Chapter Text
first.
Her head was buzzing with too much wine, but she wasn't going to give up the last glass. No, no, the wine was too good, even though it left a bitter aftertaste on her tongue.
A taste of failure.
She ran her tongue over her lips and in a few seconds, wiped the flowing dark drops with a white napkin.
Penelope looked away and her eyes fell on Daphne and Simon dancing. They looked cute - like a power couple on a magazine cover. If they had lived in the old days, she thought, they looked like a duke and a duchess. Dignified, graceful, with sublime movements and that gaze full of love.
Colin was dancing next to them. Colin Bridgerton, a man with whom she had been infinitely in love with since their childhood. And who never paid any attention to her.
It was like that also today - and although in her heart she hoped it would be otherwise, that her fate would change today, she was deeply disappointed.
Colin didn't come alone to Daphne and Simon's wedding - of course no - he had company. And not just any kind of company. He was with Miss Marina Thompson, her distant cousin whom he had met only six months ago at one of the Featherington’s garden parties.
His decision was like a blow to her heart, not that he surprised her entirely, though. She had heard the gossip from Eloise's lips earlier this week. Penelope noticed the glances they were exchanging sitting at one table ...
Penelope was not blind, certainly. She might be considered as plain Jane, blending into the crowd, unnoticed by anyone, but she was definitely an amazing observer. Her skills were trained for years.
And now, as she looked at them, her pale hand gripped the fragile glass of the wine glass that still contained tasty wine. And it could not go to waste.
"Is everything all right?" She heard a familiar voice in her right side that belonged to Anthony, the eldest of the Bridgerton family.
"Am I alright?" Penelope smirked as she finished the rest of her wine. She tilted her head and sighed, asking the bartender for a refill. “Yes, everything is fine. And what about you?"
Anthony snorted and sat down next to her, ordering a whisky with ice.
"What about me? Fine, of course. I am having a great time manoeuvring between the questions of when I will marry coming from benevolent mouths. "
"And when will you get married?" Penelope asked seriously, then giggled because Anthony’s expression was priceless. "I'm kidding, don't reply."
The bartender came over and poured wine for Penelope and placed the whisky in front of Anthony.
“I have no plans to get married in the near future. We live in such times that getting married is a waste of life. I can have any woman, and I do not need a wedding for happiness." The words in his mouth sounded cocksurely to Penelope, but then again, it wasn't the eighteenth century. Neither of them had to be prudish anymore - a wedding was certainly not needed to be happy.
"Your sister thinks otherwise." Penelope noticed, picking up a glass and tilting it towards his glass. Anthony tapped the glass against her and took a long gulp. "One of the sisters." She clarified, because of course it wasn't Eloise.
“Daphne has dreamed of getting married since she went to high school. She always wanted a husband and a big family, so the wedding was only a matter of time for her, always." Anthony grimaced as he said that, but she wasn't sure if his expression was a matter of bad whisky or ...
"And she found Simon." Penelope grunted, in response Anthony shrugged and leaned toward her as if he were going to share with her a secret,
“She was crazy about Simon from the moment she met him. Daphne, I mean. She didn't hide it well, even though she thought she was a master of camouflage. "
Penelope, who took a sip of wine, hearing these words, swallowed the sip with difficulty, almost choking. Was she just as ineptly hiding her feelings for Colin and everyone knew about them?
The world in front of her eyes started to spin dangerously, and she was pretty sure that if she got off her chair and took a step, she would fall, miserably. And it will be a painful, shameful fall - the perfect crowning achievement of her life's failures.
She sighed loudly enough that Anthony eyed her and asked teasingly, "Are you sure you're okay?"
Penelope ran her tongue over her lips and closed her eyes before deciding to reply, “Yes. No. No, I'm not okay. "
Anthony looked around, but he couldn't see Eloise or Mrs. Featherington anywhere.
"Can I help you somehow?" His voice was slightly concerned - Penelope visibly paled and looked as if she was about to throw up the entire contents of her stomach.
“I must… get to my room. But I can't. " She stammered, putting her hand to her mouth.
