"It's him, I can't believe it's him."

Penelope lifted her umbrella over the back of her head as she peered to see who the ladies were talking about. She was taking a walk along Main Street, trying to process these last few weeks. Colin, Eloise, Mabel, her family, Whistledown.

When she started secretly writing her papers, she felt as though she knew exactly who she was. However, like most deaths, her grief over her father propelled her to stop and reflect. What was her endgame here? Yes, she wanted a husband and a family of her own. However, it looked like that might not ever happen. So what could she do that would make her feel whole? She didn't want to write gossip letters until she was an old woman, alone, and barely able to get out of bed by herself. She needed something more.

She glanced as an adorned carriage lingered on the side of the road. She followed the whispers and gossip until she saw what was causing such conversation. It was the Prince of Windshire, walking alongside his secretary. It was bizarre to see a secretary walk beside and not behind their royal, but the prince did say actions were more modern in Windshire.

She stood and waited until he would walk past her. She wasn't expecting him to remember her. They had only talked for a few minutes and he probably met a hundred more interesting people at the party later that night. She held the pale blue umbrella in her hand, the colour matching her dress. It was different for her, but perhaps a change was just what she needed. It was the first of many changes she planned to make. As she heard footsteps approach, she bowed and stood again with her head down.

"Miss Featherington, is that you?"

She looked up in shock, was that her name just now being called? The prince was in front of her, standing and smiling, the sun shining down brightly on him like a halo as if it even recognized he was a prince. He took a step closer to her, and she instinctively felt everyone around her take a step back.

"Your majesty," she bowed. He bowed as well. He took one more step closer and murmured only quietly enough for her to hear, "I thought we agreed on William."

Penelope blushed and bowed again, "William," she muttered like a foreign word on her tongue.

He glanced around, not looking at the crowd that surrounded them, but as if he was looking through them, "Are you alone?"

"Uh, yes, I just wanted to enjoy the fresh air and .... See the flowers." Penelope cringed at her stumbled words.

"Well in that case, would you like to accompany me on this promenade?" He could see the hesitation in Pen's eyes. "The pleasure would be all mine," he quickly added.

This didn't seem real. That was the only thought running through Pen's mind. She felt like she was watching herself from outside her own body.

They began to walk side-by-side and Pen noticed the staring gradually turning to shock. What was he doing with a Featherington girl? She tried to keep her head down as she walked, not wanting to look anywhere by the ground in front of her feet.

"So Penelope, tell me about yourself," the Prince said.

Pen looked up at him with widened eyes. What could she say? That her family was a mess, that her love life was equally a mess, that she had been spending the last few months writing gossip about the ton and that everyone either wanted to befriend Whistledown or kill her.

Instead, she reached down into the part of her mind that held the memories she'd usually like to forget. She recalled the training she'd received from her mother and nanny. "Well, I am the youngest of three sisters, I enjoy playing the pianoforte, cross-stitching and I'm quite proficient at ....."

She was blanking. What was she good at? What did she used to say?

William looked at her inquisitively for a second until he started laughing. Pen started laughing too. "Don't do that, you don't have to impress me. I'm impressed enough by your company. Now tell me what you are actually like."

She sighed in relief and tried again. "Well, I do like reading and writing. When I get the chance, that is. And I do enjoy looking at art, like the ones we saw that evening at Lady's Danbury."

"Good," he smiled. "I thought Windshire was more modern but those paintings might have London pegged as the more bold city."

"Oh, trust me, it's not like that. We're quite traditional. Lady Danbury is just bold enough for the rest of us."

He laughed and she loved that she made him laugh.

"I can't wait to be that old one day. Just something about that age, where it feels like you don't have to care so much about what people think of you. My grandmother used to tell me how we are the most free when we are youngest, but I think it's the opposite. I can't wait to have a family one day and not have to worry about such minute things, like if every silverware in the house needs to be polished until I can see my reflection in it. Or in Lady Danbury's case," he grinned, "buy unabashedly inappropriate art for my viewing."

He looked at her, "What do you think Penelope? Is that something you'd like to have one day?"

"Yes, it is." and she meant it.

Penelope blushed and moved an inch closer to him as they walked. What was happening? Why did he see her in a different light from Colin, someone she had known for years? Nothing was truly different about her. The only difference was that she was wearing a blue dress instead of her typical yellow one. Gosh, was just being held back this whole time because of her dresses? If that was the case, Pen should've ditched the house colour a long time ago. She may have found a husband faster.

She looked up at Will again as he began to rattle on about his family and what his siblings were like.

Or maybe it was him that was different. She'd never met a man like him before, something about him was different. Or was it because he was a Prince? Surely, that's something that should've worked against her favour instead of for it.

As they circled the pond, she noticed the staring had died down slightly, though she swore she could hear whispering from miles away. He was talking about his horses when she heard a familiar voice.

It was Gregory. He was racing his small sailboat in the pond along with the other children. If Gregory was nearby, surely some other Bridgertons must be as well. She was just hoping it wasn't the one she was desperately trying to avoid. It's not like they had been running into each other since the garden party, but Pen decided she never really wanted to see him again unless she had to.

"Hi, Penelope!," Gregory waved as he noticed her walking.

"Do you know them?" Will asked after Pen waved back.

"Yes, they're my neighbours."

"Oh, I'd love to meet them,"  he said as he started striding towards them.

"No don't," Penelope whispered as she tried to pull him back. But it was too late. He was already making his way to young Gregory who had just grabbed his sailboat from the other side, celebrating his win.

Pen pulled up her dress and started walking faster to catch up to Will but she stopped when she saw who it was standing there. Colin.

He hadn't noticed her yet. Good.

She dropped her dress and placed her head up high. She couldn't avoid him, so she'd just have to beat him.

She walked casually until she reached Gregory, who was excitedly showing Will his sailboat and the designs he added to it.

She reached them just as Colin walked over.

Will extended his hand to him and Colin looked down upon it for a second, as if pondering whether to shake it or not.

What are you doing? Shake it, you idiot. Pen wanted to say. You can't say no to a prince.

Colin looked up at him and finally shook his hand, his jaw clenched.

Pen wondered if he was in a mood, he wasn't typically like this.

"What are you two doing together?" Colin asked, without looking at her.

"Well, I wanted to explore this beautiful ton when I came across Miss Featherington who agreed to accompany me."

"Well, that was fast." Colin quickly retorted.

Penelope was now infuriated. Why was he acting like this? What gave him the right?

"I'm sorry?" Will asked, clearly not understanding Colin's words or his intentions.

"You've just arrived at the square and the two of you are already acquainted is what I meant," he said as he began to turn his eyes over to Pen.

"Oh, right. Well-" and before Will could answer, Gregory pulled him away, wanting to show more of his sailboat, not having a single clue that he was dragging a prince and not a random commoner.

He left her alone with Colin, who though she was avoiding his gaze, she could feel him glaring at her.

What was his problem?

~~~~~~~

A/N

look who's back?
I've risen from the dead just in time for spooky season

Violet 🖤

01/09/23