Chapter Text
---Featherington House, 3 days ago---
"Eloise, I do not think I could possibly eat another bite, you have it" Penelope giggled as she slid the plate of cake over to Eloise. "You know," Eloise began, "you did once say that Marina's condition was caused by a cake...should I be worried that the rounding of my middle is a baby and not bloating?" Eloise grinned slyly. "Eloise Bridgerton!" Penelope gasps in mock offense. "Are you telling me you are with chiiiiiiiild? Are you having a baaaaaaaaaaaby?" The girls were in an absolute fit of giggles. "Yes!" Eloise retorts between cackles, "I am having a baby and she will be named Buttercream!" At this, the friends fell out in uproarious laughter. Their laughs were brought to an abrupt end by Penelope's bedroom door swinging open suddenly, Portia Featherington standing in the doorway none too pleased at the racket. "What on earth could possibly have the two of you making so much noise?" She asks, eyes immediately finding the plate of cakes between the two. "My goodness Penelope, what have I told you about sweets? This will only expand your figure." Portia grabs the plate from the girls and stalks back out of the room, leaving a downcast Penelope in her wake.
"Don't listen to her, you are absolutely perfect, Pen." Eloise says as she puts a comforting hand on Penelope's shoulder. "I know she only says these things because she truly believes she is helping me, misguided as she may be." Penelope replies with a small, sad smile. "I will be back in a moment, the fit of laughs seems to have caused me to need the chamber pot." Penelope says, looking suddenly uncomfortable. "I'll be here, with Buttercream!" Eloise reports as she she cradles her cake-filled middle and laughs.
With Penelope gone, Eloise looks around the room for ways to entertain herself in her absence. Eloise's eyes scan the bookshelf against the far wall. "I've read all of these, this will not do" she says out loud to herself. As she scans the room, her eyes catch Penelope's writing desk. Eloise did always find it interesting that Penelope had an entire writing desk. As far as she knew, the only person Penelope wrote to was, well......Eloise. Eloise sits down at the desk and browses through the various parchments laid about, one catching her eye that seemed unfinished. "Deares..." the page read, followed by the scribbled out section. For some reason, this seemed to beckon Eloise to search further, a sinking feeling in her stomach that she could not yet identify. As she searched the desk further, the corner of a sheet stuck out from underneath a thick book on the desk. Pulling at the corner, Eloise gasped and nearly fainted when she saw what was written on the page.
"Dearest Gentle Readers, it is with great joy that this author revels in the success-" Eloise closes her eyes. Begging the page to change into something agreeable when she opens them again. But no, she is devastated to find that the damning page remains, in Penelope's oh so familiar handwriting. The door opens, and Eloise hears a gasp. "Eloise.....what on earth are you doing?" Penelope asks in the smallest, most meek voice. "Funny," Eloise thinks, "She can be so meek when she wants to, whilst having all of London on a leash." "I could ask you the same thing, Penelope" Eloise spits the words out forcefully, wishing they were physical, tangible. Something she could ground herself by holding on to. "Penelope, you are Whistledown?" Eloise asks, disbelieving, through tears. Penelope casts her gaze downward when responding. "Eloise...I...... I can explain everything. Please. I beg of you, just hear me out. I wrote about you to save you." Eloise turns away from Penelope. "Save me? From who? Because at this moment Penelope, I can only see you yourself as a danger. How could you? To me? To Colin?" Penelope is crying now, Eloise's tears have stopped and she feels numb. "Eloise, I did that to save Colin as well. I assure you my intentions were pure, I did not know what else to do! Neither of you were listening to me, you were going to be taken in by the Queen for treason!" Penelope wails. Eloise looks at Penelope finally, but her face is unreadable. "Cressida may have been right then, you are in insipid wallflower. Do not expect me to save you when this all comes to light. You are no friend to me anymore Penelope."
Eloise can feel her heart break as she says the words. She runs, out of Featherington House and across the square to her home. There is a a spot she can always run to when she is upset, scared, nervous. There is a small area of the attic that nobody other than Eloise and the servants know about. She hurriedly climbs the small ladder up to the attic, and curls herself into the corner, letting her tears fall freely. She knows she is wailing, but she cannot seem to quiet herself. Before she even realizes the sounds she's hearing are footsteps, and she had forgotten to pull the ladder back up into the hole to conceal her hiding spot, Colin is in front of her.
"Eloise, breathe, calm down, look at me." Colin says, his hands cupping Eloise's face and trying to get her to look in his eyes. He had never seen Eloise panicking in such a way, he had barely even seen the girl cry. "Co-colin please l-l-leave me be" Eloise wails, pushing his body way from her. "Eloise I cannot, what has upset you so? Are you hurt?" Colin's concern only panicked Eloise more. "I cannot tell you Colin, I cannot break your heart." At this, Colin is determined to get her to speak. "Eloise, you must tell me this instant or I will have no choice but to send for the Physician and Mother-" "NO" Eloise interjects, "Please Colin do not get anyone else involved, I will tell you, but you cannot tell a soul. PROMISE ME COLIN." Eloise begs. Colin eyes his sister with so much concern and fear, Eloise cannot help but curse herself for leaving the ladder out and wailing so loudly. "Okay, Eloise, I promise. Please, what happened?"
"Penelope....she is Lady Whistledown." Eloise says in a single breath. Colin's hands drop from Eloise's face as he physically recoils. "Eloise that is not bloody funny, what would make you accuse Pen of something like that?" He yells, suddenly feeling as if he is suffocating. "It is true, Colin" Eloise says tearfully, "I found the drafts in her room, she confessed to me that she-" "NO, ELOISE TAKE BACK THIS LIE" Colin explodes. "I AM NOT FUCKING LYING COLIN, I WOULD NOT LIE ABOUT SUCH THINGS." Eloise shrieks, her voice now hoarse. At that moment, Eloise realizes the most fatal turn of events, as she sees Anthony has entered the attic.
Anthony's figure looms behind Colin, Eloise realizes too late. "Eloise, what is going on? Are you certain that Penelope is.....Whistledown?" He says the last word as quietly as Eloise's has ever heard him speak. "Yes.....Anthony she is. But I beg of you, no one is meant to know this, Please do not go to Penelope, I should not have said a word I- ANTHONY!" Before Eloise can stop him, Anthony has made his way down the ladder and is marching off to his study. Colin, shellshocked in the corner, can only sit with his mouth agape. Then, he stands abruptly. "Mother needs to be informed." With that, He too makes his way down the ladder and out the door.
All Eloise can seem to do is cry, looking out of the small attic window at Featherington House.