Her world spun and the lights of the wedding lamps merged into one huge rainbow in front of her eyes. Anthony didn't want to cause a sensation, so he decided Penelope needed his help. He offered her a hand, but she shook her head firmly - as firmly as she could.
“My head is spinning… too.. heavy…” Her voice was almost inaudible, but her words made Anthony react. He walked over to her, put his arm around her tightly and helped her stand on the ground. Penelope was trembling and Anthony realised she could barely stand upright.
“Rest your head on my shoulder and close your eyes, focus on your steps. We have five steps to go,” He squeezed her tightly and as her body leaned against him, he set the pace. "You can do it, we can't make a scene." His motivation worked, and Penelope took the required steps to the exit door.
However, behind the door, her strength let go and she let go of Anthony too, almost collapsing. With the remnants of her will, she leaned against the nearest wall. She felt sleepy, tired, and the world was spinning again.
"I can't." Dazed thoughts and a tangled tongue made her look completely vulnerable. And she lost her hope she would make it with dignity.
She had underestimated Anthony Bridgerton, who hated to lose, always being a winner.
Penelope felt his strong male hands lift her feet from the floor, and she landed in his arms. She opened her eyes and saw that his forehead was furrowed, he was visibly worried about her condition.
"I'm too heavy." She tried to mumble, but he silenced her with one word said in harsh tone,
"Nonsense."
The room was on the first floor and they got there smoothly. Penelope felt like the last fool- to put on such a show at the wedding of Colin's sister, while she mourned over him and was saved from oppression by his brother.
Her whole world revolved around Colin, and maybe that was her problem.
Anthony set her down on the ground, but she still couldn't stand upright, so this time she rested her forehead against his torso. Penelope took a few deep breaths to calm the swirling in her head and suddenly felt a strange smell in her nostrils. Slightly woody, salty, musky ... masculine and damn... alluring.
"Penelope?" His warm breath against her ear made her shudder, and she felt his mouth touch her neck. "Penelope?" Anthony repeated and tilted his head, so she lifted her eyes to look at him.
She never realised how deeply brown his eyes were, like delicious dark chocolate.
She blinked a few times and swallowed, feeling her pulse quicken.
Penelope, what the fuck?
Anthony raised his eyebrows and she climbed on her toes and... She brought her mouth close to his, just millimetres apart, when he heard her sisters giggling at the end of the corridor.
She immediately stood on her heels and moved away from him, feeling her face was red as a beet. Anthony grabbed her hand a little more to keep her from falling, but she shook her head so he let her go.
"I, er, thank you for your help." In a panic, she started looking for the room card to open the door.
Anthony said nothing, and when he saw she was inside, he disappeared noiselessly.
second.
Paris Fashion Week demanded sacrifices from Penelope, which she made with wild joy. Over three weeks away from London, Portia Featherington and thoughts about Colin.
Colin, who hadn't seen the world outside of Marina and had flaunted his acquaintance everywhere - the Instagram feed was bubbling with their love. Sweet photos and stories made Penelope nauseous and… jealous.
That it wasn't her.
And although Penelope had nothing except work at this stage of her life, it was hard to call her unhappy. Especially that her career developed at a dizzying pace and she became the star of her editorial office.
She was given one of the biggest gossip columns on the paper and worked closely with DeuxMoi. Each day at work gave her a thrill of positive emotions, which she transformed into her strength.
As much as she was strong at work, she was so hopeless in her love life.
And on top of that, she had the label of a loser in her family - she had to be silent about many things happening in her work because she was bound by a confidentiality agreement. So i the eyes of her mother and sisters, she was mainly occupied with brewing coffee, packing suitcases and being an assistant at work.
The assistant who was taken to Paris Fashion Week.
And as often as Colin was sharing his kisses with Marina, as often did Penelope share photos from the Paris catwalks and models.
The only problem was, Colin didn't care. In fact, even Eloise didn't quite share her delight - Eloise was one of the most unrepentant feminists of the new modern era.
But that wonderful time in Paris had come to an end, and as she packed her bags at the hotel for her departure to London, she decided to call Eloise.
"Siri, call Bridgerton ..." she said loudly from the bathroom, but the water choked out the name. Her phone rang obediently, and after a few rings, a male voice come on the phone.
