a scandal and not finding diamond now for years. He is imprisoned in royal prison. If you want him free ask him to tell me about the names of the scandal or I will get him killed you have three days."

Eloise with not much to say did not knew what to do. She looked plainly at the Queen. She heard her advisor slowly whispering "status my Queen."

"Oh yes." She looked at Eloise again and questioned "Are you pregnant by chance Lady Featherington?"

It was a surprsing question she hardly answered no.

"Are any of the Featherington daughters pregnant?"

She answered with a no again. She felt as if someone stabbed her and with every moment her soul was dripping out of her body.

"Well I grant you three months then if any of you offered a son to take the name further in case Lord Featherington will be killed you will stay as member of ton but of lowest rank of course. Otherwise you will be thrown out."
She ordered with a smile.

"I want to meet Lord Featherington." She pleaded. Right now only one thing was important for her and that was Pen.

"Ofcourse." She replied and walk away. She was lead by royal guards to the outer chamber of Palace. Leaving the beautiful gardens they entered abandon area of Palace. A big dark building was in front of her. She felt a bit scared.

Her pace slow down as she walked in. There were a lot of stairs and dark cells. No sunlight could enter the building and there was hardly enough light to see. Finally she saw a glimpse of Pen. It was a dark cell.

It was stinky with not even a chair to sit on. She saw Pen sitting with the wall at the corner lost in thoughts. They have snatched his clothes and he was only wearing single layer of clothes.

A guard marched forward and knocked at the door and walked away leaving them alone in their misery. Disturbing his thoughts he quickly looked at Eloise who looked miserable.

He quickly stood up and looked at her "What are you doing here? I asked you to stay patient. This is not a place for you. I am ashamed." He avoided looking at her.

"Tell me the name Pen." She asked politely as she marched a little closer to catch a better glimpse of him in the darkness of the cell.

"I cant. I am sorry." He replied without looking at her.

"Pen tell me or she will kill you. This is not a joke." She shouted this time.

"Eloise I need you to calm down and listen to me." He pleaded.

"No I don't want to listen to anything. Tell me the name. I want you out right now." She yelled at him.

"Eloise please dear listen to me you need to leave. I will find a way." He asked politely.

"Tell me name, Pen." She shouted again and again.

"Benedict." He finally answered. She could not move anymore.

"Eloise, leave. I will not tell the name. It will destroy your family. I will never. Trust me. Listen to me carefully."

She looked at him with plain eyes out of everyone it was Benedict her brother. Her family was on the line. She loved Benedict. She could not offer him to the Queen but what about Pen? Did not she loved him too.

"Eloise! Eloise! Answer me."

He broke his thoughts. "Yes!" She answered as if it was a dream.

"In our room next to bed there is a secret box. If you will break the floor. You will see it. At first you will see articles of Lady whistledown but below it there is a box. In it you will find money and some documents. I bought some properties there in France the money will be enough for you to live a decent life and you have your dowry as well even if Queen will snatch everything it will be enough. Now what you have to do is take the carriage and leave in secrecy as soon as possible without telling anyone. Ask Benedict to help you."

"What about you?" She asked. She was panicking.

"I have Queen's secrets I will crack a deal." He tried to calm her.

"What if she will deny?" She questioned. Her face was blank and she did not knew what to do.

"It will be okay. You must leave Eloise and don't tell Benedict about the scandal or anything. It will stay between us." He answered politely.

"Pen! I....I ......." She could not gather the words.

"Eloise do it. Do not worry." He answered politely.

She saw the guard entering with no word heard. He dragged her out of the cell.