Colin had been up in his room for almost a day. He refused food and drink. Violet was becoming worried for his welfare.
"Colin, mother is worried. Can you please come downstairs"
"El, I think I may be coming down with something"
El's eyebrow shot up disapprovingly "Please. You've been like this since Ben returned, you really believe I don't know why"
Colin growled "I don't know what you mean"
"You do brother. Pen is your friend. You are jealous. You want more than friendship but Ben is courting Pen. You need to stop this sulking"m
"I do not know what to do, El"
"For a start, bathe. You smell like rotten meat. After that you need to get off your ass and interact with society, before the ton think you have been inflicted with some sort of plague"
"Just leave me be, Eloise. I'm not in the mood"
"Colin, you are to get up and go speak to mother before she has a nervous breakdown. If you do not. I will gather up our siblings and drag you out, so help me god"
"You cannot talk to me like that I am older"
"Yet, you're the one acting like a child"
Eloise storms out.
She walks into the drawing room.
"Do you think it worked?" Kate asked Eloise who was looking very controlled. She was faking her temper to shift her foolish brother back to the land of the living.
"Give it four minutes sister, possibly five" Eloise crossed her arms looking rather impressed with herself.
Gregory and Hyacinth sat at a small table. Watching Anthony's pocket watch. Anthony watched them with an amusing smile. They did a countdown from the last minute,
Greg and Hyacinth kept their tone low so Colin would not here "Three, two, one"
Almost as if El could see the future, in walked Colin. Anthony and his two youngest sibling have a round of applause. Looking at Colin.
He gave them a blank expression.
"Finally you're up Colin" Violet walked in touching his cheek "No fever and your limbs all seem intact, perfect. I need a favour"
Colin smile looked strained "What can I help you with mother"
"I'm chaperoning John and Francesca as they are courting and I would like you to pick up a box from the modiste"
"Me? Could you not ask Anthony to do that"
"I am asking you" She looked stern.
"Very well"
Colin sulked up, very undignified. Getting into a carriage. He chose to meet Will at Whites first. He was rather annoyed that the Mondrichs no longer had their bar. Benedict was courting Pen and Anthony had been busy since being home. He needed a drink with a friend.
WHITES - GENTLEMANS CLUB
"Mr Mondrich"
"Bridgerton! I heard you had finally been coerced from your room. I had to see it before I believed it"
Mondrich passed him a drink "So what bothers you my friend?"
"I do not know" he lied
Will spoke direct "You do"
"Benedict is courting Miss Featherington" Colin huffed out
"And this bothers you" Will was unsure why this was so important to him.
"It does" Colin flat out.
"Why may I ask?"
"She is my friend"
"So you should be happy for her and your brother. So is there more" he didn't want to ask, in all honesty.
"Perhaps, I have some feelings towards her"
"Ah. I see. What are you to do?"
"Nothing I can do"
"So you believe your choice is to sulk for the rest of you life"
"Perhaps"
Will laughed "You are the most eligible gentleman in the ton. Surely there will be other ladies" Will expressed himself positively but Colin's mind seemed made up.
"They are not her" his tone stern.
"You must let her go. Regret may be painful but I promise being alone is far worse"
"You may be right. Thank you Will"
Will smiled at him, unsure if the young man was going to accept his advice or not.
It did not matter. Clearly Colin was in love and it was tearing him apart.
Colin stumbled out of Whites, unaware how quickly the alcohol must have hit him. He had not eaten and drank the equivalent of a bottle of scotch. His bed was looking so tempting right now. He walked through Fleet Street.
A figure caught his eye, heading into the church. The person looked suspicious. He followed, he realised he probably wasn't in the right frame of mind if things went south.
He stepped into the church and hid behind a pillar. The figure hid something behind a pew. The figure turned to leave.
Pen. What the devil.
Colin stood between her and the door. "Pen what are you doing here?"
She looked surprised and rightfully so.
"Col. Colin. Why are you here?"
He threw his arms up defensively "I asked you first"
"I enjoy the church at night, it's more calming, is it not"
He noticed she was stammering her words.
He stepped around her to see what she hid "Colin what are you?"
He lifted an envelope up and demanded "What is this?"
"It is none of your business" Colin's anger grew. She was unchaperoned late at night and hiding secrets.
Colin looked daggers at her. The alcohol took over and he ripped the letter open.
She reached torch it from him "It is mine, Colin. It is my secret" Colin waved her off.
Colin didn't listen he started to read the contents, while Pen turned her heal and darted for the door.
Shit. Shit. Shit
Colin slumped onto a pew. The words echo in his mind.
Pens hack had left. Leaving her stranded.
She sat on the steps. Anger boiling in her. Anger at Colin.
He stepped out looked at the Penelope shaped heap on the ground "Get up!" He demanded.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her to where his carriage had parked a lot earlier.
Shit. He was supposed to pick the box up from the Modiste. His mum was going to kill him, if Pen wasn't already planning on it.
He opened the door to the carriage "Get in!"
"You can not tell me what to do"
"Get in!" He barked
If she wasn't already angry with Colin, this surely would have thrown him over the edge.