"Penelope, is something wrong?" Penelope frowned, trying for a few good seconds to figure out why she was hearing Anthony.
"Anthony?" Surprised, she pronounced his name before she realised what number Siri had chosen. "Oh god, I'm so sorry. I was supposed to call El. " She went to the phone and took it in her hand. The voice on the other side snorted,
"Well, I'm definitely not my sister, Pen." He was clearly amused, and Penelope chuckled in response. "Still in Paris?"
“I'm coming back today, I'm just getting ready for my flight. I will be in London in the evening, I will make it to the vernissage." Penelope tossed the last items into the suitcase and closed the lid that wouldn't close. "Fuck." She huffed under her breath and started to fight the lock.
“Is the lock stuck, too much clothes, huh? ” Anthony was clearly teasing her, and instead of making a retort, she groaned. Resigned, she lifted the phone to her ear and muttered something incomprehensible. "If you sit on it, maybe it will work and close" His amused voice brought a smile to her face, but she grunted,
"Great idea, very funny." She began to manoeuvre around the lock with one hand, and Anthony whistled in her ear at the same time,
"Ouch, where are you and why are you whistling at me?" She growled as she pushed the phone aside and switched to speaker,
“Sorry Pen, but I have to go. My horse has just run away."
And he hung up and she shook her head. Anthony Bridgerton, the heir of the Bridgerton fortune and director of a thriving business, had an incredible weakness for horses. And it justified why he had a huge stud where he spent every free moment.outside of his busy bachelor, carefree life.
Penelope managed to close the suitcase, got the rest of her belongings, and gathered herself for the airport.
The plane was delayed and Penelope was already late for Benedict's opening. In fact, she had given up hope of arriving on time, especially since the storm and downpour of the centuries had swept across London. All taxis refused to come and the Uber price was unacceptable.
Penelope began to wonder about the other options after picking up her luggage when her phone rang.
"Anthony, is something wrong?" This time she was surprised because she did not expect to hear him. Before he could answer, she heard thunder and guessed he might be in the car.
"I'm coming back from the stud and I'm wondering if you're stuck at the airport or not" Penelope heard the rain chopping against the car windows, so all she did was respond truthfully,
"I'm stuck, no taxis, and Uber is costing a small fortune." Anthony's words were drowned out by another thunder and she asked him to repeat it.
"I'm near the airport, I'll be there in five minutes." He hung up for a second time this day, and Pen walked over to her coworkers to let them know that she already had a lift. Her nosy marketing colleagues, with whom she didn’t have very good relations on a daily basis, sensed new blood.
"And you said you didn't have a boyfriend..." They pushed their long noses and prying eyes making Penelope feel her irritation level arise. She decided to take her suitcase and two bags in her hands and head towards the exit with no further comments. She heard two of them follow her steps, wondering who had come for her.
Penelope was no longer irritated, but furious - no one had upset her in such a long time as these three dolls. She stepped out of the glass door and noticed a familiar Range Rover parked several dozen yards from her. The car lights illuminated her and the streams of rain she was about to enter.
Anthony got out and, briskly, almost ran to her and took the suitcase from her hand. Penelope, aware that she was being watched by her friends , looked at him and said,
"Can I ask you for a favour? I have to get back at these jealous bitches because they've been annoying me for a week now." She grimaced and Anthony smiled, nodding. "Can we pretend we’re kissing?" Pen held her breath because it wasn't an obvious request, and he could laugh at her.
Anthony looked over her back and noticed two blondes staring at them without a trace of embarrassment - or even looking for a cheap sensation. Then he looked at Penelope, who, despite so many hours of travel and obvious weariness, did not give up and stood with a stiff expression in the pouring rain.
He leaned over her so that their noses touched and said, "Now you should tilt your head and I will kiss the corner of your mouth." Penelope smiled and tilted her head, and Anthony did as he said. She felt his minty warm breath on her cheek, then on the corner, and they stood there for a moment, then looked up.
"Hope they bought it." He smiled in response and grabbed her hand, dragging her to the car. As they got in, Pen glanced over and both her friends were shocked.